The Tibetan Book of the Dead

by Dorje, Gyurme

  GGFTC G. Dorje, The Guhyagarbhatattvaviniścayamahātantra and its XIVth Century Tibetan Commentary Phyogs bcu mun sel. 3 vols. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of London, 1987. See also The Guhyagarbha Tantra: Dispelling the Darkness of the Ten Directions (forthcoming).

  MTTWL P. Pfandt, Mahāyāna Texts Translated into Western Languages. Cologne: In Komission bei E. J. Brill, 1983.

  NA Not available, not extant.

  NGB The Derge xylographic edition of the Collected Tantras of the Nyingmapa (rNying-ma’i rgyud-’bum) in 26 vols.

  NK Collected Teachings of the Nyingmapa (rNying-ma’i bka’-ma), compiled in 120 vols. by Khenpo Jamyang, Katok (1999).

  NSTB Dudjom Rinpoche, The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History, translated by G. Dorje and M. Kapstein, Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1991. This volume contains two texts, Gangs-ljongs rgya-bstan yongs-rdzogs-kyi phyi-mo snga-’gyur rdo-rje theg-pa’i bstan-pa rin-po-che ji-ltar byung-ba’i tshul-dag-cing gsal-bar brjod-pa lha-dbang gYul-las rgyal-ba’i rngabo-che’i sgra-dbyangs (short title: rNying-ma’i chos-’byung), and the gSang-sngags snga-’gyur rnying-ma-ba’i bstan-pa’i rnam-gzhag mdo-tsam brjod-pa legs-bshad snang-ba’i dga’-ston (short title: bsTan-pa’i rnam-gzhag).

  Redisc. Rediscoverer of twice-concealed teachings (yang-gter).

  SDGG Lochen Dharmaśrῑ, gSang-bdag dgongs-rgyan, NK, Vol. 76.

  T A Complete Catalogue of the Tibetan Buddhist Canons, ed. H. Ui et al., Sendai: Tohoku University, 1934. This is a catalogue to the Derge xylographic edition of the Kangyur and Tengyur.

  TBD Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bar-do thos-grol chen-mo).

  TBD Amdo edition Bar-do thos-grol chen-mo, 303 pages, recently compiled by Khenpo Dorje and published in Hong Kong, in Qinghai Buddhist Texts Series, Vol. I (n.d.).

  TBD Delhi reprint Bar-do thos-grol chen-mo, 550 pages, Delhi (1985). Reproduced from a print of the Bhutanese Rinpung Dzong xylograph through the agency of HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

  TBD Varanasi reprint Bar-do thos-grol chen-mo, 122 pages, ed. Kalsang Lhundup, Varanasi (1969). Handwritten print based on the xylographic edition of HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, housed at Engon Monastery in Sikkim.

  1 Natural Liberation of the Nature of Mind

  1 Tib. gSang-sngags rdo-rje theg-pa’i chos-spyod thun-bzhi’i rnal-’byor sems-nyid rang-grol.

  2 Tib. Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol.

  3 The practices concerning death (’chi-ba) are the analytical meditations on the nature of impermanence (anitya). See e.g. Paltrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, pp. 39-59; Sonam T. Kazi (trans.), Kun-zang La-may Zhal-lung, pp. 56-82; and Sgam.po.pa/H. V. Guenther (trans.), The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, pp. 41-54. The expression ‘starting with’ (sogs-la) implies that this will lead on to the other analytical meditations concerning past actions (karma) and the sufferings of cyclic existence (saṃsāra). On the application of the meditation on death by hermit buddhas who frequent charnel grounds in order to meditate in reverse on the twelve links of dependent origination (pratῑtyasamutpāda), see Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 228-9.

  4 This description of phenomena accords with the account given by Nāgārjuna at the beginning of his Root Stanzas of the Madhyamaka entitled Discriminative Awareness (Prajñā-nāma-mūlamadhyamakakārikā). See the translation by D. Kalupahana, Mūlamadhyamakakārikās, Ch.1.

