We confess this transgression within the expanse of supreme bliss, which is sameness!

Since we have failed to encounter the true meaning of reality, We have forsaken truth and persevered in non-virtuous acts.

We have forsaken the transmitted precepts of the Teacher and have been deceived by the vagaries of [mundane] human doctrines!

We confess this transgression within the expanse of supreme bliss, which is reality!

Since we have failed to experience the natural liberation of pristine cognition, which is [intrinsic] awareness, We have forsaken the modality of intrinsic awareness, and persevered in distracted acts.

Take pity on these sentient beings who are devoid of such truthful experience!

We confess this transgression within the expanse, which is free from distraction!

To the a.s.sembled deities of pristine cognition, to the protectors who uphold the commitments, And to those yogins who have fulfilled their commitments in accordance with the textual elucidation, We remorsefully confess all our own faults, [We remorsefully confess] all our deviations and obscurations generated by our unrealised view!

CONFESSION IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL THOSE GONE TO BLISS.

OM We pray to all Those Gone to Bliss, throughout the three times, To you, the conquerors, and your retinues, And to all who maintain the commitments of indestructible reality, Please, each of you, attend to us!

Having initially generated the mind [aspiring] to supreme enlightenment, In order to actualise the indestructible reality of buddha-body, speech and mind, On the enlightened plain of an accomplished awareness holder, We have adopted numerous secret commitments, Relating to both the meditational deities and our vajra-masters, And we have pledged not to transgress these injunctions, to which we are bound, [For to do so] would lead to a birth in the h.e.l.ls, Driven by our past actions and misfortunes.

[Nonetheless], swayed by attachment, aversion, delusion, pride, envy and so forth, We have continued to err: Should we have belittled the vajra-master in our hearts, the 'lamp of the teaching', And thus allowed our commitments to degenerate, And should we have harboured ill will and mistaken att.i.tudes Towards the vajra-companions who share our commitments, For [whatever] such [harm we have thus created], We confess all our degenerations of the commitments of buddha-body!

Should we have not clearly visualised the seals of the meditational deity,27 Should we have been deficient in our mantra recitations during our ritual service, Should we have failed to carry out the rites through which both ritual service and attainment are fulfilled, Especially with respect to the ritual offerings of six session [yoga], And should we have been incapable of practising in accordance with the teachings and the texts, We confess all such degenerations of the commitments of buddha-speech!

Should we have degraded the commitments, which the vajra-master imparted as an esoteric instruction of buddha-mind, Commitments he orally seeded in our hearts, through the grace of his loving kindness, And should we have even transgressed our secret name,28 by divulging it carelessly, We confess all such degenerations of the commitments of buddha-mind!

We [also] confess our degenerations of the ancillary commitments, Caused by our failure to realise the essential sameness of phenomena.

We confess our degenerations of the commitments relating to ritual service and attainment, Caused by our falling into the sleep of idleness and apathy.

We confess [each and every one of our] degenerations of the commitments of buddha-body, speech and mind, Caused by our transgressions, enacted physically, verbally and mentally!

In the presence of our revered spiritual teachers, We confess our inadequate utensils and resources.

In the presence of the a.s.sembled meditational deities, We confess our prejudices towards their practices of visualisation.29 In the presence of the four cla.s.ses of dkins, We confess our degenerations of our commitments and pledges.

In the presence of the protectors of the [sacred] teachings, We confess our [tardy] torma-offerings, whether years or months overdue.

In the presence of our parents of the three times, We confess our failure to repay their kindness.

In the presence of our spiritual brothers and sisters, We confess our inadequate fervour for upholding the commitments.

In the presence of the six cla.s.ses of sentient beings, We confess the inadequacy of our compa.s.sion and altruism.

We confess all our contradictions and degenerations: Those relating to the prtimoksa vows, Those relating to the trainings cultivated by the bodhisattvas, And those relating to the commitments upheld by the awareness holders.30 From now on we shall not conceal [such degenerations]

And we resolve to guard against any and every infraction!

As we confess all our negative obscurations born of indulging in the three poisons, Please purify [all our obscurations]

And grant us the supreme and common accomplishments of buddha-body, speech and mind!

The Hundred-syllable Mantra [of Vajrasattva] should be recited [repeatedly] in conjunction with these verses and thus the confession will be effected.

