The Greatest Regret of a Practitioner at the Moment of Death

As death approaches, ordinary people regret their wealth, loved ones, and power. However, a true practitioner regrets only one thing: leaving this life before completing their spiritual journey.

On a late afternoon in a warm lecture hall, the temple bell had just faded. The Master sat quietly on the teaching seat, looking down at the assembly. His gaze was calm, his voice slow and clear. He posed a question that silenced the entire gathering:

“Where do we go after we die?”

This may seem like a distant concern, but the Master gently reminded us that human life passes quickly. It feels like only yesterday we were children running freely through the neighborhood, yet now many are nearing seventy years old. Death is not someone else’s problem, nor is it too far away to consider.

When ordinary people face death, they typically regret three things. First is money and possessions. Some cling so tightly to hidden gold that they are reborn as dogs, circling the ashes forever. Second are loved ones. In ancient times, some kings would kill their queens and concubines upon death to take them along. This happened with King Che Man of Champa, nearly forcing Princess Huyen Tran to follow him into death. She was saved only because Vietnamese officials secretly substituted another woman, allowing her to return to Thang Long. Third is authority. While alive, everyone obeyed; after death, that power vanishes, and no one respects you anymore.

But those who know the Dharma, true disciples of the Buddha, regret something entirely different. The Master paused, looked around, and spoke slowly:

“The greatest regret for a practitioner is having to leave before finishing their practice.”

Many have spent years devoted to the path, attending meditation retreats every month, sitting in meditation and reciting the Buddha’s name daily. Yet if they have not attained even the first level of meditative concentration or seen the truth of the Dharma, dying is a profound loss. After death, one cannot simply choose to practice. Spirits wishing to enter a temple to hear the dharma talk are often turned away by guardian deities for lacking proper merit. Even entering a home is blocked by local spirits. The unseen realms have strict laws.

Therefore, practitioners who sense their end approaching usually dream of two things. First, they hope to reach a sacred place guided by bodhisattvas and holy monks to continue their training. Such places might be high in the mountains, deep in forests, or in undiscovered caves, like Son Doan Cave in the past. Second, they wish to be reborn as humans soon, born into families where the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) are present. They hope to be guided by parents from childhood and eventually meet a true teacher and the correct Dharma to continue their path.

Many dream of being reborn in the Pure Land or ascending to heavenly realms. But the Master cautioned:

“Do not harbor lofty illusions. The merit required to reach heavenly realms or Buddha lands is immense. We may not have accumulated enough.”

The Master shared a story from the sutras. A starving poor man, eating his rare meal, saw a monk standing outside. He gave up his food to make offerings, and due to this act, he was reborn in a heavenly realm upon death. It sounds simple, but ask yourself: Would you have the willpower to give up your last meal while starving to offer it to an Arhat? Most blessings we create are enjoyed immediately in this very life. Good deeds done three or four years ago are being consumed now, leaving little stored for the future. Rising from the human realm to heavenly realms is as difficult as a poor person suddenly becoming a wealthy tycoon with a noble demeanor and commanding presence. It is not easy.

Thus, the most worthy aspiration for a practitioner is to be reborn as a human again, encountering the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) sooner. More importantly, they seek to meet a true teacher and the correct Dharma. When we meet a genuine master, we are drawn by their power, swept away like a waterfall, unable to resist. The Master told the story of King Bimbisara of Magadha, who attained the fruit of Stream-Entry and deeply revered the path. In those days, paper did not exist, and literacy was limited to royalty and Brahmins. King Bimbisara inscribed descriptions of the Buddha and the Dharma onto golden plates and sent envoys to neighboring kingdoms. One recipient was King Kasyapa of a southern Indian kingdom.

When the envoy presented the golden plate, King Kasyapa read it. In an instant, he handed over his throne to his courtiers:

“Do whatever you wish. I am going to become a monk.”

He mounted his horse and left immediately, taking nothing and saying goodbye to no one. Several loyal generals, seeing their king depart, jumped on their horses and followed without packing. The group rode north until they reached a large river with swift currents. King Kasyapa thought silently: “If the World-Honored One truly exists, my horse shall cross the river without its hooves touching the water.” With that thought, he pulled the reins. His horse galloped across the surface of the water, and the entire entourage crossed safely. The Buddha knew of this event and appeared on the opposite bank to welcome them. Upon seeing the Buddha, King Kasyapa dismounted, knelt down, received a dharma talk, and attained enlightenment instantly. He later became a renowned Arhat whose teachings moved hearts deeply.

The Master emphasized:

“He had never met the Buddha personally. Merely hearing the introduction on a golden plate inspired such faith that he was swept away like a waterfall. If we encounter a true teacher with a wholesome mind, we too will be similarly captivated.”

However, this attraction requires strength from both sides: a capable true teacher and a virtuous student. If both are strong, the student dedicates their entire life to the Dharma and will surely attain enlightenment.

Therefore, our priority now is to plant causes for the longevity of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma). The Dharma does not naturally wait for us to be reborn. Causes lead to effects. If we do nothing in this life to sustain the correct Dharma, we should not expect to meet a true teacher in the next. Conversely, if we feel a deep longing to preserve the Dharma and act upon it, this is the heart of a bodhisattva.

The Master explained why the correct Dharma declines while false teachings persist. False teachings stem from the nature of sentient beings: greed, hatred, delusion, jealousy, and selfishness. These arise naturally without instruction. The correct Dharma consists of wisdom and morality, which must be cultivated through practice. Without practitioners, the Dharma fades. Consider finding a lost bag of money. Two voices emerge within: one urging honesty, the other tempting greed. Without practice, the selfish voice wins. But for those who practice mindfulness, repentance, and meditation, the voice of conscience prevails, even if returning the money brings pain and tears.

The Dharma survives not in temples, but in the human heart. As long as we love and respect the Buddha, believe in cause and effect (karmic law), aspire toward non-self (anatta), and strive to love one another, the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) endure. If these qualities vanish from our hearts, countless temples remain empty shells. The Dharma is transmitted from mind to mind, like one torch lighting another. Only when individuals possess a burning spiritual heart can they ignite others. Without such people, the Dharma will decline.

Thus, true disciples of the Buddha must not give up or blame the age of decline. Instead, we must vow to ensure the Dharma lasts forever in this world. This is our responsibility and mission.

### The Meaning of the Story

A true practitioner does not regret wealth, family, or power at the moment of death. Their only sorrow is departing before completing their spiritual work. The essential task is to plant seeds now for the longevity of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma). Only by contributing to the preservation of the correct Dharma can we hope to meet a true teacher in future lives. The Dharma exists not in external forms, but within each person’s heart, passed from one mind to another like a continuous flame.