Chapter 22 Chapter 20 Near Death Experience: Stairway to Heaven?

In the West, we are already very familiar with near-death experiences, which are various experiences reported by people who have survived from the brink of death.Near death experiences have been reported throughout human history, including in all mystical traditions and Shamanic traditions, and by writers and philosophers including Plato, Pope Gregory, several Sufi masters, Torah Alstey and Jung.My favorite is the story told by Father Bede, the great eighth-century British historian. About this time, a remarkable miracle, similar to the miracles of antiquity, occurred in England.In order to awaken the living from spiritual death, a man who had been dead was brought back to life, and narrated many remarkable things he had seen, some of which I think deserve a brief citation here.Among the Northumbrians there was a man named Cunningham, who lived a pious life with his family.Later, he fell ill, his condition continued to deteriorate, and he passed away in the early hours of one night.But at the dawn of the next day, he came back to life again, sat up suddenly, and those who were weeping around him were startled and ran away; only his wife who loved him remained, trembling and terrified.The man assured her again and again: "Don't be afraid, for I have indeed returned from the grip of death, and I have been allowed to live again. But in the future I will not be able to live as I used to. I must live a very different life." way of life."...Soon afterward, he dropped all worldly cares and entered Melrose Abbey...

Bader continued: An experience he often narrates is: "My guide was a handsome man in a bright robe. We walked quietly, seeming to go northeast. When we went further, we came to a wide and deep ravine... He quickly He led me out of the darkness into a place of light, and as he led me on in the light, I saw before me a gigantic wall whose length and height seemed to extend endlessly in every direction. For seeing Without reaching a gate, window, or entrance, I began to wonder why we were walking towards the wall. When we reached the wall, in a split second (I don't know how) we were at the top of the wall. Inside was a vast and pleasant meadow... The whole place is filled with light, which makes it seem brighter than the daytime or midday sun.  …

"The guide said: 'You must now go back to your body and live on earth again; if in the future you will be more careful in what you do and learn to be kind and simple in everything you say and do, then when you When you die, you will live here as you see them, as these happy souls. I just left you for a while to find out what your future will be like.” When he told me that, I was very upset. Willing to return to my body; for the places I see, and the companions I see there, are so comfortable and beautiful, I am fascinated. But I dare not question my guide, and I do not know Why, suddenly I found myself alive again."

Bader continued his description: This man of God, unwilling to discuss what he saw with anyone who was indifferent or indifferent, spoke it only to those who ... would believe his word and increase their divine faith. Modern medical technology has added new and exciting dimensions to near-death experiences; many people have been resurrected from "death" from accidents, heart attacks, various serious illnesses, surgery or combat.Near-death experience has been an important subject of scientific research and philosophical thinking.According to an authoritative Gallup poll in 1982, the number of Americans who have had at least one near-death experience is as high as 8 million, accounting for 5% of the total population.

Although no two near-death experiences are exactly the same, just as no two people have the same bardo experience, there is a similar pattern of process during a near-death experience, a "core experience" as follows: 1.They experience a different feeling, peaceful and blissful, without pain, bodily sensations or fear. 2.Some perceive a hum or rush and find themselves leaving the body.This is the so-called "out-of-body experience".They are able to see the physical body, often from a point above it; their sight and hearing are heightened; their consciousness is so clear and so acute that they can even see through walls.

3.Aware of another reality, they enter the darkness, float through boundless space, and quickly pass through a tunnel. 4.They see the light, at first it is a little far away, then they are drawn closer to that point like a magnet, and finally they are wrapped in light and love.The light was bright enough to catch the eye, and it was very beautiful, but the eyes were not hurt.Some people say that when they encounter a "life of light", it is a bright and seemingly omniscient manifestation. Some people call it God or Christ, who is compassionate and loving.Sometimes in this presentation, they look back at their lives and see everything they did while they were alive, both the good and the bad.They communicated telepathically with that "Life of Light" and found themselves in an eternal and happy aspect in which all concepts of time and space were meaningless.Even if this experience lasts only a minute or two, it is very colorful and very rich.

