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Preparing for a loved one’s death

Preparing for a loved one’s death

  • Make offerings on behalf of person to charity or the Three Jewels
  • Recite prayers such as The King of Prayers to help person purify and accumulate merit
  • Keep dying person’s room quiet
  • Encourage the person to have positive thoughts or to do positive actions
  • Let go of your own guilt and issues so as not to burden the dying person
  • Tell the dying person you love him/her and show your appreciation and gratitude
  • Discuss practical issues if possible such as living wills, end-of-life care, specific wishes, etc.

Preparing for death (download)

Venerable Thubten Chodron

Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.