DP DeathProcess ENG

The death process
Vajrayana Buddhist teachings on the gross and subtle death processes

and how to train and prepare for death as a great opportunity for
spiritual development.
NGALSO
Western Buddhism
Lama Michel Rinpoche
The death process
Lama Gangchen Peace Publications

The death process
Lama Michel Rinpoche
based on notes taken by Lama Michel Rinpoche from the

Abbot of Tashi Lhunpo in Tibet, the Venerable Kachen Lobsang
Tseten Rinpoche
Lama Gangchen Peace Publications

© Kunpen Lama Gangchen
lgpp.org
ahmc.ngalso.net
second edition: June 2017

Contents
I. The 25 gross aspects of the self ..................................5
II. Gross death process................................................ 6
III. Subtle death process ............................................. 9
IV. The 9 mixings...................................................... 10
V. The 5 powers before death........................................11

The death process | 5
I. The 25 gross aspects of the self

1. the five aggregates
1. form
2. feeling
3. discernment
4. compositional factors
5. consciousness1
2. the four elements
1. earth
2. water
3. fire
4. wind
3. the six sensory powers
1. eye sense power (sight)
2. ear sense power (hearing)
3. nose sense power (smell)
4. tongue sense power (taste)
5. body sense power (touch)
6. mind sense power (thought)
4. the five inner and outer objects
1. form
2. sound
3. smell
4. taste
5. touch
5. the five wisdoms of the basis
1. the mirror-like wisdom
2. the wisdom of equanimity
3. the wisdom of discernment
4. the all-realizing wisdom
5. the wisdom of dharmadhātu
1 There are six consciousnesses of the primary mind: the consciousness of
1. sight, 2. hearing, 3. smell, 4. taste, 5. touch and 6. thought.
6 | Lama Michel Rinpoche
II. Gross death process
1. Earth dissolves into water

The five phenomena of the class of the form aggregate
1. the aggregate of form
2. the mirror-like wisdom of the basis
3. the earth element
4. the eye sense power
5. the inner form
External signs:
1. the aggregate of form: thinning of arms and legs,
weakness and lack of energy;
2. the mirror-like wisdom: blurred and unclear vision;
3. the earth element: the body thins and weakens, limbs
become loose and one has the feeling of falling or
sinking;
4. eye sense power (sight): inability to open and close one’s
eyes;
5. inner form: loss of the body’s luster and loss of physical
strength.
The internal sign: the mirage-like vision
2. Water dissolves into fire

The five phenomena of the class of feeling
1. the aggregate of feeling
2. the water element
3. the ear sense power (hearing)
4. inner sound
5. the wisdom of equanimity of the basis
External signs:
1. feeling: loss of the three sensations related to the
awareness of the body;
2. the water element: the drying up of the internal fluids
such as saliva, perspiration, urine and blood;
3. the ear sense power (hearing): the inability to hear
external and internal sounds;
4. inner sound: one can no longer hear the sound of wind in
one’s ear;
5. the wisdom of equanimity: loss of the three sensations
related to mental consciousness.
The inner sign: the smoke-like vision
3. Fire dissolves into wind

The five phenomena of the class of the aggregate of discernment
1. the aggregate of discernment
2. the fire element
3. the olfactory sense power (smell)
4. inner smell
5. the wisdom of discernment of the basis
External signs:
1. the aggregate of discernment: the inability to discern one’s
own dear ones, such as one’s own parents or children;
2. the fire element: the loss of body heat and digestive power;
3. the olfactory sense power: inhaling weakens and exhaling
becomes heavy and long with laborsome breath;
4. inner smell: the inability to smell pleasant or unpleasant odors.
5. the wisdom of discernment: the inability to recall the names
of dear ones, such as one’s own parents or children.
The inner sign: the firefly-like vision

4. Wind dissolves into the space of consciousness

The seven phenomena of the class of the aggregate of
compositional factors
1. the aggregate of compositional factors
2. the wind element
3. gustatory sense power (taste)
4. the sense power of touch
5. inner taste
6. inner touch
7. the all-realizing wisdom of the basis
The external signs:

1. the aggregate of compositional factors: inability to move
one’s body;
2. the wind element: inhaling and exhaling cease and the
ten inner winds move to the heart;
3. gustatory sense power: the tongue becomes thick, short
blue at the root;
4. the sense power of touch: the loss of tactile perception of
roughness or smoothness;
5. inner taste: inability to perceive the six tastes;
6. inner touch: the loss of tactile perception of roughness
or smoothness;
7. the all-realizing wisdom: the inability to recall or desire
any action or mundane necessity.
The inner sign: the butterlamp-like vision

III. Subtle death process
The dissolution of the 80 natural mental states

(or conceptions)
The three phenomena of the class of the aggregate of

consciousness:
1. the aggregate of consciousness
2. the mind sense power (thought)
3. the wisdom of dharmadhātu
The four visions

