The Spiritual Burden of Burial Accompaniment

Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe.

August 29, 2021.

Teachings from Namo Amituofo:

The Tragic Legacy of Attachment

The practice of burial accompaniment—where living beings or precious items are interred with the deceased—has persisted throughout human history. Across various cultures and dynasties, this practice has manifested in many forms, reflecting the specific beliefs of its time. It is particularly heart-wrenching that emperors and aristocrats once forced living beings to be buried alongside them, a profound violation of compassion. The spirits of those forced into such a fate remain trapped within the burial space, unable to find a way out. This is a manifestation of the complex web of karmic conditions and the causes and effects that govern our existence, rooted in the deep-seated attachments and ignorance of the human world.

The Eternal Spirit Versus the Temporary Body

A true practitioner must strive to ensure that their six roots are pure. You must understand that the physical body is merely a temporary vessel; it is the eternal spirit that is the ultimate reality. If you can realise your true nature—achieving Awakening—then all the karmic creditors and spirits connected to you by karmic affinity throughout your many lives will have the opportunity to be saved and liberated. Through your Awakening, they gain the chance to leave the cycle of rebirth behind and attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Karmic Creditors as Eternal Companions

If you have not yet reached Awakening, then the countless karmic creditors and spirits attached to your body are, in a sense, trapped with you. Have they not followed you from one lifetime to the next? These beings, who have followed you throughout your many lives, are not unlike those forced into burial accompaniment. They are bound to your karmic path, and without your liberation, they have no hope of finding their own freedom. They remain in a state of perpetual confinement, unable to escape the cycle of suffering.

The Urgent Call to Awakening

Students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, you must cherish this rare opportunity. Work diligently to achieve the reality of Awakening. Do not let your precious human life pass by in vain, missing this difficult-to-attain moment of realisation. If you fail to awaken, then all the karmic creditors you have accumulated in this life will remain trapped, entering the ranks of those who are essentially buried alongside you in your cycle of suffering.

Therefore, at this very moment, I call upon the karmic creditors and spirits attached to the bodies of all my students: do not remain in this state of burial accompaniment any longer. I urge you to quickly leave the body, join the assembly in chanting Namo Amituofo, and enter the golden light. With the compassionate guidance of Namo Amituofo, you shall be led into the worry-free Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo