Die Fähigkeit, im Moment des Todes oder bei plötzlichen Krisen geistig ruhig und heilsam zu bleiben, ist kein Instinkt, sondern das Ergebnis langfristiger, diszipliniert geübter Achtsamkeit und Meditation.
Der Text argumentiert, dass geistige Ruhe und ein friedvoller Tod nicht durch bloßes Wissen, sondern durch intensives, wiederholtes Training der Achtsamkeit und der Atmung erreicht werden. Der Sprecher nutzt das Beispiel des Ertrinkens, um zu zeigen, dass instinktive Reaktionen nur dann funktionieren, wenn sie durch Übung verinnerlicht wurden. Er warnt davor, dass untrainierte Menschen im Moment des Todes oder bei Schocks von Angst, Wut und Anhaftung an das Ich überwältigt werden. Als Beleg für die Wirksamkeit des Trainings werden die Geschichten eines Autofahrers, der im Todesmoment seinen Lehrer sah, und einer alten Dame, die im Schmerz ruhig starb, angeführt. Der Text betont, dass das Herz zum 'Helfer' statt zum 'Verstärker' des Leidens werden muss, was durch Dhamma-Praxis und Mantra-Rezitation gefördert wird. Die zentrale Botschaft ist, dass die Qualität des letzten Augenblicks des Bewusstseins das Ergebnis jahrelanger innerer Disziplin ist.
Analysed with qwen/qwen3.8-27b, version v3.
The same standards apply to every tradition, see Values.
Full text in English
Whoever is in a state of being overwhelmed by water, or if a person falls from a height, or if a structure collapses onto them, or if they are trapped in a flooded area, can still regain their composure and return to a state of calm awareness. Even if at the moment of the incident there is no time to be startled, it does not become an obstacle to returning to calm awareness. Why? Because water, as a fundamental element of the body, does not wish to become an organ. The arms, legs, and hands can carry the body itself, and even in water, one can maintain balance. This is a memory sealed within our organs, residing in the muscles, whether or not one has given specific commands. A person who has not been trained, or who has not undergone proper practice, may not know how to save themselves or how to regain composure. They may know what should be done, but they are unable to execute it. Or some people cannot think of anything at all; they are terrified. But even if one is not startled and knows that the body cannot perform as learned, the arms, legs, and hands cannot follow what we have learned. Where does death reside? It resides in the practice. If one has practiced well, when an incident occurs, the body can guide us to safety. Some people, when they lose their footing or their balance, can still fall in a way that remains safe. It is not a matter of instinct, but when they know what should be done, simply knowing that, because the incident requires them to brace themselves, and if their grip is insufficient, they must rely on their training until the moment of impact. Even if they are startled, they can still fall in a way that is correct and safe. Simply knowing that they must brace themselves, and if their grip is insufficient, they must rely on their training until the body remembers. It is not just the body; the mind must also be trained to remember. When something strikes us, whether we know we should keep the mind steady, the mind not wavering, the mind not trembling, but if one has not practiced, it may lead to losing one’s footing because emotions arise: being startled, fear, anger, and so on. And then it influences our words, our actions. Knowing that someone has said something that offends us, we should return to the breath. Do not pay attention to that person’s words. Or knowing that we must practice the Buddha’s teachings so that we do not allow anger to drive us to speak or do something that will cause harm to ourselves later. But when the real moment comes, some people cannot do it. When insulted, they insult back. Or when criticized, they become afraid. But some people, one person, can do it. That person has practiced, whether it is practicing mindfulness, or practicing self-awareness, or bringing the mind back to the breath, to have concentration with the breath, and then to remain with the words of others. Knowing what you are doing, but it may not help if you have not practiced. This is a matter of mental training. From encountering impacts, it may not be something that is easy, easy, easy. When dissatisfaction or anger arises, one has mindfulness to know it in time, not allowing that emotion to overflow, or to lose one’s mind, or to influence one’s speech. This kind of thing does not arise from instinct; it arises from knowledge. The mind has heard and understood a lot, but if one has not practiced, it may lead to losing one’s footing in the face of arising emotions, and then going outside, overflowing. When encountering an incident, how much one can pass