Buddhism is a tradition dating back to the 6th century B.C.E. and the teachings of the Indian Siddhartha (c. 560-480 B.C.E.), or Gautama after the name of the family. Guatama lived in Kapilavastu in the Indian subcontinent, which is present day Nepal. According to tradition, Gautama was not simply human. He was a human destined to greatness, a “Buddha” or “Awakened One” (Bilhartz 2006, 207). The Buddha left no writings, but his teachings, such as found in the Dhammapada, were recorded by his followers. Buddha challenged orthodox Indian teaching and rejected the view that there is a pure metaphysical essence, such as a soul or atman. Rather, for Buddha, there is void, or no-self. About five centuries after the life of Gautama, Buddhism entered a second era of creative development with the rise of Mahayana Buddhism and an emphasis on achieving bodhisattva (i.e., an enlightened [bodhi] existence [sattva]). Five centuries after this marks the rise of Tantric Buddhist literature, and among it The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol Chenmo), one of the great treatises on the nature of death and how to die (Bilhartz 2006, 210-14).
According to tradition, The Tibetan Book of the Dead was written by eighth-century spiritual master Padmasambhava and discovered in the 12th century C.E. in Tibet by Rigzin Karma Linpa, a spiritual master believed to be his reincarnation. The book is a self-help guidebook intended to help the dying and recently deceased souls to find their way through the difficult stages of the afterlife. In the text, “bardos” stands for existential gaps between stages that must be addressed. The first part, called Chikhai Bardo, describes the moment of death. The second part, called Chonyid Bardo, addresses the states that supervene immediately after death. The third part, called Sidpa Bardo, concerns the onset of the birth instinct and of prenatal events. The gaps or uncertainties in and after life must be eliminated so that the dying person can journey on without the illusion of attachment. The cycle of rebirths is the natural result of various good deeds and misdeeds in the person’s life. It can involve innumerable lives, including a journey in either sex, in nonhuman animals, and in other realms. It inevitably involves suffering and continues until all cravings are lost. Then and only then, as the following passage indicates, “having recognized himself, he will become inseparably united with the dharamakaya [Perfect Enlightenment] and certainly attain liberation” (The Tibetan Book of the Dead 1990, 87). The following selection from The Tibetan Book of the Dead is intended to be read to the dying person by a wise person (e.g., a guru, dharma-brother, or dharma sister) who guides the dying person in the journey to the afterlife. Instructions to the wise person appear below and passages read to the dying person appear in quotation marks.
The time of instruction: when respiration has ceased, prāṇa [i.e., breath or breathing] is absorbed into the wisdom-dhūtī and luminosity free from complexities shines clearly in the consciousness. If prana is reversed and escapes into the right and left nāḍīs [i.e., energy channel], the bardo state appears suddenly, so the reading should take place before the prāṇa escapes into the right and left nāḍīs. The length of time during which the inner pulsation remains after respiration has ceased is just about the time to take to eat a meal. The method of instruction: it is best if ejection of consciousness is effected when the respiration is just about to stop, but if it has not been affected one should say these words: “O child of noble family, (name), now the time has come for you to seek a path. As soon as your breath stops, what is called the basic luminosity of the first bardo, which your guru has already shown you, will appear to you. This is the dharmatā [i.e., intrinsic nature], open and empty like space, luminous voice, pure naked mind without center or circumference. Recognize then, and rest in that state, and I too will show you at the same time.” This should be firmly implanted in his mind by repeating it many times over in his ear until he stops breathing. Then, when the ceasing of the breath is heard, one should lay him down on the right side in the lion position and firmly press the two pulsating arteries, which induce sleep, the prāṇa which has entered the dhūtī will not be able to go back and will be certain to emerge through the brahmarandhara.
Now the showing should be read. At this time the first bardo, which is called the luminosity of dharmatā, the undistorted mind of the dharmakāya [i.e., Perfect Enlightenment] arises in the mind of all beings. Ordinary people call this state unconscious because the prāṇa sinks into the avadhūtī [i.e., energy channels] during the interval between the ceasing of the breath and the pulsation. The time it lasts is uncertain, depending on the spiritual condition and the stage of yogic training. It last for a long time in those who have practiced much, were steady in the meditation practice of tranquility, and sensitive. In striving to show such a person one should repeat the instruction until pus comes out from the apertures of his body. In wicked and insensitive people it does not last longer than a single snapping of the fingers, but in some it last for the time taken to eat a meal. As most sūtras [i.e., rules or aphorisms] and tantras[i.e., doctrine of enlightenment] say that this unconscious state lasts for four and half days, generally one should strive to show the luminosity for that length of time. The method of instruction: If he is able, he will work with himself from the instructions already given. But if he cannot by himself, then his guru, or a disciple of his guru, or a dharma-brother or dharma-sister who was a close friend, should stay nearby and read aloud and clearly the sequence of the signs of death: “Now the sign of earth dissolving into water is present, water into fire, fire into air, air into consciousness…” When the sequence is almost complete he should be encouraged to adopt an attitude like this, “O child of noble family,” or, if he was a guru, “O Sir,” –“do not let your thoughts wander.” This should be spoken softly in his ear.
(excerpted from chapter 1)