5.Some people see inner worlds of supernatural beauty, heavenly views and architecture, and hear heavenly music, and they have a sense of oneness.Only a few people reported seeing the horrible scene of hell. 6.They may reach a boundary that cannot be crossed; some meet and speak to deceased relatives and friends.They (often begrudgingly) decide or are told to return to the physical body and this incarnation, some with tasks and missions, some to protect and care for their families, and some simply to fulfill unfinished life purpose. As has been repeatedly reported in the literature, people who have near-death experiences often completely transform their attitudes towards life and their relationships as a result.They may still fear the pain of dying, but they no longer fear death itself; they become more tolerant and loving, and more interested in spiritual values ​​or ways of wisdom, often in shared spiritual values, Not interested in the dogma of any one religion.

But how should near-death experiences be interpreted?Some Westerners who have read the book "The Bardo Hearing and Teaching" think that these experiences are the bardo experiences in the Tibetan tradition.At first glance, the two seem to be quite similar, but how much do the details of near-death experiences relate to what the bardo teachings say?I feel that special research is needed, which is beyond the scope of this book, but we can see that there are indeed many similarities and differences between the two. darkness and tunnel You will recall that the disintegration process of the last stage of the bardo at the end of life is that of the "full attainment" of the dark experience that descends, "like a void enveloped in total darkness."At this time, the bardo teachings refer to a moment of joy and happiness.One of the main features of near-death experiences is the remembering of moving "with great speed" and "feeling light" through dark spaces, "a total, serene, wonderful darkness," into a "long, dark tunnel".

One woman told Kenneth Ringling: "It's like a void, nothing, but it feels very peaceful, pleasant, and keeps you going. It's a total darkness. There's no feeling at all, nothing. No feeling... like a dark tunnel. Just floating, like in mid-air." Another woman told him: The first thing I remember, is the sound of the huge rapids, huge... I'm having a hard time finding the right words to describe it.The most likely thing I could relate to was probably the sound of a hurricane—a huge gust of wind that nearly pulled me away.I was pulled from a wide place into a narrow point.

One woman told Margot Grey: It felt like being in outer space, pitch black; then I was pulled toward an exit, like at the end of a tunnel.I'm aware of this because I can see the light at the end; I know it's definitely not a dream because dreams don't look like that.I never imagined it was a dream. Light At the moment of death, the earth light or bright light appears resplendently. "Bardo Hearing and Teaching Dedu" says: "Ah! Sons and daughters of the enlightened family...your original awareness is the inseparable light and emptiness, which is presented in a very broad light; in fact, it is the eternal light Buddha that transcends life and death. "

Melvin Morse, who specializes in children's near-death experiences, said: "Nearly every child and a quarter of adults have seen a light. They all said that the light appeared in the near-death experience. the final stage of their life, after their out-of-body experience or walk through the tunnel.” The best description of Approach Light comes from Margot Gray: Then you gradually understand that road, in the distance, the distance is immeasurably far, as if at the end of the tunnel, you can see the white light, but it is so far away, I can only compare it to looking up at the sky , Seeing a lone star from a distance.But visually, it must be remembered that you are looking through a tunnel, and this light fills the end of the tunnel.You focus on this point of light because you look forward to reaching this light as you are pushed forward. Gradually, it gets bigger and bigger as you move towards it at breakneck speed.The whole process seems to take only a minute or so.As you approach this extraordinarily bright light, there is no sense of suddenly reaching the end of a tunnel, but rather of melting directly into the light.Now, the tunnel is behind you, and this majestic, beautiful blue-white light is in front of you.The light is very bright, brighter than the light that can blind you in an instant, but it will never hurt you. Many near-death experiences describe the light this way: My description of light -- it's not light, it's the total absence of darkness -- when you think of light, you picture the way a bright light shines on things and creates shadows.This light is indeed without darkness.We are not used to that idea, because where there is light there is shadow, unless