Death and Dying: Practices and Resources

Practices and Advice | Handbook | Request for Prayers and Services  |  Books and Study ProgramsObituaries

Practices and Advice

Below you can find the most essential practices recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for dying and deceased, additional practices, books, advice on how to prepare to one’s own and loved ones’ death. 

 

The Most Essential Practices

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recommends various practices to perform when someone is dying or has died. However, the most essential practices to do are:

  • The Array of Sukhavati Pure Land: A Concise Mahayana Sutra | PDF | Audio
    This sutra can be recited three times and then tap the sutra on the head of the dying person three times 
  • The Eight Prayers | PDF, which includes King of Prayers | PDF | Audio
    A collection of prayers which is commonly recited in the gelug monastic communities for the recently deceased
  • Helping Yourself and Others Die Happily: Instructions and Practices for the Time of Death | PDF
  • Liberation Tools to Help the Dying and Deceased | PDF
  • Medicine Buddha Practices
    • A Brief Meditation-Recitation on Guru Medicine Buddha | PDF | Audio
    • A Very Short Medicine Buddha Practice | PDF
    • Medicine Buddha Sadhana | PDF
    • Medicine Buddha Mantras | PDF | Audio
    • Medicine Buddha Pujas
      • Extensive Medicine Buddha Puja: The Wish Granting Sovereign | PDF
      • Medicine Buddha Puja: The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel
        A simple puja (set of prayers) that can be performed by anyone with faith in the Buddha | English | Sinhalese
  • Rinchen Tsugtor Chen: Holy Name and CommentaryPDF | Audio
    During the 2010 Light of the Path retreat, Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised that this verse is the very first thing to recite in a person or animal’s ear when they are dying or dead.
  • Recite OṂ MAṆI PADME HỤ̄M and Request to Chenrezig | PDF | Audio
Other Practices and Resources
  • Additional Practices to Benefit the Deceased: Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche | PDF
  • Amitabha Pure Land Prayers | PDF | Audio
  • Benefits of Medicine Buddha Mantra and Practice by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
  • Blessing Medicine
  • Holy Objects to Place on the Body at the Time of Death | PDF
  • The Jangwa Practice Associated with the Medicine Guru [Buddha] Entitled Freeing the Wretched from the Chasm | PDF
  • Liberation Card for a Dying Person | ChineseEnglishFrenchSpanish
  • Liberation Cloth – to place on the body of the dying and deceased | PDF
  • Mantras to place on the body of someone who is dying or has died | PDF
  • Nyung Na: The Means of Achievement of the Eleven-Face Great Compassionate One | PDF
  • Recitations for the Time of Death | Audio
  • Recitations for Alleviating Pain | Audio
  • Sur Ritual | PDF 

Mantras

  • Collections:

    • Five Powerful Mantras for Liberating Sentient Beings from the Lower Realms | PDF | Audio
    • Ten powerful mantras for the time of death | PDF | Audio
    • Mantras to Recite for the Dying | PDF
  • Individual (some of these mantras are contained in the “Collections” above):
    • Kunrig Mantra | PDF | Audio
    • Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha Mantra | PDF | Audio
    • Mantra from the Sutra of Great Liberation | PDF | Audio
    • Milarepa Mantra | Audio
    • Mitrugpa Mantra | PDF | Audio
    • Namgyalma mantras | PDF | Audio | Video | Card | Benefits
    • Sarvanivaranaviskhambhin – The Exalted Zung Called “Eliminating Obscurations”
      Contains the mantra to be recited every day to not have pain at the time of death | PDF
Other Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Books by Lama Zopa Rinpoche

*Additional information and advice is available to FPMT centers, projects, and services in the Death and Dying Resources section of the FPMT Affiliates Area.

A Practical Handbook by Lama Zopa Rinpoche: “How to Face Death without Fear”

The book's cover has an image of the Buddha laying on his side in the lion's pose.How to Face Death without Fear: A Handbook by Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a well-structured book by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and edited by Ven. Robina Courtin, published by Wisdom Publications, that explains how to help our loved ones, including animals, before, during, and after death. Below is information about how to obtain various items and practices recommended by Rinpoche in the book: the numbers in brackets refer to the relevant practices, all listed in numerical order in Part Six.

Printable Cards, Texts, and Mantras to show and touch the body
Physical Items That You Can Order
Practices That You Can Do For Your Loved Ones and Request For Prayers

Request for Prayers and Services

Below you can find resources on prayers for sick and dead, pujas and prayers performed by the Sangha of Kopan Monastery, jangwa ritual performed by qualified Sangha members, and end of life care offered by the FPMT hospice services.

 

Prayers for the Sick
  • In order to request prayers for someone who is sick please email and mention the sick person’s full name. The Sangha at Rinpoche’s house will dedicate for them during regular animal liberation practices and in Nalanda Monastery when making long life tsa-tsas daily.
  • If you would like to make a donation for this service please go to the Animal Liberation Fund and Stupa Fund.
  • For advice on what are the best practices you can do at this time, Lama Zopa Rinpoche always recommends Medicine Buddha practice and Using Sickness for the Path.
Prayer Services for People Who Have Passed Away in the Past 49 Days

You can request prayers for people who have passed away in the past 49 days. The names of people who have recently passed away are given to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, FPMT sangha communities, and individual Buddhist practitioners with a request for their prayers. Students at Nalanda Monastery, France will also dedicate a stupa tsa tsa for them. You can also subscribe to the prayer list so that you can contribute your own prayers to those who have died in the past 49 days.

Pujas and Prayer Services at Kopan Monastery

Kopan Monastery offers free prayer services as well as opportunities to sponsor pujas for those who are sick, dying, or have passed away.

Jangwa Ritual

The following FPMT centers offer jangwa puja, a purification ritual to benefit the deceased, please contact them directly for more information:

Hospice Services

There are also many FPMT hospice services that help provide end of life care for those in need.

Books and Study Programs

Below you can find further resources, books and FPMT study programs, for learning how to prepare for your own death and how to help others who are dying.

Other Books on Death and Dying
FPMT Education Programs

FPMT Education Programs

  • Heart Advice for Death and Dying
    An FPMT introductory course available online and in some FPMT centers. The course provides practical instructions for the time of death to anyone who is interested in learning about death and dying from the Tibetan Buddhist perspective.
  • Discovering Buddhism, Module 5. Death and Rebirth
    An FPMT foundational-level course available online and in many centers. It explores life, death, and rebirth and the nature of mind. Students learn to use the fear of death to overcome the fear of death. They discover how to use the certainty and imminence of death to enhance their quality of life.

Obituaries

We invite you to visit our Obituaries page to read obituaries of teachers and community members. You can also submit an obituary for someone in the FPMT community that has passed away recently.

 


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