This acclaimed spiritual masterpiece is widely regarded as one of the most complete and authoritative presentations of the Tibetan Buddhist teachings ever written. A manual for life and death and a magnificent source of sacred inspiration from the heart of the Tibetan tradition, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying provides a lucid and inspiring introduction to the practice of meditation, to the nature of mind, to karma and rebirth, to compassionate love and care for the dying, and to the trials and rewards of the spiritual path.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Sogyal Rinpoche, Harper San Francisco, Paperback, 441 pages, $19.99
Born in Kham in Eastern Tibet, Sogyal Rinpoche was recognized as the incarnation of Lerab Lingpa Terton Sogyal, a teacher to the thirteenth Dalai Lama, by Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro, one of the most outstanding masters of the twentieth century. Jamyang Khyentse supervised Rinpoche's training and raised him like his own son. In 1971, Rinpoche went to England where he studied Comparative Religion at Cambridge University. He went on to study with many other masters, of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, especially Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche and Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, serving as their translator and aide. With his remarkable gift for presenting the essence of Tibetan Buddhism in a way that is both authentic and profoundly relevant to the modern mind, Sogyal Rinpoche is one of the most renowned teachers of our time.
Rinpoche has been teaching for over 25 years and continues to travel widely in Europe, America, Australia, and Asia, where he addresses thousands of people on his teaching tours and is a frequent speaker at major conferences. In 1993, Rinpoche founded the Spiritual Care Program which, under his guidance, aims to bring the wisdom and compassion of these teachings to professional and trained volunteer caregivers who work in end of life care.
CONTENTS: The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
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Foreword, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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ix
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Introduction to the 20th Anniversary Edition
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xi
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Preface
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xv
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PART ONE: LIVING
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1.
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In the Mirror of Death
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3
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2.
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Impermanence
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15
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3.
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Reflection and Change
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28
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4.
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The Nature of Mind
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42
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5.
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Bringing the Mind Home
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57
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6.
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Evolution, Karma, and Rebirth
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86
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7.
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Bardos and Other Realities
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106
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8.
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This Life: The Natural Bardo
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115
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9.
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The Spiritual Path
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131
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10.
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The Innermost Essence
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154
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PART TWO: DYING
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11.
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Heart Advice on Helping the Dying
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177
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12.
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Compassion: The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel
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191
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13.
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Spiritual Help for the Dying
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213
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14.
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The Practices for Dying
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227
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15.
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The Process of Dying
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248
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PART THREE: DEATH AND REBIRTH
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16.
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The Ground
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263
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17.
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Intrinsic Radiance
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278
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18.
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The Bardo of Becoming
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291
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19.
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Helping After Death
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303
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20.
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The Near-Death Experience: A Staircase to Heaven?
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323
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PART FOUR: CONCLUSION
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21.
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The Universal Process
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343
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22.
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Servants of Peace
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360
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Appendix 1: My Teachers
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371
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Appendix 2: Questions About Death
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378
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Appendix 3: Two Stories
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385
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Appendix 4: Two Mantras
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393
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Notes
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399
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Selected Bibliography
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415
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Acknowledgments
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421
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Index
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427
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