the light is around us.But this light is so complete that you cannot see the light, you are in the light. Someone told Kenneth Ringling, "It's not bright, like a lamp with a shade, but it's not the kind of light you get from a lamp. Do you know what it looks like? It's like someone put a shade on It's like the sun and it makes me feel very peaceful. I don't have any fear and everything is fine." One woman told Margot Gray: "This light is brighter than you can imagine, there are no words to describe. I am so happy, I can't explain it. It is such a peaceful, wonderful feeling, Normally, such a bright light would blind you, but it doesn't hurt the eyes at all." Others mentioned that they not only saw the light, but went directly into the light, and they felt, "I don't feel like there is another entity, I am the light, and the light is me." A woman who had two surgeries in two days told Margot Gray: "I just feel my essence. Time doesn't matter, space is blissful. I'm bathed in bright light, immersed in rainbow colors." In a halo. Everything merges. There is a new order of sound, harmonious, nameless (now I call it music)." Another man who experienced entering the light described it this way: The following sequence of events, which all seem to occur simultaneously, must be described separately.It felt like there was some kind of life, more like energy, not like another person, but an intelligence that could communicate with it.Again, in terms of size, it covers the entire line of sight in front of you.It's all inclusive, and you feel wrapped up. In the instant of induction, the light communicates with you immediately, no matter which language you use, your thoughts will be understood very quickly.There is no question at all.The first message I received was, "Relax, everything is beautiful, nothing is wrong, you have nothing to fear." Immediately, I felt absolute relief.In the past, if a doctor said to you, "No problem, nothing to be afraid of, it won't hurt you." Usually you were still afraid, you would not believe him. But it's the most beautiful feeling I've ever known, and it's absolutely pure love.Every feeling, every emotion is so perfect.You feel warm, but it has nothing to do with temperature.Everything is absolutely vivid and clear.What the light conveys to you is a genuine, pure feeling of love.You have this experience for the first time.You can't compare it to wife's love, son's love or sex.Even if all these loves were added together, it would not compare to the love you receive from this light. A man who nearly drowned at the age of fourteen recalled: When I reach the source of light, I can look into it.I can't describe what I've seen in the way I've ever felt.It is an infinitely vast world of peace, love, energy and beauty.Compared with it, life seems unimportant.It emphasizes the importance of life, but at the same time advocates death as a way to a different and better life.It is all life, all beauty, all meaning to all that exists.It contains all the energy of the universe. Mervyn Moss vividly writes about children's near-death experiences and how they describe the light in simple words: "I have a wonderful secret to tell you. I have climbed the stairs to heaven." "I am Want to get to that light. Forget about my body, forget about everything. I just want to get to that light." "There's a beautiful light with all the good stuff in it. I've seen sparks of that light everywhere for almost the entire week "When I came out of a coma in the hospital, I opened my eyes and saw patches of light everywhere. I could see how everything in the world fit together." The same experience as the bardo of conception In a near-death experience, the mind is temporarily liberated from the body and then passes through many similar experiences to the mental body in the bardo of rebirth. 1.out-of-body experience Near-death experiences often begin with an out-of-body experience: they are able to see their own body and their surroundings.This kind of experience is consistent with what is said in "The Bardo Hearing and Teaching Dedu": "I remember when I woke up from the anesthesia, I was floating and found myself out of my body, looking down at my body from above the hospital bed. I was only aware of a mind and eyes, I don't remember having a body." A man with heart disease told Kenneth Ringling: "I seem to be in the air, only my heart is moving. There is no sense of body, my brain seems to be in the air, I have only the heart, no weight, I have nothing." 