2019 Bardo teachings by Mingyur Rinpoche in Malaysia

Source: https://www.facebook.com/TergarAsia/posts/948723542189775?__tn__=K-R

【2019明就仁波切亞洲德噶馬來西亞閉關・第七天中陰課程開示摘要】

如果在「臨終中陰」階段，你沒有認出母光明的話，你就會再一次回到無意識的狀態，一般來說會是三天半的時間，當你醒過來的時候，你就像是有了身體和所有的感官，那三天半你可能看不到、聽不到，但是你再次醒過來的時候，一切會變得很明晰，這時就進入下一個階段「法性中陰」。

■ Ｃ計畫認出心性後三秒鐘成佛

「法性中陰」也可以說是真如，或是任運的當下。在這階段我們會有非常多感知的投射，而所有的感知都是清淨的感知，譬如看到很多光芒、聽到很多聲音，包含佛菩薩的影像、六道的影像。所有的影像如鏡中所映照般，都不是真的，超越了時間和物質。

當我們死亡的時候，一切都消融到這基礎的心上，變得無意識，再一次你醒過來之後，所有的一切就會一個一個的展現，於是五種煩惱就會轉化展現成五個智慧，愚癡會轉化成法界體性智，瞋恨會轉化為大圓鏡智，我慢會轉化成平等性智，貪欲轉化成妙觀察智，嫉妒轉化成所作智。

五個煩惱也會顯現為五種光芒，也顯現為五境，色、聲、香、味、觸，這一切也會顯現為五大，此外還會展現為五方佛，在法性中陰階段，這些種種顯現都會發生。

在那個時刻，如果你認識出自己處在中陰，如同你認識到自己在做夢一樣，這時你若做了心性禪修，你在三秒鐘內會立即成佛。

為什麼在法性中陰時，那麼容易成佛呢？因為業力不再有力量，在我們死的時候，所有粗重能所二分的相、感知，全部都消融在自身中了，因此業力的力量也消融了。

■D計畫前往彌陀淨土的地址

到了「投生中陰」的時候，也就進入到習性的顯現，我們的身體越來越具形象，能所的顯現分別也越來越真實，各種情緒、念頭變得更鮮明了，在這個階段時業力的力量回來了，你陷入在時間、物質層面的幻相中。

在這時候已經失去了能夠在三秒間成佛的機會，但是還有一個好消息，你會看到親友都為你而哭泣，因此在這時候多數的人，都能認識出自己已經死亡。

這時候就進入了Ｄ計畫，我們要前往阿彌陀佛的淨土了，阿彌陀佛淨土有一個地址，地址有四行：

第一行是：皈依阿彌陀佛
第二行是：菩提心
第三行是：積聚任何的功德，《道甘露》、前行、心性修持...等等
第四行是：迴向一切眾生都能往生淨土

這四個步驟在此生要練習至少十次，一天做一次十天就做完了，如果你能夠做到十次，就代表你已經有了去阿彌陀佛的地址。

■一、皈依阿彌陀佛

當你在修《道甘露》的時候，就以阿彌陀佛取代金剛總持。你既做到了《道甘露》的修持，也做到了阿彌陀佛的修持。在《道甘露》的觀想中，你觀想任何的佛都是可以的，皈依時你可以先觀想阿彌陀佛，並且認識到阿彌陀佛和上師及一切諸佛的本質都是一體的，這樣的去做觀想並生起皈依。

■二、發菩提心

接下來是生起菩提心。你可以想著我已經學習並且準備好Ａ計畫、Ｂ計畫和Ｃ計畫，我會努力達成，但是如果沒成功，我還有Ｄ計畫，我要往生淨土。為什麼要往生淨土？因為我要利益一切眾生，為了幫助一切眾生都能夠證悟心性，因此我要往生淨土，你可以這樣的發起菩提心。

■三、積聚資糧

在發起菩提心之後，就進入上師相應的修持，這時你就觀想阿彌陀佛，在你修持完之後，就想像阿彌陀佛化光融入到你的自身，融入後就安住在心性中做心性的修持，事實上心性的修持，是最好積聚資糧、淨除罪障的法門。

■四、迴向往生淨土

到了最後我們要做迴向，將所有的功德都迴向給一切眾生，願一切眾生都能夠完全地證悟到自心本性，並且發願我要幫助一切眾生都能證悟到他們的自心本性，為了這個目的，所以我要去淨土。在迴向的時候，回向往生淨土。這四個步驟我們都能在夠在《道甘露》的儀軌修持中結合並做到。

