This video lecture is on what happens when we die, from a Mahayana Buddhist perspective. We also cover East Asian funerary customs, Buddhist beliefs and practices.

I wanted the video talk itself to be more philosophical and to provide a concept overview.

However, one of my key objectives for putting this out there publicly is to help Diasporic Asians who feel culturally removed from traditional Buddhist practices, but who then find themselves in a situation where they must provide a Buddhist funeral or engage in practices to help honor the departing or departed Buddhist elder.

When you’re in the midst of grief, you don’t want an exploratory ruminating video on concept; you want a checklist. You just need somebody to tell you what to do because you don’t have the mental bandwidth to think. So in that spirit, here is a checklist:

Buddhist Last Rites

PDF  |  DOCX

It goes without saying that the above-linked downloadable checklist is a loose guide of general recommendations only. Always prioritize family tradition, your culture’s specific Buddhist traditions, and what makes the most sense for you.

And here’s a recap of concepts mentioned in the video:

According to the sutras (I don’t have the citations, because that was literally what the sifu, the master teacher, said, and what I put down in my notes back in 1999), there are three categories of how death feels, the sensation of death we might experience when the time comes.

Water overtakes Earth is the death sensation of drowning, suffocating, or sinking, as if we were a land mass being swallowed up by the depths of an ocean. This might happen when lungs or the body fills with fluid, or there is buildup in the lungs, sepsis leading to multi-organ failure, or there has been septic shock.

Fire overtakes Water is the feeling that a bright, burning sun is drying you up, a lake, a cold-to-hot transition of sensations, associated with a burning sensation and thirst. This could occur when initial chills from an infection are followed by fever and dehydration, or blood loss, metabolic acidosis, cramping and organ failure caused by severe electrolyte imbalances, or neurological conditions.

Wind overtakes Fire, as if a flame is being blown out, and the embers of you are being scattered, is the death sensation associated with systemic breakdown of the body, systemic dysfunction, pulmonary failure, airways closing, panic-induced fragmentation of breath, sharp pains, sudden blockage of blood flow to the lungs, disruption of nerve signals, or terminal agitation (the medically documented sensation some patients near death experience of feeling pulled apart or scattered, often due to being in the final stages of systemic disease).

As intimidating as all that sounds, it’s not unlike the pain that we as newborn babies experience during the birthing process. Just like the pain of being born into this world, the death sensations are natural, and rest assured that we are resilient spirits, and therefore adapt quickly.

In the video, I mentioned that technically, there’s a fourth– Earth overtakes Wind, but it’s a rare occurrence, given the nature of transitioning phases. Earth overtakes Wind is the feeling that you are about to take flight, but then something from below reaches up, grabs you, and swallows you deep into itself, or pulls you down deep underground.

There are four main categories or causes of death as expressed by Buddhist thought. The first is in effect by Fate, where you’re allotted a certain amount of time in this incarnation and then it’s done. The second is by Will, where you’ve changed that fated, allotted amount of time through acts and focused intentions, and then that, too, comes to its natural end.

The third is caused by the interference of others. It’s neither fated nor willed by you. The Will of another has caused an untimely, unplanned extinguishing of your life. The fourth is what we call self-inflicted. For the third and fourth, the mindset at the moment of death is critical and will determine what happens during the transition, the afterlife, and rebirth.

Finally, after death, there are six possible realms we might be reborn into, contingent on our karma. However, as unjustly as it may seem, mindset and where our heart is, our thoughts and intentions in those final moments of life can also impact the realm we are reborn into. That is why in the event of the third or fourth categories of death, more escalated and intensive forms of religious practice are called for.

Being reborn into a Pure Land, or a deva realm (天界, tiān jiè), is like paradise compared to the human realm, but it is not spiritual transcendence. It is a different realm of life and existence, and therefore also has its limitations and challenges. You’re still part of the karmic cycle. It’s just that you’re probably living the good life, and you’re not experiencing the physical pain and suffering we would otherwise find in the lower realms. Those dwelling here live very long, healthy, and blissful lives, at least in comparison to the human realm.

