{"id":2062,"date":"2020-03-10T10:52:53","date_gmt":"2020-03-10T00:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dying-and-death-reflections.com\/?page_id=2062"},"modified":"2020-03-11T17:53:11","modified_gmt":"2020-03-11T07:53:11","slug":"guiding-principles","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dying-and-death-reflections.com\/index.php\/guiding-principles\/","title":{"rendered":"Guiding Principles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Streamlining: Guiding Principles<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In sorting through accumulated\nnotes, books, journals, magazines, personal items, letters and cards, as well\nas CD\u2019s \u2013 stored in boxes (from several moves), drawers, cupboards \u2013 I became mindful\n<\/em>of the following insights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Select appropriate\nbeneficiaries for precious items.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Buddhist materials<\/em>\n\u2013 Dharma books and Dharma materials (cards, images, course workbooks, etc.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Personal valuable possessions<\/em> \u2013 such as iPhone, iWatch, iPad, and MacBook<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Money<\/em> \u2013 gift money\nand other savings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Donate what is fitting to do\nso.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Christian books, booklets,\nmagazines, and files <\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Secular books and booklets<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Clothes, shoes, and\naccessories<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Dispose of what should be\nrelinquished!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Brochures, papers, and\nmiscellaneous knick-knacks <\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Secular files \u2013 that have\nserved their purpose<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Worn-out clothes and old\nelectronic items<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Streamline my life.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Strive for minimum maintenance<\/em> \u2013 because energy and resources<\/em> are precious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Strive for utmost simplicity<\/em> \u2013 because time<\/em> is precious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Monitor all tasks<\/em> and activities \u2013 ask: Is it necessary?<\/em> Is it profitable? Is it the best use of time and energy<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Make decisions where needed.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decide regarding:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Details of will<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Websites \u2013 in memorium<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Specific funeral wishes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Know what is crucial<\/em>\nat the time of death.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Know with certainty what will help at that\ncritical hour! Only the Dharma<\/strong> will help, so I must practice with\ndiligence.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Realize that I must part<\/em> with my body, family,\nrelatives, friends, others, and all\npossessions<\/em> \u2013 everything<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Remember that while death is certain<\/em> and inevitable, its timing is uncertain<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Realize that<\/em><\/strong> my life is extremely precious<\/strong><\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of the time, energy,\nresources, freedoms, and opportunities presently at hand for me. <\/em>Therefore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Focus on spiritual priorities\n\u2013 the inner transformation<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Don\u2019t get involved in longer-term\nmundane, unfruitful projects<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Don\u2019t get entangled in unprofitable<\/em> relationships<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Realize the difficulty of\nobtaining the freedoms and riches I presently have!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Meditate until comprehension\nand genuine certainty has arisen that the freedoms and riches I possess are\ndifficult to obtain and easily lost, and that they have many benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Exert myself with great\nperseverance \u2013 day and night \u2013 in study<\/em>, reflection<\/em>, and meditation<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Earnestly apply myself to\ndeveloping bodhicitta<\/em> (the mind of enlightenment).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

d. Decide to constantly carry out\nwholesome actions, from today on, untiringly. (Since I create my own karma, I\nmust abandon vice.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Ponder earnestly impermanence\nand death<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. It is certain that I will die!\nNo matter how much people try to hold on to life and prepare to stay, they do\nnot succeed. There is not a single being who has stayed alive without dying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. I will die soon, not knowing\nexactly when. The life span here is uncertain. Death approaches imperceptibly.\nWith every year, month, and day that goes by, death comes closer little by\nlittle. Death comes quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. I will die without having had\nthe time to purify my harmful actions. This is because my life span is\nuncertain, and the causes of death are numerous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

d. Therefore, practice the Dharma\ncontinually. It does not make sense to take it easy, thinking, at least today I\nwill not die. The time when I will disappear will come without a doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

e. The Lord of Death will pop up\nagainst my will \u2013 while I am thinking of getting my unfinished worldly affairs\ndone little by little. Therefore, I should not try to achieve worldly aims\nconcerning this life, but rather pursue what is of benefit for future lives.\nSince we do not know whether tomorrow or the next life will come first, we\nshould not concentrate on tomorrow but rather on the next life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

f. Nobody can prevent death. At\nthe time of death, I have to leave everything behind, except the fruits of my\nactions. I go naked and empty-handed. At that time, meritorious karma will be\nmy sole protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