另外當你在做供養的時候，比如點燈供燈或是獻供水果，在這樣一個行為上你也可以做到這四個修持，一開始你想著這是供養給阿彌陀佛，然後皈依阿彌陀佛，之後生起菩提心，為了要利益一切眾生，所以要前往淨土，這樣一個實際在獻供的行為，也就是在積聚資糧，最後就做迴向，迴向往生淨土。

如果在這一生當中做了十次剛才的修持，我們決定可以往生淨土，除非我們造作了五無間罪，比如殺父母、師長，或者完全捨棄三寶、不相信阿彌陀佛、不相信佛法。

■完整的四個解脫計畫

如果這一生你很努力地修持開心禪和解脫道，你是有希望在活著的時候，得到直接的證悟，Ａ計畫就成功了; 如果沒成功的話，我們就進行Ｂ計畫，作「臨終中陰」的修持; Ｂ計畫沒成功就進入到「法性中陰」的修持。如果Ｃ計畫也沒有成功，就做Ｄ計畫，我相信大家一定都百分之百的確信，如果你能在「投生中陰」階段認識到自己已經死亡，加上此生按照這四個步驟修持過十次的話，就肯定能夠投生到淨土，我們會有一個美好的結局。

(2019明就仁波來西亞閉關第七天「中陰課程」12月28日開示摘要)

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Now we going to practice the preparation of bardo of moment of dying together.

1. Letting go

So, today is the big day. Imagine that today is the last day. Everything is impermanent. Now is the big day already. Please close your eyes. Soon you will leave this world.

First, think if there is anything that I have attachment to? The five C’s (condo, car, cash, credit card, and career), my friends and family, my kids, husband or wife, father or mother, or special smart phone, special shoes, dress, house, fame, power, or responsibilities.

Now, think of Amitabha and all the buddhas above you. Amitabha is one with your teacher, buddha, dharma, and sangha. Please offer mandala of all these objects of attachment to Amitabha. Now, everything is offered to Amitabha. You don’t have to worry, because all these things do not belong to you now. They are under the blessing of Amitabha.

2. Dedication

Next is dedication. Look back on your life. You’ve practiced Joy of Living levels 1, 2, 3; even if it wasn’t very perfect, it’s OK; or you’ve practiced Path of Liberation, or you helped many other people, even dogs, did social work, whatever offerings you’ve made, or happiness of your life, now, you are going to dedicate all these virtues and happiness to all beings. Dedicate to all beings to help them to fully recognize their true nature.

3. Motivation

Now set your motivation. Soon, you are going to die, but this death and dying is a great opportunity. Soon, I will dissolve into the mother luminosity. I will have the opportunity to become buddha to benefit all beings, how nice! Through this opportunity, I want to fully recognize my true nature to benefit all beings, to help all beings to fully recognize their true nature. Therefore, today I’m going to practice bardo of moment of dying, how nice!

4. Pray

Now pray to Amitabha who is one with all your teachers, buddhas, bodhisattvas, and yidams. Pray to Amitabha to bless you to have this wonderful journey.

Now rest your mind in open awareness. (If you have received the nature of mind point-out teaching, rest with nature of your mind.)

Now, you might experience falling. The earth element is dissolving. You may lose strength in your body. It’s OK. Continue to rest.

Then, you might experience the dissolution of the water element and experience the feeling of melting or floating. Continue to rest.

Then there is the dissolution of the fire element. You feel burning sensation or shock. The body becomes cold.

Now the air element dissolves into the space element. You may experience a sensation of disappearing or being blown away. Now you may lose your breath. No problem. Rest in awareness. Actually, awareness becomes more and more clear.

Now you will experience dark – the dissolution of space element. You cannot see, cannot hear, but still awareness is there. And now you might feel like, “Oh, now I’m going to be unconscious”. Almost become unconscious. And then suddenly, open up. So peaceful. So present. And very joyful. Beyond time. This is the mother luminosity. Continue to rest with the mother luminosity. It will become more and more clear. Now there’s no front, no back, no inside and outside. So clear. There’s no concept, no subject and object. Yet you understand everything; you know everything. So peaceful, profound, luminosity. Continue to rest. And it will expand more and more. There is love; there is compassion; there is wisdom; everything is there. You are one with the dharmakaya.