2.helplessly looking at relatives As I mentioned earlier, during the bardo of rebirth, the deceased are able to see and hear their living relatives, but are frustratingly unable to communicate with them.A woman from Florida, USA, told Michael Sabom how she looked down at his mother from near the ceiling: "The thing I remember the most is feeling so sad because I can't let her know I'm fine. I know I'm fine, but I don't know how to tell her,..." "I remember seeing them in the hallway ... my wife, my eldest son, my eldest daughter and the doctor ... I don't know why they were crying." One woman told Michael Chabon: "I sat in mid-air and watched myself go into convulsions while my mother and servants yelled and yelled because they thought I was dead. I felt sorry for them...deep Deep sadness. But I feel like I am free in the air and have no reason to suffer." 3.perfect body and clear awareness "Bardo Hearing and Teaching Dedu" describes the mental body of the receiving bardo as "like the body of the golden age", with almost supernatural mobility and clear awareness.Near-death experiencers also discover that the physical body they possess is perfect and at the peak of their lives. "I was floating, much younger than my actual age, . . . I got the impression that I could see myself in reflection, and I was twenty years younger than my actual age." They also discovered that they could move anywhere at any time by the power of their thoughts.A Vietnam veteran told Michael Chabon: "I feel that as long as I think of a place, I can get it right away... This ability makes me very happy. I can do whatever I want... It's more real than here, very real." "I remember suddenly coming back to the battlefield where I was lost, . . . it was almost like where you thought you were, and you were there instantly. It was like the blink of an eye." Many near-death experiencers also speak of omniscient awareness "from the beginning to the end of time."A woman told Raymond Moody: "I suddenly became wise and knew all the historical events of all ages, all the knowledge of the universe, the stars, and the moon." "It's just a split second. Well, it's indescribable. It's as if I know everything. ... At the moment, there seems to be no need for communication. I feel that whatever I want to know, I can know immediately." "I feel enlightened and purified. I can see and understand the gist of everything. Everything is right and makes sense, even in dark moments. It's as if the pieces are all coming back together." 4.meet others In Tibetan teaching, the mental body of the bardo of being reborn meets other beings.Likewise, near-death experiencers are often able to talk to other deceased people.The aforementioned Vietnam veteran said he saw his own body as he lay unconscious on the battlefield: Those thirteen guys who were killed the day before and put in plastic bags by me were with me.Not only that, forty-two of my battalion died that May, and they were all there.They're not in human form...but I know they're there.I feel their presence.We communicate with each other, though not with voice. A woman whose heart stopped due to anesthesia during a tooth extraction said: I found myself in a beautiful landscape, the grass was greener than anything ever seen on earth, and it had a special light or glow.The color is indescribable. In comparison, the color here is so monotonous. ... In this place, I meet acquaintances who have passed away.Although I didn't speak, I seemed to know what they were thinking, and I also knew that they knew what I was thinking. 5.six ways In the bardo of rebirth and its many visions, the mental body can see the visions of the six realms.A small number of people who have had near-death experiences report seeing inner worlds, heaven, the City of Light, and hearing celestial joy. One woman told Raymond Moody: In the distance... I can see a city.There were buildings... building after building.They shone brightly, and the occupants seemed happy.There are sparkling water, fountains... I think "City of Light" is a more appropriate name. ……Fantastic.There is sweet music there.Everything is glowing and beautiful...but if I go in, I don't think I'll ever come back...I'm told that if I get there, I can't come back...The decision is up to me. Another told Margot Gray: I found myself inside some kind of building, but I don't remember ever walking past it.Just this beautiful golden light that pervades everything... I noticed that many people seemed to be walking or turning around;I don't feel at all separated from them; the deepest feeling I have for them, as far as I can remember, is a sense of harmony, of being at one with everything around me. 6.hell scene However, as we have mentioned in Tibetan teachings, not all near-death experiences are positive.Some people report that they have had experiences of fear, pain, loneliness, desolation, and gloom, apparently described by the bardo.Margot Gray reported that one person was sucked into "a great black vortex." Those who had negative experiences, like those who were about to be reborn in the three lower realms in the bardo of rebirth, seemed to feel that they were going to Go down, not up: I am moving along a river of sound (the noise of people)... I feel like I am sinking into that river, becoming a part of it, and slowly, I am submerged.I was shrouded