FAQ: Do we attain rebirth during the Bardo period (after death) or at the time of death when we are still alive?

For Pure Land practitioners, we definitely attain rebirth at the time of death when we are still alive and conscious. There is no need to wait til the Bardo period after death, it is not necessary. When at the time of rebirth, if we recite the Name of Amitabha Buddha repeatedly even for ten recitations with faith and vow towards attaining rebirth, we will see the Buddha come to receive us clearly, and our consciousness will go with the Buddha to the Pure Land, then we “die” (discard the physical body) here. 

In some schools such as Tibetan Buddhism, they may talk about attaining rebirth in the Bardo period, but this is an entirely different topic and for Pure Land practitioners, we don’t need to concern. We just attain rebirth when we are still alive and conscious. The Bardo period is only a backup plan (maybe for people who failed to recite the Name of Amitabha Buddha and died, then one remembers to recite the Name during the Bardo period). But for Pure Land practitioners, we endeavour to attain rebirth in the Pure Land at the time of death when we are still conscious. If one is diligent with one’s practice, one will be able to know the time of rebirth much earlier. Amituofo.