This Natural Liberation through Acts of Confession in the Presence of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, Which is a supporting text to the Reparation and Confession: Natural Liberation of Degenerations, 31 is thus presented.

Be persevering with regard to this practice, O Children of Posterity!

May this practice be encountered by all those of the future who have a [positive] inheritance of past actions!

This Natural Liberation through Acts of Confession, in the Presence of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities was extracted from the Tantra of Immaculate Confession by Padmkara, the preceptor of Oddiyna. May [the influence of] this sublime teaching not be exhausted until all of cyclic existence is emptied!

May virtue prevail!

SAMAYA rgya rgya rgya!

gter-rgya! sbas-rgya! gtad-rgya!32 A treasure of Karma Lingpa!

8.

Natural Liberation through Recognition of the Visual Indications and Signs of Death CONTEXT.

Since the human body is regarded as an abode of deities, it is the responsibility of the pract.i.tioner to protect the body from the causes of harm, disease and premature death and to foster the conditions which support an active and unenc.u.mbered life up to the natural exhaustion of the lifespan.

This chapter describes six categories of signs indicative of the time of death, together with a variety of techniques for purposefully eliciting specific indications of death. Also described, in the section t.i.tled 'Signs of Extremely Near Death', are the experiential and outer signs that occur during the process of dying. Lastly, the signs that are indicative of the nature of the future rebirth, which occur at or after death, are described.

This chapter and the following chapter: Natural Liberation of Fear through the Ritual Deception of Death are inextricably interlinked. Should the predictive signs described in this chapter definitively arise, then it is expected that the appropriate practices described in the following chapter: Natural Liberation of Fear through the Ritual Deception of Death should be undertaken without delay.

The sophisticated description of the process of dying, contained in the section 'Signs of Extremely Near Death', concurs with the understanding of the process of death commonly found in cla.s.sical Buddhist literature.h This section forms a component of the Liberation by Hearing (Chapter 11) and it is a vital aspect of the guidance to be given by a qualified spiritual teacher at the time of death.

The predictive signs of death, however, are more idiosyncratic and show influences from Tibetan folklore and traditional medicine. Further, in terms of the predictive signs of death, it is said that the subtler signs described here can only be accurately recognised by those who are continuously engaged in meditative practice.

The elicitation and a.n.a.lysis of the predictive signs is not a common practice today, except, in the case of certain signs, in the context of traditional medicine. Nonetheless, this text demonstrates a powerful sensitivity to impermanence and a sustained sensitivity to one's immediate experience.

Herein is contained the Natural Liberation through [Recognition of] the Visual Indications and Signs of Death,1 an extract from the Peace ful and Wrathful Deities: A Profound Sacred Teaching, [ent.i.tled] Natural Liberation through [Recognition of] Enlightened Intention.2 I bow down to the naturally radiant Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, [Manifestations of] the three buddha-bodies!

This natural liberation through [the recognition of] signs Which is a technique for a.n.a.lysing [the onset of] death Is presented as a supporting text to the Natural Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate States.3 Study it repeatedly, O Child of Buddha Nature.

SAMAYA!.

INTRODUCTION.

Alas! This illusory and feeble aggregate of form, Created from compounded past actions and conditions, Like [the flame of] a b.u.t.ter lamp blowing in the wind, cannot last for ever.4 Nothing at all exists which is not subject to the conditioning of death, And indeed, since it is uncertain when death will occur, One should constantly be cognisant of the signs of [impending] death, And strive after [the acc.u.mulation of] virtue.

There are two [primary] conditions responsible for the death of human beings: [First] untimely death and [second] death due to the [natural] exhaustion of the lifespan.5 Untimely or sudden death may be averted, By successful application of the Ritual Deception of Death,6 But death due to the [natural] exhaustion of the lifespan Is like the burning out of a b.u.t.ter lamp, So there is no way of averting this through 'ritual deception', And thus, [if this is indicated], one should make preparations to depart.

In either case, [however], it is most important to engage in the following a.n.a.lysis.

This teaching [on the visual indications and signs of death]

Is presented in terms of six general topics, namely: External, internal, and secret signs of death, Signs of remote death, signs of near death, And, lastly, miscellaneous signs of death.

When investigating [the time of] death, First one should make offerings To the [visualised] a.s.semblies of spiritual teachers, meditational deities and dkins, And please the protectors of the [sacred] teachings with torma-offerings.

