24/06/2026
The death process according to Tibetan Buddhism:
"At the time of death, the winds associated with the four elements (earth, water, fire, air) deteriorate, until those elements can no longer act as a basis for consciousness. We are constituted of the five aggregates, the six sense powers and the four elements, and our remaining as beings depends on these twenty factors.
At the time of death, these twenty factors undergo deterioration in a series of eight dissolutions. If one is aware of the death process and has studied and practised it, then over the course of this serial dissolution one is simply understanding that now earth is dissolving into water, water into fire and so on, and one is able to follow the process completely without fear.
1. The first dissolution is that of the aggregate of form, the element of earth and simultaneously, the deterioration of the eye sense power and its objects, visible forms and colours. One ceases to see clearly and one can no longer open or close one’s eyes. The external sign is that the body becomes very thin and loose. We are talking here about a natural death not a sudden death where the signs would be less clear. As the earth element dissolves there is an experience to the dying person of being buried under the earth or sinking under the earth. This is simply an inner experience – it is not happening externally.
Then there is the dissolution of the aggregate of form in terms of body appearance. The external sign is that the lustre of the body is diminished and there is no longer a look of vitality to the body. At this point the water element starts to predominate, in terms of the experience to the dying person. The internal vision is a mirage-like vision, like water on a desert horizon.
2. The second dissolution is that of the aggregate of feelings. The internal experience is that of the body no longer being able to experience the three types of feelings – pleasure, pain and neutral. There is the simultaneous deterioration of the water element. An external sign is that the various bodily fluids begin to dry up – sweat, urine, saliva. The dying person may have difficulty swallowing and it may be beneficial to give them a trickle of water to drink. Next, the ear sense-power deteriorates and the person can no longer hear sounds. The internal vision to the dying person is the appearance of smoke puffing up into the air.
3. The third dissolution is that of the aggregate of perception or discrimination – the ability to recognize what objects are. The internal experience is that you would no longer be aware of who people like close family and friends were, you would forget their names. The fire element diminishes, with the external sign that the body begins to lose its warmth. The nose sense-power deteriorates and we can no longer smell odours. The external sign is that the inhalation is weak, the exhalation stronger. The rhythm of breathing speeds up, like panting. The internal vision is sparks – a fire funnelled up through a chimney with the sparks flying into the night sky.
4. The fourth dissolution includes the dissolution of the compositional factors. The mind loses its ability to remain upon its object. It is this which motivates us to act and directs the body to move. The internal experience is the loss of the ability of the body to perform physical actions or to be aware of external activities. The air element dissolves, with the external sign of a changing of the life-sustaining winds or energies of the body, and breathing stops. In worldly terms we would say this person is dead. No pulse is detectable. The tongue sense-power has deteriorated, it becomes thick and short and its object – taste – is lost.
Objects of the body’s sense-power, touch, can no longer be experienced eg roughness, smoothness. The internal vision is of a sputtering flame, the red/blue flame of a candle burning out. After a time, we begin to regain consciousness as the extremely subtle wind-energy and mind combination is activated. The description is that the wind-energy element has dissolved into the aggregate of consciousness. The four physical elements have dissolved and are no longer able to function as a foundation for gross consciousness.
5. At the fifth dissolution, the gross forms of consciousness have ceased and the subtle forms are revealed. All gross conceptuality is left behind. The internal appearance is of radiant white sky. The white “drop” that has come from the father and has remained at the crown, begins to come down the central channel towards the heart centre. This is the vision of the radiant white sky, like a clear dawn sky pervaded by the whiteness of the moon.
6. Sixth dissolution: Now the red “drop” obtained from our mother, which has remained at about the level of the navel, begins to rise up the central channel towards the heart and one experiences the radiant red sky, like a clear sunset sky that is pervaded by the redness of the sun.
7. Seventh dissolution:
The drops move towards the heart centre where the extremely subtle combination of wind-energy and consciousness resides and on reaching it, the drops enclose it between them. One then experiences the vision of the radiant black sky, complete blackness, and all thought stops.
Eighth dissolution: As one starts to become conscious again, the “clear light of death” manifests. This appears as a clear, luminous, vacuum-like, empty sky – a completely clear, open, radiant vacuity.
For those who have trained in coming to an understanding of emptiness, it is at this moment that one uses this understanding, seeing this open vacuity not as empty space, but as the emptiness of the object of negation. It is at this time that one can gain a deep realization of emptiness and comprehend the true nature of reality.
In the clear light experience, there is no sensation of colour. One is experiencing a very subtle object with an extremely subtle mind. Unless there is some disturbance to the co**se, like cremation, one can abide in that clear light state for two or three days or longer. Even if one knew nothing about emptiness, it is possible to abide in this state for some time.
But what in fact is the moment of death? After some time in the clear light, there will occur some movement of the wind-energies, due to the force of karma. The consciousness will become slightly coarser and a more gross wind-energy will be generated. It is at this moment that the consciousness leaves the body, and this is the actual death.
An external sign is that the red drop continues to ascend and finally exits through the nostril. The white drop descends and exits through the ge***al opening. However, the drop of blood at the nose is not always evident, especially with the chronically ill. Even if it does not appear, unless the body is deteriorating it is good to wait, especially if the deceased is a loved one or a lama.
The course of rebirth is determined by the coarse consciousness of craving, grasping and becoming, and these consciousnesses will then activate a potency. We all have potencies within us to be reborn as one of the six types of migrating beings and it is one of these coarse consciousnesses that will activate one of these karmas.
Whether you touch the body or not is not going to determine the direction of the rebirth. But keep in mind that others may suffer from your not respecting their superstitions. It probably doesn’t make any difference, so you should observe whatever their wishes may be. For myself and from my training as a monk, I rely very much on the process of reasoning to determine the course of action. Sometimes, for other people, their course of action is not mainly determined by reason, but by books they’ve read, traditions that they may have become accustomed to or what has become popular within their circle.
The intermediate state:
After the actual moment of death, the consciousness will then enter into the intermediate state or bardo. The intermediate state being is not made of flesh and blood but is constituted of “wind energy” and already has the shape of the body the being will take and the five senses. The visions that occurred in the death process now occur in reverse order, and the various gross conceptual consciousnesses begin to develop, as well as objects of the senses and the five aggregates. The bardo being remains in this state until reborn.
Answers to Questions:
🪷If one is going to take a lower rebirth, very strong, fearful appearances will appear to your mind during the dissolution of the four physical elements. Conversely, in a fortunate migration, more gentle appearances occur and there is a happiness in the mind. During the radiant white sky, red sky, etc, visions there are no particular fears because the coarse conceptions do not arise.
🪷The process of dissolution may take one or two hours or one or two days depending on the individual, of what that they are dying, if they’re extremely ill, or the stage of their illness. For those who have a chronic illness, the external appearances could arise earlier but the actual death could take longer.
🪷The way of dying affects your emotional state at the time of death and this determines which karmas are activated. For example, if someone was killing you, you might become angry, and this would activate a negative potency, a condition for a bad rebirth. It would require a very strong practice of tolerance not to get angry. In general, we should make efforts to help the sick, elderly and dying to generate a very healthy, positive state of mind before and during death. This, in turn, will benefit us, helping us to continue our work towards helping others."
- Extracted from Dying Well, by Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering, Chenrezig Institute, Queensland, transcribed and edited by Tom Vichta from a teaching to the Amitayus Hospice Service, Mullumbimby, NSW, in April 1995.
From the Hayagriva Buddhist Centre website, link in comments.
A good book on this subject is: Death, Intermediate State and Rebirth in Tibetan Buddhism by Jeffrey Hopkins, link in comments.
