Some years back, a colleague’s Father was down with lung cancer. He was a hardcore smoker, and a Theravadin Thai Buddhist, who doesn’t do much practice. When he was about to pass away and occasionally sober, I shared some Pure Land teachings through his daughter, and bought a mani wheel for him. This man definitely has affinity with Buddhism (佛缘). There is this lama who seems to appear in his life from time to time, and so did his Theravadin teacher. To increase his aspiration for Pure Land, I shared these words:
‘The Buddha (e.g. Amituofo; Amitabha Buddha) always sees all beings as his parents from his many past lives. In this way, he sees himself as a dutiful son to all beings. When we become Buddhists, we should try to see that the Buddha is like a filial son trying to liberate us (and all other beings), who are his parents, whom he holds dear. In our mundane life, we might have our worldly sons and daughters to take care of us. When we leave this world, we have the Buddha and Bodhisattvas as our ‘matured spiritual children’, who will guide us to Pure Land, and teach us there. At the same time, in Great Strength Bodhisattva’s Perfect Penetration Of Buddha Mindfulness (大势至菩萨念佛圆通章), it is taught that the Buddha is like a loving parent, who yearns for us, who are like his children, to return to him by mindfulness of him. We should thus feel doubly safe (as beloved children and parents) to deliver ourselves into his care, to aspire to be born in Pure Land.’
As he had a number of operations, I told him that as someone who has been through so much bodily suffering, he should no longer cling to his skin bag of bones. I was told there were auspicious signs when he passed on. Once, he showed the hand signal for ‘4’, and he passed away on Thursday (day 4 of the week) at 4pm! He was thus able to predict his time of death. Before he passed away, his wife and a daughter heard chanting in the background too. I suppose this is an auspicious sign of reaching Pure Land too.
Namo Amituofo, Bro. SC
Notes:
From http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2012/06/who-has-been-to-pure-land-back: ‘ Those who practise mindfulness of Buddha very well can depart for Pure Land at will before becoming old, sick and/or dying; when healthy, young and thus very much alive instead. From ancient history to this modern day, there continues to be increase in already innumerable records of sincere practitioners who have done so. They manifest many classic auspicious signs of birth in Pure Land while departing very blissfully, joyfully citing the arrival of Amituofo or sight of Pure Land. Such passing must karmically lead to the most blissful realm they aspire to reach – Pure Land. Some give way ahead yet accurate announcements of their departure dates and times too. This is very powerful evidence for the efficacy of Pure Land practice because for ordinary beings, with the Three Poisons of strong attachment (to samsaric life), aversion (to dying) and delusion (of the afterlife), it is impossible to calmly and clearly know and say when they will depart, if not, as testified by them, due to having been personally informed by Amituofo of when he will arrive to guide them to his Pure Land. These advance notices are also Amituofo’s skilful means to continually inspire us to have greater faith in him and his Pure Land!’