through it depends greatly on practice, not at all. Sometimes, an incident can even lead to death. For example, a man was riding a motorcycle, and a car hit him from behind. He knew what was going to happen to him in just a split second. But before the car hit him forcefully, three things happened to him: he saw a bright light, he saw an image of his revered teacher, and then his mind began to fade and he lost consciousness. Of course, he did not die. Because if he had died, we probably would not have known what happened to his mind in that split second before being hit by the car. But since he did not die, we believe he is doing well, because he had no fear, no evil defilements, no self-attachment. The fact that these three things arose in the mind of that man is not a matter of instinct; it must arise from practice. Everyone would like to encounter such an incident. If a car comes to hit you, whether from behind or in front, or if a building collapses, or if you fall from a height, we know how to keep the mind normal, not allowing self-attachment to make the mind agitated, or the mind to panic. We think of our children at home, we think of our parents, we think of our assets, we think of our work, in the final moments of the mind. We pray that the mind remains peaceful and wholesome. But we only hope. If one has not practiced, when a real incident occurs, one will be startled, or one will think of loved ones. This man, who saw his revered teacher arise in that moment before losing consciousness, or before the mind began to fade, did so because he had done it often, he had practiced. When an incident suddenly occurs, the mind acts on its own. If one has practiced in terms of both body and mind, one can practice. When an unexpected incident occurs, one can practice. But if we practice well, in the right way, it helps to keep the mind peaceful and wholesome. This kind of practice is very important.
Just knowing what should be done. For example, before dying, one should think of the Buddha in all things. You know this, but Leah... it happened suddenly. The feeling of falling overwhelmed me strongly. I could not think of anything. Then, thinking of the Buddha... it was mixed with anger, ethnic... and then, as I struggled, a sudden happiness arose. Even though I did not want to be born, it happened. This is because we have not trained. If we want to find peace before dying, we must train. Sometimes, a little training, a little death. My mother said, "Do not come, little one." The first time, one wakes up startled, thinking of children who will not be with us. Many things come out. That is, when one thinks of those who have hurt us, cheated us, taken our money, or betrayed us, anger arises. One knows that anger is not good, but one is still angry. However, if it is just a little training, we know that today is a situation we must correct. And if we continue to practice, we will become more mindful, more virtuous. But truly, our feature is not enough. This little one is just a visual, which is enough for part of it. But if we want it to be good, we should keep the mind with awareness, because when the mind becomes clearer, some things we cannot control. But when they do not arise, and then they arise, we cannot hold them. For example, fear, pain, suffering. One may lose a loved one, a beloved person, because one knows impermanence. But the mind does not accept the loss of that kind of love. That part does not accept the loss of things one does not love, such as pain, guilt, or the clinging that arises from the depths of the heart, or a fear one never thought existed. But truly, the mind has taught us. And when it arises, it pops up right here. This is where stability can help us. People do not do much good, but when one is about to die, this feeling of guilt suddenly arises. One has not yet settled. The Buddha, the Blessed One, was the mother of King Bimbisara. She was a very good person in the Dhamma. She persuaded King Bimbisara to stop killing animals and to turn to the practice of the Dhamma, to seek the Buddha. The Buddha, the Blessed One, also sent... and then it was said that Queen Kosala died with a great... When she died, it is said that she thought of the... which is shameful. The Buddha, the Blessed One, also... came to see her. Her face lied, saying there was nothing wrong. Because... eyes... fate... woke up... mmm... wonderful... advancement... also... commercial... we hid ourselves. But at the moment of death, when the cry of danger arose, the mind looked and saw... that... the girl... because the mind of evil had not yet crossed the feeling of treasures... let it go. But even if there is no guilt or anger, the body will have pain. When the body is in pain, the mind is the one that repeats or helps. Mostly, the mind is the one that