  5 i.e. lacking in skilful means, on which see glossary.

  6 For a description of the eight freedoms (dal-ba brgyad) and the ten opportunities (’byor-ba bcu), see glossary.

  7 On the dissolution of the physical environment (lokadhātu) by fire and water at the end of an aeon, see L. Pruden (trans.), Abhidharmakośabhāṣyaṃ, Ch. 3, The World, pp. 475-7, 489-95.

  8 The ‘Lord of Death’ (’chi-bdag) is an epithet of Yama Dharmarāja. See glossary.

  9 The expression ‘irreversible path’ (phyir mi-zlog-pa’i lam) refers to the sūtras of the second and third turnings of the wheel of the sacred teachings, which expound the definitive meaning. See glossary under definitive meaning.

  10 Lit. ‘accumulations’ (Tib. tshogs). This refers to the accumulation of merit (bsod-nams), as opposed to the accumulation of pristine cognition (ye-shes). See glossary.

  11 Tib. mnyam-rdzogs klong-yangs chen-po’i rang-bzhin. This expanse of sameness and perfection is synonymous with the Buddha-body of Reality. See Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 251-2.

  12 Name and form (nāmarūpa) together comprise all the five psycho-physical aggregates (pañcaskandha) of which the mind-body complex is formed, viz. form (rūpa), consciousness (vijñāna), feeling (vedanā), perception (saṃjñā), and motivational tendencies (saṃskāra). See glossary under aggregates.

  13 The seed-syllable HŪṂ is that of Vajrasattva, symbolising buddha-mind. On its composition, see Paltrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, p. 272.

  14 For an illustration depicting the crown fontanelle in its relation with the three main energy channels and ancillary vessels, see Tibetan Medical Paintings, p. 34.

  15 See glossary under Hundred-syllable Mantra.

  16 ‘Vajra Holder’ (vajradhṛk; Tib. rdo-rje ’dzin-pa), here referring to the deity Vajrasattva, is a title generally given to accomplished exponents of the Vehicle of Indestructible Reality (Vajrayāna).

  17 This prayer for total union with the deity is repeated below, p. 21, at the end of the section on union with the spiritual teacher (guruyoga). As to the specified indications of this union, the body size (kāya; Tib. sku’i tshad) and lifespan of Vajrasattva (āyuḥ; Tib. tshe) are those of a buddha, on which see P. Williams, Mahāyāna Buddhism, pp. 181-4; his retinue (parivāra; Tib. ’khor) comprises male and female bodhisattvas, on which see Ch. 5, p. 68; and his field (kṣetra; Tib. zhing-khams) is Abhirati on which see Ch. 11, p. 239. For the significance of the thirty-two major marks (dvātriṃśasanmukhāpuruṣalakṣaṇa; Tib. skyes-bu dam-pa’i mtshan-bzang sum-cu rtsa-gnyis), which are displayed on the buddha-body of form (rūpakāya), see glossary.

  18 The initial mantra of the external mandala of offerings: OṂ VAJRA BHŪMI ĀḤ HŪṂ indicates that the foundation or base of the symbolic mandala is of the nature of indestructible reality (vajra; Tib. rdo-rje). Simultaneously, the practitioner sprinkles consecrated substances upon it. See Paltrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, p. 287; and Sonam T. Kazi (trans.), Kun-zang La-may Zhal-lung, p. 400.

  19 The foundation of the maṇḍala is considered to be an immensely thick indestructible circle of wind, resting upon space, and surmounted by a circle of water and a sphere of gold. See L. Pruden (trans.), Abhidharmakośabhāṣyaṃ, Ch. 3, The World, pp. 451-2.

