Acknowledgments xv
About This Book xvii

INTRODUCTION: DEATH IS NOT THE END 1
What Happens at Death? 2
Karma, the Natural Law of Causality 3
The Cycle of Life, Death, and Afterdeath 5
Glimpses of the Bardo 6
Taking Rebirth 8
Transforming Our Future 9
Ceremonies for the Dead and Dying 12
The Death of a Great Teacher 14

1. HUMAN LIFE: OUR PRECIOUS DAYS 17
What Is Our Real Nature? 18
Why Meditate? 19
Precious Human Life Is Rare 21
Life Is Impermanent 24
Using Impermanence to Dissolve Negative Emotions 25
Life Is Created by Karmic Causality 28
The Root of Karma Is Grasping at "Self" 30
How Does Karma Form? 30
Going Beyond Karmic Causality 34
Is Life an Illusion? 34
The Importance of Understanding Karma 35
Life Is Full of Miseries 36
Suffering: The First Noble Truth 37
The Great Potential of Life 41

2. DYING: THE CRUCIAL HOUR OF LIFE 45
The Process of Dying 46
The Elements and Energies of the Human Body 46
The Dissolution of the Elements 47
Three Inner Dissolutions 49
What Should We Do When Dying? 51
Delog Accounts of the Experiences of Dying 53
Dissolving Energies: The Experience of Karma Wangdzin 54
Make Merits for Me: The Experience of Lingza Chokyi 55
Have the Lords of Death Come to Fetch Me?: The Experience of Denma Sangye Seng-ge 56
Cloudless Sky�Like Luminosity: The Experience of Dagpo Trashi Namgyal 58
Perceptions of Dying: The Experience of Samten Chotso 59
Unique Among Delogs: The Experience of Dawa Drolma 59
Mind Traveling without Hindrance: The Experience of Gyalwa Yungtrung 61
Intrinsic Awareness: The Experience of Tsophu Dorlo 62
Her Wisdom-Mind Became Clear: The Experience of Shugseb Jetsun Lochen 63
The Dark Demon Departs: The Experience of Tagla Konchog Gyaltsen 63
Don't Panic!: The Experience of Changchub Seng-ge 65
Don't Be Afraid�Be Prepared 67

3. THE ULTIMATE NATURE: GLIMPSES OF THE LUMINOSITY 69
The Ultimate Nature Experienced at Death 69
Delog Accounts of the Passage of Ultimate Nature 78
Spontaneously Present Light: The Experience of Lingza Chokyi 78
A Bodiless Body of Light: The Experience of Dagpo Trashi Namgyal 79
Visions of Ultimate Nature: The Experience of Tsophu Dorlo 79
In the Womb of a Body of Light: The Experience of Samten Chotso 80
Instructions to Helpers: The Experience of Changchub Seng-ge 81
A Supremely Blissful State: The Experience of Dawa Drolma 82
A Feeling of Sadness: The Experience of Karma Wangdzin 83
Our Sublime Potential 84

4. THE BARDO: THE MOMENTOUS TRANSITIONAL PASSAGE 85
Experiences of the Bardo 86
The Court of Judgment and Verdict 88
Hints of the Rebirth Awaiting Us 90
What Should We Do in the Bardo? 91
Our Future Journey 94

5. TALES OF THE BARDO: AFTERDEATH EXPERIENCES OF TIBETAN DELOGS 96
Let Her Remember All That She Sees: The Experience of Lingza Chokyi 97
What Judgments Await Me?: The Experience of Karma Wangdzin 111
No Fear of the Foes: The Experience of Denma Sangye Seng-ge 128
Visits to the Eighteen Hell Realms: The Experience of Tagla Konchog Gyaltsen 133
Distracted into Delusion: The Experience of Dagpo Trashi Namgyal 137
Crossing the Field of the Dead: The Experiences of Gyalwa Yungtrung 139
Purified by Streams of Nectar: The Experience of Samten Chotso 143
Don't Be Discouraged: The Experience of Changchub Seng-ge 145
Hell Is the Unexcelled Pure Land: The Experience of Tsophu Dorlo 147
Form Inseparable from Wisdom: The Experience of Dawa Drolma 151
Let Everyone Be Liberated: The Experience of Shugseb Jetsun Lochen 155
Nothing to Accept or Reject: The Experience of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje 163

