Death is inevitable but oftentimes, it's often not thought about deeply by practitioners mostly due to ignorance (avijjā) and the craving for existence (bhava-taṇhā). No matter how old or young you are, your time in this existence is limited and unknowable and that's why the Buddha mentioned that one must repeatedly reflect that "I must be parted and separated from all I hold dear and beloved."
Every person born into this world will inevitably face death. That's why the Buddha stated, "Jati paccayā jarā-maraṇa” — with birth comes old age and death. Just as travellers, whether by car, plane, train, or boat, are bound to reach their destinations, so too must our life's journey come to an end. From the moment we begin in our mother’s womb, we proceed through life, and like everyone else, we must eventually disembark at the end of this journey. Life after life, each existence is merely a fleeting process shaped by various kammas (actions), and formed with five aggregates that are inherently unsatisfactory, impermanent, and non-self. That’s why it's expounded by the Buddha as dukkha-sacca.
Death is certainly coming whether we want it or not. So why does death occur? What are its causes and conditions? According to the Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha, there are four causes.
(1) The first cause of death is the exhaustion of one's lifespan, or ayukkhaya. If you were to look at obituary columns, you would notice that many deaths occur after the age of 60/70, which is why 75 years is often considered the average lifespan today. Even nowadays, there are those who try a variety of medicines, diets, and therapies in an effort to extend their lives, yet success in truly prolonging life remains unheard of. Even the Buddha himself lived only until the age of 80, at a time when the average lifespan was 100 years. Based on the paramīs he fulfilled, he could have lived for an incalculable number of years but environmental factors such as climate and nutrition (utu and āhāra) limited his lifespan. Thus, at 80, he attained Parinibbāna due to the exhaustion of his lifespan.
(2) The second cause of death is due to the expiry of kamma. Sometimes, the kamma that sustains human life becomes so weak that it can no longer maintain it until the end. For example, a person may have a natural lifespan of 80 years, yet die in their teenage years. This is because the kamma that supported their life has run out, and their wholesome kamma only allowed them a limited time to remain alive, resulting in premature death.
(3) The third is death due to the expiry of both kamma and lifespan, known as ubhayakkhaya. This occurs when both lifespan and kamma are exhausted simultaneously. A common analogy is that of a lamp: when both the wick and the oil are used up, the flame is extinguished. Similarly, when both a person’s kamma and lifespan are depleted, they pass away.
(4). The fourth is death due to destructive kamma. Such type of death is caused by upacchedaka kamma, which cuts short life before its natural end due to certain causes and conditions. This could stem from unwholesome kamma in either the present or a past life. Destructive kamma may manifest in accidents, such as car or plane crashes, shipwrecks, storms, falling trees, poisoning, murder, or even suicide. In such cases, the destructive kamma interrupts the productive kamma that initially gave rise to the person’s existence.
Consider the example of Venerable Moggallana, the chief disciple of the Buddha who was an Arahant with great psychic powers. Despite his virtue, one of his past life many aeons ago was tainted by the kamma of killing his parents. As a result, he had to face the consequences of this unwholesome kamma in his last life as a great Arahant, being beaten to death by 500 robbers. Had he not become an Arahant, he would have been destined for hell. However, it can be said that the suffering of being beaten to death was minor compared to returning to hell. This can be understood as destructive kamma, where his life, originally sustained by wholesome kamma, was cut short by the unwholesome kamma. It is also possible to interpret it another way: the Venerable’s lifespan may have simply been nearing its end. If the robbers hadn’t killed him, he might have died that very same day regardless. In this case, it wouldn’t be considered destructive kamma but rather obstructive kamma (upapīḷaka kamma, which causes suffering and injury without cutting short the life itself. However, this is only an interpretation).
According to famous Ledi Sayadaw, death due to illness can also be categorised under upacchedaka maraṇa. In such instances, before the natural lifespan is completed, a grave illness brings death as a result of kamma (kamma-vipāka). This is considered death from destructive kamma, as the lifespan has not fully run its course and the person’s kamma has not yet been exhausted. Many cases of death due to illness can be understood in this way.
In MN Commentary, it is mentioned that a person is considered truly dead only when all three of the following factors are fully absent:
1. Āyu: the life force, which sustains both body and mind through jīvita (life), ceases at death.
2. Usmā: The tejo (fire) element, which generates body heat due to the support of kamma, halts.
3. Viññāṇa: All forms of consciousness, including bhavaṅga (the life-continuum consciousness that maintains the continuity of the mental processes), cease completely.