Then, one should present feast-offerings to one's fellow pract.i.tioners, And also engage in charitable acts.

Then, [the signs of] death should be examined in the following way.

EXTERNAL SIGNS OF DEATH.

First, when the examination of external [signs] is made, It is the bodily characteristics that should be investigated, Because the signs of death will arise in relation to these [characteristics].

The body is composed of the four elements, Thus the following portents of its demise Will arise prior [to the time of death]: Loss of appet.i.te, dullness of the sense faculties, A feeling of anger which consumes body, speech and mind, Distracted or depressed thoughts, Disturbed dreams, character changes, and fading complexion.

These are the portents [indicating] that life [-threatening] hindrances may arise.

More particularly, there are the following specifically physical signs of death:7 If the fingernails and toenails become bloodless or l.u.s.treless, [This indicates] death after nine months, less half a day.

If the cornea of the eyes begin to cloud over, [This indicates] death after five months.

If the hair on the nape of the neck grows upwards, [This indicates] death after three months.

[Then again, more generally], if one urinates, defecates and sneezes simultaneously, This too is an indication of death.

Also, if one's urine falls in two forks, If one's muscles become utterly loose and flabby, If faeces are excreted and s.e.m.e.n e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed simultaneously, If one's body odour changes dramatically, If one's conduct changes dramatically, If one blushes little and one's complexion becomes pallid, If the tone of one's voice becomes thin, and one's eyes become sunken, If the s.p.a.ce above the bridge of the nose becomes exfoliated, If the eyes do not clearly perceive forms, Or else if they perceive incorrectly, and so forth, If [the ears] do not hear, or else hear incorrectly, If [the nose] does not smell, or else smells incorrectly, If [the tongue] does not taste, or else tastes incorrectly, If the point between the eyebrows is effaced, Or evaporation ceases from the crown of the head, These [signs] may all indicate that one has fallen into the hands of the Lord of Death.8 Furthermore, while in good health, [The following technique for eliciting indications can also be applied]: If, when the [closed] eyes are pressed with the fingers, The [minute] circles of light which appear Are absent from the lower part of the left eye, [This indicates that] one may die after six months, But if they are absent from the upper part [of that eye], One may die after three months.

If these [same circles] are absent from the direction of the [left] nostril, [This indicates that] one may die after one month.

If they are absent from the direction of the [left] ear, [This indicates that] one may die after two months.

[Resuming this process, focusing on the right eye]: If [the circles] are absent from the lower part of the right eye, One should know that one may die after ten days.

If they are absent from the upper part [of the right eye], [This indicates that] one may die after five days.

If they are absent from the direction of the [right] ear, [This indicates that one may die] after three days; And if they are absent from the direction of the [right] nostril, One should know that one may die after two days, even if one is not sick.

Secondly, if when the ears are cupped with the fingers, No humming sound is heard throughout an entire day,9 One should know that one might die after six years.

If it is absent for two days, One may die after six years less two months.

Similarly, for each additional day [that the sound is absent], [This indicates that] one may die, decrementally, after three fewer months.

That is, if [the sound] is absent for a third or fourth day, Death may come after three [or six] fewer months, respectively.

It has also been said that the number of days [indicated] might not necessarily be definite.

There are also other [external] signs of death, such as: If one feels [continuously] angry and short-tempered, If one feels fearful, wherever one may be, If one's positive perspective, devotion, and similar qualities ebb away, If one feels aversion towards saintly beings, If one feels depressed, wherever one may be, and [constantly] wishes to go [elsewhere], If one wishes to be separated from sympathetic Buddhist companions, If one delights in the social diversions and distracting activities of cyclic existence, Or if one feels excessive attachment, aversion, pride, or envy, These may all indicate that one has fallen into the hands of the Lord of Death.

These, [the above], are called 'the external signs of death', Which, it is said, can be averted by the ritual deception of death.

The techniques, by which they are averted, should be studied, By referring to the Ritual Deception of Death [chapter, which follows].

INTERNAL SIGNS OF DEATH.

The investigation of the internal signs of death Comprises the examination of vital breath and the examination of dreams.

Examination of the Vital Breath10 Around the time of the [vernal or autumnal] equinox, At daybreak on the first day [of the lunar month], One should sit upright, with the body in the seven-point posture of Vairocana.

Then, one should observe the vital breath, and note from which [nostril] this emerges.