Hello in this programme, we’ll talk about what we can take with us when we die. Some of us might think, ‘Isn’t it a bit too early to think about that?’ Well, it’s actually already a bit late to talk about it. Because the answer to the question ‘What can we take with us when we die?’ will give us a clear and correct direction in life. And this clear and correct direction in life will bring us and other people true and long-lasting happiness. There is one thing we must remember, that is, be it fame, profit, social status, wealth, family members or relatives, no matter how much we love them, we cannot take them with us when we die. In other words, they cannot go with us when we die.

Listen to my teacher’s original lecture: What can we take with us when we die?

Listen to the podcast in English: What can we take with us when we die? What is the correct direction in life?.

Listen to Amituofo Chanting.

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So what can we take with us when we die? We can take with us all the karma, that is, good and bad energy, generated by what we have done in this life and what we did in previous lives. We can take with us all our efforts and gains of correcting our thoughts, speech and actions. We can take with us our wisdom and abilities that we have obtained in this life. But of course, the bad thoughts, bad speech and bad actions that we have generated will also go with us when we die. If we understand this fundamental truth of the Universe, our goal of life will be different.

Why? Well, for things that we cannot take with us when we die, what’s the point of trying so hard to get them? If we have them, that’s great. If we don’t, that’s great too. We’ll no longer focus our minds on those things. Those are not good. If we are attached to them, we’ll end up being reborn in the three evil realms in our future lives, that is, the animal realm, the ghost realm, and the hell realm. So, we should not want to take those things.

But for the things that we can take with us when we die, we must pay particular attention to them. So what should we take with us? We should take good mind, good thoughts, good actions, and good energy. It’s good to take these things with us. If we have these to take with us, we will be reborn in the two good realms in our future lives, that is, the celestial realm and the human realm. And we will not be reborn in the three evil realms.

Theravada practitioners who have attained the ‘initial achievement’ (小乘初果) are awakened to this truth. As for Mahayana practitioners who have attained the ‘initial level of believing in Buddhas’ teachings (大乘初信位菩薩), they have reached higher level of understanding than the Theravada practitioners mentioned just now. These Mahayana practitioners also know the truth. That’s why they are constantly and steadily learning. Learn to stop doing the bad and learn to practise the good. Learn to accumulate their efforts and gains of correcting themselves and practise the good. They take this learning as their most important goal in this life. They are determined to complete this learning and improve themselves. What they want now is completely different from what they wanted before they learned Buddhas’ teachings.

Let’s now ask this question, ‘Why can’t beings in the Six Realms get out of the cycle of the Six Realms?’ This is because they have been attached to the wrong view that the body is the self. This results in a huge loss. That’s why they have been cycling in the Six Realms over infinite past lives. One body dies, the soul gets into another body. When the soul gets into a new body, it’s again attached to that body and thinks, ‘Aha, this is me.’ This way of thinking is very troublesome. So it’s crucial for us to realise that our bodies are not us, and we can only take with us the good and bad energy that we have generated in this life and previous lives when we die. So, isn’t it wonderful to do things that will truly benefit ourselves and other people? And what’s the point of getting things at the expense of harming ourselves and other people?

       

DEDICATION

The effort and gains of explaining, transmitting and listening to Buddhas’ teachings are dedicated to:

the entire Universe and all beings of all dimensions and all existences. May they all listen to Buddhas’ teachings, awaken to the truth of the Universe, be mindful of the name ‘Amituofo’ (Amitabha Buddha),

aspire to go to the Pure Land, and become Buddhas. (Read the above three times)

I pray to Buddhas and bodhisattvas for unconditionally solving all man-made and natural disasters around the globe.

For all of those who died in man-made wars and natural disasters across the world,

and for all of those who are related to me in all kinds of ways in this life and previous lives, may they listen to Buddhas’ teachings. May they awaken to the truth of the Universe, aspire to unearth their innate and most sincere, pure, equal and awakened mind, be single-mindedly mindful of Amituofo, aspire to go to the Pure Land so as to see Amituofo and listen to his teachings, removing all their delusions and unveiling their innate wisdom, gaining the real peace and happiness, instantly escaping from the cycle of birth and death, speedily becoming Buddhas, and helping all beings (in the entire Universe) like all other Buddhas.

The effort and gains are dedicated to the leaders of all countries on the Earth. May all countries be prosperous. May all disasters be solved. May the world enjoy eternal peace. I use the effort and gains to return the help from the enlightenment of Buddhas, by the correctness of Buddhas’ teachings, from the purity of sangha, from all beings, from my parents (in this life and previous lives), and from my country(ies). I also use the effort and gains to help alleviate the suffering of those who are already in and will be reborn into the animal realm, the ghost realm and hells as the result of their bad thoughts, speech and deeds. For anyone who sees and hears me chanting or being mindful of Amituofo and doing other good deeds, may they aspire to unearth their most sincere, pure, equal and awakened mind so as to go to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, together with me, at the end of our present lives.