The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Awakening Upon Dying
✍️ Padmasambhava, Karma Lingpa, Elio Guarisco and 2 moreCurrently unavailable
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This profound new edition of *The Tibetan Book of the Dead*, also known as *The Great Liberation through Hearing*, offers a vital roadmap for navigating the journey between lifetimes. Featuring insightful commentary from Dzogchen master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, this translation incorporates recent textual discoveries, illuminating previously obscure passages. It serves as both a historical treasure and a practical spiritual manual, guiding the consciousness of the deceased or dying toward ultimate freedom during the bardo state.
Praise for this book
“Known as The Great Liberation through Hearing in Tibetan, this book is a manual of instructions to guide the dying person on the difficult path at the moment of death and the deceased person in the bewildering post-mortem state, as he or she wanders in confused search for a new life. The reader first needs to awaken to the awareness that death is an ineluctable part of life.”
“This is a new inspired translation of a famed classic of Tibetan literature presented in the traditional context of the teachings of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), which will provide practitioners precise and genuine guidance in the various Bardo states that one faces at the end of one's life. I truly admire the style and the fluidity of the rendering of the original texts. This is surely going to become an invaluable reference for all practitioners!”
📝 Description: The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Awakening Upon Dying
📑 What's inside
- Color Plates and Illustrations
- Preface
- Propaedeutic Note
- Introduction / ChOgyal Namkhai Norbu
- The Great Liberation Through Hearing
- Prologue
- Premise
- Instructions
- Introduction to the Clear Light in the Intermediate State of the Moment of Death
- Introduction to the Clear Light of the Base
- Introduction to the Clear Light of the Path
- Introduction to Recognizing the Intermediate State of Reality
- The Vision of the Peaceful Deities in the Intermediate State of Reality
- The Vision of the Wrathful Deities in the Intermediate State of Reality
- Conclusion of the Introduction to the Intermediate State of the Moment of Death and the Intermediate State of Reality
- Introduction to the Intermediate State of Rebirth
- Introduction to the Mental Body
- Obstructing Womb Entrances
- Choosing a Womb Entrance
- Conclusion
- Invocations
- About These Invocations
- The Invocation That Calls to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for Help: Natural Liberation from Fear
- The Invocation That Rescues from the Perilous Paths of the Intermediate States
- The Invocation That Protects from Fear of the Intermediate States
- The Root Verses of the Six Intermediate States
- About These Verses
- The Verses
- Epilogue
- Appendix A. Recognizing the Signs of Encroaching Death
- Appendix B. Further Ways to Assist the Dying and the Dead
- Appendix C. The Symbolism of the Mandala of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities
- The Forty-Two Peaceful Deities
- The Awareness Holders
- The Fifty-Eight Wrathful Deities
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- About the Authors and Contributors
💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
This edition serves as a vital roadmap for the soul's ultimate passage, offering profound guidance for navigating the journey between lifetimes. It is particularly valuable for those seeking to understand the bardo state through the lens of Dzogchen mastery. The inclusion of commentary by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and recent textual discoveries illuminates obscure passages, making it both a historical treasure and a practical manual. Readers interested in spiritual liberation and the mechanics of consciousness will find this work essential for its timely insights into the soul's journey beyond the veil.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
While this new edition provides a compelling synthesis of historical texts and modern Dzogchen commentary, it is not suitable for casual readers seeking light entertainment or simple self-help advice. The material demands serious engagement with complex metaphysical concepts specific to Tibetan Buddhism. Those uninterested in esoteric philosophy or the intricacies of the bardo state may find the content dense and inaccessible. However, for dedicated students of the occult and esoteric traditions, it remains an indispensable resource for understanding the mechanics of spiritual liberation and the profound depth of the soul's final journey.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
If you are drawn to the profound mysteries of consciousness, death, and rebirth, or if you seek a practical spiritual guide for life's ultimate transition, this book is essential. It offers deep insights for students of Buddhism, philosophy, and anyone contemplating the nature of existence beyond the physical.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Liberation Through Hearing
Central to the text is the practice of reading aloud specific passages to the dying or recently deceased. This auditory guidance aims to awaken the individual to the true nature of reality, helping them recognize the illusory nature of terrifying visions and embrace the opportunity for spiritual awakening at the moment of transition.
Ancient Wisdom Revealed
Originally composed by the revered Indian master Padmasambhava in the 8th century, this sacred text remained hidden for centuries. Its eventual discovery by the tertön Karma Lingpa in the 14th century brought forth profound teachings that illuminate Tibetan Buddhist perspectives on death, consciousness, and the path to ultimate freedom.
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Bardo
- Tertön
- Dzogchen
📔 Questions to reflect on
- How does the concept of the 'bardo' challenge or affirm your current understanding of death and the afterlife?
- Reflect on the idea of 'liberation through hearing.' How might spoken words or intentions influence a transitional state?
- If your consciousness were to navigate an intermediate state, what spiritual or philosophical principles would you wish to recall or be reminded of?
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