Tibetan Book of the Dead: Difference between revisions

<blockquote>It is one of the oldest and most universal practices for the initiate to go through the experience of [the] death [of the old man] before he can be spiritually reborn [as the new man]. Symbolically he must die to his past, and to his old ego, before he can take his place in the new spiritual life into which he has been initiated.<ref>Lama Ahagarika Govinda, Introductory Foreword, in W. Y. Evans-Wentz, ''The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Or The After-Death Experiences on the Bardo Plane, according to Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup’s English Rendering'' (Oxford University Press, 1960), p. lix.</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>... of particular importance even while living. Hold to it, read it, commit it to memory, bear it in mind properly, read it regularly thrice; let the words and the meanings be very clear; it should be so that the words and the meanings will not be forgotten even though a hundred executioners were pursuing thee.<ref>Evans-Wentz, ''Tibetan Book of the Dead,'' p. 151.</ref></blockquote>

According to Tibetan tradition, the ''Bardo Thödol'' is one of those works of Padma-Sambhava which were secretly hidden in order to preserve them for later generations, and which were to be revealed to the world when the time was ripe. However this may be, it is a fact that during the persecution of Buddhism by Langdarma, at the beginning of the ninth century, <small>A</small>.<small>D</small>., innumerable books of the earliest period of Tibetan Buddhism were concealed under rocks, in caves, and other places, to prevent their destruction. Since all members of the Buddhist Order and their supporters were either killed or driven out of Tibet, most of these buried scriptures remained where they had been hidden. Many of them were recovered during the succeeding centuries and designated ''Termas,'' a term derived from the Tibetan word ''Gter,'' pronounced ''Ter'', meaning “Treasure.” Those who discovered these spiritual treasures and propagated their teachings were called ''[[Tertön]]s'',... meaning “Revealer of Treasure.”<ref>Govinda, Introductory Foreword, in Evans-Wentz, ''Tibetan Book of the Dead,'' p. liv.</ref>

To one after another of these divine attributes, or principles, innate in every human being, the deceased is introduced, as though in a symbolic drama of initiation, to test him and discover whether or not any part of his divine (or ''bodhic'') nature has been developed. Full development in all the ''bodhic'' powers of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, who are the personifications of them, leads to Liberation, to Buddhahood. Partial development leads to birth in one of the happier states.<ref>Evans-Wentz, ''Tibetan Book of the Dead'', p. 17.</ref>

Through the power of anger, thou wilt beget fear and be startled at the dazzling white light and wilt [wish to] flee from it; thou wilt beget a feeling of fondness for the dull smoke-colored light from Hell. Act then so that thou wilt not fear that bright, dazzling, transparent white light. Know it to be Wisdom. Put thy humble and earnest faith in it....  

Be not fond of the dull, smoke-colored light from Hell. That is the path which openeth out to receive thee because of the power of accumulated evil ''karma'' from violent anger. If thou be attracted by it, thou wilt fall into the Hell-Worlds; and, falling therein, thou wilt have to endure unbearable misery, whence there is no certain time of getting out. That being an interruption to obstruct thee on the Path of Liberation, look not at it; and avoid anger.<ref>Ibid, p. 109.</ref>

<blockquote>... the ''Bardo'' visions become less and less divine; the deceased sinks deeper and deeper into the morass of ''sangsāric'' hallucinations; the radiances of the higher nature fade into the lights of the lower nature.<ref>Ibid, p. 17.</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>The Tibetan Book of the Dead recommends meditation on the true nature of these five Buddhas so that the great wisdoms of these Buddhas may take the place of the five negative forces. The five great wisdoms of the Buddhas are shining goals of spiritual transformation.<ref>Detlef Ingo Lauf, ''Secret Doctrines of the Tibetan Books of the Dead'' (Boulder and London: Shamballa, 1977).</ref></blockquote>