The world’s major religions agree that death is not the end, that “something” survives, although they differ in details and interpretation.

Mind, consciousness, soul, spirit – whatever we call it – will continue to exist in one form or another.

Buddhism identifies “mind” (Tib. sem; Skt. chitta) as the fundamental nature that survives the death of the physical body.

Though our bodies will dissolve back into the elements of which they are formed, we will continue as mind and consciousness, which will transmigrate into another existence.

As long as we are alive, the mind cohabits together with the body, which provides an earthy structure that gives us a sense of identity.

Thus, we feel more or less like the same person throughout our life span. Environmental influences and cultural habits also impart a continuity of experience. We have a sense of solidity about our bodies and the phenomenal appearances of the material world around us; all the things and happenings that arise within our awareness, perceived by our senses, seem totally real, external, and separate from our minds.

But at the moment of death, all these appearances will vanish.

The mind will separate from the physical body, which will begin to decay.

As soon as consciousness departs from the body, the things that we saw and the feelings that we had in life will change utterly.

What we experience after death will depend solely on our mind, on the habitual mental tendencies and thoughts that we created and fostered while we were alive.

If our mind is peaceful and joyful, then whatever we do physically will be an expression of peace and joy. Whatever we say vocally will be words of peace and joy. Then all our activities will become virtuous, and we will be a source of peace and joy to everyone we come into contact with.

At the time of death – when we are released from the constraints of the physical body, cultural restrictions, and environmental influences – we will be free to enjoy peace and joy, the true dispositions of our own mind.

Similarly, if we train our minds in the proper way during life, then, at the time of death, all the phenomena before us will arise as a world of peace, joy, and enlightenment.

But if our mind is immersed in negative emotions such as hatred, then whatever we think will be afflicted by thoughts and feelings of burning anger.

Whatever we say or do will be an explosive expression of hatred and anger.

Then the day of peace may never have a chance to dawn in our hearts.

Our pain will become a source of hatred and pain for those close to us.

At the time of death, we may encounter a world burning in the flames of hell – the manifestation of our own anger and hatred.

Source: Based on Thondup, Tulku. Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth: A Tibetan Buddhist Guidebook. Shambhala. Kindle Edition.

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