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The Tibetan Book of the Dead. First Complete English Translation
One of the greatest works created by any culture and overwhelmingly the most significant of all Tibetan Buddhist texts in the West, The Tibetan Book of the Dead has had a number of distinguished translations, but none encompassed the work in its entirety. Now, in one of the year's most important publishing events, the entire text has not only been made available in English but in a translation of quite remarkable clarity and beauty. With an introductory commentary by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, who calls this translation "an extraordinary accomplishment undertaken with great care over many years" this complete edition faithfully presents the insights and intentions of the original work. It includes one of the most detailed and compelling descriptions of the after-death state in world literature, exquisitely written practices that can transform our experience of daily life, guidance on helping those who are dying, and an inspirational perspective on coping with bereavement. Translated with the close support of leading contemporary masters, including HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and learned scholars such as Khamtrul Rinpoche and Zenkar Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dalai Lama says, "I hope that the profound insights contained in this work will be a source of inspiration and support to many interested people around the world."
592 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1350
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About the author
Padmasambhava
49 books186 followersAccording to tradition, Padmasambhava was incarnated as an eight-year-old child appearing in a lotus blossom floating in Lake Dhanakosha, in the kingdom of Uddiyana, traditionally identified with the Swat Valley in present-day Pakistan. His special nature was recognized by the local king who married him to one of his daughters, Mandarava. She and Padmasambhava's other main consort, Yeshe Tsogyal, developed into realised practitioners. Many thangkas and paintings show Padmasambhava in between them.
Padmasambhava's ability to memorize and comprehend esoteric texts in a single hearing established his reputation as a master above all others. Knowing that the life force of the wife and son of evil minister was about to end, he constructed an accident which resulted in their death. As a result, Padmasambhava was banished from the court and exiled in a charnel ground. Transiting various heavens and hells, he developed the power to transcend the cycle of birth and death, accomplishing the so-called great transference.
His fame became known to Trisong Detsen, the 38th king of Tibet (742–797), whose kingdom was beset by evil mountain deities. The king invited Padmasambhava to Tibet where he used his tantric powers to subdue the evil deities he encountered along the way, eventually receiving the Emperor's wife, identified with the dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, as a consort. This was in accordance with the tantric principle of not eliminating negative forces but redirecting them to fuel the journey toward spiritual awakening. In Tibet he founded the first monastery in the country, Samye Gompa, initiated the first monks, and introduced the people to the practice of Tantric Buddhism.
In Bhutan he is associated with the famous Taktshang or "Tiger's Nest" monastery built on a sheer cliff wall about 500m above the floor of Paro valley. He flew there from Tibet on the back of Yeshe Tsogyal, whom he transformed into a flying tigress for the purpose of the trip. Later he travelled to Bumthang district to subdue a powerful deity offended by a local king. Padmasambhava's body imprint can be found in the wall of a cave at nearby Kurje Lhakhang temple.
According to Tibetan tradition, the Bardo Thodol (commonly referred to as the Tibetan Book of the Dead) was among many treasures hidden by Padmasambhava, subsequently discovered by a Tibetan terton, Karma Lingpa.
Padmasambhava's ability to memorize and comprehend esoteric texts in a single hearing established his reputation as a master above all others. Knowing that the life force of the wife and son of evil minister was about to end, he constructed an accident which resulted in their death. As a result, Padmasambhava was banished from the court and exiled in a charnel ground. Transiting various heavens and hells, he developed the power to transcend the cycle of birth and death, accomplishing the so-called great transference.
His fame became known to Trisong Detsen, the 38th king of Tibet (742–797), whose kingdom was beset by evil mountain deities. The king invited Padmasambhava to Tibet where he used his tantric powers to subdue the evil deities he encountered along the way, eventually receiving the Emperor's wife, identified with the dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, as a consort. This was in accordance with the tantric principle of not eliminating negative forces but redirecting them to fuel the journey toward spiritual awakening. In Tibet he founded the first monastery in the country, Samye Gompa, initiated the first monks, and introduced the people to the practice of Tantric Buddhism.
In Bhutan he is associated with the famous Taktshang or "Tiger's Nest" monastery built on a sheer cliff wall about 500m above the floor of Paro valley. He flew there from Tibet on the back of Yeshe Tsogyal, whom he transformed into a flying tigress for the purpose of the trip. Later he travelled to Bumthang district to subdue a powerful deity offended by a local king. Padmasambhava's body imprint can be found in the wall of a cave at nearby Kurje Lhakhang temple.
According to Tibetan tradition, the Bardo Thodol (commonly referred to as the Tibetan Book of the Dead) was among many treasures hidden by Padmasambhava, subsequently discovered by a Tibetan terton, Karma Lingpa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
October 7, 2012
It was a hard slugging away at the heightened language but well worth my persistence. Many of the thoughts about life and death have stayed with me since I read it the first time 65 years ago. Valuable insights now that I'm 80 and death is looking for me. I intend on reading a modern translated version soon.
A valuable guide to living and dying.
A valuable guide to living and dying.
August 9, 2012
Important deluxe edition of a new translation of the full version. This book is not a toy, so it's predictable that a lot of readers will get little or nothing out it, especially if they are looking for entertainment/amusement or a highspeed broadband route to 'enlightenment'.
It is a bit like a person who comes across a roasted fish, eats the bones and leaves the flesh untouched and concludes 'well that wasn't very nourishing'. So ,yes for those people, this book would be useless for them and a waste of their precious time. They might possibly be better off with a modern self-help book perhaps, I hear that the market is bursting at the seams with these quick and helpful guides to instant happiness and well-being!
There are a lot of reviews of this book where the reader finds the text obscure, meaningless or unfathomable. In this way the TBOTD is a mirror..it is going to reflect what you bring to the table when you attempt to read it and absorb some of its timeless wisdom.
It is also an academic text, at least in the detailed description of the textual provenance and the translation, notes and appendices etc.
Well worth repeated and continued close sympathetic study. Essential for any serious student of Tibetan Buddhism or eastern thought/practice systems in general
It is a bit like a person who comes across a roasted fish, eats the bones and leaves the flesh untouched and concludes 'well that wasn't very nourishing'. So ,yes for those people, this book would be useless for them and a waste of their precious time. They might possibly be better off with a modern self-help book perhaps, I hear that the market is bursting at the seams with these quick and helpful guides to instant happiness and well-being!
There are a lot of reviews of this book where the reader finds the text obscure, meaningless or unfathomable. In this way the TBOTD is a mirror..it is going to reflect what you bring to the table when you attempt to read it and absorb some of its timeless wisdom.
It is also an academic text, at least in the detailed description of the textual provenance and the translation, notes and appendices etc.
Well worth repeated and continued close sympathetic study. Essential for any serious student of Tibetan Buddhism or eastern thought/practice systems in general
August 17, 2013
I'm one of those delinquent Buddhists who does not formally practice his faith. I started reading this 30 years ago and recently, after a health scare, picked it up again.
Life, it is said, is a terminal disease. You always die from it. There are no overwhelming revelations here, just a wonderfully coherent manual describing how to prepare yourself for the next Big Event. Whether you believe in reincarnation or transmografying (see Calvin & Hobbes), the book should be read by anyone with an interest in what we will all, one day, go through.
Life, it is said, is a terminal disease. You always die from it. There are no overwhelming revelations here, just a wonderfully coherent manual describing how to prepare yourself for the next Big Event. Whether you believe in reincarnation or transmografying (see Calvin & Hobbes), the book should be read by anyone with an interest in what we will all, one day, go through.
October 27, 2010
I am doing a personal comparative study of this and the Egyptian book of the dead simultaneously. After the first two read throughs of this work I was extremely glad for the notes and appendixes provided for the study. I adore Tibetan Buddhism as a religion and culture and can relate very well to their ideas of mind projection in the afterlife, it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "come into the light". I highly suggest if you read this book not to skip over the introduction and so forth it is very valuable and well written.
