The final thought at the moment of death, deliberately strengthened, determines your afterlife destination

Many classic treatises emphasize the final thought at the moment of death. In the nine grades of rebirth, the ultimate focus always returns to the time of passing: the dominant condition that determines our afterlife destination is this final thought, making it exceptionally crucial.

Master Chewu once said, "Like a person in debt, the stronger creditor claims him first. Among the many thoughts of the mind, the heaviest one pulls him down." This illustrates the critical nature of the final thought. "Like a person in debt, the stronger creditor claims him first"—what does this scenario mean? It asks whether the thoughts we have accumulated in our daily lives can take the lead and have the final say at the moment of death. "Among the many thoughts of the mind, the heaviest one pulls him down"—this asks whether you can summon the strength to bring forth this final thought, making it the most powerful one. Just like the saying "raising a banner to rally an uprising," if you can do this, you might just conquer the empire—the empire of your consciousness and karmic forces.

If we reflect on this lifetime, many things will naturally come to mind at the very end. There is a folk saying: "As a person nears death, their words become benevolent." Have you heard of it? At that moment, it is actually somewhat like a brief flash of lucidity before passing. Of course, this is the manifestation of someone who has not committed too many evil deeds. They might express a lifetime of gratitude, saying things like, "We have been husband and wife all these years," or "As your father, I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you..." Once these words begin, it indicates that the end is truly near. It is like watching a movie; at that time, their power of recollection is incredibly strong, and their memory is exceptionally sharp. It really is true.

Therefore, throughout our lives, we commit both good and evil deeds. What arises first in our minds—for instance, at the moment of death—determines our path: those who have committed evil will follow their evil karma into the lower realms, while those who have done good will follow their good karma into the higher realms. The problem lies with those whose good and evil deeds are roughly equal. For them, it truly is a case of "the stronger creditor claiming them first," where everything else is forgotten. If a person has done both good and bad in their life, it all depends on whether a good or evil thought arises first in their mind. Departing with a good thought leads to a higher realm; departing with an evil thought leads to hell. These people lose the most. As the saying goes, they never got to taste the mutton but still came away reeking of it. If they had only committed evil, suffering would be expected, right? They clearly have good karma as well, but at this crucial moment, it is suddenly cut short and wasted. Therefore, the final thought at death is of the utmost importance.

Of course, we also know that the final thought at death is determined by two dominant conditions: our habitual cognitive patterns from daily life and the karma we have accumulated. Those who have practiced virtue will see auspicious signs—things that are upward, bright, and radiant. The weather will seem pleasant, and celestial beings, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas will come to welcome them. They will pass with a smile, their skin looking supple, and their bodies soft.

For those who have committed evil, the skies they see are entirely different. When they are about to depart, they see a dark, gloomy, and overcast expanse. Following that, they might experience mountains collapsing and the earth cracking open, massive floods, and suffocating smoke. Underworld guardians like Ox-Head and Horse-Face will surround them, and karmic creditors will come to collect their debts. As a result, they will panic, grasping at thin air, foaming at the mouth, and losing control of their bodily functions. Ultimately, they fall into the lower realms in agony.

This relates to the concepts of "emotion" and "thought" mentioned in the Shurangama Sutra. We say that the three elements of life are consciousness, warmth, and lifespan—the consciousness of the mind, the temperature of the physical body, and our life force. At the moment of death, these three disintegrate, and this disintegration is what we call death. Once they disintegrate, one descends into the intermediate state, which is the bardo state. This refers to the physical and mental existence of the five aggregates between death and rebirth. Because it involves the five aggregates (skandhas), it is said, "When the bardo state manifests before you"—this is exactly what it means.