1. the mind of the white appearance - empty
2. the mind of the red increase - very empty
3. the mind of black near-attainment - great empty
4. the mind of the clear light of death - completely
empty
1. the 80 natural mental states dissolve into the mind of

white appearance
1. 33 resulting from aversion (anger)
2. 40 resulting from attraction (desire)
3. 7 resulting from ignorance
2. the mind of white appearance dissolves into the mind
of red increase
3. the mind of red increase dissolves into the mind of
black near-attainment
4. the mind of the black near-attainment dissolves into
the mind of the clear light of death
IV. The nine unions or mixings
The three unions during the state of wakefulness

1. the union of the clear light in meditation with the
dharmakaya - the truth body (the very subtle mind that
realizes - in a non-dual way - its own nature as being
free from intrinsic existence);
2. the union of the bardo in meditation with the
samboghakaya - the enjoyment body;
3. the union of rebirth in meditation with nirmanakaya -
the emanation body.
The three unions during sleep

1. the union of the clear light of sleep with the
dharmakaya;
2. the union of dreaming with the samboghakaya;
3. the union of waking with the nirmanakaya.
The three unions at the time of death

1. the union of the clear light of death with the
dharmakaya;
2. the union of the bardo with the samboghakaya;
3. the union of rebirth with the nirmanakaya.
V. The five forces before death
Should we not have completed the points of the path at the

time of death, we seek your blessings that we may be led to a
pure land through either the instructions of applying the five
forces or by the forceful means of enlightenment, the Guru’s
transference mind.
- Guru Puja, verse 112
(Reviewing the Stages of the Path)
1. force or power of virtue

2. force of intention
3. force of opposition
4. force of prayer
5. force of familiarization
About Lama Michel Rinpoche

Lama Michel Rinpoche is a Buddhist master following the
NgalSo Ganden Nyengyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, under
the spiritual guidance of Lama Gangchen Tulku Rinpoche.
Born in São Paulo, Brazil in 1981, Lama Michel was recognized
as a Tulku (the reincarnation of a Buddhist master) at the age of
8 and ordained as a monk at 12. He received a formal education
of Buddhist practice and philosophy for 12 years at the Monastic
University of Sera Me in the south of India. He continues his
studies with annual visits to the Monastery of Tashi Lhumpo in
Shigatse, Tibet-China.
Since 2004 he has been residing in Italy, dedicating his life to
serving his Guru, Lama Gangchen Rinpoche, and generously sharing
his experience and wisdom in many formal and informal situations,
such as conferences, teachings, retreats and school visits.
Under the guidance of Lama Gangchen Rinpoche, he oversees
several Buddhist centers such as the Kunpen Lama Gangchen in
Milan, Italy, Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre in Albagnano
on Lake Maggiore, Italy and the Centro de Dharma da Paz in São
Paulo, Brazil.
For more teachings on the nine mixings:

NgalSo Self-Healing III, LGPP
soundcloud: https://goo.gl/I8Uees
Death, bardo and rebirth:
youtube NgalSo Ganden Nyengyu: https://goo.gl/eTnZ9h
ahmc.ngalso.net kunpen.ngalso.net youtube.com/ soundcloud.com/

ngalsovideo ngalso
Printed on certified paper, 100% biodegradable and recyclable
at Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre, Italy

INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY AND DISSEMINATION OF VAJRAYANA BUDDHISM IN THE WEST
Affiliated with the Italian Buddhist Union
MILAN ALBAGNANO
Via Marco Polo, 13 Via Campo dell’Eva, 5
20124 Milano (MI) Italy 28813 Albagnano di Bèe (VB) Italy
Tel +39 02 29010263 Tel +39 0323 569601
kunpen@gangchen.it reception@ngalso.net
kunpen.ngalso.net ahmc.ngalso.net

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What are the 25 gross aspects of the self?

What are the 25 gross aspects of the self?

What are the stages of the gross death process?

What are the stages of the gross death process?

The death process

Vajrayana Buddhist teachings on the gross and subtle death processes

The death process

Lama Gangchen Peace Publications

based on notes taken by Lama Michel Rinpoche from the

Lama Gangchen Peace Publications

second edition: June 2017

I. The 25 gross aspects of the self ..................................5

II. Gross death process................................................ 6

III. Subtle death process ............................................. 9

IV. The 9 mixings...................................................... 10

V. The 5 powers before death........................................11

I. The 25 gross aspects of the self

II. Gross death process

1. Earth dissolves into water

The internal sign: the mirage-like vision

2. Water dissolves into fire

The inner sign: the smoke-like vision

3. Fire dissolves into wind

The inner sign: the firefly-like vision

4. Wind dissolves into the space of consciousness

The external signs:

The inner sign: the butterlamp-like vision

III. Subtle death process

The dissolution of the 80 natural mental states

The three phenomena of the class of the aggregate of

The four visions

1. the 80 natural mental states dissolve into the mind of

IV. The nine unions or mixings

The three unions during the state of wakefulness

The three unions during sleep

The three unions at the time of death

V. The five forces before death

Should we not have completed the points of the path at the

1. force or power of virtue

About Lama Michel Rinpoche

For more teachings on the nine mixings:

ahmc.ngalso.net kunpen.ngalso.net youtube.com/ soundcloud.com/

at Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre, Italy

Affiliated with the Italian Buddhist Union

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