6. REBIRTH: THE INELUCTABLE KARMIC CYCLE 168
Liberation or Rebirth? 170
The Causes of Rebirth 171
The Six Realms of Worldly Existence 174
Six Emotions: The Seeds of Rebirth in the Six Realms 175
Choosing Your Next Rebirth Could Be in Your Hands 178
Blocking the Wrong Birthplaces 178
Choosing the Right Birthplace 181

7. THE BUDDHA OF INFINITE LIGHT AND HIS BLISSFUL PURE LAND 184
Sources of the Pure Land Tradition 185
The Three Aspects of the Pure Land 185
The Power of the Buddha's Vows 186
The Power of the Buddha's Name 188
What Is the Pure Land Like? 189
The Buddha of Infinite Light and His Disciples 191
Rebirth in the Blissful Pure Land 194

8. HOW TO HELP THE DYING AND THE DEAD 196
Maintaining Positive Thoughts and Behavior 196
Performing Prayers and Rituals 198
Making Merits 198
Buddhist Rituals for Non-Buddhists 200
Universal Meditation for All 201
Instructions for Buddhists and Those Open to Buddhism 202
Meditations for Buddhists and Other Meditators 204
Meditation for Highly Trained Helpers 205
Instruction for Helpers of Dying Meditators 206
In Helping Others, We Help Ourselves 207
Some Important Observances 207

9. RITUAL SERVICES FOR THE DYING AND THE DEAD 211
The Tradition of Death Rituals 212
Religious Services for the Dying 212
Purification 212
Merit Making 213
Empowerments 215
Dedication and Aspiration Prayers 215
Religious Services at the Time of Death 217
Instructions for Ordinary People 217
Instructions and Death Services for Accomplished Meditators 219
Religious Services after Death 220
A Summary of the Thirteen-Step Death Ritual 221
Other Ceremonies 224

10. CONCLUDING THOUGHTS 226

APPENDIXES: SOME SIMPLE BUDDHIST DEATH RITUALS 229

APPENDIX A. MEDITATIONS ON THE FOUR CAUSES OF TAKING REBIRTH IN THE BLISSFUL PURE LAND 231
Preliminary Practices 235
Going for Refuge 235
Developing Enlightened Attitude (Bodhichitta) 236
The Four Causes of Taking Rebirth in the Blissful Pure Land 236
The First Cause: Remembering the Pure Land 236
The Second Cause: Accumulation of Merits 238
The Third Cause: Developing Enlightened Attitude 239
The Fourth Cause: Dedication and Aspiration 239
The Liturgies of the Four Causes 240
The Mantra and the Name-Prayers 242
The Mantra of the Buddha of Infinite Light 242
Name-Prayers to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas 243
Concluding Practice: Dedication and Aspiration Prayer 244

APPENDIX B. EIGHT ESOTERIC BUDDHIST RITUALS FOR THE DYING AND THE DEAD 248
Introduction to the Eight Rituals 248
The Performance of the Eight Rituals 251
Preliminary Practices 252
Going for Refuge 252
Developing Enlightened Attitude (Bodhichitta) 252
Visualization and Contemplation of Oneself as the Buddha of Compassion 253
The Mantra of the Buddha of Compassion 255
Making Offerings to the Buddha of Compassion 255
Offering of Praise to the Buddha of Compassion 256
Aspiration Prayer 256
Summoning the Consciousness of the Deceased and Giving Teachings 257
The Sur Offering to the Deceased 259
Dharma Instructions to the Deceased 263
The Meditation and Prayers of Phowa: Transference of Consciousness to the Blissful Pure Land 265
Meditation 267
Prayers 270
Chanting the Name-Prayers to the Buddha and Bodhisattva 272
The Main Meditation of Phowa 273
Prayer and Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life 275
Cremation of the Effigy 276
Dedication and Aspiration Prayer 278

Notes 281
Glossary 291
References: Sources Cited and Key to Abbreviations 303
Index 311