  20 The second mantra of the mandala of offerings: OṂ VAJRA REKHE ĀḤ HŪṂ indicates that the cakravāḍa or ‘perimeter wall’ of the maṇḍala is of the nature of indestructible reality. Simultaneously, the practitioner makes a clockwise circular motion with the right hand, and places a flower blossom on the surface of the maṇḍala, followed by the outer ring. See Paltrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, p. 287; and Sonam T. Kazi (trans.), Kun-zang La-may Zhal-lung, pp. 400- 401.

  21 On the perception of the sun (sūrya; Tib. nyi-ma) and moon (candra; Tib. zla-ba) from the perspective of Abhidharma, see L. Pruden (trans.), Abhidharmakośabhāṣyaṃ , pp. 460-62; and R. Kloetzli, Buddhist Cosmology, pp. 45- 6. Rāhu (sgra-gcan) and Ketu (dus-me) are identified as the ascending and descending phases of the moon.

  22 The syllables OṂ ĀṂ HŪṂ respectively symbolise buddha-body, speech and mind, for which reason, in the context of the present work, they frequently appear at the beginning of verses as an invocation. See Ch. 5, pp. 67ff. The three verses which follow respectively concern the outer, inner, and secret maṇḍala of offerings which are made respectively to the Buddha-body of Emanation (nirmāṇakāya), the Buddha-body of Perfect Resource (sambhogakāya ), and the Buddha-body of Reality (dharmakāya). On the construction of these three maṇḍalas, see Paltrul Rinpoche, The Wo
rds of My Perfect Teacher, pp. 288-95; and Sonam T. Kazi (trans.), Kun-zang La-may Zhal-lung , Pt. 2, pp. 403-4.

  23 The ultimate nature of mind (sems-nyid) is identified with the Buddha-body of Reality (dharmakāya). For a detailed introduction to the nature of mind, within the context of the present work, see Ch. 4, pp. 38-57.

  24 The concluding mantra of the mandala of offerings OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ MAHĀ GURU DEVA DĀKINĪ RATNA MAṆḌALA PŪJĀ MEGHA Ā HŪṂ indicates that a cloud of offerings is presented to the precious maṇḍala of the spiritual teachers, meditational deities, and dākinῑs.

  25 The spiritual teachers of the core lineage who are connected with this transmission (’brel-tshad don-ldan rtsa-brgyud bla-ma-rnams) are those in successive generations who have maintained the lineage of our text from the time of Nyinda Ozer down to the present. See ‘A Brief Literary History’, pp. xxxvi- xlviii.

  26 The biographies of the important figures in the lineage of the oral transmission (bka’-brgyud) related to the teachings of the Nyingma school, are outlined in Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 601-739.

  27 The strict vows made in the past (sngon-gyi dam-bca’ gnyan-po) are those taken by buddhas and bodhisattvas in former lives pertaining to the propagation of the Buddhist teaching and the bodhisattva vow to remove the sufferings of all beings. See e.g. P. Williams, Mahāyāna Buddhism, pp. 49-54.

  28 Listed among the eighty minor marks (asῑtyanuvyañjana), the Brahmā-like voice (tshangs-pa’i gsung) refers to one of the six modes of buddha-speech. See Longchen Rabjampa, GGFTC, pp. 703-4.

  29 On the concept of cyclical time, see L. Pruden (trans.), Abhidharmakośabhāṣyaṃ , Ch. 3, The World, pp. 475-95; R. Kloetzli, Buddhist Cosmology, pp. 73-5. Each great aeon (mahākalpa) of cyclical time is said to comprise the four eras of creation (vivartakalpa), duration (vivartasthāyikalpa), dissolution (saṃvartakalpa), and non-duration (saṃvartasthāyikalpa). The expression ‘final era’ (dus-mtha’) refers to the period of dissolution.

  30 On this conferral of the four empowerments, namely: the vase empowerment (bum-dbang), the secret empowerment (gsang-dbang), the empowerment of pristine cognition (shes-rab ye-shes-kyi dbang) and the fourth empowerment of indivisible coemergence (dbyer-med lhan-skyes dbang bzhi-pa) which respectively confer the accomplishment of buddha-body (sku-yi dngos-grub), the accomplishment of buddha-speech (gsung-gi dngos-grub), the accomplishment of buddha-mind (thugs-kyi dngos-grub), and the combined accomplishment of buddha-body, speech and mind (sku-gsung-thugs-kyi dngos-grub), see Paltrul Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, pp. 329-30; and Sonam T. Kazi (trans.), Kun-zang La-may Zhal-lung, Pt. 2, pp. 462-5.

  2 A Prayer for Union with the Spiritual Teacher

  1 Tib. sKu-gsum bla-ma’i rnal-’byor gsol-’debs dug-gsum ma-spang rang-grol.

  2 Tib. Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol.

  3 The specific blessing which arises from the Buddha-body of Reality (chos-sku’i byin-rlab) is ‘primordially pure’ (ka-dag), indicating that in this context the Buddha-body of Reality is directly realised through the Atiyoga practice called ‘Cutting through Resistance to primordial purity’ (ka-dag khregs-chod), on which see Ch. 4; also Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 335-7.

  4 This blessing is ‘spontaneously present’ (lhun-grub), indicating that the Buddha-body of Perfect Resource is directly realised through the Atiyoga practice called ‘All-surpassing Realisation of spontaneous presence’ (lhun-grub thod-rgal). See Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 337-45.

  5 The pristine cognition of the Buddha-body of Perfect Resource, here referred to as ‘naturally liberated in supreme bliss’ (bde-chen rang-grol), comprises the mirror-like pristine cognition (ādarśajñāna), the pristine cognition of sameness (samatājñāna), and the pristine cognition of discernment (pratyavekṣanajñāna ). See glossary under pristine cognition.

  6 The pristine cognition referred to here is the pristine cognition of the Buddha-body of Emanation, otherwise known as the pristine cognition of accomplishment (kṛtyupasthānajñāna). See glossary under pristine cognition.

  7 The natural pristine cognition (rang-byung ye-shes) of the three buddha-bodies in union refers to the unity of all the five aspects of pristine cognition (pañcajñāna ).

  8 On the bodhisattva’s altruistic aspiration not to enter nirvāṇa until all sentient beings have been liberated from cyclic existence (saṃsāra), see P. Williams, Mahāyāna Buddhism, pp. 49-54.

  3 Root Verses of the Six Intermediate States

  1 Tib. Bar-do rnam-drug-gi rtsa-tshig. These verses are reiterated in the context of other chapters of this cycle, e.g. Ch. 10, p. 205, and Ch. 11, pp. 235 and 288.

  2 Chs. 1-7 of the present text relate to the intermediate state of living, including the intermediate states of dreaming and meditative concentration.

  3 Chs. 8-10 of the present text relate to the intermediate state of the time of death.

  4 The intermediate state of reality is the subject of Ch. 11.

  5 The intermediate state of rebirth is the subject of Chs. 11 and 13.

  4 Natural Liberation through Naked Perception

  1 Tib. Rig-pa ngo-sprod gcer-mthong rang-grol.

  2 Tib. Zab-chos zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol.

  3 The point is that all the inestimable 84,000 aspects of the sacred teachings, the nine vehicles, the three or four piṭaka, and so forth, depend upon the primary understanding of intrinsic awareness. Cf. Laṅkāvatārasūtra, Ch. 2, v. 202: ‘As long as sentient beings manifest, there will be no end to the vehicles. When the mind becomes transformed, there is neither vehicle nor mover.’

