Passing Through the Death Experience

"Dying" by Alex Grey

Seen on DailyZen:

Passing Through the Death Experience

"An ancient Zen text recommends that when people are dying, they should contemplate their mental and physical elements as being void of ultimate reality, having no independent being and no identity of their own.

Further, they should contemplate the true mind as being formless, neither coming nor going, the essence of mind not coming into existence at birth and not going out of existence at death, being forever tranquil.

By this means, people can leave the world; they will not be drawn to beatific visions or frightened by horrific visions, such as they may experience at death, according to their mental states. The mind will be forgotten and merged with the cosmos."

- Muso Kokushi (1275-1351)