Read
June 30, 2009A teaching ostensibly for guiding a dying person through the death-trip by talking them through it, sort of like an air traffic controller. Timothy Leary thought that the esoteric content of this book refers to any natural state of ego-loss, including death, psychedelic experiences and meditation.
The book vividly describes several states of mind that the student passes through, each with their pitfalls and possible escape routes to enlightenment. If the practitioner is skilled, she or he attains lasting liberation early on in the experience. As the experience progresses, possibilities for liberation present themselves less frequently with lesser result; the final state is simply rebirth into the abyss of maya. The experiencer seems to transit through a stage of ego-losing, then ego-loss, then ego-rebirth, each with its attendant spiritual entitites, iconography, etc.
Was Leary right in his interpretation? I don't feel confident to comment on the esoteric meaning of a text this obscure. There is a strong possibility, as always, that he was shoehorning an ancient mythology into his own world-view conception. However, it would seem that the authors would have had access to this realm of experience through their rigorous spiritual exercises. One would assume that non-death ego-loss states would at least prepare one for some aspects of the process of death. A fascinating topic.
The book vividly describes several states of mind that the student passes through, each with their pitfalls and possible escape routes to enlightenment. If the practitioner is skilled, she or he attains lasting liberation early on in the experience. As the experience progresses, possibilities for liberation present themselves less frequently with lesser result; the final state is simply rebirth into the abyss of maya. The experiencer seems to transit through a stage of ego-losing, then ego-loss, then ego-rebirth, each with its attendant spiritual entitites, iconography, etc.
Was Leary right in his interpretation? I don't feel confident to comment on the esoteric meaning of a text this obscure. There is a strong possibility, as always, that he was shoehorning an ancient mythology into his own world-view conception. However, it would seem that the authors would have had access to this realm of experience through their rigorous spiritual exercises. One would assume that non-death ego-loss states would at least prepare one for some aspects of the process of death. A fascinating topic.
July 31, 2014
So much better—more accurate, more complete, more scholarly, more Buddhist—than the classic first translation by Theosophist Evans-Wentz, which really only covered one chapter of this authoritative tome. Essential for anyone familiar with what amounts to the granddaddy of Tibetan grimoires whose interest extends beyond mere curiosity.
That said, if what one wants to be doing is "reading the Book of the Dead to one who is deceased," this is probably not the edition to use unless one also has been instructed to do so by a qualified lama and has had the proper transmissions and training. Otherwise, virtually any previous translation of the "Liberation by Hearing" chapter is likely to be far more useful, particularly those by Thurman or Fremantle.
That said, if what one wants to be doing is "reading the Book of the Dead to one who is deceased," this is probably not the edition to use unless one also has been instructed to do so by a qualified lama and has had the proper transmissions and training. Otherwise, virtually any previous translation of the "Liberation by Hearing" chapter is likely to be far more useful, particularly those by Thurman or Fremantle.
December 15, 2018
The life of a book is always subjective; the death of ego in reading, objective. "Is" is always/mostly Maybe.
My first near death experience came via a broken neck while diving into a desert reservoir in Grandview, ID, (Black Sands Beach) August '91 instantaneously paralyzing me from neck down, felt and heard the snap, face down floating immediately disoriented and panicked, quickly moving on into a gonna die review of life and release, then the tunnel of light and calm, all contained in the minute or two submerged afloat until a noticer came and pulled me out to shore spewing, gagging, lifeless movement but otherwise consciousness. I knew what happened before I went into shock/unconsciousness and soon after life-flighted to trauma hospital 70 miles (Boise) away. Something happened in that water I can't explain but will never forget. It was tragically calming. A Bardo experience.
In result of a second near exit 20 years later 11.11.11 my leg brace (from [crippled] forearm-crutch walking years, unexpected half-recovery from SCI) got caught in a tight, cold, place alone and not expecting help anytime soon and I fought like a badger for two days opening several other wounds from exertion in futility. Harrowing and horrific were the enclosing circumstances and by the third day I was delirious, fading, hopelessly anchored to a rapidly advancing demise that again produced some otherworldly phantasmagorical sensations. I was again saved by a nick-of-time cohort, woke out of coma several days later in another Boise ICU on life support and looking down noticed a leg missing. WTF!?
Well, sorry, my indulge mea culpa this ain't no review though it IS a re-View into the waiting room of Bardoish realm - I'm one leg in w/a few spoilers I'm hard pressed to describe outside the chiaroscuro set of a Waiting for Godot where I'm Godot. The "TTBotD" is a guide, a playbook for the considered traveler whose earthly position is shifting to endgame. It's filled with chants/plays at redemption before crossing, an epiphany laid out incrementally in bits of release schema. It is meant to sooth the soul in preparatory wonder. And I wonder, did my soul mingle there already? The book didn't impact me the way I thought it might. Maybe I'm not ready yet for its subtlety between the lines - but will keep it handy 'cause next time I know I'm a gone'er.
"An absurd remembrance of my future death sends a shiver down my spine. In the fog of my intuition, I feel like dead matter fallen in the rain and mourned by the howling wind. And the chill of what I won't feel gnaws at my present heart." This from current rereading "Book of Disquiet"/ Pessoa. AND aligns/confirms an ongoing contention that when your reading choices are in spiritual/cosmic alignment all books Do run together to form a seamless whole. Hole-in-One!
My first near death experience came via a broken neck while diving into a desert reservoir in Grandview, ID, (Black Sands Beach) August '91 instantaneously paralyzing me from neck down, felt and heard the snap, face down floating immediately disoriented and panicked, quickly moving on into a gonna die review of life and release, then the tunnel of light and calm, all contained in the minute or two submerged afloat until a noticer came and pulled me out to shore spewing, gagging, lifeless movement but otherwise consciousness. I knew what happened before I went into shock/unconsciousness and soon after life-flighted to trauma hospital 70 miles (Boise) away. Something happened in that water I can't explain but will never forget. It was tragically calming. A Bardo experience.
In result of a second near exit 20 years later 11.11.11 my leg brace (from [crippled] forearm-crutch walking years, unexpected half-recovery from SCI) got caught in a tight, cold, place alone and not expecting help anytime soon and I fought like a badger for two days opening several other wounds from exertion in futility. Harrowing and horrific were the enclosing circumstances and by the third day I was delirious, fading, hopelessly anchored to a rapidly advancing demise that again produced some otherworldly phantasmagorical sensations. I was again saved by a nick-of-time cohort, woke out of coma several days later in another Boise ICU on life support and looking down noticed a leg missing. WTF!?
Well, sorry, my indulge mea culpa this ain't no review though it IS a re-View into the waiting room of Bardoish realm - I'm one leg in w/a few spoilers I'm hard pressed to describe outside the chiaroscuro set of a Waiting for Godot where I'm Godot. The "TTBotD" is a guide, a playbook for the considered traveler whose earthly position is shifting to endgame. It's filled with chants/plays at redemption before crossing, an epiphany laid out incrementally in bits of release schema. It is meant to sooth the soul in preparatory wonder. And I wonder, did my soul mingle there already? The book didn't impact me the way I thought it might. Maybe I'm not ready yet for its subtlety between the lines - but will keep it handy 'cause next time I know I'm a gone'er.
"An absurd remembrance of my future death sends a shiver down my spine. In the fog of my intuition, I feel like dead matter fallen in the rain and mourned by the howling wind. And the chill of what I won't feel gnaws at my present heart." This from current rereading "Book of Disquiet"/ Pessoa. AND aligns/confirms an ongoing contention that when your reading choices are in spiritual/cosmic alignment all books Do run together to form a seamless whole. Hole-in-One!
July 11, 2011
Spot on what I learned in Tibetan monasteries. For your own personal journey about why we are living, and dying, pick it up.
It is a hard read. It is logical and scientific, so if you're not used to Eastern religious text and thinking, it can be too methodical and rigorous. It's not the normal soft tone the Dalai Lama uses in his books, but does so to drive home the deep thought Buddhism has surfaced for this text.