The asura realm (阿修羅界, ā xiū luó jiè) is a mixed merit state. In some ways, it’s better than the human realm because there are more pleasures to be experienced as an asura. Someone who has accumulated great karmic merit through pious, ethical, generous behavior and who was devotionally religious, but who still harbored unresolved shadows (envy, anger, greed, pride, significant internal discord, etc.) might end up as an asura. Over on the esoteric front, someone deeply engaged in occult practices but who did not purify the mind and heart could also end up an asura.

Those who predominantly give in to their Freudian id or animal nature might end up being reborn into the animal realm (畜生界, chù shēng jiè), a physical world that is in coexistence with the human realm (人界, rén jiè).

The realm of hungry ghosts (餓鬼界, è guǐ jiè) is considered a hollow existence, one where you are unable to feel satiated, hence always being hungry, or greedy for more. Since you never feel satiated, it’s a state of spiritual suffering. Although one’s karmic merits (or more accurately, demerits) could cause one to end up as a hungry ghost, not being spiritually prepared for death, or something totally out of your control or karma, like a premature death brought about by someone else’s demerits, could cause one to be inadvertently reborn in to the realm of hungry ghosts. Buddhists believe that sutra recitations and “donating” your good karmic merits to such souls can help expedite a speedy transition out of the hungry ghost realm and back into the cycle of rebirth, into a better realm.

There is also a hell realm, naraka (地獄界, dì yù jiè), and as a result of one’s karmic demerits, the next life is one reborn into a hell realm. Like the human realm, you’re allotted a particular life span here as well. Karma you earn during this life span in hell can enable you to leave it faster than allotted. The mercy of one who is powerful can also pull you out of hell.

In contemplating death and dying, Buddhist teachings remind us that these are not permanent states, not finalities. Existence is impermanent and we journey through different realms, be that as humans, animals, asuras, devas, or otherwise, shaped by the karma we accumulate in life and the mindsets we cultivate.

For those of you who find yourself in a situation where you have to navigate the responsibility of honoring a Buddhist loved one, the weight of tradition can feel as challenging as the grief, especially when cultural knowledge has somehow been lost by time and distance. Thus, I hope the downloadable checklist and the general message of simple acts of reverence — sutra recitations, lighting incense, dedicating karmic merits — will help ease the anxieties.

To echo how I closed out the video, Buddhism teaches that the way we live shapes the way we die. So make mindful choices every day. Intention matters. Thoughts matter. The words you speak convert directly to your karmic merits, or demerits. Cultivate compassion, wisdom, and ethical living in each moment. Be kind. Be an antidote. Be medicine. Facilitate healing, not harm.

And as you navigate life, there is no need to see death as a finality. It’s part of our greater journey. By living in preparation for death, we are, in truth, learning how to live well. That, perhaps, is the greatest wisdom of all.

Who Am I and Where Am I Coming From?

I was raised in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition within a Taiwanese cultural context, where Buddhist philosophy, practice, and ritual were deeply integrated into daily life. Each summer, I lived, worked, and meditated at monasteries, immersing myself in Buddhist teachings and discipline. My mother regularly hosted Buddhist teachers, monks, and nuns on their international teaching tours, providing me with direct exposure to diverse Buddhist perspectives and traditions. From a young age, I was trained to engage in extended meditation sessions, often sitting for three hours at a time, and daily recitations of sutras and mantras were a fundamental part of my routine. Studying sacred Buddhist texts was not merely an academic exercise but a lived practice, shaping my understanding of Buddhist approaches to death, dying, and funerary rites. This lifelong immersion is how I speak on these topics with both personal experience and cultural insight.

Additional Resources:

• Great Compassion Mantra, Free Book Download (January 10, 2018)
• Wills & Trusts: Estate Planning Kit, Free Legal Documents Download (March 7, 2024)
• On Esoteric or Tantric Buddhism (June 7, 2023)
• What Buddhism Says About Magic (January 13, 2014)
• Explaining the Essence Protector Talismans (February 15, 2025)
• Your Inner Palace and the Akashic Records (November 3, 2023)
• Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path by Rev. Liên Shutt (November 1, 2023)
• Refuge in the Storm: Buddhist Voices in Crisis Care (ed. Nathan Jishin Michon) (October 19, 2023)
• YouTube Video Playlist | Introduction to Taoist & Buddhist Mysticism