Death is only confirmed when all three of these factors have entirely ceased.
So, death moment is about to come... now what?
Before the final mind moment, known as the death consciousness (cuti-citta), arises, a series of cognitive processes unfold, which can originate from any of the six sense doors. Within this stream, there are five impulsion mind moments (javana-citta). The javana mind moments that arise just before the death consciousness are referred to as maraṇāsanna-javana citta (near-death impulsion mind moments). These near-death javana moments, particularly the final energetic mind moments (maraṇāsanna javana), are key. The importance of these javana moments lies in the fact that they grasp the final object created by kamma. This object becomes the "seed" for rebirth, as it determines the next destination and ensures the continuation of the stream of mind moments without interruption, thus maintaining the continuity of existence.
In a lottery draw, you might have seen a drum filled with numbered balls being spun around. There is no way to predict which ball will drop out. Similarly, out of the countless kammas we have accumulated in the countless rounds of rebirth, it is impossible to tell which one will take the opportunity to produce the next life. We have performed many good and bad kammic actions, and any one of these could manifest at life’s end. For an ordinary person, nothing is certain. However, for a sotāpanna, the door to the apāya (woeful states) is permanently closed and therefore, until one has attained such state, they are always susceptible to falling to the woeful realms in the immediate next existence.
Near the time of death, some mental state will dominate the mind, either unwholesome or wholesome. If influenced by akusala, the mind becomes polluted, leading to an unfavourable next rebirth. If the mind is brightened by kusala, the next life becomes a good rebirth. For instance, a person who spent their life hunting with guns and dogs might, near death, relive those moments of unwholesome actions and the mental state during that moment is far from peaceful. So, dying in such a state has negative consequences for the next life. Yet, nothing is entirely predictable. Even those who have broken precepts, such as through killing or stealing, might not necessarily fall into the apāya. Even in some Pitaka accounts, there were incidents of a morally indecent people who, despite their actions, were reborn as humans or devas. On the other hand, some who have offered large dāna or observed sīla are reborn in woeful states at death. The main reason is because of the kamma associated with the final object received just before death that is deciding which being will be reborn in which destination.
This kamma-produced object that appear in the near-death moment could be related to past kamma (actions) that had been done in this life or several lifetimes ago and this action resurfaces in the final moments. Aside from this resurfaced kamma, there is also immediately accumulated kamma, which is created just before death. For instance, if a dying person sees monks or a Buddha image just before dying and these images remain as their last image, this wholesome object could also become the final object and therefore, can be reborn in a good realm. Similarly, hearing chanting at the moment of death could influence a good rebirth.
There was a story of when the Buddha was teaching near a lake, and a frog leapt up to listen. Though it did not understand the Dhamma, it sensed the compassionate tone of the Buddha’s words, which calmed and purified its mind. Shortly after, a cowherd accidentally killed the frog with his staff. Due to the frog’s pure state of mind just before its death, it was reborn as a deva. Remembering its past life as a frog, the deva sought out the Buddha, listened to his teachings again, and became a sotāpanna. Queen Mallika, the wife of King Kosala, was briefly reborn in Avīci hell because she regretted deceiving the king as she neared death. Similarly, during the Buddha’s time, a monk who had meditated for over 50 years was reborn as a louse (because he did not attain Path and Fruition). This happened because, near death, he became attached to a new set of robes his sister had given him, intending to wear them the next day. So, one must not remain heedless on the impending death moment.
Now for you, dear reader:
You must reflect on how you have spending your precious time and on whom are you using it? Is it for the body you love so dearly, the defilements that you're entertaining, the children, the wife, the husband, the relatives, and the possessions that you cherish so much—but no matter how strongly you hold onto them, eventually when the last moment comes, you'll never see them again and you will be separated. Right now, how do you feel to even be separated even for a short moment? Really heavy and sad, right? So later when the inevitable moment of death comes, it will be a permanent separation, never to meet again. Won't you feel sorrowful at that moment? Yes, you will definitely feel sorrowful and greatly panic!
At that moment, if you haven't prepared the strength to conquer this attachment, the mind will be like a tall slender building with no foundation shaking due to a strong earthquake, ready to fall down and destruct in any moment. If, in that sorrowful state of mind, your life comes to an end, that is called 'sammoha maraṇa'—a death filled with delusion and confusion, in other words, ending life with turmoil and confusion. What's even worse is if that person committed various immoral deeds, broke precepts and is always involved unwholesome acts, and if, because of those misdeeds, bad signs appear at the time of death (that will lead to woeful rebirths), and they end their life in distress and sadness, that death is also called 'sammoha maraṇa.'
