Buddha's Responses to Questions about Death: q. 2,3, and 4

Question 1

The first question dealt with the existence of rebirth which Buddha confirms using the logic that living beings would be extinguished if they were not able to take a next life.  Now the questions become more specific about the form of that next life.  The first tells us that the form we take in the next life is variable due to the actions accumulated previously.

Question Two: O Bhagawan! Will the sentient beings who pass away from this world be born into types of rebirth without alteration? For example, will gods be reborn as gods?  Likewise, humans as humans, animals as animals, famished spirits as famished
spirits and hell-beings as hell-beings?

Response: No. Sentient beings are born as different types by the force of their wholesome
and unwholesome actions. For example, the present humans may have become
humans from previous gods. The present animals may have become animals from
previous humans who indulged in unwholesome actions.

The third question further explains the variability of rebirth.   Clarifying that any beings can be reborn as another being in the next life,  that there isn't a state that inherently prevents lower or higher rebirths.  Thus further illustrating the preciousness of the human rebirth.

Question Three: O Bhagawan! Can gods, after death, be born into other types, such as humans, etc.? Likewise, can humans, animals, famished spirits, and the hell-beings, after their deaths, be born as other beings such as gods?

Response: Yes, that is so. Gods, after death, can be born into other beings such as humans,
etc. Likewise, humans, animals, famished spirits, and the hell-beings, after their deaths, can be born as other beings such as gods.

The Fourth Question starts the questions about what accompanies us in our rebirth, the first issue being family.   King Suddhodana inquires as to whether the belief that in life after life we retain our same familiy members.  Buddha response in a series of questions that answer themselves.  His response points out that without physical bodies we wouldn't be able to recognize family members because we cannot recognize their mindstream.  Furthermore how would we explain the different races and cultures if we are reborn with our current family members over and over since beginningless time.

Question Four: O Bhagawan! When sentient beings pass away from this life, they retain in th next life the same circle of family members as in this present life such as parents,
grandparents, great grandparents, etc. whom they had been born with life after life from beginningless time. Such is the understanding of ordinary people. Is this true?

Response 1: When parents and children, etc. appear to each other, they do so as physically
embodied beings. It is not that one mind appears to another mind. When the physical aggregate is left behind and has ceased to be, how could minds accompany minds and appear to each other? The deceased parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. are not seen even by their living children and grandchildren who possess physical bodies. How could the parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc., who had already died and no longer possess physical bodies, be thought to accompany each other as they did before? Even granting this, without physical bodies how could we see them accompanying each other?

Response 2: In this life, when parents, children, and numerous relatives live together, they
acknowledge each other on the basis of their different physical bodies. They do
not see their own minds, let alone the minds of each other. Therefore, how would
they see each other after death? How would parents, grandparents, great
grandparents, etc. see and accompany each other?

Response 3: If, in the beginningless flow of time, there were the first ancestors whom the
present grandchildren accompanied, then all the present tribes, clans, clusters,
types, of which there are many who are enemies, have settled in places, belong to
tribes, speak languages, and carry out customs not heard or known to each other,
must have descended from that same ancestor. So, where would one draw the line
among these foreparents and grandchildren, and demarcate between the
accompanied and the unaccompanied?

Buddha's Responses to Questions about Death: Question 1

I'm blessed to be able to attend teachings at Drepung Loseling in Atlanta.  The center's relationship with Drepung Monastery and Emory University allows us to receive teachings from the most learned scholars in Tibetan Buddhism.  In an effort to share some of our good fortune, my next few posts are intended to share the basis of one of the teachings from our resident teacher, Geshe Dadul Namgyal.

Geshe-la is currently translating and compiling science curriculum for the monks in the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative.  He has served as editor of several Buddhist publications as well as serving as a translator with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.   Recently he gave teaching from a translation he compiled previously, this is the work that I wanted to share with the internet.

The sutra is entitled "Ayuspattiyathakaraparipicchasutra" roughly translated as "The sutra (spoken by the Buddha) in response to a query over what happens after death."  It comes from the Tibetan Kagyur.¹  In the sutra,  King Suddhodana (Gautama Buddha's Father) is wondering about death as he observes the funeral rites for one of his wealthy subjects name Nandaja.  As he grows impatient with the inability to find answers he sees the Buddha.  He obtains permission to ask the Buddha several questions and, not wasting his opportunity, he fires off 11 questions concerning the event after death.

The first question addresses the main subject, "What happens when we die, do we just decay to nothing?"

Question One:  O Bhagawan! Does one, after passing away from this world, come to naught and not get re-born at all, like fires burning out and leaving ashes in their wake?

Response:  No.  For example, where there is a seed, there will be its resultant sprout.  This life is like the seed and the next life, the sprout.  So, the next life follows in the wake of the present on after this life has ceased.  Besides, just as the sun rises again the next day after it had set and gradually given way to the night, likewise one takes a next life after passing away from the present one.  If there were no such thing as taking a next life, it would be logical that all the living beings would be extinguished by now.  Since that is not the case, there is certainly a next life.  This is like physical plants and trees growing again after having dried out due to the ravages of time.

