Recitations after Time of Death

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cjdevries
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Recitations after Time of Death

Post by cjdevries »

Does anyone have recommendations of prayers to be recited by loved ones for the 49 days after a deceased's passing? I read that H.E. Garchen Rinpoche recommends reciting the Wishing Prayer of Dewachen for each of the 49 days. Any other prayers that are important? Heart Sutra maybe, or the Mantra of Great Compassion? Thanks.
"Please call me by my true names so I can wake up; so the door of my heart can be left open: the door of compassion." -Thich Nhat Hanh

"Ask: what's needed of you" -Akong Rinpoche

"Love never claims, it ever gives. Love ever suffers, never resents, never revenges itself." -Gandhi
Fortyeightvows
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by Fortyeightvows »

The faithful Zhai Fengda 翟奉達, Acting Vice Director of the Ministry of Public Works in the Department of State Affairs, had a copy of a sūtra in one scroll made on the occasion of each of the funerary ceremonies for the blessing of Lady Ma 馬, his departed wife:
for the ceremonies of the first seven-day feast, the Sūtra on Impermanence Wuchang jing 無常經);
for the second feast, the Sūtra on the Water-Moon Guanyin(Shuiyue Guanyin jing 水月觀音經); for the third feast, the Zhoumeijing;
for the fourth, the Sūtra on the Questions Asked by a Deity (Tian qingwen jing 天請問經);
for the fifth feast, the Sūtra of King Yama (Yanluo jing 閻羅經);
for the sixth feast, the Sūtra for Protecting All Children (Huzhu tongzi jing 護諸童子經);
for the seventh feast, the Heart Sūtra of the Prajñāpāramitā (Duoxin jing 多心經);
for the hundredth day (after death),the Sūtra of the Yulan Bowls (Yulan pen jing);
for the first-year anniversary of her decease,the Sūtra on the Buddha’s Mother (Fomu jing 佛母經);
and for the third-year anniversary,the Sūtra on Good and Evil Causes and Results (Shan’e yinguo jing 善惡因緣經)
Translation from Christine Mollier 'Buddhism and Taoism Face to Face'
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Könchok Thrinley
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

Also the King of Aspiration Prayers.
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche

For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.

- Arya Sanghata Sutra
cjdevries
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by cjdevries »

The Amitabha Sutra is recommended as an after death recitation by Dzongsar Kyentse Rinpoche.
"Please call me by my true names so I can wake up; so the door of my heart can be left open: the door of compassion." -Thich Nhat Hanh

"Ask: what's needed of you" -Akong Rinpoche

"Love never claims, it ever gives. Love ever suffers, never resents, never revenges itself." -Gandhi
pemachophel
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by pemachophel »

All good suggestions.

If possible, also try to have jang-chog/nay-dren performed once every seven days after death or at least on the first seventh day after death. This is the ceremony that leads the consciousness of the deceased through the bardo and to Liberation or to a higher rebirth. IME, the Kagyud tend to call this jang-chog, while the Nyingma tend to call it nay-dren. It is a lay-jor or activity appended to certain sadhanas. One has to have accomplished the approach and accomplishment of the sadhana to be able to do this lay-jor. Often it is appended to a Chenrezig sadhana. For instance, in the Longchen Nyingthig, it is appended to Dug-ngal Rang-drol. In Kyabje Kusum Lingpa's terma, it is appended to Amoghapasha Chenrezig. However, in Pegyal Lingpa's terma, it is appended to the Red Vajrasattva sadhana. If one has the resources, one can have this practice done every day for 49 days. You arrange to have this ceremony done at www.mahasiddha.org under "Prayers." Best to include a picture of the deceased.

If the deceased was a Dzogchen practitioner, then reading the bardo prayers from the Bardo Thodrol are also important. However, these should only be read by someone who has A) completed ngondro and B) received their lung.

One can also simply make any offerings one likes, such as candles/lamps, flowers, water bowls, etc. and dedicate the merit to the deceased. Tibetans tend to emphasize butter lamps. Another option is to make donations to any Dharmic activity or charity, such as for saving the lives of animals, and then dedicate that merit to the deceased. If one makes a donation in the deceased's name towards a temple, stupa, statue, shedra, or drubdra, every time someone makes any merit in the place or in front of that statue or stupa, the deceased will also share in that merit.

Last but not least, one can also go on pilgrimage and/or do prostrations and dedicate that merit to the deceased.
Pema Chophel པདྨ་ཆོས་འཕེལ
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

Don't know if they do it anymore, but you used to be able to add loved ones names to Shitro Puja at Sakya Monastery in Seattle:

https://www.sakya.org/

Edit: Yep, here we are: https://www.sakya.org/calendar/700am-sh ... 019-12-01/
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
Yklah
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by Yklah »

Sravasti Abbey carries out a Medicine Buddha puja monthly for sick people or dead people as well :

https://sravastiabbey.org/program-overv ... ddha-puja/

The FPMT also has a "Support at the Time of Death" service (no pets allowed) :

https://fpmt.org/pfd/prayers/
Last edited by Yklah on Sat Sep 11, 2021 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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weitsicht
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by weitsicht »

Before death: remind of the process (you are about to die, relax) / read from the Bardo Thödol
During Tukdam (time between breathe stopped and first livores mortes): shut up, be present
In the first Bardo: read the text he/she practised most. Remind (you are dead now, make wise choices)

I found this very helpful (2x1h40)
Ho! All the possible appearances and existences of samsara and nirvana have the same source, yet two paths and two results arise as the magical display of awareness and unawareness.
HO NANG SRI KHOR DAE THAMCHE KUN ZHI CHIG LAM NYI DRAE BU NYI RIG DANG MA RIG CHOM THRUL TE
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明安 Myoan
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by 明安 Myoan »

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recommends Amoghapasha's mantra, and the Celestial Mansion Extremely Secret Sublime Success mantra.
Namu Amida Butsu
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Linguistic Mystic
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Re: Recitations after Time of Death

Post by Linguistic Mystic »

All of the above prayers and offering of lamps are beneficial during the 49 days. Here are some more practice specifically from the Nyingma tradition that are extremely effective in guiding the consciousness of the deceased through the intermediate state (bardo). There is also the option to have monks and nuns perform them on behalf of the deceased:

https://www.samyeinstitute.org/bardo-prayers/
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