死于失智症者能生净土吗？
Can Those Who Die From Dementia Reach Pure Land?
Question: There was a case of a [1] person who had already cultivated the Three Provisions (三资粮) of Faith, Aspiration and Practice (信愿行) for rebirth in Pure Land (净土) in advance, who had dementia later, who was however able to ‘wake up’ to continue the Practice of mindfulness of Buddha (念佛) in time, before departing for Pure Land in the end. Does this mean these provisions must be given rise to prior to dementia?
Answer: Of course, ideally so. However, as Śākyamuni Buddha (释迦牟尼佛) taught in the Amitā[bha] Sūtra《阿弥陀经》, ‘If there are people who have [1] already vowed, are [2] now vowing, or [3] will be vowing, with the desire to be born in Amitā[bha] Buddha’s Land, all these people and others… (若有人，[1] 已发愿、[2] 今发愿、[3] 当发愿，欲生阿弥陀佛国者， 是诸人等…)
in that land, they have [1] already been born, or are [2] now being born, or [3] will be born. Therefore… all good men and good women, if they have faith, should vow, to be born in that land.’ (于彼国土，若 [1] 已生、若 [2] 今生、若 [3] 当生。是故… 诸善男子、善女人，若有信者，应当发愿，生彼国土。)
The [1] first person mentioned above pertains to those who [1] ‘already vowed’ ‘with the desire to be born in Amitā[bha] Buddha’s Pure Land’, who has thus [1] ‘already been born’. Of course, this [1] person’s vow (i.e. Aspiration) did not only not change when departing from this life, it ‘revived’ in time with the blessings of the Buddha, to be expressed with the other two provisions of Faith and Practice.
For [2] persons with enough presence of mind now when living, to be those who are [2] ‘now vowing’ ‘with the desire to be born in Amitā[bha] Buddha’s Pure Land’, of course, they are [2] ‘now being born’ there. In fact, the [1] first person above was also asserting the vow to be born there, in the [2] ‘now’ when about to depart then.
For [3] persons with enough presence of mind later when dying or after death (but before rebirth), to be those who [3] ‘will be vowing’ ‘with the desire to be born in Amitā[bha] Buddha’s Pure Land’, of course, they [3] ‘will be born’ there. In fact, these [3] persons will also be asserting the vow to be born there, in the [2] ‘now’ when about to depart later.
Even [3] those who died with dementia can reach the Pure Land if their consciousness is still around, to understand the timely guidance (开示) offered, be it verbally or silently in the mind, and follow the accompanying support-chanting (助念) to express the Three Provisions. Most noteworthy is that the consciousness after death will not have dementia as it is disconnected from the diseased brain. The mind is thus clear then.
Related Testimonies:
祖母的愤怒表情如何转变为安详的笑容
[32] How My Grandmother’s Angry Scowl Became A Beautiful Smile
https://purelanders.com/2016/09/07/how-my-grandmothers-angry-scowl-became-a-beautiful-smile
[62] Walking To Āmítuófó’s Golden Light
https://purelanders.com/2018/12/02/walking-to-amituofos-golden-light
[115] Guiding My Mother To Pure Land Despite Dementia
https://purelanders.com/2024/10/29/115-guiding-my-mother-to-nianfo-despite-dementia
[74] How My Aunt Departed Blissfully Despite Severe Dementia
https://purelanders.com/2021/01/02/how-my-aunt-departed-blissfully-despite-severe-dementia
[69] How I Guided My Mother Despite Her Dementia To Niànfó
https://purelanders.com/2020/11/12/how-i-guided-my-mother-despite-her-dementia-to-nianfo
Related Articles:
(Definitions Of) The Three Provisions
https://purelanders.com/3p
Pure Land Practice For Those With Dementia
https://purelanders.com/2018/10/17/dementia
How To Help Those With Dementia Reach Pure Land
https://purelanders.com/2013/09/04/how-to-help-those-with-dementia-reach-pure-land
Can Those With Dementia Practise Buddha Mindfulness?
https://purelanders.com/2011/12/15/can-those-with-dementia-practise-buddha-mindfulness
助亡者偈
Verses On Supporting The Deceased
https://purelanders.com/2019/05/15/verses-on-supporting-the-deceased
今发愿今往生的原理
[58] The Principle Of ‘Vow Now For Birth Now’
https://purelanders.com/2018/10/26/vow-now-for-birth-now
