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 ofInfinite 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