QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT PHOWA

 

What does ‘PHOWA’ mean in Tibetan?

It means ‘to transform, to transfer’ something.

 

To transfer what?

Consciousness, no less. So, this is not a matter to be taken lightly.

It turns out that consciousness has the capacity to transfer itself, to transform or sublimate itself into something else. Note, however, that not all transformation techniques correspond to what is meant by ‘transferring consciousness’.

 

Why transfer consciousness or mind?

Well, because if one did nothing, all that one had experienced in samsara would continue in- definitely within the consciousness with a kind of momentum. If, on the other hand, conscious- ness remained in the right place, one would not have to experience so much sorrow in this life or return to incarnate in the cycle of existences and suffering. Consciousness is in fact not only the subject of living experience – and of its inevitable end – but also the vehicle that can literally shoot out of the suffering condition, to sound the death knell of Samsara.

PHOWA for oneself is a very safe method – provided one does it right. It is also a very direct, effective and valuable expedient for anyone who, like each of us, may not have attained su- preme realization in his or her lifetime. PHOWA is no more and no less than the means – a shortcut with no diversions or return – to sublimate consciousness at the very moment of death.

 

How to accomplish such a feat?

The technique is to make the principle of consciousness ‘escape’. Riding the essence ཨ of the

heart lifted by the blessed breath of wisdom through the central channel, it is propelled at the same time. At the precise moment of death, it crosses the fontanelle never to return. As for the famous median channel, it is equivalent to wisdom clarity itself. Strictly speaking, it is not only the wisdom channel, but the wisdom channel!