Wisdom of the Hour of Death

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra The Wisdom of the Hour of Death

from the Words of the Buddha

In the language of India: Āryātyaya jñāna nāma mahāyāna sūtra
In the language of Tibet: ’Phags pa ’da’ ka ye shes zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
In the English language: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra The Wisdom of the Hour of Death

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus I have heard at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in the palace of the king of gods in Akaniṣṭha and teaching the Dharma to the entire retinue when the bodhisattva mahāsattva Ākāśagarbha prostrated to the Blessed One and asked him the following question, “O Blessed One, how should a bodhisattva view the mind at the moment of death?”

The Blessed One replied, “Ākāśagarbha, at the time of death, the bodhisattva should cultivate the wisdom of the hour of death. As for wisdom of the hour of death, you should cultivate the perception of insubstantiality since all phenomena are naturally pure. You should cultivate the perception of great compassion since all phenomena are contained within bodhicitta. You should cultivate the perception of referencelessness since all phenomena are naturally luminous. You should cultivate the perception of utter non-attachment since all things are impermanent. You should cultivate the perception of not searching for buddhahood elsewhere since the mind is wisdom when realized.” The Blessed One then spoke in verse:

Since all things are pure of inherent nature,
Cultivate the perception of insubstantiality.
Since they are possessed of bodhicitta,
Cultivate the perception of great compassion.
Since all phenomena are by nature luminous,
Cultivate the perception of referencelessness.
Since all things are impermanent,
Cultivate the perception of non-attachment.
The mind is what causes wisdom’s arising,
And so, look not for buddhahood elsewhere!

As the Blessed One spoke thus, Ākāśagarbha and the entire gathering all rejoiced with delight and praised what the Blessed One had taught.

This completes the noble Mahāyāna sūtra, The Wisdom of the Hour of Death.

| Translated by Lowell Cook, 2018.

Version: 1.4-20240111