It is a hard read. It is logical and scientific, so if you're not used to Eastern religious text and thinking, it can be too methodical and rigorous. It's not the normal soft tone the Dalai Lama uses in his books, but does so to drive home the deep thought Buddhism has surfaced for this text.
September 20, 2018
The Tibetan Book of the Dead was extracted from a much larger body of the teachings of the TAO master Padmasambhava entitled " The Profound Dharma of Self-Liberation" . According to Tibetan tradition, the Bardo Thodol (commonly referred to as the Tibetan Book of the Dead) was among many treasures hidden by the TAO Master Padmasambhava,Tibet (742–797), subsequently discovered by a Tibetan terton by Karma Lingpa (1326–1386)
Tertön (Tibetan: གཏེར་སྟོན་) is a term within Tibetan Buddhism. It means a person who is a discoverer of ancient hidden texts or terma. Many tertöns are considered to be incarnations of the twenty five main disciples of Padmasambhava.
So Padmasambhava was the Master who wrote the TBOTD
It is the best-known work of Nyingma literature
I grew up speaking Tibetan and have read the Tibetan Book Of the Dead(TBOTD) in Tibetan . I will confirm that Gyurme Dorje's english translation faithfully conveys the original meaning of most of the Tibetan text with a few gaps which intellect alone can not span .To fill in these gaps one must have the same experiences as the author . This is doable if we "Die while Living" via Surat Shabd yoga ( SSY ) and return to this life which is what the author of the text did . Reading a book on a thing is not the same as experiencing it and entails a little effort but its worth the effort .
To Dorje's credit :
Tao (/daʊ/, /taʊ/) or Dao (/daʊ/) DOW; from Chinese: 道; pinyin: Dào [tâu] (About this SOUND -LISTEN! ) is a Chinese word signifying 'way', 'path', 'route', 'road' is correctly translated by Dorje as " "Liberation Through Hearing in the Bardo " (the state when we are transitioning between life and death)
Spiritual Masters who are trained to go into Bardo at will and to listen the sound of this TAO daily for a few hours develop the capacity to "die while living" and return to this life by using the TAO as a means of spiritual transport . Advanced meditators listen to the Tao ( which the ancient greeks called "the logos" , In the modern bible it is called" the holy spirit" ,"the word" (John 1:1) the Shabd (hindu) , The kalma ( muslim ) --This Tao signifies daily hearing the divine sound( called by various names by founders of different religions) as a means to prepare for death, escape transmigration and go back to God . This technique of hearing our creator vibrating within our consciousness as means to escape reincarnation and return to God was taught by the founders of every religion but fell into obscurity when those founders left the earth and bookish priests took over)
As correlated by practitioners of Surat Shabd Yoga the TBOTD testifies about the phenomenon called the Bardo Thodol (Tibetan: བར་དོ་ཐོས་གྲོལ ) "Liberation Through HEARING During the Intermediate State between life and death ")
AS said above The TBOTD describes, and is intended to chronicle the experiences that the consciousness has after death, in the bardo, the interval between death and the next rebirth. The text also includes chapters on the signs of death and rituals to undertake when death is closing in or has taken place.
However it was NEVER intended as a guide the mere reading of which could guide one through the transition of death .
Along with the loss of knowledge of the practice of hearing teh Tao as a daily practice the need for spiritual teacher like Moses , Buddha , John , Jesus , Peter , Guru Nanak ( and his 9 successors ) and currently Swami Ji and his existing line of succession (aka www.rssb.org ) who by listening to the TAO has become one with it and has been authorized by his predecessor to teach it . ( like John authorized Jesus)
The TBOTD gives rituals to follow when a person is dying to help him transition smoothly to a better life but all the desires and actions we have entertained during our present life determine where that transition will take us .Thus the best ritual to prepare for death is to live a life desiring and thinking about God and virtues that he loves so that death takes us closer to eternal life and freedom from transmigration .
The TBOTD is still a very valuable first hand account of the transition between incarnations .
The Bardo Thodol differentiates the intermediate state between lives into three bardos:
The chikhai bardo or "bardo of the moment of death", which features the experience of the
1) "clear light of reality", or at least the nearest approximation of which one is spiritually capable;
2) The chonyid bardo or "bardo of the experiencing of reality", which features the experience of visions of various Buddha forms, or the nearest approximations of which one is capable;
3)The sidpa bardo or "bardo of rebirth", which features karmically impelled hallucinations which eventually result in rebirth, typically yab-yum imagery of men and women passionately entwined.
AS I stated before If we live our our whole life desiring the bliss of listening to the Toa and not desiring sensual pleasures we will be spared the 3rd stage and will go to God rather than this world.
BY attaching our attention to the TAO we are detaching our attention from sensual pleasures which always pulls us back to this world. every generation a few souls who are ready are taken out . Since teh dawn of the human race there has always been at least one master on this earth to take the marked souls back and to make someone his successor .
So The TBOTD misses a lot but is still very interesting to students who are intrigued by death and maybe mustering the courage to eventually seek teh current living Master who can teach them SSY
Tertön (Tibetan: གཏེར་སྟོན་) is a term within Tibetan Buddhism. It means a person who is a discoverer of ancient hidden texts or terma. Many tertöns are considered to be incarnations of the twenty five main disciples of Padmasambhava.
So Padmasambhava was the Master who wrote the TBOTD
It is the best-known work of Nyingma literature
I grew up speaking Tibetan and have read the Tibetan Book Of the Dead(TBOTD) in Tibetan . I will confirm that Gyurme Dorje's english translation faithfully conveys the original meaning of most of the Tibetan text with a few gaps which intellect alone can not span .To fill in these gaps one must have the same experiences as the author . This is doable if we "Die while Living" via Surat Shabd yoga ( SSY ) and return to this life which is what the author of the text did . Reading a book on a thing is not the same as experiencing it and entails a little effort but its worth the effort .
To Dorje's credit :
Tao (/daʊ/, /taʊ/) or Dao (/daʊ/) DOW; from Chinese: 道; pinyin: Dào [tâu] (About this SOUND -LISTEN! ) is a Chinese word signifying 'way', 'path', 'route', 'road' is correctly translated by Dorje as " "Liberation Through Hearing in the Bardo " (the state when we are transitioning between life and death)
Spiritual Masters who are trained to go into Bardo at will and to listen the sound of this TAO daily for a few hours develop the capacity to "die while living" and return to this life by using the TAO as a means of spiritual transport . Advanced meditators listen to the Tao ( which the ancient greeks called "the logos" , In the modern bible it is called" the holy spirit" ,"the word" (John 1:1) the Shabd (hindu) , The kalma ( muslim ) --This Tao signifies daily hearing the divine sound( called by various names by founders of different religions) as a means to prepare for death, escape transmigration and go back to God . This technique of hearing our creator vibrating within our consciousness as means to escape reincarnation and return to God was taught by the founders of every religion but fell into obscurity when those founders left the earth and bookish priests took over)
As correlated by practitioners of Surat Shabd Yoga the TBOTD testifies about the phenomenon called the Bardo Thodol (Tibetan: བར་དོ་ཐོས་གྲོལ ) "Liberation Through HEARING During the Intermediate State between life and death ")
AS said above The TBOTD describes, and is intended to chronicle the experiences that the consciousness has after death, in the bardo, the interval between death and the next rebirth. The text also includes chapters on the signs of death and rituals to undertake when death is closing in or has taken place.
However it was NEVER intended as a guide the mere reading of which could guide one through the transition of death .
Along with the loss of knowledge of the practice of hearing teh Tao as a daily practice the need for spiritual teacher like Moses , Buddha , John , Jesus , Peter , Guru Nanak ( and his 9 successors ) and currently Swami Ji and his existing line of succession (aka www.rssb.org ) who by listening to the TAO has become one with it and has been authorized by his predecessor to teach it . ( like John authorized Jesus)
The TBOTD gives rituals to follow when a person is dying to help him transition smoothly to a better life but all the desires and actions we have entertained during our present life determine where that transition will take us .Thus the best ritual to prepare for death is to live a life desiring and thinking about God and virtues that he loves so that death takes us closer to eternal life and freedom from transmigration .