in great fear, as if I knew that if I was overwhelmed by this growing noise, I would be completely lost. I looked down into a big black hole filled with churning gray mist, and many hands reached up, trying to grab me into it.There were horrific cries, despair and helplessness. Still others experienced what we can only call hell, such as extreme cold or unbearable heat, or heard the wails of torment and the cacophony of beasts.Margot Gray heard a lady say: I found myself in a cloud of mist, as if in hell, there was a big hole, water vapor gushed out from it, and many hands stretched out to grab me... I was very afraid of being caught by these hands and dragged into it Going into the cave... a huge lion came at me from the other side, and I screamed.I'm not afraid of lions, but I feel like it's going to push me into that horrible hole. …It was very hot down there, and the water vapor kept gushing out. A man with a heart attack reported: "I was sinking, deep into the ground. I was angry and felt this terrible fear. Everything was gray and there was a terrible noise, just Like a mad beast, gnashing teeth, growling and cracking." Raymond Moody writes that some people claim to have seen others suffer from their inability to let go of their attachment to people, things, or habits in the world.One woman spoke of these "beguiled ones": They seem to be in perpetual motion, not sitting, but in no particular direction.Go forward at first, then turn to the left, walk a few steps, then turn back to the right.They're not doing anything but looking, but what they're looking for, I have absolutely no idea. When I walk past them, they don't even look up to see what's going on.They seem to be thinking, "Well, it's all over. What am I doing? What the hell is going on?" Just this crushed, hopeless look - not knowing what to do, where to go Go, who you are. They seem to be in perpetual motion, not sitting, but in no particular direction.Go forward at first, then turn to the left, walk a few steps, then turn to the right.They're not doing anything but looking, but what they're looking for, I have absolutely no idea. In existing records of near-death experiences, borderlines are occasionally seen—points beyond which there is no turning back.Once at this boundary, he will choose (or be required) to return to the world, sometimes because of the presence of the light.Of course, there are no similar records in the Tibetan bardo teachings, because they only describe what happened to people who actually died.However, there is a group of people in Tibet called deloks (Huiyang people), they have similar near-death experiences, and the sayings are quite similar. Huiyang People: Near-death Experiences of Tibetans Huiyang people are a very interesting phenomenon. Although they are little known in the West, Tibetans are familiar with them.The Tibetan word delok means "return from death"; traditionally, "huiyang people" refer to those who seem to have "passed away" due to illness, and they find themselves wandering in the bardo state.Some people have been to hell and seen the judgment of the dead and the suffering of hell, sometimes they also go to heaven and Buddhaland.Some were accompanied, protected, and explained what happened along the way by His Holiness.A week later, they were sent back to the physical body with a message from the god of death to the living, urging them to practice and live a meaningful life.Huiyang people often have trouble convincing people to believe their stories, and they spend the rest of their lives recounting their experiences to others in order to lead people to the path of wisdom.Some of the more famous Huiyang people left biographies, which were recited by troubadours all over Tibet. The experience of many Huiyang people is not only consistent with the bardo teachings such as "The Bardo Hearing and Teaching Dedu", but also similar to the near-death experience. Lingza Chokyi is a well-known sixteenth-century Huiyang native from my hometown.In her biography, she talks about first not knowing that she was dead, then finding herself out of the body, and seeing the dead body of a pig lying on her bed, wearing her clothes.She tried every means to communicate with her family, and she didn't want them to take care of the funeral, but she couldn't do anything.They didn't notice her presence or give her food and she was very angry.As her children wept, she felt "a hail of pus and blood" come down, causing her severe pain.She told us that at the end of each practice, she felt happy; at the end when she came to a master who practiced for her, and the master lived in the nature of mind, she felt extremely happy, her heart Merge with the heart of the master. After a while, she seemed to hear her father calling her name, so she followed him.She came to the bardo, which was like a country, with a bridge leading to hell, and Death, who judged the good and evil of the dead.In