 

1 The bibliographic information for the sūtra is: tshe 'pho ba ji ltar 'gyur ba zhus pa'i mdo; Ayuspattiyathakaraparipicchasūtra;
Tohoku catalogue number 308 (for sDege redaction): MDO, SA 145b4 -155a1;
Peking catalogue number 974 (for Peking redaction): MDO SNA TSHOGS, SHU 155b1-164b8.
In the Lhasa redaction of the bka'-'gyur (MDO, LA 223b7-237b3) the title is given as: 'chi 'pho ba ji ltar 'gyur ba
zhus pa'i mdo 

March 10, 2011

Leaving CNN Center

Walking Down Peachtree Street

Tsepak-la reads HHDL's statement

Geshe Yeshe-la reads from HHDL's statement

Today the Atlanta Tibetan Community held a march through Atlanta to show our support for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people throughout the world.  It was a great day and walking with the Drepung Loseling Monks was a great experience.  The reading of His Holiness's March 10 statement was particularly moving.  Thanks to the organizers for the opportunity to show our support for the Tibetan people.  FREE TIBET!!!!

Public Teaching: Reincarnation: A Buddhist Perspective pt. 2

On Tuesday, Feb. 1,  Geshe Dadul Namgyal will give a public talk entitled "Reincarnation: A Buddhist Perspective pt. 2" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: A Tibetan View of the Self

On Tuesday, Jan 25,  Geshe Lobsang Tenzin will give a public talk entitled "A Tibetan View of the Self" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: 8 Verses of Training the Mind - pt. 1

On Tuesday, Jan 11,  Geshe Ngawang Phende will give a public talk entitled "Cherishing Others by Subduing Self-Cherishing" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Its part 1 of the 8 part series on "Eight Verses for Training the Mind".  Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: Reincarnation: A Buddhist Perspective

On Tuesday, Jan. 4,  Geshe Dadul Namgyal will give a talk on "Reincarnation: A Buddhist Perspective" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Whisked Away

DLM was blessed to have His Holiness the 102 Ganden Tripa Rizong Rinpoche lead the closing ceremony of the Avalokiteshvara Mandala.  The mandala is describe here in a previous post.  It was a wonderful turnout, with a standing room only crowd and many visitor that had never before been to the center.  The chanting and prayers were great, followed by the collection of all the sand to be distributed to the attendees and pour into a clean water source tommorrow by His Holiness the Ganden Tripa.

The Final Product - taking after the Avalokiteshava Empowerment was given

His Holiness the 102 Ganden Tripa leads the closing Ceremony

Mandala of Colored Powders - Dul-tson-kyil-khor

Two Tibetan Monks carefully, slowly scrape a small stick down the side of a long funnel. Tiny grains of emerald green sand fall from the tip like paint from an artist's brush. Methodically, carefully, a montage of color and detail takes shape; a dul-tson-kyil-khor, the Tibetan words for “mandala of colored powders”. More commonly referred to as a Tibetan Sand Mandala, this mixture of painting, sculpting, drawing and patience is an art form that has been practiced in Tibetan for hundreds of years.
The venerable monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery have been working on this mandala since August 29th for a few hours a day, three days a week. It is being created to honor His Holiness the Dalai Lama when he visits Emory University in October.

One of the most unique and fascinating forms of Tibetan art, the sand mandalas are more than just painstaking artistry of sand. They represent a diagram of the enlightened mind and the ideal world. Rendered as a palace, each object in the mandala has a spiritual significance reminding the creators and audience of the principles that guide them on their path to enlightenment. The mandala being created at DLM is a Mandala of Avalokiteshvara – the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Its purpose is to show a method of bringing peace and harmony to the world through the practice of Great Compassion and Wisdom.

The mandala itself is a depiction of a palace with a retinue of deities in the center surround by four gates and inner and outer walls. The outer walls are created with 5 colors( white,yellow, red, green, blue) representing faith, effort, memory, meditation, and wisdom. The gates in the center of each wall represent love, compassion, joy and equanimity – the Four Immeasurable Thoughts. In the center is an 8 petaled lotus flower representing the Lotus Family, the Buddha family that purifies passion into discriminating awareness. At the center is Buddha Amitabha in the appearance of Avalokiteshvara. He is represented by a lotus flower symbolizing freedom from attachment. The deities surrounding him represent purified states of suffering. On the eastern red gate is Buddha Akshobhya in the form of a vajra symbolizing purified hatred. On the southern yellow gate, the precious jewel representing Buddha Ratnasambhava symbolizes purified misery. On the white western gate sits Buddha Vaivochana as a dharma wheel symbolizing the purified aspect of ignorance. Finally on the green northern gate is the symbol of purified jealosy, Buddha Amogasiddhi as a flaming sword. The complete lotus serves to remind us of the importance of renunciation.