repeats. If the body is not satisfied, it is suffering. The pain becomes two, three. But if we train, let the mind be the helper. The pain will become a very small matter. Even if one must rely on some medicine. For example, many examples that have passed. The doctor looked at the symptoms. The doctor said they could still live for a long time. But the mother, who is very old, told the doctor, "You do not need to examine me." She knew well that the condition was serious. The doctor tried to examine her, but the mother said, "Doctor, you do not need to examine me." Then, a few days later, about two days, the mother told the children to be quiet. She recited the Buddha's name. Why recite the Buddha's name? For the sake of discussing the Dhamma. And she asked the children to chant. It was a deep chanting. The chanting we recite to chant the Buddha, or the chanting made from the breath, this is what the mother could recite. But she wanted the children to chant for her to hear. When the Buddha's chanting ended, they discussed the Dhamma for a while. Then the mother said, "What I truly requested here was the passing of the breath three times. The third time, she fainted. The Buddha truly asked, 'Why did you not get up?' When he saw she had fainted for a long time, he came to her today. Is she truly dead? This mother passed away with every breath. It began greatly. But looking at this lying body, it is normal. This is because I have trained. Until every breath in the whole body cannot disturb the mind. But the air in the whole body is also heavy. Until finally, the breath must end. Training helps one to remain calm. Even if we forget, death does not come. This is just one. We say that every morning at five o'clock, we wake up and see mother and grandmother busy in the kitchen, preparing food for the monks. Every morning, without fail, mother and grandmother have been doing this for many years. But she also did not want to help mother and grandmother much, because she had to go to work early. At five o'clock, she had to leave, otherwise she would be late. One day, she saw mother in the kitchen, but grandmother was not there. She went to grandmother's room and asked, "Grandmother, are you not at home today?" There was a voice from the heart saying, "Oh, mother. Today, I will not eat. I will chant and sit in meditation." She was not surprised at all. She asked her heart, "Does the heart want anything?" The heart did not want anything. Then she went to work. In the late morning, the heart did not come to eat rice. Her mother, who is the daughter of the heart, was surprised. She went to choose... grandmother... at the door, there was no answer.
When I opened the door and went in, I saw my grandmother or mother sitting in meditation, wearing a white cloth. Beside her, there were marks from a candle being struck. As for my mother, she did not answer, so I grabbed her. At that moment, my mother’s body, or perhaps she was still speaking, collapsed to the floor. She died in a seated posture. The question is: did my grandmother know that that day would be her last? Did she act in a state of delusion, walking in confusion, or was she following the pull of the mind? But from the experience of encountering impacts, encountering things that cause us to cry out in distress, or things that are disturbing, encountering things that are displeasing, encountering things that seem incorrect, yet still being able to calm the mind. The mind does not waver, the mind does not become agitated. This is the sign that we are ready to depart from calmness. If we encounter anything and it impacts us, the mind is constantly scattered. This is considered not being ready. It is okay. Continue the practice. But know that what should be will help us become ready and function with mindfulness. Mindfulness is very important. Mindfulness must be on. If we encounter anything, whether right or wrong, we are disturbed. If anything comes, we are struck and scattered. And what we encounter is slight compared to the time when we are about to die. All the confusion, all the emotional turbulence, all the heated emotions that are tangled and confused enough for karma to come, it will be greater than what we encounter in ordinary life. It may be two times, three times, five times, ten times greater. In ordinary life, if we encounter anything, whether right or wrong, and the mind wavers, it increases. It is not known whether at that time, when the time comes for us to breathe our last, we will be ready to bring the mind to peace or not? In a way that the mind will be a helper or become a burden. One must not underestimate. One must practice and observe. The practice of Dhamma will help create a new foundation that is suitable for the Lord to bring peace. The practice of Dhamma will provide protection.