Tibetan Book of the Dead — Life, Death, and Beyond

The Secrets of the Eastern Mysteries

A roadmap for one of life’s biggest mysteries. What happens after we die?

What is the Tibetan Book of the Dead?

Despite its name, it isn’t a single book. It’s a collection of texts from the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

A well-known part is called the Bardo Thodol, which means “Liberation Through Hearing During the Intermediate State.”

These writings describe the experiences a person goes through between death and rebirth.

They provide instructions for the dying person and those around them. The goal? To help the deceased find liberation or a good rebirth.

The book was written in the 8th century by the Buddhist master Padmasambhava. It was hidden away then discovered in the 14th century by Karma Lingpa. It’s become an important text in Tibetan Buddhism and gained popularity in the West.

The Three Bardos

The Tibetan Book of the Dead focuses on three main stages or “bardos” that a person experiences after death.

The Chikhai Bardo: This is the moment of death when the “clear light of reality” appears. It’s a chance for liberation if the person can merge with this light.

The Chonyid Bardo: The person encounters peaceful and wrathful deities. These are projections of the person’s own mind. Recognizing them as such can lead to liberation.

The Sidpa Bardo: This is the stage where rebirth occurs. The deceased person sees visions of possible future lives and is drawn towards a new birth based on their karma.

One teaching from the Tibetan Book of the Dead is the practice of phowa, or consciousness transference. This is considered a method for directing one’s consciousness at the moment of death, influencing the quality of one’s rebirth or achieving liberation.

Phowa is a Vajrayana Buddhist practice that involves transferring one’s consciousness to a pure land or realm of a Buddha at the time of death. The word “phowa” means “transference” in Tibetan. It’s a method of ejecting consciousness from the body through the crown of the head.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the way a person dies impacts their future rebirth. Phowa ensures a positive transition, even for those who may not have achieved high levels of realization during their lifetime.

The basic principle of phowa involves visualizing a pathway from the heart to the crown of the head. Practitioners imagine their consciousness, visualized as a small sphere of light, traveling up this pathway and exiting through the crown.

The practitioner visualizes a Buddha or enlightened being above their head. The goal is to merge one’s consciousness with the wisdom mind of this enlightened being at the moment of death.

There are levels of phowa practice, ranging from simple to complex.

Aspiration Phowa: The simplest form, this involves making a strong wish to be reborn in a pure land.

Visualization Phowa: This involves the basic visualization described above.

Guru Yoga Phowa: The practitioner visualizes merging with their spiritual teacher.

Pure Land Phowa: The practitioner aims to transfer their consciousness to a specific pure land, such as Amitabha’s Sukhavati.

Dharmakaya Phowa: The most advanced form, consciousness is transferred directly into the ultimate nature of reality.

While phowa is practiced at the moment of death, it requires preparation during life.

Practitioners:

Receive teachings from a qualified teacher.

Practice the visualizations regularly.

Learn to recognize signs of successful practice, such as sensations at the crown of the head.

Cultivate a strong connection with a particular Buddha or enlightened being.

Phowa isn’t just for death. Many practitioners incorporate elements of phowa into their daily meditation practice. This “purifies” negative states of mind during life.

Some use a simplified version of phowa when falling asleep, visualizing their consciousness merging with a Buddha. This makes sleep meaningful and prepares for the similar process of death.

Phowa should never be used to hasten death. In Buddhist ethics, life is precious.

Prematurely ending it is a serious negative action. Phowa is meant to be practiced at the natural time of death.

Some researchers have noted that experienced practitioners show physical signs during phowa practice, such as a slight swelling or redness at the crown of the head.

Focused visualization and controlled breathing involved in phowa have effects on brain activity and stress levels. Some scientists speculate that they could influence the dying process.

There’s been growing interest in phowa among Western Buddhists. Many find comfort in having some control over the dying process. Some palliative care programs have incorporated elements of phowa into their end-of-life care.

Phowa isn’t to avoid dealing with death. It’s meant to gain awareness throughout life and death. It’s a method of transforming death into an opportunity for spiritual realization.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead isn’t just for reading after someone dies. It’s to be practiced during life. Here are some key teachings.

Meditation: Regular meditation calms the mind. This is important for recognizing the experiences of the bardos.

Familiarization with the bardos: The book encourages people to study the descriptions of the after-death states. They’ll be prepared when they encounter them.

Cultivating positive qualities: Developing compassion and wisdom during life leads to better experiences in the bardos and a favorable rebirth.

Letting go: The book emphasizes releasing attachments to this life, making the transition at death easier.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead comes from a cultural context. Many find its teachings valuable regardless of their beliefs. Here are some ways it can be applied.

Facing mortality: We’re encouraged to confront the reality of death, leading to a meaningful life.

Dealing with loss: Its teachings can provide comfort and perspective when grieving for loved ones.

Mindfulness: The emphasis on awareness aligns with mindfulness practices.

End-of-life care: Some hospices incorporate ideas from the book to support dying patients and their families.

Like any religious text, the Tibetan Book of the Dead has its critics.

Cultural appropriation: Some worry that Western interest in the book takes it out of its cultural context.

Difficulty: The text can be hard to understand without a background in Tibetan Buddhism.

Scientific skepticism: Many of the book’s claims about the afterlife can’t be verified by science.

Many find value in the book’s teachings, even if they don’t take everything literally.

This ancient text has made its way into modern pop culture.

Music: The Beatles were influenced by the book, as in songs like “Tomorrow Never Knows.”

Literature: Many writers have been inspired by the book, including Aldous Huxley in his novel “Island.”

Film: The concept of bardos influenced the movie “Enter the Void” by Gaspar Noé.

Whether a spiritual guide, a philosophical text, or a cultural artifact, The Tibetan Book of the Dead encourages us to think deeply about our existence and how we want to live.