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The fire element diminishes, with the external sign that the body begins to lose its warmth. The internal experience is that you would no longer be aware of who people like close family and friends were, you would forget their names. The third dissolution is that of the aggregate of perception or discrimination – the ability to recognize what objects are. The internal vision to the dying person is the appearance of smoke puffing up into the air. Next, the ear sense-power deteriorates and the person can no longer hear sounds. The dying person may have difficulty swallowing and it may be beneficial to give them a trickle of water to drink. ![]() An external sign is that the various bodily fluids begin to dry up – sweat, urine, saliva. There is the simultaneous deterioration of the water element. The internal experience is that of the body no longer being able to experience the three types of feelings – pleasure, pain and neutral. The second dissolution is that of the aggregate of feelings. The internal vision is a mirage-like vision, like water on a desert horizon. At this point the water element starts to predominate, in terms of the experience to the dying person. The external sign is that the lustre of the body is diminished and there is no longer a look of vitality to the body. Then there is the dissolution of the aggregate of form in terms of body appearance. This is simply an inner experience – it is not happening externally. As the earth element dissolves there is an experience to the dying person of being buried under the earth or sinking under the earth. We are talking here about a natural death not a sudden death where the signs would be less clear. ![]() The external sign is that the body becomes very thin and loose. One ceases to see clearly and one can no longer open or close one’s eyes. The first dissolution is that of the aggregate of form, the element of earth and simultaneously, the deterioration of the eye sense power and its objects, visible forms and colours. BLEEDING OUT OF EYES AND NOSE TO DEATH DREAM SERIALIf one is aware of the death process and has studied and practised it, then over the course of this serial dissolution one is simply understanding that now earth is dissolving into water, water into fire and so on, and one is able to follow the process completely without fear. BLEEDING OUT OF EYES AND NOSE TO DEATH DREAM SERIESAt the time of death, these twenty factors undergo deterioration in a series of eight dissolutions. We are constituted of the five aggregates, the six sense powers and the four elements, and our remaining as beings depends on these twenty factors. The Death Process as Explained by Geshe Tashi TseringĮxtracted from Dying Well, by Geshe Tashi Tsering, Chenrezig Institute, Queensland, transcribed and edited by Tom Vichta from a teaching to the Amitayus Hospice Service, Mullumbimby, NSW, in April 1995.Īt the time of death, the winds associated with the four elements (earth, water, fire, air) deteriorate, until those elements can no longer act as a basis for consciousness. If you would like to discuss these topics with others in an informal atmosphere, consult the Latest News webpage of Wheel of Life for the dates and times of upcoming Wheel of Life Palliative Care Support Group workshops at the Hayagriva Buddhist Centre. Lama Thubten Yeshe approaches dying from the point of view of the tantric teachings, from where in fact most of the Buddhist understanding of death is derived. The third view of the death process is a beautiful extract from Sogyal Rinpoche’s book, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. ![]() Pende Hawter gives more explanatory detail and helps the reader to understand some of the technical jargon used in Buddhist psychology. Geshi Tashi Tsering’s explanation of the death process is probably the most concise, and may be a good place to start. Even for those who do not believe in rebirth, understanding the stages a person goes through as they die can be helpful and illuminating.įour slightly different presentations of the death process are given below, each by a distinguished Buddhist lama or monk. Some of this mystery and fear may not be necessary because there are explicit Buddhist teachings that explain in some detail the processes of dying, death and rebirth. ![]() The living have become isolated from the dying consequently, death has taken on added mystery, and for some, fear. Their loved ones have less opportunity to be with them and often miss sharing their last moments of life. Most people die in hospitals and nursing homes, where they receive the extensive nursing and medical care they need. Adults and children experienced death together, mourned together and comforted each other. People died at home, surrounded by loved ones. But death was once an integral part of family life. Death is often a taboo subject and even those who hold strong beliefs may avoid talking about it. ![]()
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