Now please slowly open your eyes. Today we are not dead yet. So, appreciate that you are still alive. Look around. Appreciate that you have these wonderful people around you and the wonderful building. And you have breath. Wonderful, isn’t it? You have these wonderful eyes; ears, that you can listen to the teachings, and nose, tongue, wonderful mind. So, appreciate. Appreciate that you are alive. And appreciate that you have this wonderful buddha nature.

OK, finished.

[You can take moment of dying as your practice]

You need to practice like this from time to time. I think at least once every month. If you do a retreat about that practice, then you have to do many times, at least four sessions a day.

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【2019明就仁波切亞洲德噶馬來西亞閉關‧第六天中陰開示摘要】

■感恩還活著，我們一起練習死亡禪修！

接下來我們一起來練習，「臨終中陰」準備的禪修。

一、放下

想像今天是我們的大日子，也就是生命的最後一天，一切都無常，現在來到這個大日子，請閉上眼睛，很快我們就要離開這個世界。

首先想想我還有什麼是執著的？五個C開頭的東西(condo高級公寓、car 車子、cash現金、credit card信用卡、career事業)，或你的朋友、家人、孩子、先生、妻子、父親、母親，或你特別的智慧手機、鞋子、衣服、房子，或你的名聲、權力、責任。

再想阿彌陀佛和十方一切諸佛在我們頭頂，阿彌陀佛和我們的上師、佛、法、僧都是一體，將你執著的事物供養阿彌陀佛。現在你已經將一切供養阿彌陀佛，不用再擔心，因為這一切都不再屬於你，這一切都在阿彌陀佛加持眷顧中了。

二、迴向

接著迴向，現在回顧自己的這一生，你修持過開心禪一、二、三階，即便沒有修持那麼好也沒有關係，或者修持過解脫道，你幫助過很多人，你幫助過狗狗，你做了很多社會服務，你做過的任何供養、布施，或者想起你這一生快樂的時光，現在你將所有這些功德、快樂迴向給一切的眾生，願一切眾生因此圓滿證悟到自心本性。

三、動機

現在生起動機，告訴自己很快的我就要死了，但是這個死亡是個絕妙的機會，很快我將消融入母光明中，我將有成佛的機會，並且能利益到一切眾生，多好啊！透過這樣的機會，我要完全認證自己的心性，這也是為了利益一切眾生都能圓滿認證自性，所以今天我要來修持臨終中陰，這多好啊！

四、祈請和修持

現在祈請阿彌陀佛，阿彌陀佛和我們的上師、諸佛菩薩都是一體的，祈請阿彌陀佛加持我能擁有一個完美的旅程。

現在讓心安住在開放的覺知中。(如果接受過心性指引，安住在心性禪修)

現在也許經驗到下墜的感覺，這就是地大在消融了，你可能會失去身體的力量，這沒有關係，繼續安住著。

接下來你也可能經歷水大消融的過程，感覺到漂流或滿溢出來，持續安住著。

再來會經歷火大的消融，有燃燒感、觸電感，身體變冷了。

接來下風大消融在空大當中，有被吹散的感覺，失去呼吸，沒有關係的，持續安住在覺知中，這個覺知會越來越明晰。

現在你會經驗黑暗，也就是空大的消融，你看不到、聽不到，但覺知還是在那裡，也許你會感到自己快要失去意識，就在幾乎要失去意識時，突然又打開了，非常的平靜，非常的當下，而且非常的喜悅，超越了時間，這就是母光明。所以持續安住在母光明當中，這會變得越來越清晰，現在已經不再有前後的差別，也不再有內外的差別，非常的清晰，沒有概念，也沒有能、所，然而你仍然了解、知道一切，如此的平靜、甚深、光明，持續的安住，這樣的安住會越來越擴展，這裡有著愛、慈悲、智慧，一切都在這當中，這時你和法身合一。

現在請慢慢睜開眼睛，我們今天還沒死呢！

試著感恩我們還活著，試著看看周圍有這麼棒的人們、這麼好的建築，還有呼吸，真是太美妙了！我們有這麼棒的眼睛、耳朵，你能聽到教導、佛法，你還有鼻子、舌頭，你還有美妙的心靈。試著去感恩，感恩自己還活著，也要感恩有那麼美好的佛性。

好，結束了。

■你可以把死亡禪修當做平常的修持！

自己可以時不時做這樣的練習，我想至少每個月一次，如果你是針對這個練習做閉關的話，每天至少四座的修持。

(2019明就仁波來西亞閉關第六天「中陰開示」12月27日 開示摘要)

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26/12/19

What do you have to do when you are facing the common perception of death and dying?