Buddha Vaivochana

Buddha Akshobhya

Buddha Amogasiddhi

Buddha Ratnasambhava

The mandala takes several days to create depending on the number of monks working on it. The DLM mandala will take about 16 days to complete. When on tour with the Mystical Arts of Tibetan they can create a mandala in 3 or 4 days. The process begins with a ceremony to purify the space and prepare the area where the mandala will be created. Then the outline and guides are drawn on the table using chalk and a simple compass, ruler, and string. The sand is crushed rock that has been dyed with the wonderful colors that make the mandala so beautiful but other substances can be used such as powdered flowers, herbs, and grains. In ancient times, precious and semi-precious stone were crushed to provide the colors in the mandala. When finished the mandala is dismantled in a ceremony and the sands are swept up and distributed in a clean water source to spread the healing energies throughout the world.

Green Gate

Blue Gate

Yellow Gate

White Gate

Public Teaching: Conceptual Consciousness at DLM

On Tuesday, Sept 14,  Geshe Ngawang Phende will give a public talk entitled "Conceptual Consciousness" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: What is Happiness?

On Tuesday, Sept. 7,  Geshe Damdul Namgyal will give a talk on "What is Happiness? From the Buddhist Perspective" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: The 3 Types of Compassion - Part 3

On Tuesday, Aug. 31,  Geshe Ngawang Phende will give the second talk of a series on "The 3 Types of Compassion" entitled "Compassion Characterized by Emptiness" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: The 3 Types of Compassion - Part 2

On Tuesday, Aug. 24, Geshe Ngawang Phende will give the second talk of a series on "The 3 Types of Compassion" entitled "Compassion Characterized by Impermanence" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta. Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: Scientific Insight on the Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation

On Tuesday, Aug. 17,  Geshe Lobsang Tenzin will give a talk on "Scientific Insight on the Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Cows, Friends, and New Beginnings

The Lamrim retreat is over, and boy was I beat when I got home.  Seven days in intensive meditation and instruction on the essence of the Buddha's teaching on the path to Enlightenment.  It was an incredible, life changing experience.  We had 3 inspiring sessions of teaching and meditation followed by a Q&A Dharma Talk with Geshe Phende-la, the questions ranging from basic Buddhist practice to complex philosophical debates.

The teachings were absolutely the best.  It was the perfect introduction to the entire aspects of the practice of Tibetan Buddhism, covering Guru Yoga, Renunciation, Bodhicitta, and Wisdom in our sessions.  We became completely familiar with Lama Je Tsongkhapa's life and teachings on the Lamrim.  It was such a difference-making event for me.  As a very inexperienced practitioner, I developed a more complete understanding of what "practice" means, giving me an outline for progress and preparing me for further studies and practices.  It expanded and deepened my understanding of compassion for all sentient beings as well as bodhicitta.  We had a wonderful session on emptiness and the meditation work associated with the topic was simply mind blowing.

The surroundings were inspirational, a beautiful location -- the Center for New Beginnings in Dahlonega, GA -- complete with cows, bears, bugs and beautiful Georgia foliage. Georgia in August, hot and humid every day,with 30 minute evening thunderstorms added lots of excitement.
Our bodies were fed as well as our minds. Meals were wonderfully engineered by Chef Sean Moran and Carol Beck, with wonderful desserts provided by Kris Lorenz to satisfy our sweet tooths.

The opportunity to really get to know the sangha members was priceless.  We developed closer friendship and the more experienced practitioners generously provided guidance; examples for those of us not quite as familiar with the ritual and practice.   The opportunity to spend so much time simply being surrounded by practitioners provided an osmosis affect that enriched everyone's practice and understanding.

Public Teaching: The 3 Types of Compassion - Part 1

On Tuesday, Aug. 10,  Geshe Ngawang Phende will give the first talk of a series on "The 3 Types of Compassion" entitled "Compassion Observing Only Sentient Beings" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Ready for Retreat!

Tomorrow is the beginning of the Drepung Loseling Lam Rim Retreat.  I'm very excited about the opportunity to expand my knowledge and practice, but I'm a little nervous about the prospects of a week of silence.  No computer, no cell, no email, no kids, no dogs, and no wife.  Hmmm, sounds like a vacation but I'll miss those things.  ALOT!  This is my first off site residential retreat, my first chance to immerse myself in the Dharma and really gain some understanding of where I'm at with my practice.  I've read the suggested readings and learned the mantras and now I'm ready for action.  I'm also looking forward to writing about the experience.  Hopefully I'll have some interesting insights into myself and the Dharma so until week after next I'm signing out.  Peace.

Public Teaching: Six Essential Keys from Mahasiddha Tilopa

On Tuesday, Aug. 3,  Geshe Damdul Namgyal will give a talk on "The Six Essential Keys from Mahasiddha Tilopa" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: The Higher Training of Wisdom

On Tuesday, July 27,  Geshe Ngawang Phende will give a talk on "The Higher Training of Wisdom" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Click on the link for more info.

Public Teaching: The Higher Training of Concentration

On Tuesday, July 20,  Geshe Ngawang Phende will give a talk on "The Higher Training of Concentration" at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta.  Last week discussion was great,  this one will be even better.  Click on the link for more info.