g. I will leave this world behind\nand go to the world beyond \u2013 a great relocation takes place, and I will enter a\ngreat darkness. At that time, there will be no other refuge, place of rest,\nfriend and helper apart from the Dharma. At that time, the Dharma will be my\nisland, my protector, my place of rest, and my teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

h. The holy beings of the past\nwere inspired by impermanence, gave up concerns for this present life, and\nconcentrated solely on spiritual practice. Be stirred by impermanence and\npractice the Dharma without wasting time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

i. Reflect about the uncertainty\nof the moment of death, make short term plans, develop weariness with worldly\nthings, and with an intense feeling of urgency, spend my time with spiritual\npractice day and night. Don\u2019t get lost in laziness!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

j. Finally, at the time of death,\nnothing whatsoever will be of any use except the Dharma. Sometimes imagine how\nI am struck by an illness and die, how my corpse is carried to the crematorium,\nand how my consciousness roams powerlessly like a feather blown by the wind!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Reflect deeply on karma, that\nis, cause and effect.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. Think about the following:\nSince my next birth depends on the actions I have committed, I will practice\naccording to the law of cause and effect \u2013 not confusing what I should do and\nwhat I should not do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Resolve: I shall examine my\nmind and strive to refrain from harmful actions and accomplish wholesome\nactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Remember that if I refrain\neven from the smallest harmful action, carry out even the smallest wholesome\naction, and persistently train my mind in love, compassion, and bodhicitta, I\naccomplish the purpose of the Buddha\u2019s teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

d. Generally speaking, all\nhappiness and suffering arises due to actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Understand samsara, the\nvicious circle of conditioned existence.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

a. There is no place in this\nround of conditioned existence \u2013 from the top of the world to the incessant\nhell \u2013 which is beyond suffering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

b. Having seen that everything in\nsamsara \u2013 places, friends, possessions, fame \u2013 is futile, I must foster a\npowerful determination, thinking, \u201cI will by all means cut the attachment to\nsamsara and achieve the state of liberation and omniscience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c. Think, \u201cfor the benefit of all\nliving beings, I must by all means accomplish the state of unsurpassable,\ngenuine, complete buddhahood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

d. Abandon projects of this life,\ngive up the craving for sense pleasures, cast far away the eight worldly\nconcerns, keep the certainty of death in my heart, and perceive the round of\nconditioned existence as painful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

e. Develop a sense of futility\nregarding the vicious circle of conditioned existence, the frustrations of a\nhousehold, entertainments, distractions, and projects of this life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

f. Because of unawareness, I have\nbeen attached since beginningless time to an \u201cI\u201d where there is no \u201cI\u201d, and to\na self where there is no self. From this arises the illusory perception of\nsamsara and the torment of the three types of suffering: the suffering of\nconditioned existence, the suffering of change, and the suffering of pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: Points #8, 9, 10, 11 taken\nfrom Mahamudra: The Ocean of True Meaning<\/em>\nby Karmapa Wangchug Dorje.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alexander Peck (March 5, 2020)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Reflection:
Our worldly priorities can be ironic. We place first what we think we want most; then we discover that our wanting is insatiable. Paying off the house, writing the book, making the business successful, setting up the retirement, taking the big trip\u2014things that are temporarily on top of our list of priorities completely consume our time and energy. And then at the end of life, we look back and wonder what all those things meant.
(Tulku Chagdud Rinpoche) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"reddit\"<\/a>\"pinterest\"<\/a>\"linkedin\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Streamlining: Guiding Principles In sorting through accumulated notes, books, journals, magazines, personal items, letters and cards, as well as CD\u2019s \u2013 stored in boxes (from several moves), drawers, cupboards \u2013 I became mindful of the following insights: 1. Select appropriate …<\/span> Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"spay_email":""},"yoast_head":"\nGuiding Principles - End-of-Life Reflections<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/dying-and-death-reflections.com\/index.php\/guiding-principles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Guiding Principles - End-of-Life Reflections\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Streamlining: Guiding Principles In sorting through accumulated notes, books, journals, magazines, personal items, letters and cards, as well as CD\u2019s \u2013 stored in boxes (from several moves), drawers, cupboards \u2013 I became mindful of the following insights: 1. 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