Vajrayana Last Rites Rituals - An Experience

Last Friday, i drove Kunde Rinpoche & a Lama to visit a long time friend's house as her mother had departed on last Thursday, aged 90+3 (may be this is the chinese way of calculating age for the departed).  She called to say that she informed me the news because i had visited her late mom with Kunde Rinpoche 2 years ago when she had a colon surgery.  Having personal affinity with her mum, i had to put aside my lag behind study due to personal commitment in assisting in the coming two Buddhist Puja that would assist in the funding for the new Library of Dzogchen Monastery India.

After a tele-conversation with this Buddhist friend, i requested Kunde Rinpoche last Thursday late night if he could help to perform some last rites rituals to assist this friend's family, though they have a local lay Buddhist group to do Amitabha chantings in the evening. Rinpoche la asked me would they be offering a burned animal (like some Chinese families he had seen) and commented 'no killing' involved is the best merits.  My friend commented her late mum had mentioned merits of the Buddhist full-time practitioners are not comparable, and confirmed the ritual ceremony would be only vegetarian.

When we arrived that state which is about 250KM away, it was about 5.30P.M. As the lay Buddhist Amitabha group would be doing the evening chant from 8pm-9.30pm(?), Kunde Rinpoche la humbly adjusted to their needs. We waited till that chanting session completed. Rinpoche la & Lama performed a Buddhist Prayers (my little knowledge only know Vajrasattva 100-Syllable & Mantra)& Smoke Puja (烟供), later Kunde Rinpoche performed a short 'Phowa'. That family also requested him to bless one of the daughters who has been sick & not well (i did not follow to see his blessing for that daughter).

The next day morning, Rinpoche initiated a 100-Buddha ritual after a long series of Blessing Chantings (some Chantings i could recognized with my little experience in Vajrayana Prayers), including Three Refuges, Bodhicitta, Chenrezig, Amitabha Puja & Mantra Chants etc.  We were impressed that Rinpoche could innovatively just drew the Vajrayana Prayer Plate with a lotus, put a picture of the deceased on top of the lotus before the Prayer started .

After the Prayer, another long-time friend who started practising Vajrayana Buddhism in 1997 (?) presented an offering to Rinpoche la & Lama. Her kindness & generosity reminded us of the impotance of making connection with whatever little offering to the recognized Buddhist Practitioners.

That evening after the lay Buddhist Amitabha chanting, Kunde Rinpoche performed Guru Rinpoche's Empowerment to the deceased & the living siblings & relatives. Before the ceremony started, i suggested to make connection with Kunde Rinpoche & the Lama with a minimal offering. They did, for the sake of the highest love and respect to their beloved mum though i was informed that for some of the children, this is the first time they prostrated to Buddhist full-time practitioners.  I was very moved by their kindness & heartful towards their late mum.  Rinpoche la also explained liberated from the Six Realms of Existence entering the Amitabha Pure Land does not meant attainment of Buddhahood, thus we continue to do Buddhist Prayers for this reason.  I was happy to see that daughter was recovered to join this prayer session and later one.

The next day, we were rejoicing to see sign of liberation at the head of the deceased!  With rejoice, Kunde Rinpoche la & Lama performed the Buddhist Prayers with Transference of Merits long text, also blessing the to-be-used porcelain cremation urn upon request. Later Rinpoche la informed me he did the Gelukpa tradition Transference of Merits chant as the Lama is familiar with this instead of the Nyingma Transference of Merits text.  I saluted Rinpoche la's understanding & compassion to make a connection as the Lama who came with him was trained in Sera Buddhist College of Gelukpa tradition.  May be the full-time Vajrayana Practitioners are much open in performing any recognized traditions' rituals with the right conditions.

As Rinpoche la had well-planned to do the necessary prayers for three days, we departed on Sunday, leaving the cremation ceremony for the arranged organization to perform it on Monday. 

It was indeed a special experience for me and i believe the Buddhist rituals ceremony bring psychological well beings for the departed living family members. On the way back while driving, i was contemplating on the local Buddhist Chinese who had spent enormously for the deceased relative, sometimes may be lack of information or knowledge and even could be due to inherited superstition?

May the Merits generated from these 3 days extensive Buddhist Prayers be transferred to All Sentient Beings For Liberation & Peace...Amitofo. 南无阿弥陀佛
OM AH ME DEWA SHER (108x).......