The Tibetan Book of the Dead Annie Shapiro1 The Tibetan Book of the Dead is actually a manual for the living. It details the journey each soul must make ofter death as reported back by meditators who used their lives to journey on other planes and bring back information about how reality is constructed. What can we expect after death? The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a guide for the soul, but also is related to every day life. Once you realize that life and death are not separate, then death becomes just a continuation of the journey. Here I have tried my best to summarize the great Tibetan classic. Key words: The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Bardo Thodral, Dead, Tantric Buddhism, Tibet. The Bardo Thodral, commonly known as “The Tibetan Book of the Dead” or “Great Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate States,” is a text of spiritual magnitude. According to tradition, it was conceived in the 8th The Bardo Thodral was hidden century by the Tibetan hero, Padmasambhava. “treasure discoverer.” until the 14th century when it was found by Monk Karma Lingpa, the great It was originally published in English in the 1927 by Annie Shapiro is a Professor at Naropa University and Dongguk University. International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture September 2007, Vol.9, pp.111-122. ⓒ 2007 International Association for Buddhist Thought and Culture 112 Annie Shapiro: The Tibetan Book of the Dead Evans-Wentz in an incomplete form. often wildly misunderstood. These days it is widely known, and To grasp the significance of this sacred Tibetan text, one must alter their perspective. In modern Western thought, rationalism is the ruler. In most current paradigms, one has to see something to believe it, be able to pin it to cardboard, or keep it in a test tube. Granted, the West is not without its own achievements; people have traveled to the moon, created advanced modern medicine, and induced the industrial revolution. However, Asia has been not dormant as Western technology flourished; many discoveries made in the East have been metaphysical. of Tibet, India, and China were psychonauts. While the West revered great scientists and their achievements, the most celebrated discoverers These people explored unseen Yogis and energetic landscapes through the mastery of meditation and yoga. yoginis delved into the mind and drew maps of other dimensions, which led to the creation of acupuncture charts, chakra diagrams, and such, like the first explorers made maps of the continents. practice. Buddhist teachings became a bedrock of this internal exploration because of the strong emphasis on meditation In Tibet, which is relatively isolated from the rest of the world, Buddhism developed as in no other place on earth. The Bardo Thodral represents one of the peak achievements in psychonautics, akin to the first telescopes that revealed the universe. describes the journey after death that everyone must invariably make. guidebook, which everyone should take with them to the next world. It Not The just a description of the other world like Dante’s Inferno, it is also a breadth of knowledge brought back by meditation practitioners and by Tibetan ‘delogs,’ people who die and then return to this world to share their experiences, is detailed and profound. It can be used as a study guide for anyone living, can be read to a dying person, or can be recited to a recently deceased person to help them navigate through the next life. Ultimately, its purpose is to help people If that is not possible, the The basic recognize their true nature in the afterlife. secondary goal is to guide them back to a favorable human birth. International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 113 teachings within the text are also recommended for practice in daily living. Although the Bardo Thodral has a rather foreboding reputation, it carries a positive message. Death or change is not to be feared, but to be handled Life does not end after the physical body departs. “Do not be afraid of death” is the message; it is calmly and gracefully. Dying is just a door to new and interesting experiences, which we are able to prepare for in this lifetime. butterfly. just a transformation to another existence, like a caterpillar turning into a I. Historical Background Before the Maoist regime’s invasion, Tibet was one of the most isolated, peaceful, and religious countries on earth. A large percentage of the population was engaged in monasticism, and the ubiquity of Buddhism was to the extent that there was no word for “Buddhism” in the Tibetan language. There was an abundance of huge monasteries, thousands of monks, and widespread practice of mantra and prostrations, where Buddhist practices unique to Tibet were developed. When the Bardo Thodral was first written down in Tibet by Padmasambhava, the highland country was not a religious haven. conquered half of the world. parts of China. Tibetan people used to be warlike, comparable to the fierce Mongolian nomads who At one point, Tibet’s empire even took over The Himalayan plateau was divided into many different warring factions, until Padmasambhava, who was adept at memorizing esoteric Buddhist texts, came from India and unified the people under Buddhism. While Tibetans revered Padmasambhava as a kind of deity, he was also a historical figure and a great religious teacher. According to Tibetan He tradition, he brought Tantric Buddhism from India to Tibet and also tamed the warlike gods and spirits of the mountains with the teachings of Dharma. centuries. These are known as “terma” or treasure in Tibet. wrote down a number of texts and then hid them for discovery in future The Bardo 