The TBOTD is still a very valuable first hand account of the transition between incarnations .
The Bardo Thodol differentiates the intermediate state between lives into three bardos:
The chikhai bardo or "bardo of the moment of death", which features the experience of the
1) "clear light of reality", or at least the nearest approximation of which one is spiritually capable;
2) The chonyid bardo or "bardo of the experiencing of reality", which features the experience of visions of various Buddha forms, or the nearest approximations of which one is capable;
3)The sidpa bardo or "bardo of rebirth", which features karmically impelled hallucinations which eventually result in rebirth, typically yab-yum imagery of men and women passionately entwined.
AS I stated before If we live our our whole life desiring the bliss of listening to the Toa and not desiring sensual pleasures we will be spared the 3rd stage and will go to God rather than this world.
BY attaching our attention to the TAO we are detaching our attention from sensual pleasures which always pulls us back to this world. every generation a few souls who are ready are taken out . Since teh dawn of the human race there has always been at least one master on this earth to take the marked souls back and to make someone his successor .
So The TBOTD misses a lot but is still very interesting to students who are intrigued by death and maybe mustering the courage to eventually seek teh current living Master who can teach them SSY
May 19, 2019
Having just recently suffered from my annual existential crisis, I was in need of some philosophical sustenance. This recent crisis was particularly acute; I was laying awake every night for several weeks, obsessing over the inevitability of my non-existence following the moment of death.
I've always been both impressed and slightly perturbed by the Buddhist idea that non-existence is precisely the goal one should aspire to, through dissolution of the ego into some eternally blissful Monist awareness. I wanted to understand this idea in the hope that it would make me feel better about non-existence, having tried and failed before to convince myself of the more hopeful possibility of after-lives.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead is not a single work, but a collection of ancient texts bundled together by the book's editor. I should note that the English translation is gorgeous while still being perfectly lucid. It contains a generous 155 pages of appendices and endnotes, making it perfectly accessible to readers with no background in Buddhist theory.
Some of the texts assembled in this book, such as instructions on rituals and prayers to the frequently invoked Peaceful and Wrathful deities, while of poetic interest, were completely lost on me. This was especially true in the "Hundredfold Homage", which tiresomely lists Buddhist deities for 16 pages. I find it hard to believe that anyone could find the time to memorize and recite such a prayer daily, especially as a continuation of previously selected prayers, as is recommended in the introduction.
I enjoyed the two included dramas, which imagine two recently deceased men sitting in judgement before the Buddha Dharmaraja, as spirits representing their past negative and virtuous actions compare the weight of the pebbles they have collected to see where they will be reborn. This bit of religious fiction did a lot to elevate the reading experience following some of the drier selections.
The most valuable text for me was the "Introduction to Awareness", which was a philosophical treatise arguing for Monism over Dualism; I found it to be a strong argument of great literary value.
Finally, I thought the sections on death were curious, if pseudo-scientific. There are instructions on how to identify signs of death in the body, as well as in portents seen in dreams. Once these signs are identified, there are extremely detailed rites meant to ensure one will be reborn into a higher realm. These are highly involved, and as such don't seem a pleasant way to spend one's last moments. There are also post-death signs for the attending family to know whether the deceased has been reborn as a human, animal, anguished spirit, etc.
Overall I found this exploration of Tibetan Buddhism educational, although it didn't do much to assuage my existential fears. With all the explication of deities and hell-realms, this form of Buddhism seemed more religious than philosophical, and as such wasn't quite what I was looking for; for one, it begged the question of the desirability of the ego being subsumed upon death (since this is supposedly better than endless reincarnations) instead of providing an explanation as to why.
As such, I'm still on a quest for philosophies of death, if any readers are inclined to give me a recommendation.
I've always been both impressed and slightly perturbed by the Buddhist idea that non-existence is precisely the goal one should aspire to, through dissolution of the ego into some eternally blissful Monist awareness. I wanted to understand this idea in the hope that it would make me feel better about non-existence, having tried and failed before to convince myself of the more hopeful possibility of after-lives.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead is not a single work, but a collection of ancient texts bundled together by the book's editor. I should note that the English translation is gorgeous while still being perfectly lucid. It contains a generous 155 pages of appendices and endnotes, making it perfectly accessible to readers with no background in Buddhist theory.
Some of the texts assembled in this book, such as instructions on rituals and prayers to the frequently invoked Peaceful and Wrathful deities, while of poetic interest, were completely lost on me. This was especially true in the "Hundredfold Homage", which tiresomely lists Buddhist deities for 16 pages. I find it hard to believe that anyone could find the time to memorize and recite such a prayer daily, especially as a continuation of previously selected prayers, as is recommended in the introduction.
I enjoyed the two included dramas, which imagine two recently deceased men sitting in judgement before the Buddha Dharmaraja, as spirits representing their past negative and virtuous actions compare the weight of the pebbles they have collected to see where they will be reborn. This bit of religious fiction did a lot to elevate the reading experience following some of the drier selections.
The most valuable text for me was the "Introduction to Awareness", which was a philosophical treatise arguing for Monism over Dualism; I found it to be a strong argument of great literary value.
Finally, I thought the sections on death were curious, if pseudo-scientific. There are instructions on how to identify signs of death in the body, as well as in portents seen in dreams. Once these signs are identified, there are extremely detailed rites meant to ensure one will be reborn into a higher realm. These are highly involved, and as such don't seem a pleasant way to spend one's last moments. There are also post-death signs for the attending family to know whether the deceased has been reborn as a human, animal, anguished spirit, etc.
Overall I found this exploration of Tibetan Buddhism educational, although it didn't do much to assuage my existential fears. With all the explication of deities and hell-realms, this form of Buddhism seemed more religious than philosophical, and as such wasn't quite what I was looking for; for one, it begged the question of the desirability of the ego being subsumed upon death (since this is supposedly better than endless reincarnations) instead of providing an explanation as to why.
As such, I'm still on a quest for philosophies of death, if any readers are inclined to give me a recommendation.
January 10, 2016
This was a great complete translation of a classic Budist text. These writings teach us how to go through life and death. I recommend this book to all.
Enjoy and be blessed.
Diamond
Enjoy and be blessed.
Diamond
October 5, 2024
Mình hoàn toàn không đồng tình với phương pháp quan trọng nhất trong sách hoho và do là người đa nghi nên mình cũng không hoàn toàn tin vào các chi tiết như thế sau cái chết nhưng mà cơ bản là mình thấy sách đáng đọc, có tính khai phá lớn. Nó phần nào thỏa mãn sự tò mò cũng như giúp tự tin hơn về cái chết hoho
Mật tông dựa trên nền tảng Phật giáo nên phần nền tảng, các câu chuyện đưa ra đọc rất minh triết rất đáng đọc. Về cơ bản thì số phận con người sau khi chết vẫn là phụ thuộc vào các nghiệp lực sinh ra khi sống và trình độ thiền. Nôm na vẫn là người thiền vững, nghiệp tốt thì khi chết cứ giữ được cái tâm không, nhìn mọi vật sáng rõ rồi cứ đi theo hướng ánh sáng mạnh nhất là giải thoát. Nghiệp xấu, tâm trí không được rèn luyện qua thiền thì ngu ngơ đi lạc kiểu vậy.
Anw đọc khoảng nửa cuốn sách tự dưng ngã ngửa xong bị sốc mất mấy ngày =)) hồi xưa nhìn cái tượng phật ôm phụ nữ khỏa thân cứ tưởng đại diện cho việc tĩnh lặng giữa cám dỗ, đọc ở đây mới biết nó là tượng song tu, tức là 2 người này đang đụ nhau đó =)) tới đây mới nói đây là pháp cao nhất của Mật tông, giúp nắn thẳng hai luồng khí để lên thẳng đỉnh đầu, từ đó giúp giải thoát ngay ở ánh sáng đầu tiên (ban đầu đọc thấy giống lúc metta, cũng đẩy khí ở huyệt bách hội đỉnh đầu). Lý thuyết rất hay ho là dựa trên "sắc bất dị không không bất dị sắc", phải sex thật nhiều mà vẫn giữ tính không và không xuất tinh và không những thế phải sex với thật nhiều người khác nhau để giữ sự thuần khiết :-ss bèn đi đọc về song tu ôi các anh lạt ma rực rỡ cao to đụ giỏi bế tinh bậc thầy là đây huhu tự dưng sởn gai ốc suy sụp tinh thần mất niềm tin ghê huhu
Buồn bã trò chuyện với bạn thiền thì đúng lúc nó học giải phẫu thần kinh. Kinh thật yoga ngàn năm trước đã vẽ đúng đường kinh mạch, đúng là có 2 đường khí chạy như thế rồi hội tụ ở cổ và lên não. Không những thế, phương pháp đụ của mật tông về mặt y học hiện đại là hoàn toàn đúng. Tức là khi sex tới cao trào sẽ kích hoạch hệ phó giao cảm, cực kỳ tốt cho sức khỏe. Tuy nhiên, nếu xuất tinh thì sẽ kích hoạt hệ giao cảm thì gây hại cho sức khỏe. Do đó, tốt nhất là sex tới gần đỉnh thì dừng lại, giữ tính không như mật tông chỉ dạy (không vui không buồn), không cho xuất tinh rồi khi khoái lạc đi xuống thì lại đụ nhau tiếp =))
Anw đó thật sự là phương pháp tốt cho sức khỏe nhưng mình không cảm thấy đó là phương pháp đạt tới giải thoát. Mọi người đều đồng tình rằng sự giải thoát tới ngay trong kiếp sống chứ không phải đợi tới khi chết. Việc ngày nào cũng phải ve vuốt cho nứng rồi sex lên gần đỉnh rồi dừng rồi sex miên man như vậy, liên tục sinh ra cảm giác toàn thân, với mình thật khó tưởng tượng là giải thoát. Anw mình không có phán xét gì về các phương pháp tu nha. Có muôn vàn phương pháp tu hợp với tạng từng người, chỉ là tạng mình chắc không hợp với thể loại này ;)) Nhưng vẫn phải công nhận là nghe rất hấp dẫn hoho thiện tai thiện tai ;)) Đó mê quá nói một hồi =))) phải tự dặn với lòng là không đọc về mật tông nữa =)))
Quay về cuốn sách, mình cảm thấy sống ra sao thì khi chết chắc sẽ được phán xử ở những khu vực khác nhau, nhưng một số nguyên tắc thì có vẻ nhất quán ở mọi nơi trên thế giới nên đọc nhiều kiểu sách trung ấm có khi cũng hay ;)) các idol thom yorke và leonard cohen mê cuốn này lắm không hiểu là mê chỗ nào nhỉ ;)) anw dù ai nói ngả nói nghiêng thì mình vẫn trung thành với vipassana và quay lại với trung ấm trong nikaya thôi ;))
Mật tông dựa trên nền tảng Phật giáo nên phần nền tảng, các câu chuyện đưa ra đọc rất minh triết rất đáng đọc. Về cơ bản thì số phận con người sau khi chết vẫn là phụ thuộc vào các nghiệp lực sinh ra khi sống và trình độ thiền. Nôm na vẫn là người thiền vững, nghiệp tốt thì khi chết cứ giữ được cái tâm không, nhìn mọi vật sáng rõ rồi cứ đi theo hướng ánh sáng mạnh nhất là giải thoát. Nghiệp xấu, tâm trí không được rèn luyện qua thiền thì ngu ngơ đi lạc kiểu vậy.
Anw đọc khoảng nửa cuốn sách tự dưng ngã ngửa xong bị sốc mất mấy ngày =)) hồi xưa nhìn cái tượng phật ôm phụ nữ khỏa thân cứ tưởng đại diện cho việc tĩnh lặng giữa cám dỗ, đọc ở đây mới biết nó là tượng song tu, tức là 2 người này đang đụ nhau đó =)) tới đây mới nói đây là pháp cao nhất của Mật tông, giúp nắn thẳng hai luồng khí để lên thẳng đỉnh đầu, từ đó giúp giải thoát ngay ở ánh sáng đầu tiên (ban đầu đọc thấy giống lúc metta, cũng đẩy khí ở huyệt bách hội đỉnh đầu). Lý thuyết rất hay ho là dựa trên "sắc bất dị không không bất dị sắc", phải sex thật nhiều mà vẫn giữ tính không và không xuất tinh và không những thế phải sex với thật nhiều người khác nhau để giữ sự thuần khiết :-ss bèn đi đọc về song tu ôi các anh lạt ma rực rỡ cao to đụ giỏi bế tinh bậc thầy là đây huhu tự dưng sởn gai ốc suy sụp tinh thần mất niềm tin ghê huhu
Buồn bã trò chuyện với bạn thiền thì đúng lúc nó học giải phẫu thần kinh. Kinh thật yoga ngàn năm trước đã vẽ đúng đường kinh mạch, đúng là có 2 đường khí chạy như thế rồi hội tụ ở cổ và lên não. Không những thế, phương pháp đụ của mật tông về mặt y học hiện đại là hoàn toàn đúng. Tức là khi sex tới cao trào sẽ kích hoạch hệ phó giao cảm, cực kỳ tốt cho sức khỏe. Tuy nhiên, nếu xuất tinh thì sẽ kích hoạt hệ giao cảm thì gây hại cho sức khỏe. Do đó, tốt nhất là sex tới gần đỉnh thì dừng lại, giữ tính không như mật tông chỉ dạy (không vui không buồn), không cho xuất tinh rồi khi khoái lạc đi xuống thì lại đụ nhau tiếp =))
Anw đó thật sự là phương pháp tốt cho sức khỏe nhưng mình không cảm thấy đó là phương pháp đạt tới giải thoát. Mọi người đều đồng tình rằng sự giải thoát tới ngay trong kiếp sống chứ không phải đợi tới khi chết. Việc ngày nào cũng phải ve vuốt cho nứng rồi sex lên gần đỉnh rồi dừng rồi sex miên man như vậy, liên tục sinh ra cảm giác toàn thân, với mình thật khó tưởng tượng là giải thoát. Anw mình không có phán xét gì về các phương pháp tu nha. Có muôn vàn phương pháp tu hợp với tạng từng người, chỉ là tạng mình chắc không hợp với thể loại này ;)) Nhưng vẫn phải công nhận là nghe rất hấp dẫn hoho thiện tai thiện tai ;)) Đó mê quá nói một hồi =))) phải tự dặn với lòng là không đọc về mật tông nữa =)))
Quay về cuốn sách, mình cảm thấy sống ra sao thì khi chết chắc sẽ được phán xử ở những khu vực khác nhau, nhưng một số nguyên tắc thì có vẻ nhất quán ở mọi nơi trên thế giới nên đọc nhiều kiểu sách trung ấm có khi cũng hay ;)) các idol thom yorke và leonard cohen mê cuốn này lắm không hiểu là mê chỗ nào nhỉ ;)) anw dù ai nói ngả nói nghiêng thì mình vẫn trung thành với vipassana và quay lại với trung ấm trong nikaya thôi ;))
March 4, 2023
Nope. It gets 2 stars because it won’t make you worse off for having read it, but it certainly doesn’t make your life any better. You can also skip the entire first half of the book which is just a list of false medical statements… the rest can be skim read at best, or you know, just don’t read this book.
The roots of meditative practice and Buddhist thought is interesting, but this being an actual religious text, there are better ways to get your feet wet and explore the topic nowadays. I’m very much on board with the concept of not fearing death and considering it a part of life, but there are much better modern takes on this now. This book is best kept for true practicing buddhists or scholars of the religion, for a layman like myself there is nothing to gain except some mild tickling of a fancy.
What I find remarkable about the religion itself and the mode of thought is how it relies on the self rather than hinging all of life around an all powerful god. No wonder a lot of self-help and modern meditation practices come from these roots. If I had to pick one, I’d chose Buddhism over Christianity any day.
Ok cool, now I’ve made about 3 billion ennemies in one book review. Thankfully no-one reads these, right?
The roots of meditative practice and Buddhist thought is interesting, but this being an actual religious text, there are better ways to get your feet wet and explore the topic nowadays. I’m very much on board with the concept of not fearing death and considering it a part of life, but there are much better modern takes on this now. This book is best kept for true practicing buddhists or scholars of the religion, for a layman like myself there is nothing to gain except some mild tickling of a fancy.
What I find remarkable about the religion itself and the mode of thought is how it relies on the self rather than hinging all of life around an all powerful god. No wonder a lot of self-help and modern meditation practices come from these roots. If I had to pick one, I’d chose Buddhism over Christianity any day.
Ok cool, now I’ve made about 3 billion ennemies in one book review. Thankfully no-one reads these, right?
October 2, 2020
The Bardo Thodol, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, in Tibetan Buddhism, a funerary text that is recited to ease the consciousness of a recently deceased person through death and assist it into a favourable rebirth.
It is quite an interesting read, for everything is so vividly detailed and well explained, it is like watching a movie trailer for your own death. This book is similar in some ways as the Egyptian book of the dead, a guidebook for afterlife.
In this book, it explains the gods that are taken different forms, the colours of lights, and the visualization of our own reflections, teaching the reader, or the dead person whom is being reading this book to, to recognize it as their own. “do not be afraid.” for our physical bodies are dead, but our mental bodies cannot die, we cannot get hurt but according to our mental states after death and Karma, a mental body can be banished to a lower realm where ignorance and suffering will be brought upon this being.
In later part of the book, it also indicates the different realms of rebirth, when one fails to become a Buddha. To Tibetan Buddhism endless reincarnation is endless suffering, thus when one can enter a higher state, rebirth from the womb should be avoided. But if one cannot stop oneself to enter a womb, then choose wisely according the text being represented in this book.
It is quite an interesting read, for everything is so vividly detailed and well explained, it is like watching a movie trailer for your own death. This book is similar in some ways as the Egyptian book of the dead, a guidebook for afterlife.
In this book, it explains the gods that are taken different forms, the colours of lights, and the visualization of our own reflections, teaching the reader, or the dead person whom is being reading this book to, to recognize it as their own. “do not be afraid.” for our physical bodies are dead, but our mental bodies cannot die, we cannot get hurt but according to our mental states after death and Karma, a mental body can be banished to a lower realm where ignorance and suffering will be brought upon this being.
In later part of the book, it also indicates the different realms of rebirth, when one fails to become a Buddha. To Tibetan Buddhism endless reincarnation is endless suffering, thus when one can enter a higher state, rebirth from the womb should be avoided. But if one cannot stop oneself to enter a womb, then choose wisely according the text being represented in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2007
I've made it a point to read a number of different religious writings from a variety of religions. I'm obviously not expecting to agree, religiously, with what I read; I just want to learn about the various religions of the world, enjoy the poetry, and glean what insights I can. Of all the sacred texts I've read, this one possessed the least literary quality and offered the least aesthetic pleasure as well as the fewest insights to me personally. It was somewhat dull and the reading was really slow plodding.
January 20, 2010
I'm actually always reading this--it's my bedtime book. At some point I'm sure I'll do a thorough review of it, or at least as thorough as would be appropriate for something of this nature. I will say, however, that this translation is excellent, and the Introduction by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is alone worth the price of admission. Truly a lovely book, and very, very inspirational.
February 2, 2009
Wow wow wow What a classic.Tibetan philosophy explained with simplicity.Wow wow wow is what I have to say about this book .
May 25, 2020
Not for a beginner....But, if you have a base of Tibetan Buddhism understanding, there is much to ponder...
January 3, 2022
‘’From beginningless time, without end, I have roamed throughout cyclic existence –
Led astray by the momentum of my mistaken past actions and improper past behaviour,
I have mistaken the path and become lost on the path.
I regret with powerful remorse the negative past actions I have committed, of any kind.
Drawn by the momentum of momentary yet violently resonant past acts,
I have sunk into this ocean of suffering, the sea of cyclic existence.
The fires of blazing hatred have unabatingly seared my mind,
The dense darkness of delusion has blinded my discriminative awareness,
The ocean coasts of desire have drowned my consciousness,
The mountain of fierce pride has entombed me in the lower existences (...)’’
Döden har väl alltid känts lite läskig, och kanske även svår att riktigt acceptera. Man har ju inte ett ordentlig grepp om den – man vet varken när den kommer att komma till en, eller exakt hur. Vilket såklart kan vara en extremt skrämmande tanke. Men samtidigt kan man inte göra särskilt mycket åt det. Enligt den tibetanska buddhismen så ser man på döden som något fullkomligt naturligt – en slags förändring som tillhör livscykeln. Och det råder en acceptans och rättframhet när man talar om den, vilket är himla befriande ändå. Bardo thodol innehåller detaljerade skildringar av hur man kan förbereda sig inför döden (bland annat genom utförligt beskrivna ritualer); hur man kan hantera den på avstånd (när någon nära går bort); samt även hur man allmänt kan leva ett bättre liv. Superspeciell läsupplevelse, men ändå fint på många vis. Alltså oavsett vad man själv tror på, eller inte tror på osv. Men tycker mycket om tanken på att inte klamra sig fast vid yttre omständigheter eller ting; utan att mer bara låta allt flöda genom en. Det gör ändå saker lite mer hanterbara, även sånt som egentligen inte är särskilt greppbart. Typ. Det är också fint hur det är av vikt att inte leva för mycket (eller överhuvudtaget faktiskt) i det förflutna eller i framtiden. Superbra och fin läsupplevelse.
Led astray by the momentum of my mistaken past actions and improper past behaviour,
I have mistaken the path and become lost on the path.
I regret with powerful remorse the negative past actions I have committed, of any kind.
Drawn by the momentum of momentary yet violently resonant past acts,
I have sunk into this ocean of suffering, the sea of cyclic existence.
The fires of blazing hatred have unabatingly seared my mind,
The dense darkness of delusion has blinded my discriminative awareness,
The ocean coasts of desire have drowned my consciousness,
The mountain of fierce pride has entombed me in the lower existences (...)’’
Döden har väl alltid känts lite läskig, och kanske även svår att riktigt acceptera. Man har ju inte ett ordentlig grepp om den – man vet varken när den kommer att komma till en, eller exakt hur. Vilket såklart kan vara en extremt skrämmande tanke. Men samtidigt kan man inte göra särskilt mycket åt det. Enligt den tibetanska buddhismen så ser man på döden som något fullkomligt naturligt – en slags förändring som tillhör livscykeln. Och det råder en acceptans och rättframhet när man talar om den, vilket är himla befriande ändå. Bardo thodol innehåller detaljerade skildringar av hur man kan förbereda sig inför döden (bland annat genom utförligt beskrivna ritualer); hur man kan hantera den på avstånd (när någon nära går bort); samt även hur man allmänt kan leva ett bättre liv. Superspeciell läsupplevelse, men ändå fint på många vis. Alltså oavsett vad man själv tror på, eller inte tror på osv. Men tycker mycket om tanken på att inte klamra sig fast vid yttre omständigheter eller ting; utan att mer bara låta allt flöda genom en. Det gör ändå saker lite mer hanterbara, även sånt som egentligen inte är särskilt greppbart. Typ. Det är också fint hur det är av vikt att inte leva för mycket (eller överhuvudtaget faktiskt) i det förflutna eller i framtiden. Superbra och fin läsupplevelse.
February 27, 2021
The Tibetan Book of the Dead, written by Padmasambhava, is a sobering, concise and even poetic manual on preparing for death and ultimately how to recognize the “inner radiance” and escape cyclic existence (or saṃsāra).
