In the time before Luang Por had taken ordination, there came an occasion to ask the Master Nun, “Khun Yay— kamma that has already been performed cannot be undone or altered. But is there anything that carries forward, that the mind carries in existences from one life to the next?”
The Master Nun replied,
“Whatever we do — the mind records it all. Every word we have spoken, whether wholesome or unwholesome, is recorded. Everything we have seen, everything we have done — the mind records it all as images, both the wholesome and the unwholesome alike.
These images do not perish or dissolve into nothingness. As one draws near to the moment of death, they shall be rewound and played back before one’s inner eye — a summation, a reckoning of both demerit and merit, replaying themselves in full.
But for one who has made abundant merit and accumulated great goodness — the images of merit and virtue shall surge forward and play first. They shall project without end, image upon image of merit that does not exhaust itself. Such a person, at the hour of death, shall be satiated with merit. Their mind shall be clear and luminous — and they shall depart well.
As for those who have made little or no merit — go and invite them, draw them to come and make merit together, that they may learn the way of merit-making. For otherwise, when the images are rewound and played back, there shall be nothing but images of darkness and defilement. The heart shall become clouded and turbid — and with a clouded heart at death, one shall not depart well.
Whoever you love, whoever you hold in genuine goodwill — go and invite them. Bring them to make merit together.”
March 11th, 2014