On the other hand, at the time of death, due to clinging to existence, beings find it hard to detach themselves from their current state. Just like a drowning person trying to grasp at anything to stay afloat and alive, those who are about to die seek something to rely on, hoping they can still cling to this very existence. They turn to their morality, but due to broken sīla, it does not provide a solid foundation. Finding no strength in it, they cannot rely on it. Similarly, they look to their concentration but find no support. Then again, they turn to their wisdom but find nothing to depend on. What happens at that moment? Suffering and sorrow arise, as they find no 'wholesomeness' to gain a foothold. If the person dies in that state, it is known as 'sammoha maraṇa'. If one dies with 'sammoha maraṇa,' they will not be reborn in a good/blissful realm. So, if one spends all their time on others—on children, on a spouse, on grandchildren—and neglects the important tasks of finding refuge within oneself, just as the Buddha advised all wordlings to do, could there be anyone more foolish than that?
Here, for your general knowledge, we should understand that four types of kamma can appear in the near-death moment:
Garuka Kamma: This refers to weighty or serious actions, often with significant consequences–
(i) for kusala: If one can sustain jhāna attainment until the near-death moment, a definite rebirth in the brahma realm is assured.
(ii) for akusala: Pañcānatariya-kamma, the five heinous crimes (killing one's mother, father, an arahant, causing the Buddha to bleed, and creating schism in the Saṅgha), lead to inevitable rebirth in hell with no possibility of escape or remediation.
Āsanna Kamma: These are actions performed near the end of life, which can have a strong influence on one's rebirth.
Āciṇṇa Kamma: This refers to habitual actions accumulated throughout one's life or several lifetimes that become ingrained in one's character and have long-lasting effects.
Kaṭattā Kamma: These are actions that are set aside or reserved for future fruition, potentially influencing one's experiences in a later life.
On the other hand, throughout our countless existences in saṃsāra, we have accumulated an immeasurable number of kamma in every moment. Some kamma have the power to determine future existences, while others only impact subsequent lives. For those familiar with impulsion mind moments, you may know that there are seven such moments in every cognitive process. It is estimated that around billions of such cognitive processes arise and perish in the blink of an eye. Given this, the sheer volume of kamma accumulated in each moment is staggering. Therefore, we should understand when kamma produces its result. Depending on the timing of ripening, kamma is categorised into four types:
Dittha Dhamma Vedaniya Kamma: Kamma that produces immediate effects in this life.
Upapajja Vedaniya Kamma: Kamma whose effects are seen in the next life.
Aparāpariya Vedaniya Kamma: Kamma whose effects manifest only after the next life (from the third life onwards until one attains Parinibbāna).
Ahosi Kamma: Kamma whose effects have ceased and no longer bear results (because the conditions for its fruition were not met).
The kamma that arises at the near-death moment can belong to any type of kamma accumulated in this life, a previous life, or even thousands of billions of trillions of lifetimes ago. Not only does your kamma in this life determine your next rebirth, but kamma from several lifetimes past can also play a decisive role. Since the nature of the object received just before death is crucial, it is essential to prepare ourselves to face death peacefully and free from anxiety, leaving no opportunity or conditions for unwholesome kamma to ripen. For that to happen, we should have the Dhamma firmly established in our hearts, enabling us to easily reflect on our meritorious deeds. Cultivating this habit in advance is vital. To ensure that our life stays on the right path, we must aim to incline our minds towards wholesome actions in daily life. By preparing ourselves in this way—embedding the Dhamma in our hearts, reflecting on it regularly, and upholding our precepts—we will be able to approach the end of life peacefully.
How, then, do we prepare so that a confused death (sammoha-maraṇa) does not occur? We prepare by accumulating wholesome kamma that falls into these four categories:
1. Garuka Kamma: This refers to weighty kamma, which takes precedence over other kamma in producing results. In the case of wholesome kamma, these are the jhāna attainments. If one cannot attain sotāpanna in this life, one should strive to achieve at least the first jhāna. This would prevent less significant unwholesome kamma from taking effect. Garuka kamma ensures that these weighty good deeds prevail over minor kamma when it matters most.
2. Āsanna Kamma: These are actions performed near the end of life. It's essential to have a strong meditation object, such as Buddhanussati, mettā, ānāpāna, the four elements, or vipassanā, that you can consistently return to even when you're not formally meditating. This "anchor" should be practised regularly so that it is deeply ingrained in your mind, becoming a reliable supporting "anchor" in the near-death moment rather than a "straw" that fails you in crucial moments.
3. Āciṇṇa Kamma: This refers to habitual actions, such as offering flowers to the Buddha daily, chanting in the morning, sharing merits each night, meditating without fail, or cultivating mettā during your free time. These repeated good actions create a solid foundation of wholesome kamma.
4. Kaṭattā Kamma: These are actions set aside for future fruition, potentially influencing experiences in later lives. Examples might include offering robes before the rains retreat, visiting monasteries for dāna monthly, or other minor wholesome deeds that may bear fruit later.
Among these four types of kamma, it is crucial to prioritise the cultivation of Garuka kamma and Āsanna kamma, as the circumstances of death are uncertain. If you are fortunate enough to be aware of your approaching death, such as when lying on a deathbed, you may have the chance to prepare by practising jhāna or vipassanā. However, in sudden events like drowning or a car accident, there may not be time to enter jhāna for Garuka kamma to ripen. In such cases, it is the other types of kamma, with Āsanna kamma taking priority, that will take effect. This is why it’s important to continually 'submerge' ourselves in wholesome kamma so that our next destination remains safe.
Of course, it is important to cultivate Garuka kamma at all times so that one's mind becomes ready if tragedy comes. But, more important than cultivating jhāna or other wholesome deeds is the effort to develop the vipassanā knowledge that allows one to realise and understand the characteristics of anicca, dukkha, and anatta in all ultimate realities at all times. This is especially crucial in the near-death moment, particularly if one is unable to attain Sotāpanna in this life. If one can achieve this understanding at the near-death moment, such wholesome kamma (mahākusala-kamma) will enable rebirth in either the deva or human realm. The Buddha explained in the Sotānugata Sutta that a person who can contemplate and develop vipassanā knowledge before their final moment, due to that wholesome kamma, can be reborn in the deva realm as a deva of great wisdom. Should that happen, "the truths will have become evident to that individual. The arising of mindfulness is slower compared to the rapid attainment of insight", meaning that one can swiftly become Sotāpanna in the subsequent life, before even realising that they have been reborn in that deva realm. This type of peaceful death, free from sorrow and regret and marked by wisdom and true understanding of reality, is known as *asammoha maraṇa*—an unconfused death. So, if reaching Sotāpanna isn’t possible in this life, strive at the very least to attain this unconfused death.
Therefore, you must remain mindful and avoid becoming complacent with your current state and practice. There are many things in life that are uncertain and may never happen, but one thing is more certain than anything else for those who haven't attained anything: the woeful realms await you with open arms. A noteworthy sutta that illustrates this point is the Buddha's comparison of the rarity of blissful rebirth, as mentioned in the Nakhasikha Sutta:
Staying at Savatthi, then the Blessed One, picking up a little bit of dust with the tip of his fingernail, said to the monks, "What do you think, monks? Which is greater: the little bit of dust I have picked up with the tip of my fingernail, or the great earth?"
"The great earth is far greater, lord. The little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail is next to nothing. It doesn't even count. It's no comparison. It's not even a fraction, this little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail, when compared with the great earth.
"In the same way, monks, few are the beings reborn among human beings. Far more are those reborn elsewhere (in woeful states). Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will live heedfully.' That's how you should train yourselves."
For ordinary disciples who have not yet realised the Four Noble Truths, the 'door' to apāya (woeful realms) remains wide open, making them vulnerable to falling into such states of existence at any time. The safest way to ensure guaranteed passage to future blissful existences and, ultimately, liberation from the cycle of repeated dukkha is by attaining Sotāpanna. Upon becoming a Sotāpanna, the eradication of sakkāya-diṭṭhi (identity view) results in the destruction of all kamma that would otherwise lead to rebirth in woeful realms and all such kamma become expired (ahosi kamma). That's why a Sotāpanna as well as all Noble disciples will never be reborn in woeful states anymore.
Ultimately, you must realise that on the path to liberation, we are our own best allies—we have to fight for ourselves. Your partners, parents, children and friends cannot fight for your liberation: only you are responsible for it. You have been endowed with the five aggregates in this present life, not to lust after or attach to the five aggregates of others. As Pa-Auk Sayadawgyi wisely puts it, "Do not enslave yourselves to the five aggregates of others." In other words, don’t enslave yourself to those you love in unwise ways. You are endowed with this very life, body and mind produced by kamma so that you can practise the Dhamma. All the necessary conditions have aligned in this very moment for you to practise and, at the very least, attain sotāpanna. Your next opportunity to encounter the Dhamma is never guaranteed. Therefore, while you still possess the life faculty within this set of five aggregates, make the most of this golden opportunity to practise. Otherwise, it will be a life wasted, and the dissolution of your present five aggregates will be marked by confusion and regret.
