When used at the time of death, light offerings are believed to prevent spirits from entering and possessing the corpse. Before making light offerings, it is important to generate the motivation of bodhichitta, thinking that the purpose of one's life is to free all sentient beings from suffering and bring them to enlightenment. Each light offered accumulates limitless merit by visualizing the root guru and reciting the appropriate mantras.

Rinpoche emphasizes the importance of Dharma wisdom in guiding one's life and the lives of others. Lack of this wisdom can lead to wrong decisions and non-virtuous actions, causing suffering and confusion. Rinpoche suggests introducing special education sessions in schools to cultivate a good heart, tolerance, and awakened minds, promoting positive relationships, happiness, and friendship.

He proposes the establishment of "Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth," an organization focused on universal education to guide young people by incorporating ethical and moral values in schools. Universal education, such as the Maitreya Project's universal education school in Bodhgaya, emphasizes teaching respect and kindness through behavior, speech, and actions. By practicing respect towards others, especially parents and holy beings, one accumulates powerful positive karma and experiences happiness in this life and future lives.

Wisdom is important in discerning between right and wrong and pursuing practices that lead to liberation and happiness. By eliminating ignorance and developing wisdom, individuals can achieve liberation from suffering and attain enlightenment. By cultivating wisdom, individuals will always be in the light, even while in samsara, and will experience great wealth and favorable rebirths.

We should take every opportunity in everyday life to collect merit. By remembering the impermanence of life and the certainty of death, we learn to abandon negative actions and practice virtue. Even in daily conversations, one should speak with the intention of benefiting others. Making offerings before eating and drinking, with bodhichitta, allows one to accumulate limitless merit.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche also discusses various aspects related to death, signs indicating the departure of consciousness from the body and the importance of correctly determining whether consciousness has left the body. He recommends reading books on death and dying as a valuable practice.

This teaching was given at Institut Vajra Yogini, France as part of a Four Kadampa Deities Retreat from April 18 to May 11, 2003. You can see all the teachings from this retreat here:

https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/4-kadam-deities-2003/