The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
Douban
Sogyal Rinpoche
Overview
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, written by Sogyal Rinpoche in 1992, is a presentation of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead or Bardo Thodol. The author wrote, "I have written The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying as the quintessence of the heart-advice of all my masters, to be a new Tibetan Book of the Dead and a Tibetan Book of Life."[1] The book explores: the message of impermanence; evolution, karma and rebirth; the nature of mind and how to train the mind through meditation; how to follow a spiritual path in this day and age; the practice of compassion; how to care for and show love to the dying, and spiritual practices for the moment of death.
contents
Divided into two main sections, the book explores:
Living (Part One)
the message of impermanence (1. In the Mirror of Death, 2. Impermanence, 3. Reflection and Change);
the mind and its true nature (4. The Nature of Mind);
how to transform the mind through the practice of meditation (5. Bringing the Mind Home);
karma (cause & effect) and re-incarnation (6. Evolution, Karma and Rebirth);
the vision of life and death explained according to what are known as the bardos (7. Bardos and Other Realities);
what is most important in this life along with how to work with our mind and its perceptions/projections as well as our ego (8. This Life: The Natural Bardo);
how to follow a spiritual path and devotion (9. The Spiritual Path );
the nature of mind according to the teachings of Dzogchen (10. The Innermost Essence)
Dying (Parts Two-Three)
how to help someone who is dying, both practically and emotionally (11. Heart Advice on Helping the Dying)
the practice of compassion (12. Compassion: The Wish Fulfilling Jewel);
how to help someone who is dying, spiritually (13. Spiritual Help for the Dying, 14. The Practices for the Dying)
the process of dying (15. The Process of Dying)
the profound experiences that can occur at the moment of death (16. The Ground, 17. Intrinsic Radiance)
what happens in the intermediate state after death (18. The Bardo of Becoming)
how to help someone who has already died and the process of bereavement (19. Helping After Death)
near-death research & scientific proof (20. The Near-Death Experience: A Staircase to Heaven)
Conclusion
summary and interfaith comparisons (21. The Universal Process)
a dedication and prayer (22. Servants of Peace)
