Sutras that reference 49 Day Journey After Death

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jlhughes
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Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:16 pm

Sutras that reference 49 Day Journey After Death

Post by jlhughes »

I'm looking for sutra references to the 49 Day Journey After Death and, in particular, any sutra that details the stages of the journey.

The Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva contains a passing reference to ceremonies marking the 49 day journey.
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Aemilius
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Re: Sutras that reference 49 Day Journey After Death

Post by Aemilius »

In a previous discussion this has been said:

"Aemilius wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:31 am
By chance I came across an answer to your original question, it is in Abhidharmakosa Bhasyam of Vasubandhu. There are about 20 pages concerning the intermediate state beginning at p. 382 in vol. II. It is interesting material. There are four different opinions concerning the length of the intermediate state. According to the commentators of ABK, Vasubandhu prefers the answer he has put first which is: " How long does an intermediate being exits? There is no fixed rule, says the Bhadanta". (Two of the other opinions are: 7 days, and 7 weeks.)

by curtstein » Fri Feb 03, 2023 5:47 pm
Wow! That is extremely interesting. I have recently been reading a lot about East Asian Buddhist thinking/practices regarding the intermediate state. In East Asia it is commonly believed that the first 49 days (the "seven seven") are subsequently followed by three more intermediate steps: 100 days after death, 1 year after death, and then a final stage that ends at least two years but probably no more than 3 years after death. This idea is associated with the "apocryphal" Scripture on the Ten Kings (in which there is one Judge/King for each of the first 7 groups of seven days, and then an additional Judge/King for the three subsequent periods, adding up to 10 - all of them acting under the supervision of Dizang/Ksitigarbha). It's fascinating (at least to me) to see an Indian source (Vasubandhu no less) who states that there is "no fixed time", thus leaving the door open at least a crack for legitimizing (or at least not completely ruling out) the 10 Kings model for the intermediate state."
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