The Tibetan Book of the Dead

The Tibetan Book of the Dead, has taken it to be a very free translation of Bardo Thodol (Liberation by Hearing on the after Death Plane'), is among the sacred book of the world. The book is pre-eminent insight into interpretations of higher 'lamaic' teachings and of the subtle exotericism underlying the Bardo Thodol. In this Oriental ideas have been put forward in a form which is intelligible to the European mind. The Occidental parallels of various mystic or occult doctrines current in Orient are frequently referred in this book, because author's personal experience gathered during years of wanderings chiefly in the high Himalayas and on the Tibetan frontiers of Kashmir, Garhwal, and Sikkim. It also contains a detailed introduction that serves as necessary commentary to the translation. The annotations to the text record are based on author's research especially in relation to Northern or 'Mahayana Buddhism'.

This book is a valuable contribution to ever expanding quest for Buddhist knowledge and serve as one more spiritual stand in an unbreakable bond of goodwill and universal peace, binding East and West together in mutual respect and understanding.

About The Author:

W. Y. Evans-Wentz was a fellow of Jesus College. Oxford.

Preface			vii
Illustrations			xv
FOREWORD: The Science of Death, by Sir John Woodroffe			xxiii
Introduction			1
	I.	The Importance of the Bardo Thodol	1
	II.	The Symbolism	2
	III.	The Esoteric Significance of the Forty-Nine Days of the Bardo	6
	IV.	The Esoteric Significance of the Five Elements	8
	V.	The Wisdom Teachings	10
	VI.	The Death Ceremonies	18
	VII.	The Bardo, or After-Death State	28
	VIII.	The Psychology of the Bardo Visions	31
	IX.	The Judgement	35
	X.	The Rebirth Doctrine	39
	XI.	The Cosmology	61
	XII.	The Fundamental Teaching Summarized	66
	XIII.	The Manuscript	68
	XIV.	The Origin of Bardo Thodol	73
	XV.	The Translating and the Editing	78
BOOK I THE CHIKHAI BARDO AND THE CHONYID BARDO
	THE OBEISANCES		85
	THE INTRODUCTION		85
		The Transference of the Consciousness-Principle	85
		The Reading of this Thodol	87
		The Practical Application of this Thodol by the Officiant	88
PART I THE BARDO OF THE MOMENTS OF DEATH
INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SYMPTOMS OF DEATH, OR THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CHIKHAI BARDO: THE PRIMARY CLEAR LIGHT SEEN AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH			89
INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE SECOND STAGE OF THE CHIKHAI BARDO: THE SECONDARY CLEAR LIGHT SEEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH			97
PART II THE BARDO OF THE EXPERIENCING OF REALTY
INTRODUCTORY INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE EXPERIENCING OF REALITY DURING THE THIRD STAGE OF THE BARDO, WHEN THE KARMIC APPARITIONS APPEAR			101
THE DAWNING OF THE PEACEFUL DEITIES, FROM THE FIRST TO THE SEVENTH DAY			105
		The First Day	131
		The Second Day	105
		The Third Day	108
		The Fourth Day	110
		The Fifth Day	112
		The Sixth Day	115
		The Seventh Day	118
THE DAWNING OF THE WRATHFUL DEITIES, FROM THE EIGHTH TO THE FOURTEENTH DAY			131
		Introduction	131
		The Eighth Day	136
		The Ninth Day	138
		The Tenth Day	138
		The Eleventh Day	139
		The Twelfth Day	140
		The Thirteenth Day	141
		The Fourteenth Day	143
THE CONCLUSION, SHOWING THE FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF THE BARDO TEACHING			151
BOOK II THE SIDPA BARDO
THE OBEISANCES			155
INTRODUCTORY VERSES			155
PART I THE AFTER-DEATH WORLD
THE BARDO: ITS BIRTH AND ITS SUPERNORMAL FACULTIES			155
CHARACTERISTICS OF EXISTENCE IN THE INTERMEDIATE STATE			160
THE JUDGEMENT			165
THE ALL-DETERMINING INFLUENCE OF THOUGHT			169
THE DAWNING OF THE LIGHTS OF THE SIX LOKAS			173
PART II THE PROCESS OF REBIRTH
THE CLOSING OF THE DOOR OF THE WOMB			175
		Method of Preventing Entry into a Womb	176
		The First Method of Closing the Womb-Door	176
		The Second Method of Closing the Womb-Door	177
		The Third Method of Closing the Womb-door	178
		The Fourth Method of Closing the Womb-door	180
		The Fifth Method of Closing the Womb-door	181
THE CHOOSING OF THE WOMB-DOOR			183
		The Premonitory Visions of the Place of Rebirth	183
		The Protection against the tormenting Furies	185
THE ALTERNATIVE CHOOSING: SUPERNORMAL BIRTH; OR WOMB-BIRTH			188
		Supernormal Birth by Transference to a Paradise Realm Womb-Birth: the Return to the Human World	190
THE APPENDIX
	I.	THE INVOCATION OF THE BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS	197
	II.	'THE PATH OF GOOD WISHES FOR SAVING FROM THE DANGEROUS NARROW PASSAGE-WAY OF THE BARDO'	199
	III.	'THE ROOT VERSES OF THE SIX BARDOS	200
	IV.	'THE PATH OF GOOD WISHES WHICH PROTECT-ETH FROM FEAR IN THE BARDO	205
	V.	THE COLOPHON	209
ADDENDA
	I.	YOGA	211
	II.	TANTRICISM	213
	III.	MANTRAS, OR WORDS OF POWER	220
	IV.	THE GURU AND SHISHYA (OR CHELA) AND INITIATIONS	222
	V.	REALITY	224
	VI.	NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN BUDDHISM AND CHRISTIANITY	232
	VII.	THE MEDIEVAL CHRISTIAN JUDGEMENT	211
	I.	YOGA	211
INDEX			241