Expert: Justin Choo - 4/22/2010

Question
Hi,
I heard that some buddhist teachings mentioned that a person who always do good during his life but at the moment of death he turns evil and so after death he goes to hell. Similarly, a person who always do evil during his life but at the moment of death he turns good and so after death he goes to heaven.

Is there such a thing? If so, how can this "unfairness" be possible?

Isn't this "teaching" about what "reality" we will make at the point of death? Like that pure land buddhism where people are encouraged to think about the buddha and the pure land at the point of death so that after death they'll somewhat enter the pure land world. What kind of reality or truth would lead to promote such "pure land" concept? And if such concept really works, doesn't that mean an evil person who at the moment of death turns good and so after death he goes to "heaven" of his own creation?

Answer
Hi Choo,

The mind is always in a state of flux.  It "thinks" continuously.  One Buddhist concept is called the "last thought moment."   This is the last thought that the person had before that person dies.  This last thought moment is the "end" of the consciousness in that person's present existence.  After that, the consciousness will link to the "new life" in that person's rebirth.  The last thought moment is the most "active" thought in the moment of death; and it is believed that the content of the last thought will have much influence for the next rebirth.  In that sense, what you wrote is correct. However, how long that new life will exist will depend on the sum of the storehouse of consciousness, that is the sum of the good and bad kamma.  The storehouse of all these kammas will eventually lead that person to an "appropriate" rebirth in due course.  Even if that person is so skilful to be able to control the last thought moment, the next rebirth may just be a very brief one; and subsequent rebirth may set that person to the appropriate level.

Having said that, under normal circumstances, when death is approaching, most people would have gradually lost consciousness; and by the time the person breathes the last breath, the rebirth would be dependent on the total sum of the storehouse of consciousness.

Hope this helps.

Take care.

Justin Choo