114 Annie Shapiro: The Tibetan Book of the Dead Thodral is one of these hidden treasures, which was discovered by the great practitioner Karma Lingpa six-hundred years later. Professor Robert Thurman speculates on why someone would hide a religious text for centuries. If it were really so beneficial, why would The reason, says Thurman, is In a war-like country, death The sacred text was someone deprive generations of people from it? because Tibet was not ready to confront death. is not allowed to be acknowledged, because then people stop fighting, producing, and driving the country economically. received at the right time for the Tibetans, when people were ready to contemplate and “live in the clear light of death” as Thurman says (2005). As the Dalai Lama says on death, “it is not morbid to contemplate it, but rather liberating from fear, and even beneficial for the health of the living” (Thurman 1994). II. Tantric Buddhism Tantra is called the left-handed path. Unlike most religious traditions which stress piety in order to keep negative emotions under control, Tantra suggests that one use the negative and passionate emotions as fuel to propel oneself to evolve quickly along the spiritual path. It is said that the By left-handed path can be dangerous if someone approaches it without proper understanding, which is why it is necessary to have a guiding teacher. immense power as fuel for spiritual growth. Buddhist teachings often utilize the metaphor of a peacock, a bird able to ingest poison. Instead of killing the bird, the poison serves to make its This means that no emotion, experience, or “A good situation is actually a bad situation,” This means plumage even more brilliant. sensation is good or bad. welcoming the scariest feelings and emotions, one can actually harness their quoted Zen teacher Hyon Gak Sunim (Quote from Seung Sahn). from another angle―every phenomenon is actually pure awareness. that even a situation that seems terrible can be used positively when seen International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 115 In Zen Buddhism, bright color themes are used to excite the emotions, unlike in Zen Buddhism, which is starker by contrast. is more comparable to surfing on the waves of mind. the most important method. and dying (Ok Kwan 2007). In Zen Buddhism, one In Tantra, instead of tries to calm the passionate emotions like water on a still lake, where Tantra asking oneself a question, devotion to the teacher or compassionate deities is Zen has less to say on Death―“When you die, Both Buddhist approaches are equally valid; the Both are designed to discover the true nature just die!” said Korean Zen master Seung Sahn Sunim when asked about death left and right hand are two sides of the same coin, and contain the same essence (Hyon Gak 2006-2007). of mind. The use of peaceful and frightening images describe the human psyche in Tantra. minds. Those deities are actually aspects of our own consciousness and shouldn’t be feared or idealized, but recognized as the true nature of our own Even the frightening deities with skull necklaces and many heads are Another compassionately trying to wake us up; they have something to teach. sacred image in Tantric Buddhism is two humans or deities in sexual embrace. This might be confusing to a Judeo-Christian mind, but this image is meant to represent the essence of the universe, male and feminine energies coming together to create life. in Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhist philosophy does not acknowledge the existence of a ‘soul’ in the Judeo-Christian sense of the word. continuous stream. This is because consciousness has no It is more like a essential nature separate from the rest of the universe. rope made of many different materials. This image is actually one of the most sacred images Buddhist scholar Alan Watts describes the “soul” as a At the top it is silk, in the middle There is a knot in the rope Is it still the same knot or a nylon, and then cotton below that (Watts 2005). that slides down through the various materials. different knot? suggests a continuous awareness. The world Tantra actually means “thread” in Tibetan, which 116 Annie Shapiro: The Tibetan Book of the Dead III. The Journey through the Bardos Bardo means “between state,” and there are many bardos in this lifetime. For example, the state between sleeping and waking is a bardo in Between this life and the next is the What follows is a description of how one can cope with this It is advice both for the departing person and which we are neither asleep nor awake. afterlife bardo. between state in order to relieve suffering, attain spiritual realization, and achieve a favorable rebirth. those around him or her to facilitate a positive experience. The Bardo Thodral describes the dying process; first the body breaks down into its constituent elements―earth to water, water to fire, fire to wind, and wind into consciousness (Dorje 2005: 229). During this time, a dying person is instructed to imagine whatever compassionate deity they believe in about one foot above the head, whether it be Buddha, Allah, Jesus, or otherwise. Imagining the essence of compassion and goodness floating above Devotion to any specific deity is not prescribed the head is the goal. (Dzogchen Ponlop 2007: 153). The purpose of the visualization is so the consciousness will leave from the top of the head, to project one’s awareness into the heavenly realms. A person present at that time can also put their fingers on the pressure points at the base of the skull to direct one’s consciousness out through top of the head. “The Tibetan Book of the Dead” instructs one to remain calm and Even just creating the Also, it is suggested to recite To keep a loving mind in every positive as the moment of transcendence approaches. intention to remain calm will help greatly. mantras such as “Om Mani Padme Hung.” will set the trajectory into the Bardos. Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is a modern day master of Buddhist Tantra. In his book, “Mind Beyond Death,” he gives advice to the loved ones of the dying person. He says that one of the best things to do is to read the This way they can be guided through the “Tibetan Book of the Dead” to the dying person, and recite it again after consciousness has left the body. moment is important, especially before dying, as the state at the time of death International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 117 Bardo states. He also notes, immediately after death, people should not cry They should or be depressed, as this can disturb the spirit of the departed. treat the possessions of the person respectfully, as not to cause any upset. Rather than crying and being depressed, we should maintain an atmosphere of support and loving kindness (Dzogchen Ponlop 2007: 125). The Bardo Thodral tells us that immediately after death we experience “the luminosity” or, “inner radiance of the first intermediate state” (Dorje 2005). The luminosity described appears right after the consciousness leaves The naked luminosity is perhaps the “white light at In the body, and lasts, according to Thurman, about as long as it takes to eat a meal (Thurman 2005). experiences. the end of the tunnel,” which so many people describe in near-death It could be called God, pure consciousness, or awareness. Tibet, it is called “the nature of mind,” among many other descriptors. our true nature. The luminous consciousness is our true essence. What the Bardo Thodral points out is this clear luminosity is one and the same as If one can recognize that, one can attain state of “rainbow body” and move beyond samsara, or suffering, completely. opportunity for this reason. The Tibetans see death as a great It is easier to attain enlightenment in this state than in the afterlife (Thurman 1994: 121). After this state, if one does not recognize the pure luminosity, one moves into the “between stages,” or bardos. their body, like a ghost. After the luminosity stage, the consciousness of the being is able to perceive and move in the world without At this point, the soul may see those people who This may cause suffering for the being are close to him or her in mourning. alive. because they want their loved ones to know that they are not dead, but still However, at this point, the soul should completely let go of attachment to the past life, the people and the places in it, in order to embark fully on a new journey (McLean 1999). The Bardo Thodral reads, O, Child of Buddha Nature, that which is called death has now arrived. Therefore you should adopt an altruistic motivation and concentrate your thinking as follows: ‘I have arrived at the time of 118 Annie Shapiro: The Tibetan Book of the Dead death, so now, relying on the process of death, I will single-mindedly cultivate an altruistic motivation. I will meditate on generation of loving kindness and compassion and altruistic intention to attain enlightenment. For the benefit of all sentient beings, who are all limitless as space, I must attain perfect buddhahood’ (Dorje 2005: 230). As the consciousness being releases attachments to this life, at this stage of the afterlife, one becomes extremely powerful. anyplace in heaven or earth just by thinking about it. Consciousness can go Because one has such power in this state, one should remember to keep an altruistic mind, because it is possible to accomplish feats that may have been impossible during life (McLean 1999). The after-death process is said to take 49 earth days to The exception to the 49 days is Then, complete, depending on the individual’s karma, though the way the soul experiences the passage of time is relative. if someone manages to attain enlightenment immediately after death. choosing. In the Bardo, both peaceful and wrathful apparitions begin to emerge. Because there are so many deities in Tibetan tradition, the descriptions of who you may meet in the afterlife are quite colorful. Thodral reads, The transcendent lord Ratnasambhava will dawn before you, his body yellow in color, holding in his right hand a jewel, seated on a horse throne and embraced by his supreme consort Mamaki. ... [a light] will emanate from the heard of Ratnasambhava and his consort will shine piercingly before you at the level of your heart with such brilliance that your eyes cannot bear it. ... at that time, abandon your fear of the yellow light and recognize it as pristine awareness. Relax and abide directly within it, in a state of non-activity. Again and again, have confidence in it! Be drawn to it with loving devotion (Dorje 2005: 240). they will be instantly reborn in the pure lands or another birth of their For example, the Bardo The descriptions of these gods and goddesses span the range from compassionate pure land-beings to terrifying demons. Everything one International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 119 encounters is basically a manifestation of one’s own mind. dream. Without being caged in the body, the subconscious mind is projected completely, as in a While a person of Tibetan upbringing may very well see the myriad of deities described, the author feels that one shouldn’t take these descriptions literally, but realize they are aspects of consciousness that we already know quite intimately. However, these states of mind will be much more vivid in the afterlife state (Dzogchen Ponlop 2007: 124). It is said that the lord of death will appear and judge the soul for all good and bad deeds, but the Bardo Thodral reminds us, do not be afraid. There is nothing that can harm you because you are pure consciousness. own brain! Feel delight! 