"MAKE PREPARATIONS TO DEPART"

Padmasambhava, The Tibetan Book of The Dead: First Complete Translation [English Title]; The Great Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate States [Tibetan Title], Revealed by Terton Karma Lingpa, Translated by Gyurme Dorje; Edited by Graham Coleman with Thupten Jinpa; and with Introductory Commentary by His Holiness The Dalai Lama (New York: Penguin Books, 2007) ("Alas! This illusory and feeble aggregate of form, Created from compound past actions and conditions, Like [the flame of] a butter lamp blowing in the wind, cannot last forever. Nothing at all exists which is not subject to the conditioning of death, And indeed, since it is uncertain when death will occur, One should constantly be cognisant of the signs of [impending] death, And strive after [the accumulation of] virtue. There are two [primary] conditions responsible for the death of human beings: [First] untimely death and [second] death due to the [natural] exhaustion of the lifespan. Untimely or sudden death may be averted, By successful application of the Ritual Deception of Death, But death due to the [natural] exhaustion of the lifespan Is like the burning out of a butter lamp, So there is no way of averting this through 'ritual deception', And thus, [if this is indicated], one should make preparations to depart. . . ." Id. at 155-156.).