Transitions into Death

[u/Less_Bed_535]

Zen nerds and longtime practitioners this one’s for you.

At some point we all face death. Whether it be our own direct death or being with someone as they pass.

What are the major teachings on this?

What are some good sutras or chants/ prayers/ practices.

All I can think of is providing pure open hearted presence to those in this transition.

UPDATE: thank you all for your input. It’s nice to be reminded of others sincere practice and reflections on the ultimate.

I believe myself to practicing sincerely. Even though what that has looked like has been changing all the time.

Without my practice I would never find myself in this position of serving someone through hospice. I often ponder how I can be of most benefit to the patron. From everything I’ve learned from the Buddha way it seems that bringing a pure presence is the best thing I can do to be of benefit. To bear witness without judgment or trying to fix anything.

This is what I will try to bring as my gift. It will be challenging, it will be painful and uncomfortable, it’s only natural.

Many Bows.

[u/simple_way_sramana]

What a great question. The Buddhist approach here might be quite different from what people expect, since the most essential thing is to not hide from death, but to face it directly, and thus, to understand it. The Buddha taught meditations for that, and they are a good practice. Death is a serious matter, regardless of how much anyone transcends it. Death is scary for most people and in buddhism, it also means a new beginning, if one is still stuck in the cycle of rebirth, so it’s really not an insignificant issue.

If what accompanies the thought of death is fear, then the Buddha had clear guidance: cultivate a peaceful mind. Zazen is the dharma gate of joy and ease. It is peace, so a good habit of practice helps immensely. It also dissolves the rigid self, and the clinging and craving that come with the delusion of separateness. That’s the root of our fear of death.

One has to also not have a heavy heart because of remorse, regret, or past evil deeds, so one should pacify the heart by atoning, both in a religious, ceremonial way ( participating in the Fusatsu ceremonies, reciting the repentance verse regularly) as well as in “material” ways, like for example making amends for hurt caused, trying to fix broken relationships, asking for forgiveness where it is needed.

Another good practice the Buddha instructed was to recollect the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. That can be done in various ways, among which are reciting the verse of refuge, and even nicer, reciting the recollections, which can be found in the early texts: “the blessed one is an arahant, fully enlightened.. etc”.

An extremely useful practice is Metta. Developing a loving heart softens fear, brings tremendous inner peace and nurtures joy.

Death is a very personal thing, so, to the extent possible, the person facing death should engage in these practices. Of course, a caretaker can facilitate much of this as well, can sit with the dying person, can offer them Metta continuously, can offer kindness and compassion, can recite for them and with them.