Therefore, do not delay or take this opportunity for granted. Time is fleeting, and each moment brings you closer to death. Do not squander your life in the pursuit of worldly distractions, clinging to temporary pleasures, or being enslaved by craving and attachment. Reflect on the uncertainty of future existences: the cycle of saṃsāra offers no guarantees of favourable rebirth. This very life is your only chance to break free. The opportunity is rare; do not let it slip away.
Before I end this post, I'd like you to share this Dhammapada account, which I would like all of you to read and reflect on very carefully:
While residing at the monastery near Aggavala shrine in the country of Alavi, the Buddha uttered Verse (174) of the Dhammapada book, with reference to a young maiden, who was a weaver. At the conclusion of an alms-giving ceremony in Alavi, the Buddha gave a discourse on the impermanence of the aggregates (khandhas). The main points the Buddha stressed on that day may be expressed as follows:
"My life is impermanent; for me, death only is permanent. I must certainly die; my life ends in death. Life is not permanent; death is permanent."
The Buddha also exhorted the audience to be always mindful and to strive to perceive the true nature of the aggregate. He also said,"As one who is armed with a stick or a spear is prepared to meet an enemy (e.g. a poisonous snake), so also, one who is ever mindful of death will face death mindfully. He would then leave this world for a good destination (sugati)." Many people did not take the above exhortation seriously, but a young girl of sixteen who was a weaver clearly understood the message. After giving the discourse, the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery.
After a lapse of three years, when the Buddha surveyed the world, he saw the young weaver in his vision, and knew that time was ripe for the girl to attain Sotapatti Fruition. So the Buddha came to the country of Alavi to expound the dhamma for the second time. When the girl heard that the Buddha had come again with five hundred bhikkhus, she wanted to go and listen to the discourse which would be given by the Buddha. However, her father had also asked her to wind some thread spools which he needed urgently, so she promptly wound some spools and took them to her father. On the way to her father, she stopped for a moment at the outer fringe of the audience, who had come to listen to the Buddha.
Meanwhile, the Buddha knew that the young weaver would come to listen to his discourse; he also knew that the girl would die when she got to the weaving shed. Therefore, it was very important that she should listen to the Dhamma on her way to the weaving shed and not on her return. So, when the young weaver appeared on the fringe of the audience, the Buddha looked at her. When she saw him looking at her, she dropped her basket and respectfully approached the Buddha. Then, he put four questions to her and she answered all of them. The questions and answers are as given below.
(1) Where have you come from?
I do not know.
(2) Where are you going?
I do not know.
(3) Don't you know?
Yes, I do know.
(4) Do you know?
I do not know, Venerable Sir.
Hearing her answers, the audience thought that the young weaver was being very disrespectful. Then, the Buddha asked her to explain what she meant by her answers, and she explained.
"Venerable Sir! Since you know that I have come from my house, I interpreted that, by your first question, you meant to ask me from what past existence I have come here. Hence my answer, 'I do not know.'
The second question means, to what future existence I would be going from here; hence my answer, 'I do not know.'
The third question means whether I do not know that I would die one day; hence my answer, 'yes, I do know.'
The last question means whether I know when I would die; hence my answer, 'I do not know.
The Buddha was satisfied with her explanation and he said to the audience, "Most of you might not understand clearly the meaning of the answers given by the young weaver. Those who are ignorant are in darkness, they are just like the blind."
The Buddha then spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 174: Blind are the people of this world: only a few in this world see clearly (with Insight). Just as only a few birds escape from the net, so also, only a few get to the world of the devas, (and Nibbana). |
At the end of the discourse, the young weaver attained Sotāpatti Fruition. She then continued on her way to the weaving shed, where she found her father asleep on the weaver's seat. When he awoke suddenly, he accidentally pulled the shuttle, and its point struck the girl in the chest. She died on the spot, leaving her father broken-hearted. With tears in his eyes, he went to the Buddha and asked to be admitted into the Order of bhikkhus. Thus, he became a bhikkhu, and not long afterward, attained Arahantship.
May you all be able to die unconfused.