Death of a Stranger

Unfortunately, we have recently been exposed to some rather unpleasant news. One that involves the death of an unknown man. He was said to have been living in a cave that is near our village his entire life. There isn't much that we are certain about regarding him, except for the fact that the villagers knew him as Crazy Uncle. Although some do believe he was a tantric practitioner, his lack of social connections and interactions makes it difficult for us to verify such information. The very few elderly in the village who claim to be familiar with the man can not quite recall his past entirely, leaving us with little background of Crazy Uncle.

Upon the death of an individual, there are certain steps and actions that are required to take place in Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Death is considered to be very important, as a Buddhists life is ultimately practice for their death. A Buddhist, throughout his life, strives to be aware of both the certainty of death as well as the uncertainty of its estimated time of arrival. One should familiarize themselves with the idea of death long before it is to actually occur. By understanding how sacred and short life is, we are able to immerse ourselves in trying to make the best of it, living it fully to our potential, and hearts content. Through this, we then gain the ability to accept the process of death, ultimately allowing us to remove any sense of fear we may have while anticipating, or confronting death.

Death grants individuals with the opportunity for great spiritual achievement. It is the moment in time where ones physical form and mind separate from one another. By removing any potential fear of death, one will be able to die in a state of pure bliss, as well as ensure themselves a healthy rebirth.

Although I am not quite sure as to what measures will be taken in response to the man's death, I do believe there is an accurate procedure we should follow, now that we have identified Crazy Uncle as being, in fact, dead.

Firstly, I think the monks at the monastery should engage in special prayers and blessings, in order to connect with Crazy Uncle. This is due to the fact that once a person dies, they go into a trance for four days, causing them to be unaware of their sudden end. This is called the First Bardo.

Once the person becomes conscious of their death, it marks the end of the First Bardo and the beginning of the Second Bardo. During the Second Bardo, the individual sees their entire life passing through their eyes. Everything that they have ever thought of or seen becomes visible to them. They obtain the feeling that they have a body, and when they realize it isn't so, they long for one to be available to them again. This marks the end of the Second Bardo, and the beginning of the final, Third Bardo. In this state, the individual begins seeking rebirth, and all previous thoughts and actions influence their preference.

It is important to understand the procedures when considering the spiritual care of someone who has died. There are categories in which you divide people to determine which approach would be of most use to them. The first category is whether the person is conscious or unconscious, and the second is whether the person had a religious belief or not. If Crazy Uncle is conscious, he may perform the practices himself, otherwise he would require the assistance of someone. Furthermore, if Crazy Uncle was a religious man, then spiritual practices could be of use to him. If he was in fact not a religious man, he still requires sufficient support and positive energy during the process.

The most critical factor when considering these procedures is to maintain virtuous thoughts in order to keep Crazy Uncles mind at peace and any sadness at bay. Moreover, Crazy Uncle should not be disturbed by any noise or the possible expression of emotion. If these were to occur, it could potentially hinder his ability to progress, and essentially disturb his mind as well as the entire death process. Therefore, it is crucial that we encourage him to move forward to his next life without regret or fear.

Although I was not quite familiar with Crazy Uncle and his lifestyle, I do hope that he pursues whatever it is that he had planned for himself, and progresses towards his next stage with ease and comfort.