The title of this book, in its original language (Tibetan), is Bardo Thödol which can be translated to “The Great Liberation through Hearing in the Intermediate State”. We know from other sources that this book was read over the deceased while they are in the intermediate state between death and rebirth, thus confirming this as an appropriate title. This reading was performed to encourage the consciousness of the dead to realize the illusory and dreamlike nature of the bardo experiences so that it can obtain liberation. Liberation is synonymous with reaching enlightenment. This is where the importance of the “inner radiance” comes in. If you recognize the “inner radiance”, you will be liberated. One can think of the “inner radiance” as the true self or the essence of oneself although that is an elementary and shallow idea.
Padmasambhava’s writing is concise, poetic, but also esoteric. This is so for various reasons. The succinctness of his writing is probably because this is meant to be read repeatedly. It allows for the message to get across and compact passages are easier to meditate on and think about. As mentioned above, this text was read over the deceased so that they could obtain liberation in the bardo between death and rebirth. Furthermore, this book is like an instruction manual. Manuals do not have time for very flowery language (although this book is poetic in some parts). It must be concise because it simply wants to get the message of liberation across to its hearer. Secondly, it is poetic because it describes experiences that are otherworldly. He is not describing experiences of this life. He often describes near-death experiences or experiences in between death and rebirth. Since these experiences are not material, poetry describes those experiences the best. Additionally, the “preliminary practice” at the beginning of the book acts as a kind of song. These songs are sung before the instruction of the rest of the book is given. Finally, it is esoteric. This isn’t a writing style, but this intention certainly influenced the way he wrote. In fact, this text was one that Tibetan Buddhists would call a terma or “hidden treasure” text. Only under the correct circumstances, times, company and location would this text be allowed to be revealed for reading. Furthermore, only select people, initiated practitioners or yogis are meant to understand it. If you struggle to understand this text, you are simply not ready to understand it. This is the general structure of the text, but there are also prayers and philosophical sections inside this book as well.
In Tibetan Buddhism, reaching enlightenment or attaining buddhahood means overcoming the suffering of the cyclic existence (or saṃsāra). This is done by recognizing the “inner radiance”. The author suggests that there are spiritual practices that can be performed before death in order to be ready to recognize the “inner radiance” when it reveals itself. Only those yogis who have spent their lives preparing through spiritual meditative practices will be able to perceive the “inner radiance” upon death in the bardo.
Bardos are intermediate states of existence but usually refers to the state between one’s death and their rebirth. Padmasambhava describes six of these bardos and informs the readers of ways to recognize the “inner radiance” in them.
The first bardo is the state of living. This is the bardo in which you are practicing (through spiritual meditative practices) to recognize the “inner radiance” when you die (the next bardos). There are two bardos that are inside of the state of living. One is the bardo of meditation. This indicates the meditative concentration that a practitioner is able to enter in the waking state. This is the spiritual meditation mentioned earlier that will help prepare him for death. The second is the bardo of dreaming. This is also helpful in preparation for the later experience of death. It gives the dreamer an opportunity to recognize the difference between the illusory nature of the dreams and the waking life. You will see how these two bardos would be helpful in the bardo of the state of reality.
The second bardo is the time of death. You enter this bardo when the process of dying begins. Bardo Thödol shows us a few signs that we can observe to find out if we are entering into this bardo, for example, dysfunctional bodily characteristics or functions and physical discomfort and deterioration. This bardo hits its climax at the rising of the “inner radiance of the ground” and the ceasing of breathing.
With the rising of the “inner radiance of the ground” comes the beginning of the third bardo – the state of reality. This “inner radiance” after one stops breathing is regarded as the greatest opportunity to attain enlightenment. It is generally regarded as the most opportune time to obtain liberation, but it will come and go like a flash of lightning (one might see how the bardo of meditation might have been helpful here). In the case that you fail to recognize it – maybe because you did not spend enough time preparing for that moment during your lifetime through the practices – the consciousness will experience the “Peaceful and Wrathful Deities”. One could think of these like theatrical memories from the time of the state of living or a vivid, immersive virtual reality, but the fact of the matter is – it is fake. The Peaceful Deities are positive, likeable, and captivating illusions. The Wrathful Deities are scary, nightmare-like illusions that threaten death against you although you cannot die. If you recognize that the “Deities” are illusionary, you will be able to escape saṃsāra through recognizing the ever present “inner radiance” and obtain liberation (one might see how the bardo of dreaming might have been helpful here). If you fail to recognize their falsehood, you will be drawn into a rebirth. You remain in saṃsāra. This failure leads to the final bardo.
The final bardo is the state of rebirth. If liberation was not achieved previously, then you (your consciousness) will be transferred into a new body. The form you will take will be dependent on your karma. You will then have opportunities to recognize the “inner radiance” as you go through the cycle of life and bardos again.
In conclusion, Bardo Thödol is a book that urges its reader to wake up to the reality of death, since it is with death that comes the greatest opportunity to achieve liberation – that is, through the “inner radiance of the ground”. Indeed, “nothing at all exists which is not subject to the conditioning of death”. Yogis must know this: the temporary, passing nature of life and the incoming opportunity to escape saṃsāra. Padmasambhava achieves these purposes through his concise and poetic language. There is no question that this book provides encouragement to be “cognisant of the signs of [impending] death, and strive after [the accumulation of] virtue” as dedicated practitioners move towards recognition of the “inner radiance”.
The title of this book, in its original language (Tibetan), is Bardo Thödol which can be translated to “The Great Liberation through Hearing in the Intermediate State”. We know from other sources that this book was read over the deceased while they are in the intermediate state between death and rebirth, thus confirming this as an appropriate title. This reading was performed to encourage the consciousness of the dead to realize the illusory and dreamlike nature of the bardo experiences so that it can obtain liberation. Liberation is synonymous with reaching enlightenment. This is where the importance of the “inner radiance” comes in. If you recognize the “inner radiance”, you will be liberated. One can think of the “inner radiance” as the true self or the essence of oneself although that is an elementary and shallow idea.
Padmasambhava’s writing is concise, poetic, but also esoteric. This is so for various reasons. The succinctness of his writing is probably because this is meant to be read repeatedly. It allows for the message to get across and compact passages are easier to meditate on and think about. As mentioned above, this text was read over the deceased so that they could obtain liberation in the bardo between death and rebirth. Furthermore, this book is like an instruction manual. Manuals do not have time for very flowery language (although this book is poetic in some parts). It must be concise because it simply wants to get the message of liberation across to its hearer. Secondly, it is poetic because it describes experiences that are otherworldly. He is not describing experiences of this life. He often describes near-death experiences or experiences in between death and rebirth. Since these experiences are not material, poetry describes those experiences the best. Additionally, the “preliminary practice” at the beginning of the book acts as a kind of song. These songs are sung before the instruction of the rest of the book is given. Finally, it is esoteric. This isn’t a writing style, but this intention certainly influenced the way he wrote. In fact, this text was one that Tibetan Buddhists would call a terma or “hidden treasure” text. Only under the correct circumstances, times, company and location would this text be allowed to be revealed for reading. Furthermore, only select people, initiated practitioners or yogis are meant to understand it. If you struggle to understand this text, you are simply not ready to understand it. This is the general structure of the text, but there are also prayers and philosophical sections inside this book as well.
In Tibetan Buddhism, reaching enlightenment or attaining buddhahood means overcoming the suffering of the cyclic existence (or saṃsāra). This is done by recognizing the “inner radiance”. The author suggests that there are spiritual practices that can be performed before death in order to be ready to recognize the “inner radiance” when it reveals itself. Only those yogis who have spent their lives preparing through spiritual meditative practices will be able to perceive the “inner radiance” upon death in the bardo.
Bardos are intermediate states of existence but usually refers to the state between one’s death and their rebirth. Padmasambhava describes six of these bardos and informs the readers of ways to recognize the “inner radiance” in them.
The first bardo is the state of living. This is the bardo in which you are practicing (through spiritual meditative practices) to recognize the “inner radiance” when you die (the next bardos). There are two bardos that are inside of the state of living. One is the bardo of meditation. This indicates the meditative concentration that a practitioner is able to enter in the waking state. This is the spiritual meditation mentioned earlier that will help prepare him for death. The second is the bardo of dreaming. This is also helpful in preparation for the later experience of death. It gives the dreamer an opportunity to recognize the difference between the illusory nature of the dreams and the waking life. You will see how these two bardos would be helpful in the bardo of the state of reality.
