Time to practice phowa

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Mirror
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Time to practice phowa

Post by Mirror »

Hello,

will I be able to practice phowa in bardo even if I lost memory of how to practice phowa due to a head injury or mental illness (such as dementia)?
My fear is that at my old age, when I lost memory of phowa practice (without a possibility to regain that knowledge), I won't be able to practice in bardo and attain rebirth in Sukhavati. Thank you very much for any reply.
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Könchok Thrinley
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Re: Time to practice phowa

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

Mirror wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 5:41 pm Hello,

will I be able to practice phowa in bardo even if I lost memory of how to practice phowa due to a head injury or mental illness (such as dementia)?
My fear is that at my old age, when I lost memory of phowa practice (without a possibility to regain that knowledge), I won't be able to practice in bardo and attain rebirth in Sukhavati. Thank you very much for any reply.
Amitabha Buddha would most probably pick you up anyway, if you have regular phowa practice. I mean you pray to be born there, focus on it and dedicate the virtues for being born there. At least that's how I think it would go.
“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
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ThreeVows
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Re: Time to practice phowa

Post by ThreeVows »

Mirror wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 5:41 pm Hello,

will I be able to practice phowa in bardo even if I lost memory of how to practice phowa due to a head injury or mental illness (such as dementia)?
My fear is that at my old age, when I lost memory of phowa practice (without a possibility to regain that knowledge), I won't be able to practice in bardo and attain rebirth in Sukhavati. Thank you very much for any reply.
If that's your fear then maybe you should just focus on practicing to the best of your ability while you can.
“Whoever wants to find the wisdom beyond intellect without praying to his guru is like someone waiting for the sun to shine in a cave facing the north. He will never realize appearances and his mind to be one.”
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climb-up
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Re: Time to practice phowa

Post by climb-up »

Mirror wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 5:41 pm Hello,

will I be able to practice phowa in bardo even if I lost memory of how to practice phowa due to a head injury or mental illness (such as dementia)?
My fear is that at my old age, when I lost memory of phowa practice (without a possibility to regain that knowledge), I won't be able to practice in bardo and attain rebirth in Sukhavati. Thank you very much for any reply.
Phowa is practiced before one enters the bardo, as a way of bypassing the bardo. At least that is my understanding.
If you have head injuries or mental illness that make you not be able to remember the practice then you won't be able to practice phowa (and, as wonderful as phowa is, there is no guarantee that you will be able to practice it).

But head injuries and mental deterioration are physical things, so if you have practiced bardo yogas and related practice then you will be able to do them in the bardo because you will not only not have the physical impairments, but your intelligence and awareness will be increased seven-fold.
There are also other teachings and practices that close the doors to all lower realms and guarantee (a minimum of) rebirth in a dharma family; so there are definitely options.
"Death's second name is 'omnipresent.' On the relative truth it seems we become separate. But on the absolute there is no separation." Lama Dawa
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Re: Time to practice phowa

Post by pemachophel »

You also need to arrange beforehand with a Lama you trust to do phowa for you when you die. If you practice phowa while alive till you get the signs and have an accomplished phowa practitioner do phowa for you when you die, I think you'll be fine.
Pema Chophel པདྨ་ཆོས་འཕེལ
Kai lord
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Re: Time to practice phowa

Post by Kai lord »

Mirror wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 5:41 pm
will I be able to practice phowa in bardo even if I lost memory of how to practice phowa due to a head injury or mental illness (such as dementia)?
No. Phowa is done alive or by someone else close to you moments before your death.

Practices for bardo stages are dream yoga and illusory body. for the latter, you must practice body, speech and mind isolation and reach high level of competence first.

So its much easier to ask your master or a trusted dharma center to do phowa for you .
Mirror
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Re: Time to practice phowa

Post by Mirror »

Kai lord wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:12 am No. Phowa is done alive or by someone else close to you moments before your death.

Practices for bardo stages are dream yoga and illusory body. for the latter, you must practice body, speech and mind isolation and reach high level of competence first.

So its much easier to ask your master or a trusted dharma center to do phowa for you .
Thank you for the explanation and advice! :heart:
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Zhen Li
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Re: Time to practice phowa

Post by Zhen Li »

You need to specify the tradition in which you are practising Phowa. Different lineages have different instructions. In Kagyu, I was taught that if you have the sign you are set for death—no need to force it, Amitāyus will send down the hook of compassion and take your consciousness.
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