If you’ve practiced Path of Liberation in this life and have fully recognized your true nature, you are successful in Plan A. Then you don’t have to worry about dying. For your own perception, there’s no death and dying. You don’t have to practice bardo.

If you have not achieved direct realization, then bardo practice is very important. So, that’s Plan B. You need to practice right now to prepare.

Preparation practice:

Preparing for dying means you have to imagine that you are going to die today. Think that today is the big day, the final day. Then your mind will automatically go into a deeper level of yourself. The unhealthy sense of self automatically calms down. If you die tomorrow, will you think, “I haven’t fought with my enemies enough” or “I haven’t made enough money”?

These will not happen. Instead, you will think, “What have I done that’s meaningful in my life? What is the most meaningful thing that I should do now?” Your mind automatically goes to a deeper level of yourself.

There are four things that you have to do before you die.

1. Letting go:
Think about the objects you have attachment to. Maybe it’s your money in the bank. The five C’s – do you know what the five C’s are? Condo, cash, car, credit card, career, whichever of these five C’s you feel an attachment to. If you can make a will, make a will, although some may not be able to make a will in time. Then you offer mandala.

When I almost died in Kushinagar in India, I did this practice. Although I don’t have so much 5C’s, I have monasteries, students, and my mom. So, I offered everybody, everything. I offered my mom and if you are my student, I’ve offered you to the Three Jewels a long time ago. (Audience laughs.) So, you can do the same thing.

Whatever the object of attachment in your life, you just offer mandala to the buddha, dharma, sangha, your guru. Even if you cannot do the mandala mudra or the prayers, it’s OK. Just offer in your mind. After you’ve offered mandala, then you don’t have to worry; all those do not belong to you now. They are under the blessings of the Buddha, dharma, and sangha.

2. Dedication:
Look back on your life and think of the virtuous deeds you’ve done: generosity, social work, Joy of Living levels 1, 2, 3, Path of Liberation levels 1, 2, 3, or you helped people, said something nice to support people. Or think of whatever happiness you have enjoyed in your life, the good memories. Dedicate all these to all beings. Dedicate so that all beings may fully recognize their true nature.

3. Motivation:
Death is the best opportunity to become a buddha. Even though your life has become lazy and busy, but now if you practice the meditation of death and dying, you can become a buddha. Appreciate that you have the teaching, the practice. Feel happy about it. And think, “Today I’m going to die; I will use this death and dying to recognize my true nature to benefit all beings, help all beings to fully recognize their true nature for enlightenment. Therefore, today I will practice death and dying practice.” That is the motivation.

4. Prayer and practice:
You can pray to guru, buddha, dharma, sangha, or do whatever special practices you have, like Amitabha practice, or yidam practice. At this time, you can also do powa practice. The real powa you cannot do, but the practice powa you can do. After that, rest in nature of mind.

Then you will experience the dissolution of the five elements. This is similar to when you fall asleep.

The first to dissolve is earth. When the earth element dissolves, you experience sensation of falling.

Second, the water element dissolves. It feels like melting or floating.

Third, the fire element dissolves and there’s burning or shock sensation.

Fourth, the air element dissolves. It feels like you are being blown away or you are disappearing.

Fifth, the space element dissolves, and you experience darkness, or it feels like you are going to be unconscious.

After death, will you become unconscious?

No. After that, you experience a sudden opening up. You will experience the mother luminosity, which is peaceful, beyond concept, profound, luminosity, and uncontrived; it’s like nectar. You can experience it – indescribable, no front, no back, no up, no down, no day, no night, no far, no close. And that experience continues to open up and become more vast, more clear, more open.

My grandpa was in that meditation state for 3½ days. My father, about three days. In my monastery, many of the lamas, when they die, most of them stay in meditation for about seven days.

A group of scientists are now doing research on dying meditation. They see that the body will not rot; it remains flexible. But the moment meditation finishes, minute by minute, second by second, the body becomes rotten.

After you’ve recognized the nature of mind in bardo, you are retired. You have become buddha. So, you are totally retired from samsara, but you become more busy. Now you need to help all sentient beings.

After you become buddha, you will not have bardo of dharmata or bardo of becoming. If you didn’t become buddha, then we need to have Plan C. I will tell you about Plan C tomorrow.

