Lessons from Khun Yai: Embracing Life and Death : หน้า 37/135

27. COME TO THE TEMPLE NOW Khun Yai encouraged those who came to the temple for the first time to visit the temple often. Whether it’s early or late in life, we all end up in the temple one way or another. Whether you are the beloved child or the beloved parent, death brings us all to the temple in the end (for our own funeral). So don’t wait until you are too old and too weak to go on your own. Life does not end with death. Those who are accustomed with doing good deeds, who can recall their good deeds at the time of death, will find their way to a heavenly realm. Those who are accustomed to doing bad deeds, whose minds are attached to their bad deeds at the time of death, will end up in a hell realm. For those who performed neither good nor bad deeds, after death their spirit will never be in a heavenly realm nor a hell realm, but will roam about in this world. June 10, 1991 28. BE PREPARED A kind-hearted 80 year old woman with five children once came to Khun Yai and asked for her advice. Youngest son was a source of disappointment to her because he never listened to her. Khun Yai replied, “Why do you be disappointed? He is an adult now and old enough to walk his own path. When I lived in Nakon Chasri, I used to have a cat. The cat gave birth to five kittens and I raised them to two. But once these kittens got older, they all left me. I realized then that cats and dogs, just like people, are born under the Law of Kamma. They must live their own life as their own kamma dictates. At little birds must leave the nest eventually. Sister, you yourself are old. It is time you thought of yourself more and prepared for your own spiritual future. Make merit. Merits and demerits are the only things you can take with you to the next life.” February 24, 1991