1994: 156). Do not fear them! Do not be terrified! On the subject of these appearances, it is said, they “have emerged from your Do not hate them! Recognize them as an image of your own awareness” (Thurman Basically, whatever appears after death is no different than your Be relaxed, do not be afraid, and try to recognize own mind’s projections. these creations as your own pure nature. These appearances are all the karma, or mental patterns from the mind stream, from our deep unconscious minds. Unlike Christianity, which suggests that a person will either go to heaven or hell eternally depending on the individual’s good and bad deeds, in Buddhism, it is possible that both realms of heaven and hell will appear. These also are only temporary, so one should not get attached to any state, but just let them appear and experience them without loving or hating them. One should keep an altruistic mind, and keep In death, as in life, one the goal of attaining a precious human rebirth. should not give way to fear, hatred, or ignorance. IV. The Six Realms After the appearance of the various psychical manifestations run their course, the lights of the six realms appear. next rebirth. Here, the soul can choose the These lights are not as bright as the dazzling appearances 120 Annie Shapiro: The Tibetan Book of the Dead before, but this is just as important as the spirit can choose its next rebirth. According to Buddhism, everyone reincarnates unless they have become completely enlightened during the Bardo stage. reborn until every being is saved (McLean 1999). For each realm, there is a different colored light. The grey smoky light The yellow represents the hell realm, where anger is the dominant emotion. craving, and the green light is that of the animal realm. that of the human realm. Even enlightened masters choose to reincarnate, because they are Bodhisattvas who have vowed to be light represents the realm of the hungry ghosts, which is characterized by The blue light is The red light is the realm of the assuras, jealous Although gods who are more powerful than humans; the white light is that of the godly realm, which is said to be heavenly, but is characterized by pride. it may seem more desirable to be reborn in the gods’ realm, it is said that the human realm is the best one, because here exists a mix of pleasure and suffering to make one’s consciousness strive to evolve (Dzogchen Ponlop 2007: 211-217). V. Attaining a Human Rebirth In order to attain a human rebirth, one is supposed to go towards the blue light. Another suggestion that could potentially help attain this rebirth is As the spirit is drawn to a visualizing the guru and consort in union. particular rebirth, it should look for a good situation, including loving parents and an environment where there is leisure time to practice meditation or contemplation. One will see a human couple copulating and will be drawn to “They will be drawn to human parents This couple will become the them at the moment of conception. person’s new parents. While the Tibetan teaching on this subject can seem tremendously esoteric, with its ornate and complex pantheon, it also points to the fact that the mind is the most powerful in deciding one’s experience. Thus, a natural like a magnet” says Ch’an Master Sheng-yen. International Journal of Buddhist Thought & Culture 121 and relaxed stance is important. Also making positive aspirations, feeling compassion or devotion to loving kindness are perhaps more important than any information we can keep with us. VI. The Bardo Thodral and Everyday Life What relevance has the Bardo Thodral beyond just a guide book for the afterlife? While the descriptions of the bardos are lush and detailed, the If we have cultivated a positive, altruistic mind Cultivating the mind means being able to To instructions always point to a few simple ideas, like strength, courage, and devotion to compassion. during this lifetime, and have acted kindly towards others, then the afterlife and next rebirth will reflect this. stay calm in a trying situation, to relax, and not give way to fear. meditation practice (Pannayaboga 2007: Personal conversation). nothing can harm us (Dzogchen Ponlop 2007: 43). The Bardo Thodral tells us it is possible to recognize that all phenomenon is actually none other than our true nature of mind; benevolent, compassionate, and luminous. All you have to do is just trust your own Every moment of life we universal nature, which has been there all along. up (Wu Bong 2007). develop loving kindness, or metta, for others is actually the point of When we make friends with our intense emotions instead of running from them, then have a choice; to remain asleep or to choose consciousness and finally wake References Dorje, Gyurme 2005 Dzogchen Ponlop (Rinpoche) 2007 The Tibetan Book of the Dead. NY: Penguin Classics. Mind Beyond Death. Ithaca NY: Snow Lion Publications. 122 Annie Shapiro: The Tibetan Book of the Dead Hyon Gak (Sunim) 2006-2007 McLean, Barrie 1999 Ok Kwan (Sunim) 2007 Pannyaboga (Burmese Monk) 2007 Sheng-yen (Ch’an Master) 1993 Thurman, R. 1994 2005 Watts, Alan 2005 Wu Bong (Zen Master) 2007 Personal conversations, e-mail and Dharma talks. The Tibetan Book of the Dead―A way of life (Video). December 21. Dharma talk at Hwa Gye Sa. Dharma talk. November. Zen Wisdom: Knowing an Doing. NY: Dharma Drum Publications. The Tibetan Book of the Dead. NY: Bantam Books. The Jewel in the Enlightenment Engine of Tibet. NY: Free Press. Radio Broadcast KGNU Radio Boulder. Colorado. Dharma talk at Hwa Gye Sa. November.