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【2019明就仁波切亞洲德噶馬來西亞閉關・第五天中陰課程開示摘要】

當你去面臨共同感知的死亡時，要怎麼做呢？

當然如果你在這一生修持解脫道，並且完全證悟到心性時，也就是Ａ計畫成功時，就不用擔心死亡這件事情了，你不需要修持中陰了，因為對你個人感知而言，就沒有死亡這件事情了。

■如果今生沒證悟，你就需要B計劃

如果你沒有達到直接證悟，那就需要做中陰的修持。那就是我們的Ｂ計畫，準備的修持是：

我們可以開始想像，今天就是我的大日子，生命的最後一天。你的心會進入到內在的深處，那個不健康的我，自然就會平靜下來。當你知道明天就要死的時候，你還會想跟討厭的敵人繼續爭執嗎？還會想著這一生賺的錢不夠嗎？

不會的，你只會去想我這一生做了什麼有意義的事，而現在最重要的事情是什麼呢？此刻就自然進入到內心深處。

■這四件事，死前一定要記得

當死亡倒數計時，請記得做這四件事：

一、放下：

檢視一下此刻我還在執著的是哪些事情？也許是你銀行的存款？大家知道5Ｃ嗎？condo(高級公寓）、car (車子）、cash（現金）、credit card(信用卡)、career(事業），看你執著哪一個。如果你能寫下遺囑是最好的，但是也有些人來不及寫遺囑。這時候就要做獻曼達，記得我在印度閉關快要死時，也做了這樣的修持，雖然我沒有很多5Ｃ，但是我有寺院、弟子、學生和我的母親，當時我就把這一切都供養掉了，把我媽媽也放在曼達裡供養出去了，所以如果是我的學生，我很早就把你們供養掉了。（大眾笑）所以你也可以做同樣的事情。

不論你執著的是什麼，就把它供養給諸佛、上師等等，即便你那時無法做獻曼達的手印、念祈請的文句，只要用心去想著供養就可以了。當你供養出去後，就不用再想了，因為那些已經不屬於你的了，已經都在佛菩薩的加持下了。

二、迴向：

回顧一下這一生是否有做過什麼功德，譬如佈施或是社會服務，或是自己上過開心禪一二三階、解脫道一到五階，或是你透過美好的話語幫助他人、支持他人，或是你這一生中一個美好的記憶，將這一切都迴向給一切眾生，為了讓一切眾生可以完全證悟到心性，為此你作迴向。

三、動機：

死亡是最好的一個成佛機會，即便我們的人生是又忙又懶，如果能做死亡修持，我們就能成佛，感恩我們接受過教導，並且曾有過修持，想像我現在就要死了，為了利益一切眾生可以完全證悟到心性，我要修持死亡的修持。這就是動機。

四、祈請和修持：

向上師、佛法僧、阿彌陀佛或任何你相應的本尊做祈請，或任何修持。此時也可以修持破瓦法，但是只能練習修持所使用的破瓦法，真正的破瓦在練習時不能修持。最後就安住在心性中。

■五大消融開始，死亡敲門了

接下來我們將會經歷到五大的消融，跟睡眠過程經驗很相似：

一，地大消融：感覺墜落;

二，水大消融：感覺融化或漂浮;

三，火大消融：感覺觸電或燃燒;

四，風大消融：感覺消散或吹飄;

五，空大消融：感覺黑暗或無意識。

■心性修持者，死後可安住在明光中三至七天

死後，你會真的無意識嗎？

不會的。在這之後你會突然又感到展開了，這時候你就會經歷到那個母光明，平靜、超越概念、甚深、光明、無造作，就像是甘露一樣，你可以經驗到但無法形容它，它無前後、無上下、無遠近、無時間的差別。死亡的經驗在此刻會變更加開放、明晰、開廣。

我祖父就在這樣的情況中安住了三天半，我的父親大概安住三天，在我的寺院裡有很多的喇嘛死去的時候，多數都能夠維持七天。

現在有一個科學團隊在研究關於死亡禪修，他們也發現安住在明光中的行者，身體不會馬上腐敗，還是很柔軟的，但是當禪修的狀態一結束的時候，身體就會瞬間快速的腐爛掉。

■中陰認出心性，就從輪迴退休了

一旦在臨終中陰階段認出心性，你就成佛了，就徹底地從輪迴中退休了。但你會變得更忙碌，因為你要去幫助一切眾生。

一旦你在這時候成佛，就不會有接下來的法性中陰、投生中陰等階段發生。但是若在這個階段你沒有成佛，就需要進行Ｃ計畫。這個我們在明天的課程會繼續進行。

(2019明就仁波切馬來西亞閉關第五天「中陰課程」12月26日 開示摘要)

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Whether sleep becomes mediation or not, there are two signs. One, no dream. For dream meditation you need dreams, but not for sleeping meditation. The second sign is, when you wake up, you are waking up through meditation or within the meditation. The body feels very restful.