this hell world, she met all kinds of people recalling the past, and she also saw a great yogi who came to the hell world in order to liberate all living beings. In the end, Linsa Qiuji was sent back to the world because her name was mistaken and her death time had not yet come.She returned to her body with the message from the god of death to the living, woke up, and used the rest of her life to tell her various experiences. The phenomenon of Huiyang people not only existed in ancient times, but also occurred in Tibet recently.Sometimes, Huiyang people will leave their physical bodies for a week, and when they meet relatives who have passed away or people they don’t know, they will be asked to send a message back to their living relatives, asking them to practice certain Dharma for them.The Huiyang people will then return to their physical bodies to pass on their message.In Tibet, this is a fact accepted by everyone. At the same time, Tibetans have developed a set of rigorous methods to identify whether Huiyang people are fake.Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's daughter told Francoise Pommaret (a writer who has written about the Huiyang man) that in Tibet when the Huiyang man was having his experience, the holes in the body He shall be corked with butter, and his face shall be covered with oatmeal paste.If the butter does not flow down and the mask does not crack, the Huiyang people are considered real. In the Himalayas region of Tibet today, the tradition of the Huiyang people still continues.These Huiyang people are very ordinary people, often women, who are very devout and have firm beliefs.They "die" for a few hours on special Buddhist days, and their main function is to serve as messengers between the living and the dead. Near-death experience messages As we have seen, there are significant similarities and differences between near-death experiences and bardo teachings.The biggest difference, of course, is that near-death experiences do not actually die, whereas bardo teachings describe the process of death, from dying, to actual physical death, to reincarnation.Near-death experiencers do not enter the stage of death (some people only "die" for a minute), so it seems necessary to explain the possible differences between the two. Some authors believe that near-death experiences represent the decomposition process of the dying bardo.I think it is too early to call a near-death experience a dying bardo, because people who have had a near-death experience are literally "close to death".I explained the nature of near-death experiences to my master, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who said that they belonged to the natural bardo phenomenon of this life, because consciousness is just a temporary wandering in the six realms outside the body of the "dead" person. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche pointed out that near-death experiencers experience clinical death in the natural bardo of life.Perhaps they stood on the threshold of the two bardos, but returned without actually entering the bardo of death.All their experience is still in the natural bardo of this life.Is their experience of light similar to the bright presence?Could it be like the first light they glimpse before the sun rises? Whatever the ultimate significance of the details of the near-death experience, I am still deeply moved by many of the accounts I have heard or read. I am particularly surprised by the attitude of some near-death experiencers, which reflects the Buddhist point of view quite richly .There are two points I mentioned earlier, one is the deep transformation and spiritual awakening; the other is the enlightenment of "life review" on life.Life review, which occurs repeatedly during near-death experiences, shows so clearly that karma is inescapable, and that everything we do, say, and think, has far-reaching and powerful effects.The central message that NDEs bring back from their contact with death or the appearance of a "Life of Light" is exactly what the Buddha and the bardo teachings say, and that is: the most basic and important quality of life is Love and knowledge, compassion and wisdom. They really start to see what the bardo teachings tell us: life and death are in the mind.The confidence gained after this experience reflects this deep understanding of the mind. There are also certain fascinating parallels between near-death experiences and their consequences, and mystical and meditative states of consciousness.For example, near-death experiencers report many paranormal phenomena.Some people can predict or predict the stars of the universe, or see "life predictions" that are later fulfilled; after a near-death experience, some people seem to experience the energy of kundalini; Amazing awareness, or healing power of mind and body. Many people who have been close to death refer to their experience of