◎ Jade Tablet - 10 - 8
◎ Device for Vertical Ascent - 8
◎ The Dissolution of the Four Elements and the Cessation of the Five Senses
First is the process until the five senses disappear and breathing stops. This part occurs equally to everyone when death comes slowly. In cases of sudden death such as accidents, sudden death, death by weapons, or death by seizures, these four stages may not fully manifest.
However, having clear consciousness (being lucid) and separating from the physical body with the mental body are absolute conditions for encountering the 'Primordial Luminosity' (God, Buddha, the Ultimate, the Light of the Mother) in the subsequent process of death. Having clear consciousness is also a practice in shikantaza (just sitting meditation).
1. The Dissolution of the Four Elements and the Cessation of the Five Senses
(1) Mirage: The earth element weakens and dissolves into water. (Earth sinking into water)
Strength leaves the body, and one becomes limp and exhausted.
Vision darkens, the outlines of things become blurred, and one can no longer open or close the eyes.
One sees something like a mirage.
(2) Smoke: The water element weakens and dissolves into fire. (Water sinking into fire)
One no longer feels pleasure or pain.
Saliva dries up, and the mouth, tongue, throat, and teeth become dry. Sounds are no longer heard, and even the faint tinnitus in the ears stops.
One sees drifting smoke.
(3) Firefly: The fire element weakens and dissolves into wind. (Fire sinking into wind)
One loses the ability to smell. One loses the ability to digest food.
Breathing becomes difficult, exhaling gradually lengthens, and inhaling becomes increasingly shorter.
For those with predominantly virtuous deeds in life, the lower body becomes cold first. For those with predominantly evil deeds in life, the upper body becomes cold first.
One sees something like sparks of fire shining in the soot-blackened bottom of a pot (fireflies).
Socrates' lower body also became cold first. It is truly regrettable that Socrates, having been poisoned in front of several people, was subjected to intrusive reporter-like questioning such as, "Do you still have sensation in your feet?" while the process of death was progressing. (Plato / Phaedo)
(4) Flame of a Lamp: The wind element weakens and dissolves into consciousness. (Wind dissolving into consciousness)
One can no longer move the body or feel physical contact.
Breath through the nose stops (cessation of breathing), but the breath of the etheric body is believed to remain.
One sees something like the flame of a lamp or a torch.
At first, the flame flickers, but eventually, its flickering subsides.
At this stage, the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) stop, and the separation between what is perceived by the five senses and what perceives them ends.
When breathing stops, the heart stops, so stage (4) is physical death. However, looking at the descriptions of the subsequent stages, although bodily reactions are impossible, consciousness remains.
In his advice at this stage, the First Panchen Lama says, "If you pay close attention, maintain inner awareness, and can recognize which stage is occurring, that will powerfully advance your practice and have a good influence on your rebirth." (Quoted from Dalai Lama's Wisdom for Facing Death / Chiyu-sha, p. 142)
There are no events of seeing deities or Buddhas at this stage, but clear consciousness is required.
I would also like to separately introduce the description of this stage of consciousness by Reinhold Messner, the mountaineer who made the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen and climbed all fourteen eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen. At altitudes above 8,000 meters (known as the death zone), oxygen is thin and temperatures are low, making it easy for consciousness to become hazy, but how to manage one's mind may be helpful.