At the beginning, while you are sleeping you don’t know that you are in meditation. But slowly you will understand. After a certain level, you will know while you’re sleeping that you are in meditation. The body becomes paralyzed and all the senses are dissolved, but you can see. Not through the physical eyes; these eyes are closed. The consciousnesses have dissolved and you recognize awareness. That awareness is like naked awareness. You can see, but there’s no front or back. And it doesn’t matter whether the lights are on or off. You can hear sound, but not through the ears. You know things very well, whatever is happening around you.

But you don’t have the sixth consciousness. So, no mental image, no words; it’s very funny. Look at this lemon. Now close your eyes. That is the mental image. The conceptual mind needs that. Do you remember the durian example? That durian is the mental image. Of course, it’s not the real durian, but the general image of a durian just comes. Then there’s the concept and name, “durian”, then there’s the “I like”, “I don’t like” feeling.

But in sleeping mediation, you know things but without these words and concepts. Like a very clear, pristine lake in the middle of the mountains which reflects everything around it. Everything manifests in the lake. It’s similar to that.

Right now, our normal mind goes out in one direction, very narrow, goes out and reaches out, “Yes, I like; I don’t like; maybe yes, no...” In sleeping meditation, the mind doesn’t need to go out; whatever’s out there appears in the mind. When you practice nature of mind, after direct realization you will have such an experience too – the mind will open up.

If you have problems sleeping when you practice sleeping meditation, then practice scanning the body. Then rest your mind around the heart area; be aware of sensations around the heart. That helps. What’s important is don’t look for sleep. “I need sleep! One, two, three, sleep!” When you look for sleep, you cannot find it easily. So, don’t care whether you fall sleep or not, just relax. Especially if you do the body scanning practice, it’s almost as beneficial as sleeping.

Another thing is don’t drink any caffeine after 1pm. Do some physical exercise. Aerobic exercise is really good. Also, before you go to sleep, don’t look at your phone too much or watch television. Keep your room temperature cool and dim the lights.

𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡

Dreams and the bardo of dharmata and the bardo of becoming are similar. Normally when you go to sleep, at the end of the dissolution there’s a split second of pure wisdom. After that, you become unconscious for sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes one hour. Then you will wake up in dream. When you wake up in dream, you have a body, you have all the senses, the consciousnesses – the sixth, seventh, eighth consciousness, everything. It’s what we call the dream body. The dream body and the bardo body after death are very similar.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠?

What is the main practice of dream meditation? You have to recognize you are dreaming. How to do that? You cannot use any particular machine, but you need to send a message to your subconscious.

When you are in bed and about to sleep, at that time, tell yourself, “Tonight, I’m going to recognize my dream.” Tell yourself that 21 times. If you can’t, seven times is OK too. If you can’t do it seven times, then at least three times. Tell yourself, “I’m going to recognize my dream tonight. I’m really going to recognize my dream. Serious I’m going to recognize my dream.” For example, if you want to wake up tomorrow at 5am, before you go to sleep, you tell yourself, “I need to wake up at 5am”. Then you will wake up, right? Similarly, when you send a message to your subconscious level, when you dream, it will help you to recognise your dream.

Why we should we recognize that we are dreaming? There are two purposes:

One is that it helps familiarize us with the bardo of dharmata and the bardo of becoming. It will help you recognize that you are in bardo.

The second is it really helps with your emptiness practice. When you realize everything is emptiness, it is just like recognising you’re in a dream. When you recognize that you are dreaming, the dream doesn’t disappear – you can eat durians, you can touch, smell, and taste. But at the same time, you know it’s a dream – there’s no grasping. You know it’s not real, but at the same time, everything still functions.

Like the way the Buddha sees us, as if in a dream. When we recognize we’re dreaming, we can see dream people; the people are still there, but the grasping disappears.

