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Death and Dharma practice

Death and Dharma practice

Part of a series of teachings on Essence of Refined Gold by the Third Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Sonam Gyatso. The text is a commentary on Songs of Experience by Lama Tsongkhapa.

Meditation on death

  • Reasons to meditate on death and impermanence
  • Importance of practicing Dharma now
  • Karma and mental habits only things that goes with one at time of death
  • Death and rebirth determined by state of mind at time of death
  • Good karma, mental habits, virtuous thought are our refuge when we die
  • Let go of resentments, attachments, heal relationships

Essence of Refined Gold 14 (download)

Questions and answers

  • Practice love and compassion as part of Dharma practice
  • What it means to have healthy relationship with other people
  • Honesty when we have attachment, resentment, anger
  • After death practice for someone else

Essence of Refined Gold: Q&A (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.