  4 The Tibetan expression tshig gsum (lit. ‘three words’) is used colloquially to mean ‘terse’ or ‘in few words’. Two alternative readings have been suggested: 1) The phrase ‘three words’ could refer to the three statements given on pp. 4 1-2, that ‘past thoughts are traceless, clear and empty’, that ‘future thoughts are unproduced and fresh’, and that ‘the present moment abides naturally and unconstructed’. 2) A less likely view is that this expression may refer to the Atiyoga testament of Prahevajra (Tib. dGa’-rab rdo-rje), entitled Three Points which Penetrate the Essential (tshig-gsum gnad-du brdeg-pa). The three points contained in this latter work crystalise the process through which intrinsic awareness (rang-rig) is introduced. They are as follows: the ‘direct introduction to the essence itself’ (ngo-rang thog-tu ’phrod-pa), the ‘direct determination of this unique state’ (thag-gcig thog-tu bcad-pa), and the ‘direct confidence in liberation’ (gdeng-grol thog-tu bca’-ba). For the original text, see Bi-ma sNying-thig, Pt. 1, Vol. Ga, pp. 304-18, and Patrul Rinpoche’s nineteenth-century commentary entitled mKhas-pa’i shri rgyal-po mkhas-chos. The background to the revelation of Prahevajra’s testament is given in Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 490-94.

  5 This verse derives from the Guhyagarbha Tantra, Ch. 13, v. 2: There are those of no understanding,/ And those of wrong understanding,/ Those of partial understanding,/ And those who have not [quite] understood genuine reality.As explained by Longchen Rabjampa, GGFTC, pp. 988-97, those of no understanding (ma-rtogs-pa) are ordinary persons who adhere to the ‘vehicles of gods and humans’ (devamanuṣyayāna), striving after excellence and higher rebirths within cyclic existence (saṃsāra) through the practice of virtue. Those of misunderstanding (log-rtogs-pa) comprise the eternalistic and nihilistic extremist philosophers of ancient India, who adhere to the Nyayāyika, Vaiṣṇava, Sāṃkhyā, Vaiśeṣika, and Bārhaspatya standpoints. Those of partial understanding (phyogs-tsam rtogs-pa) comprise the pious attendants (śrāvaka) who realise the selflessness of the individual person (pudgalanairātmya) but fail to realise the selflessness of phenomena (dharmanairātmya), and the hermit buddhas (pratyekabuddha) who additionally realise the lack of inherent existence (niḥsvabhāvatā) with respect to external material phenomena, but fail to realise the lack of inherent existence in internal mental phenomena. Lastly, those who do not quite understand genuine reality (yang-dag ji-bzhin-nyid-du ma-rtogs-pa) comprise the adherents of the
causal vehicles, who maintain the views of Cittamātra and Madhyamaka, realising respectively that phenomena are extensions of consciousness and that all phenomena, whether external or internal, are without inherent existence; yet not quite understanding that ‘all things are identical in primordial buddhahood’, or that ‘neither renunciation nor acceptance is required because dissonant mental states themselves arise as pristine cognition’. At the same time, all these types are said to be ‘meagre in their skilful means (upāyakauśalya)’ and they ‘accomplish their results with difficulty and toil over a long period of time’. Longchen Rabjampa concludes that only the adherents of the resultant vehicles (phalayāna) perceive genuine reality as it is, and among these, only Atiyoga is stated to be the ‘naturally secret truth’ (rang-bzhin gsang-ba’i don), while Kriyātantra and Ubhayatantra are referred to as ‘disciplines’ (’dul-ba), Yogatantra as ‘enlightened intention’ (dgongs-pa), and Mahāyoga as ‘secrecy’ (gsang-ba). These diverse classifications of Buddhist practitioners and vehicles are identified, one by one, in the following verses. For the Nyingma perspective of the non-Buddhist views ‘of wrong understanding’ (log-rtogs-pa) mentioned above, see also Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 64-7.

  6 On the classifications of those ordinary persons ‘of no understanding’ (ma-rtogs-pa) who adhere to the ‘vehicles of gods and humans’ (devamanuṣyayāna), see Dudjom Rinpoche, NSTB, pp. 57-64.

  7 The ‘partial absence of self’ (phyogs-tsam bdag-med) is that aspect of selflessness comprehended by pious attendants and hermit buddhas. See glossary under selflessness.