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■睡覺禪修會發生什麼？

睡覺是不是成為禪修，要兩個徵兆都有：

第一個徵兆：沒有夢，夢境禪修有夢，睡眠禪修沒有夢。
第二個徵兆：你醒來時，就在禪修的狀態，感到放鬆、休息。

睡覺禪修剛開始時，我們是不知道的，剛入睡時不知道，但逐漸就會越來越清楚。到了某一個層次，你在睡覺的時候，都能知道自己在禪修，整個意識是消融的，但你又能認出覺知。身體變得穿透，你的肉眼是閉上的，外面不論有沒有光亮，仍然能看見，沒有前後差別的看見。能聽到聲音，不是用耳朵聽到，任何周圍發生的事情你都知道。

你沒有第六識，所以沒有心造作的想像、語言、文字，很奇妙的狀態。大家看著仁波切舉著的檸檬嗎？閉上眼睛檸檬還在心裡，這就是我們心中的想像。記得之前榴槤的例子嗎？想像的榴蓮不是真的榴槤，但你心中卻生起榴槤的概念、名稱，生起喜歡、不喜歡的認知。

但是在睡覺禪修，你能知道周圍一切狀態，就像山中有一個湖泊，清澈映照周圍山中的一切。而我們現在平常的心，很狹隘的指向一個外境，我喜歡、我不喜歡。當在睡覺禪修的時候，你的心不需要指向的去看，這一切就直接映現在你的心中。當你真正能修好心性，達到直接證悟之後，也能有這樣的體驗，整個心是開放的狀態。

■如果失眠了，怎麼辦？

如果有些人做睡覺禪修，卻發覺變得很難入睡，可以做全身掃描的禪修，掃描過後將心安住在心間的部分，覺知心間部位的感受。重點是不需要去追逐睡眠，不必用力的想：「我要睡著、我一定要睡著」，「一、二、三，睡著吧！」當你越想追逐睡眠，反而越睡不著。不需要管睡不睡得著，你就只是放鬆，尤其能做全身掃描禪修的話，它幾乎和睡覺一樣有益，反而容易入睡。

另外下午一點之後，就不要喝咖啡。還有睡前不要看太多手機、電視，讓你房間溫度降低、光線昏暗。

■做夢和中陰很像！

夢境禪修和法性中陰、投生中陰很類似。在我們入睡之後，通常在消融次第之後，有幾剎那智慧會開展出來。然後我們就失去意識，有時15分鐘，或是幾小時。失去意識後會再醒來，醒來就在夢裡，當你在夢中醒來，就有夢中的身體、夢中的感官、夢中的八識。這樣狀態的身體，和中陰的身體兩者很像。

■怎麼認出自己在做夢？

夢境禪修的修持是什麼？就是認出來自己在做夢，但要怎麼做到？你就要傳送訊息到夢中，你沒辦法用機器做到，但你還是可以傳送訊息，就是把訊息置入潛意識，怎麼置入訊息呢？

平常當我們躺在床上，想要睡覺的時候，告訴自己今晚我要認出自己在做夢，告訴自己21遍，做不到7遍也可以，最少3次。這麼告訴自己：我今晚要認出我的夢、我真的要認出我的夢，像這樣不斷告訴自己。就像有時候明天早上五點要起床，睡前告訴自己五點要起來，就真的五點起床。你就這麼置入訊息到自己潛意識，有助於我們認出在做夢。

■夢境禪修，為中陰做準備！

為什麼要認出在做夢，有兩個目的：

第一個：幫助我們熟悉法性中陰、投生中陰，中陰修持最重要的也是認出自己在中陰。

第二個：幫助我們認出空性。當你認出一切都是空性，類似你認出夢境。當你認出這是個夢，夢不會消失，你仍然可以吃榴槤，可以碰觸、嚐味道，同時可以知道這是夢，而沒有執著。那時你會知道一切都不是真的，同時什麼都在那裡運作。如同佛陀看我們的時候，就像在夢中看到境相、人們一樣，對夢中的境相、人們是沒有概念、執著的。

(2019明就仁波切馬來西亞閉關第四天「中陰開示」12月25日 開示摘要)

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What is the meaning of Bardo? “Bardo” is a Tibetan word, it means the moment in-between. Such gap is a moment easy to transform and that makes us more plastic and flexible. Therefore, Bardo means we try to seize the moment in-between and utilize it.

