“You cannot manage your last thought moment. You cannot just click it like a switch”

The Teaching of Ajahn Suchart.

7th August, 2022

“You cannot manage your last thought moment. You cannot just click it like a switch”

Question (M):  "What is the last thought moment before someone dies? Can the person be mindful?"

Than Ajahn:  "No, you misunderstand it. You cannot manage your last thought moment. You cannot just click it like a switch. Your last thought is the summation of all the kammas you’ve done from the time you were born to the present moment. The last thought will be automatic. You cannot click it to turn it on or turn it off. It’s because you cannot control your mind.

You can only control the mind by gradually training it. You teach the mind to think in a certain way. If you don’t teach it, the mind will automatically think the way it’s used to think. 

Your last moment of life is the summation of your good and bad kamma. The stronger kamma will then lead the mind. If your good kamma is stronger, it will be the one that leads the mind. If your bad kamma is the stronger one, then it will be the one to lead your mind.

So, this is why the Buddha said that we should stop doing bad kamma. Try to keep doing good kamma. Because at the end of our life, we are left with good kamma to lead our life if we stop doing bad kamma and keep doing good kamma.

The best of all good kamma is to be mindful. 

That’s why I told you to do it now. You cannot wait until your last moment to do it. You have to do it every day from the time you get up to the time you go to sleep. Keep stopping your thought. If you can do it, then at your last moment, you can stop your thoughts. If you cannot do it now, at your last moment you will not be able to stop your thoughts.

Most people misunderstand this. People want to take it easy. They think that they’ll just wait until their last moment. They think at the last moment, they can just tell the mind to be peaceful and calm. They can’t.

When you are sick, you cannot be peaceful and calm. When you know you’re going to die, you cannot be peaceful and calm. You have to learn how to be peaceful and calm now, before you die. Then, if you know how to do it, when you are going to die, you can be peaceful and calm."

“Dhamma in English to laypeople from Singapore, Apr 24, 2018.”

By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com

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