book cover

The Tibetan Book Of Living And Dying

By Sogyal Rinpoche, Patrick Gaffney, and Andrew Harvey

Synopsis

The revered Tibetan Buddhist spiritual teacher Sogyal Rinpoche hopes to "inspire a quiet revolution in the whole way we look at death and care for the dying, and the whole way we look at life and care for the living."

This book gives a lucid interpretation of Buddhist teachings about how our perspective on death depends on our perspective on life. If we do not approach our life with calmness and compassion, how can we hope to face death in that way?

The author draws upon teachings from his master, other Tibetan Buddhist leaders and ancient Tibetan texts such as the Book Of The Dead. To these traditional sources he adds a keen understanding of the Western psyche. He speaks in a clear voice that anyone can understand.

Spiritual insights often cross religious lines, and this book goes beyond it's Buddhist roots by teaching universal wisdom. This is one of those books you may enjoy reading a few pages at a time just because the insights are so thought-provoking.


Foreword: By Dalai Lama
Preface
Pt. 1. Living 1. In the Mirror of Death 2. Impermanence 3. Reflection and Change 4. The Nature of Mind 5. Bringing the Mind Home 6. Evolution, Karma, and Rebirth 7. Bardos and Other Realities 8. This Life: The Natural Bardo 9. The Spiritual Path 10. The Innermost Essence
Pt. 2. Dying 11. Heart Advice on Helping the Dying 12. Compassion: The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel 13. Spiritual Help for the Dying 14. The Practices for Dying 15. The Process of Dying
Pt. 3. Death and Rebirth 16. The Ground 17. Intrinsic Radiance 18. The Bardo of Becoming 19. Helping after Death 20. The Near-Death Experience: A Staircase to Heaven?
Pt. 4. Conclusion 21. The Universal Process 22. Servants of Peace
Appendix 1: My Teachers
Appendix 2: Questions about Death
Appendix 3: Two Stories
Appendix 4: Two Mantras
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index

The Tibetan Book Of Living And Dying

Synopsis

Table of Contents