The Final Glimpse

**SUMMARY:** A young man from a wealthy yet miserly family lies ill in the yard, awaiting death. In his final moment, seeing the Buddha in the distance, his heart filled with reverence, and he was reborn in the heavenly realm.

That morning, the sun had not been up for long, but its heat was already pouring onto the old brick yard, making it searing hot. In the middle of the yard, a young man lay on a makeshift bed, his face turned inward, his eyes staring blankly up at the moss-covered eaves. He had been sick for several months. His body was gaunt, and his breath was faint, like a thread about to snap. Inside the house, his father was one of the wealthiest men in the region, yet he had never been willing to spend even a single coin to summon a physician. Now, with his son on the brink of death, the father merely had the servants carry the bed outside, hoping perhaps some passing healer might take pity and treat his son for free.

The young man lay there, his heart overflowing with sadness. He did not blame his father, only felt a deep sorrow for his own fate. Born into a wealthy family, he had never once enjoyed proper care. For all his years, he had only known to obey his father, never daring to do anything that cost money, nor having the opportunity to perform any act of merit. Now, as he lay waiting for death, he could only turn his face to the wall, letting tears roll down his hollow cheeks.

Suddenly, a strange light shone from behind him, piercing through his eyelids and startling him. He let out a soft groan and struggled to turn over. Then he froze. In the distance, along the misty dirt road, a monk was walking slowly toward him. The monk’s gait was majestic yet gentle, like a great elephant gliding over clouds. A radiant glow emanated from His body, like a thousand suns, illuminating the entire yard. The young man had never seen anyone so beautiful and awe-inspiring. In his diseased eyes, which had grown nearly clouded, the image of the monk appeared as brilliant as a mountain of jewels.

The young man felt his heart cease to beat. A powerful, indescribable emotion surged up from the depths of his being. He could not speak a word, only whispered in his heart: “I offer You my complete and utmost reverence.” In that very instant, his final breath gently left his body. He passed away, yet his face retained a look of profound peace and tranquility.

When the father returned to the yard to see if anyone had come to save his son, he found only a lifeless body. He wailed in agony, but then, suddenly remembering the need to arrange the funeral, he quickly dried his eyes and began calculating how to purchase the cheapest coffin without spending any money. His miserliness remained fully intact, even in the face of his own son’s death.

The newly reborn deva, now in the heavenly realm, looked down and saw his father still lost in delusion and pity. He then manifested back in the human world. He told his father about his own passing, and how his absolute reverence for the Buddha had allowed him to be reborn in the heavens. The father listened, astonished, and finally understood that happiness does not come from wealth, but from a pure and tranquil mind.

**The Meaning of the Story**

This story shows that the mind is the chief creator. If the mind is pure, happiness will follow us like a shadow that never leaves its form. Even a single moment of absolute reverence for the Buddha is enough to lead a person to a state of peace and well-being, for the mind is the root of all wholesome karma.

*Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang.*