The second bardo is the time of death. You enter this bardo when the process of dying begins. Bardo Thödol shows us a few signs that we can observe to find out if we are entering into this bardo, for example, dysfunctional bodily characteristics or functions and physical discomfort and deterioration. This bardo hits its climax at the rising of the “inner radiance of the ground” and the ceasing of breathing.
With the rising of the “inner radiance of the ground” comes the beginning of the third bardo – the state of reality. This “inner radiance” after one stops breathing is regarded as the greatest opportunity to attain enlightenment. It is generally regarded as the most opportune time to obtain liberation, but it will come and go like a flash of lightning (one might see how the bardo of meditation might have been helpful here). In the case that you fail to recognize it – maybe because you did not spend enough time preparing for that moment during your lifetime through the practices – the consciousness will experience the “Peaceful and Wrathful Deities”. One could think of these like theatrical memories from the time of the state of living or a vivid, immersive virtual reality, but the fact of the matter is – it is fake. The Peaceful Deities are positive, likeable, and captivating illusions. The Wrathful Deities are scary, nightmare-like illusions that threaten death against you although you cannot die. If you recognize that the “Deities” are illusionary, you will be able to escape saṃsāra through recognizing the ever present “inner radiance” and obtain liberation (one might see how the bardo of dreaming might have been helpful here). If you fail to recognize their falsehood, you will be drawn into a rebirth. You remain in saṃsāra. This failure leads to the final bardo.
The final bardo is the state of rebirth. If liberation was not achieved previously, then you (your consciousness) will be transferred into a new body. The form you will take will be dependent on your karma. You will then have opportunities to recognize the “inner radiance” as you go through the cycle of life and bardos again.
In conclusion, Bardo Thödol is a book that urges its reader to wake up to the reality of death, since it is with death that comes the greatest opportunity to achieve liberation – that is, through the “inner radiance of the ground”. Indeed, “nothing at all exists which is not subject to the conditioning of death”. Yogis must know this: the temporary, passing nature of life and the incoming opportunity to escape saṃsāra. Padmasambhava achieves these purposes through his concise and poetic language. There is no question that this book provides encouragement to be “cognisant of the signs of [impending] death, and strive after [the accumulation of] virtue” as dedicated practitioners move towards recognition of the “inner radiance”.
January 26, 2024
A good preparation for death.
May 15, 2024
humbly stating my copy was not 500 pages but can’t find the one i read
June 14, 2007
First new translation of the complete Tibetan Book of the Dead. The important thing to know is that there is probably a reason why it wasn't completely translated before. The long symptom lists of "how you can tell you're dying," might have been useful back when the book came into being but now, they seem either sad, laughable, or a good basis for hypochondria. The part of the book that is most useful are the chapters dealing with the worlds and beings that one encounters after death, and the best way to choose incarnation (or not). This is what makes the book fascinating and useful. No other spiritual text has such a complete, detailed and fascinating map of the proposed afterworld. And yes, there are a lot of prayers and meditations that can be done even if one is not dying or dead.
Overall, still a dense read, but highly rewarding to someone who is interested. This is indeed the best and most complete translation, but it is definitely not for beginners. Other editions contain the most relevant chapters, and those might be a better place to start for those not familiar with the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Overall, still a dense read, but highly rewarding to someone who is interested. This is indeed the best and most complete translation, but it is definitely not for beginners. Other editions contain the most relevant chapters, and those might be a better place to start for those not familiar with the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
June 13, 2018
Whelp. That was weird.
This is basically a recipe for how to die.
1) As a non-buddhist, I was surprised to see the text tell you that you are going to meet hundreds of deities... and then remind you not to be afraid of them, because everything you are hearing and seeing is just manufactured by your own mind. As I understand it (with my rudimentary understanding of buddhism in general) this was a way to get people to accept buddhism even if they were afraid of turning away their traditional family or village gods. They ARE real... but they are just created in your mind.
2) I kind of wish I had read an intro-to-what-Tibetan-buddhists-believe book, such as Robert A.F. Thurman's _Essential Tibetan Buddhism_. Although I don't think it's necessary, especially if you get a book with good footnotes and a great introduction.
I'll definitely be learning more about this topic in the future.
This is basically a recipe for how to die.
1) As a non-buddhist, I was surprised to see the text tell you that you are going to meet hundreds of deities... and then remind you not to be afraid of them, because everything you are hearing and seeing is just manufactured by your own mind. As I understand it (with my rudimentary understanding of buddhism in general) this was a way to get people to accept buddhism even if they were afraid of turning away their traditional family or village gods. They ARE real... but they are just created in your mind.
2) I kind of wish I had read an intro-to-what-Tibetan-buddhists-believe book, such as Robert A.F. Thurman's _Essential Tibetan Buddhism_. Although I don't think it's necessary, especially if you get a book with good footnotes and a great introduction.
I'll definitely be learning more about this topic in the future.
January 22, 2018
El libro tibetano de los muertos trata de los 40 días que preceden a la muerte del ser humano, explica qué debe hacer la persona para tener una buena muerte porque si mueres sufriendo nacerás sufriendo, si mueres en paz con la mente lúcida, así nacerás. Para apreciar bien este libro deberíamos contar con unos pocos conocimientos sobre budismo tibetano como algo sobre los 6 reinos pues cada uno de nosotros pertenecemos a uno de estos reinos aunque vivamos en la Tierra y ahí lo menciona sin explicarlo. Los familiares o dolientes tienen que rezar diferentes oraciones por los 40 días en que tarda la conciencia en renacer. Me encantó y lo recomiendo para los estudiosos de la tanatología y para conocer el budismo tibetano les recomiendo Un Rayo En La Pradera.
April 11, 2020
The cover suggests that reading The Tibetan Book of the Dead will reveal the secrets of enlightened living, but readers will instead find that the text suggests daily practice and hard-won transformation is a difficult journey that encompasses both life and death. This work is voluminous and probably inappropriate for readers who aren't specifically interested in the subject matter. The Tibetan Book of the Dead offers great depth surrounding how to live well and gracefully accept the afterlife as a part of our experience. Enthusiasts can come back to read it often throughout their life and understand it differently each time.
January 2, 2015
This is my preferred translation of the entire cycle of the bardo teachings. Inspiring on multiple levels, this is one I return to again and again - an all time favorite
March 13, 2019
Not an easy read, but it’s worth it!
July 6, 2025
Frequently very confusing, it took nearly five years for me to finish ‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’ - and yet, I think it changed some part of me. I’ve never encountered anything quite like it.
August 17, 2024
I found it too steeped in imagery and symbolism, too repetitive. Even though they're talking about what happens at the moment of death which no one could know, or no one could verify whether someone else knows, it's very fantastical and imaginative in a way that doesn't resonate with me at all. There are some points where it is straightforward enough to get into, like the short Masked Drama toward the end, but mostly it's mired in ritual and symbolism that isn't a fit for me. I guess it's a me thing because even The Great Liberation By Hearing, which became very popular among some very noteworthy people, gave me a hard time. Throughout the text there are obvious nuggets of wisdom, but this is couched among symbolism that appears arbitrary to me. Though perhaps it has deep roots in this tradition, it makes for a tough read I mostly didn't enjoy
I can understand the idea behind remaining calm and centering one's mind on thoughts of the good to gain a good rebirth, but things like avoiding and averting one's eyes in the moment of death from certain colors or phenomenon because paying attention to as it arises will lead to, say, animal rebirth, is the type of weird stuff I'm talking about
I can understand the idea behind remaining calm and centering one's mind on thoughts of the good to gain a good rebirth, but things like avoiding and averting one's eyes in the moment of death from certain colors or phenomenon because paying attention to as it arises will lead to, say, animal rebirth, is the type of weird stuff I'm talking about
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