beauty, love, peace, joy and wisdom, often in loving and eloquent ways.To me, it seems like they are catching glimpses of the light of heart that will naturally lead to true spiritual transformation time and time again.However, as Margot Gray pointed out: "We don't have to be near death to experience the higher spiritual entity." As long as we can find it, we can enter it, that higher spiritual entity is here and now. in life. I would like to remind everyone in particular: Although the description of this near-death experience is so enlightening, you must not make the mistake of thinking that you can live in a peaceful and happy state just by dying.Things are not and cannot be that simple. Some people find the pain unbearable when they are going through it; it is conceivable that hearing a near-death story might induce them to commit suicide to end all suffering.Suicide may seem like an easy solution, but it ignores the fact that whatever we experience is a part of life.Escape is impossible.If you avoid it, you will be more miserable later. In addition, although most of the near-death experiences collected so far are good experiences, some people still doubt whether there are really so few negative and frightening experiences, or whether they are just difficult to recall.People may not consciously or be able to remember dark or scary experiences.At the same time, the near-death experiencers themselves emphasize that what they have learned is the importance of transforming our lives in the present while we are still alive. They say: "Because when we are alive, we have a more important mission." This life transformation is urgent and important.Life is inherently sacred and must be lived with sacred content and purpose, which is an important message to us from near-death experiences.Wouldn't it be tragic to lose yourself in the romantic fantasy of death without recognizing this important message?Wouldn't it be a greater tragedy that many people do not respect our responsibilities to ourselves and the world, and this attitude is threatening the very existence of the planet; this disrespect is compounded by childish fantasies about death? The meaning of a near-death experience Inevitably, some people think that near-death experiences have nothing to do with the spirit; for the spiritual experience, reductionist scientists try to explain it only in terms of physiological, neurological, chemical or psychological effects.However, researchers of NDEs, themselves doctors and scientists, have repeatedly and clearly rebutted them, insisting that they cannot explain the full extent of NDEs.As Mervyn Morse writes at the end of his magnum opus Closer to the Light: Lessons from Near-Death Experiences for Children: A near-death experience seems to be a collection of events, so it is impossible to understand the whole by looking at its various fragments.Just as it is impossible to understand music only by studying the audio tones that produce tones, it is impossible to appreciate Mozart by only understanding the physics of sound.Near-death experiences have so far remained a secret. Mervyn Moss added: I feel that understanding near-death experiences should be the first step in healing the gap between science and religion that has existed for more than 300 years since Newton.Educating doctors, nurses, and ourselves about the experiences of our last hours will shatter our preconceived notions about medicine and life. In other words, while medical science and technology advances, it also promotes its own revolution.Mervyn Moss says: I find it ironic that medical technology has caused this proliferation of near-death experiences...near-death experiences have been around throughout human history, but it's only been in the last two decades that technology has revived patients .Now they tell us their experience, let us listen!For me, it's a challenge to society, ... I think near-death experiences are natural psychological processes associated with death.I want to boldly predict that if we can implement and promote this kind of knowledge in society, it will not only help the dying patients, but also help the whole society.I see no spirit in medicine today...it doesn't make sense why technology and spirituality can't complement each other. 我撰写本书的理由之一是要表达我赞同墨文·摩斯的看法：如果要发展人类最完整的潜能，则科技和精神是可以也必须相辅相成的。一个完整而有用的人类科学，难道没有勇气去拥抱和探索由濒死经验和本书所透露的许多神秘的死亡和临终的事实吗？ 执濒死研究牛耳的布鲁斯·格雷逊（Bruce Greyson）说： 科学必须尝试说明濒死经验，因为其中藏有科学成长之钥，……历史告诉我们，唯有尝试解释目前超越我们能力的现象，才可以使科学发展出新方法。我相信濒死经验就是促使科学家发展出新科学方法的一个谜，这个谜需要整合所有的知识，不只是理性的逻辑归纳、物理的实验观察，同时也需要神秘界的直接经验。 布鲁斯·格雷逊也说他相信濒死经验的发生有一个原因：「基于多年来对濒死经验的观察，我们之所以有这些经验，目的就是为了学习如何去帮助别人。」 肯尼斯·瑞林认为濒死经验还有另一个非比寻常的可能性和意义。他问为什么这么多人在这个时代有这种经验，同时产生精神上的转化。多年来，在这个研究领域里，他一直是最大胆的先驱，他把濒死经验者看成是「希望的信差」，他们诉说一个较高层次而神圣的存在，急切地呼吁我们去改变现在的生活方式，结束所有的战争，结束所有不同宗教和种族之间的分离，而且保护并拯救环境： 我相信……人类整体正在共同奋斗，以唤起一个崭新而更崇高的意识模式……濒死经验可以视为一项革命性的设计，多年来，在几百万人身上产生这种转化。 他的话能否成真，决定于大家：我们是否真有勇气面对濒死经验和中阴教法的意义，是否愿意以转化自己来转化周遭的世界，并因而逐步转化人类的未来。