What to Chant When a Pure Land Buddhist is Dying
October 6, 2007 Question: When a Pure Land Buddhist is dying should the Amitabha Sutra be recited or a tape of the sutra played or is it better just to nianfo due to simplicity?
Response: It is extremely difficult for us to concentrate when we are dying. Consider how difficult it is for us now, when we are healthy and not in pain or facing death.
The following is some excellent advice on supportive chanting from the Amitabha Pureland website:
According to Master Yin Guang, the thirteenth patriarch of the Pure Land school, the short chanting form of “Amituofo” should be used. This will help the patient to more easily register this name in the most subtle consciousness, at a time when both mind and body are very weak.
It would be wise to ask the patient which is preferred—“Amituofo” or “Namo Amituofo.” In this way, the patient can comfortably and silently chant along with the group. To go counter to the patient’s likes and habits may destroy his or her concentration. People should not chant too loudly so as not to use too much energy and shorten the time they can chant. On the other hand, they should not chant in too low a voice or the sound might not register in the patient’s mind. Also, they should not speak to one another while in the room.
Chanting should neither be too loud or soft, slow or fast. Each utterance should be clear and distinct, so it can be heard clearly and penetrate deep into the patient’s consciousness. One warning: if the patient is too weak or is in coma, he may have difficulty hearing the chanting. In such a case, someone should chant close to the patient’s ear to help the patient to keep a clear, steady mind.
Reader Comments (2)
My father was a stroke patient for 10.5 years before he finally passed away very peacefully on the night of 26 February 2008. About 12 days before his death, he was very ill and we started to chant "Amitoufo" and kept reminding him to let go of everything and listen (as he cannot verbalised due his stroke condition) or follow our chanting in his heart. We also encouraged him to go with Amitoufo if he sees Amitoufo coming to fetch him. We chanted at least at least 2 to 3 hours per day since then.
On the night of his death, we have just completed an hour of chanting. We witnessed him taking his last 3 breaths. Upon his first stop in breathing, we started chanting Amitoufo. Upon his second last breathing, I heard the chanting of "Amitoufo" (different from our chanting - this sounds very heavenly) coming from the distance and then within the room - that was when my father took his last breath. We continued to chant for the next 8 hours. After the 8 hours, we cleaned his body and found his paraylsed left-side body (especially the hand) to be soft and flexible. His complexion has a healthy' pinkish' look. He did not look well when he was alive because he has been sick for too long.
Throughout the night and through the 5 nights of funeral, we felt that the area where his wake was taking place to be brighter than usual. My mother and sister also told me that 1 to 2 days before his death, they experienced a certain 'flowery' fragrance in our house (no similar previous experience). After cremation, we found sharira flowers in his ashes (pinkish-purple colour). This morning, my sister told us that she dreamt of our father. She saw him fully attired in light purple and seems to be walking down a high slope/bend. The slope/bend looks very clean and white. She also said that our father looked very clean, serene and stately in the dream.
Are these signs that my father has transcended to Amitabha Pureland?
We would appreciate your honourable comment.
Thank you very much. Amitoufo!
I truly regret that I do not have the ability to know whether your father was reborn in the Pure Land. Such signs as you mention are favorable, so you may take consolation that his final days and hours were good and that he had the good fortune to have his family with him and to honor his wishes.
Amituofo