My father stayed in dying meditation for three days. Before he passed away, he thanked everybody, including all my brothers, doctors, and nurses; the doctor also happened to be my father’s student. My father was a kind person but he usually did not say a lot of thank you. That was around 1 to 2 am in the morning, he said thank you to everyone and then he said he needed to use the bathroom. We got ready the bedpan and he asked all of us to retreat from the room. After he finished in the bed, he sat in meditation posture and his breath slowed down. Doctor tried to put on the oxygen mask but he said he did not need it. And then nurse tried to give him inhalant, it was sprayed directly on the tongue. After that, my father closed his mouth again. Due to the inhalant, his lower lip was a little bit protruding. After several more breaths – because I have seen different people passed away and some were in pain – my father looked smiling, his face was glowing and peaceful. He sat in this way for three days.

When someone is practicing dying meditation, there are several signs. The first one is that the skin will not dry and have elasticity. If you pinched some common dead bodies, the skin will not recover immediately. Secondly, the body is flexible. It is easy to lift his hands. For common people who died, if he died in this posture, the leg will stay in this way.
When I was young, there was a person in my village who usually took care of dead bodies. He was my friend. Together with my two other kid friends, we went to him and wanted to play with the bodies. My friend asked us to lift the body, we all tried to help and tried very hard. In the middle of lifting the leg, it bounced back. At that time, we were all very scared and we ran away. If someone is practicing dying mediation, the body will not be that stiff.
The third sign is that the body will not rot. Some people can keep the body intact for 7 days without preservatives. When my grandfather died, it was during summertime. His body was able to keep for many days and do not need to use any preservatives.
The fourth sign was a bit difficult to detect. It is especially in winter Tibet, we can check if there is still some warmth around the chest area of the body.

My grandfather passed away three years ago. At that time, I was in United States, my brother helped me set up videocall. I saw my grandpa was resting in a sleeping buddha posture, he was 99 years old when he passed away. I saw him going to die and his body was very weak. My brother also helped him to put his palm holding his face, and then he passed away. It took me three days to buy the tickets and travel back from USA. When I arrived, my grandpa was still in meditation. I sat down in front of him and meditate together. After a few hours, he completed his dying mediation.

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■中陰，我們轉化的機會！

中陰是什麼意思？Bardo是藏文，指中間一種過渡的狀態。這樣的時段非常珍貴，因為變得容易轉化，這時我們更有彈性。中陰的意義，就是我們可以把握這樣中間的時段，運用它來轉化。

■ 修持「死亡禪修」 成熟的徵兆

有沒有做到死亡禪修，有四個徵兆：

第一、皮膚保有彈性，有別於絕大多數的人，死亡後皮膚乾燥且缺乏彈性。

第二、身體狀態柔軟，一般人死亡後要移動姿勢則很困難。在我很小的時候，當時我們村裡專門處理屍體的人，是我的朋友。我和另外一位小朋友，好奇地想跟著去觸摸屍體。那個朋友叫我們幫他移動屍體，我們兩個人試著用力搬起，搬到一半時一隻腳又彈回去，這時候我們倆人嚇壞了趕緊跑走。如果一個人在禪修中走的話，身體就不會發生這樣的情況。

第三、身體不會腐爛，甚至有些人不用防腐劑，可以保持七天。我的祖父在夏天往生，不用防腐劑，也能保持很多天。

第四、心口還有溫度，這個比較難檢驗，尤其在西藏的冬天。

■仁波切父親的死亡禪修

我的父親安住在死亡禪修中三天。父親平常是個很客氣的人，但也不是經常會和別人一直道謝。那天在凌晨一兩點的時候，他跟我們幾位兄弟，還有他的醫生、護理師等所有人道謝，那位醫生也是我父親的學生。然後他說要用廁所，那時我們準備好便盆，就全部退出房間。

接著他就用禪修的姿勢坐著，呼吸的氣息也慢了下來。那時醫生想幫他載上氧氣罩，他說不需要。護理師直接把噴劑噴在他的舌頭上，他再把嘴巴閉上，因為噴劑的緣故，他的下嘴唇變得比較突出。在幾次和緩的呼吸後，呼吸就自然的消失。那時候他帶著微笑，面容非常光亮、平靜，就這樣坐了三天。

■仁波切外祖父的死亡禪修

我的外祖父在三年前往生，那時他九十九歲。我在美國，我的兄長協助我和外祖父視訊，我看到他用臥佛的姿勢躺著，準備要走了，身體非常的衰弱，我的兄長幫他擺好姿勢，讓手放在臉下托著，然後就走了。

接著我買了機票，花了三天回程的時間。我到的時候他還在禪定中，我就坐在他前面和他一起禪修，幾個小時之後，他入定的狀態就結束了。

(2019明就仁波切馬來西亞閉關第二天「中陰」12月23日 開示摘要)

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