The Tibetan Book of the Dead

Informationen zum Autor Robert Thurman , acclaimed translator of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and author of Inner Revolution , is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the department of religion at Columbia University and is the director of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. He is a friend of the Dalai Lama's, president of Tibet House U.S., and one of the most visible and respected Buddhist scholars and thinkers in the West. Klappentext The most accessible and informative version of the Buddhist classic available in English, with instruction in meditation, illuminating commentary, and guidance in the practical use of the prayers The so-called "Tibetan Book of the Dead" has been renowned for centuries as a cornerstone of Buddhist wisdom and religious thought. More recently, it has become highly influential in the Western world for its psychological insights into the processes of death and dying-and what they can teach us about the ways we live our lives. It has also been found to be helpful in the grieving process by people who have recently lost their loved ones. Composed in the eighth century C.E., it is intended to prepare the soul for the trials and transformations of the afterworld. Its profound message is that the art of dying is as important as the art of living. Drawing on Tibetan spiritual traditions, it shows us the workings of the mind in its various manifestations-terrifying and comforting, wrathful and beautiful-which appear more clearly after death in the consciousness of the deceased. By recognizing these manifestations, we can attain a state of enlightenment, both in this existence and in the existence to come. This authoritative translation preserves the form and spirit of the original and was prepared especially for Western readers by Robert A. F. Thurman, one of the most prominent Tibetan scholars in America and a close associate of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's. Zusammenfassung The most accessible and informative version of the Buddhist classic available in English! with instruction in meditation! illuminating commentary! and guidance in the practical use of the prayers The so-called Tibetan Book of the Dead has been renowned for centuries as a cornerstone of Buddhist wisdom and religious thought. More recently! it has become highly influential in the Western world for its psychological insights into the processes of death and dyingand what they can teach us about the ways we live our lives. It has also been found to be helpful in the grieving process by people who have recently lost their loved ones. Composed in the eighth century C.E.! it is intended to prepare the soul for the trials and transformations of the afterworld. Its profound message is that the art of dying is as important as the art of living. Drawing on Tibetan spiritual traditions! it shows us the workings of the mind in its various manifestationsterrifying and comforting! wrathful and beautifulwhich appear more clearly after death in the consciousness of the deceased. By recognizing these manifestations! we can attain a state of enlightenment! both in this existence and in the existence to come. This authoritative translation preserves the form and spirit of the original and was prepared especially for Western readers by Robert A. F. Thurman! one of the most prominent Tibetan scholars in America and a close associate of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's. ...

Autorentext

Robert Thurman, acclaimed translator of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and author of Inner Revolution, is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the department of religion at Columbia University and is the director of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. He is a friend of the Dalai Lama’s, president of Tibet House U.S., and one of the most visible and respected Buddhist scholars and thinkers in the West.

Klappentext

The most accessible and informative version of the Buddhist classic available in English, with instruction in meditation, illuminating commentary, and guidance in the practical use of the prayers

The so-called "Tibetan Book of the Dead" has been renowned for centuries as a cornerstone of Buddhist wisdom and religious thought. More recently, it has become highly influential in the Western world for its psychological insights into the processes of death and dying-and what they can teach us about the ways we live our lives. It has also been found to be helpful in the grieving process by people who have recently lost their loved ones.

Composed in the eighth century C.E., it is intended to prepare the soul for the trials and transformations of the afterworld. Its profound message is that the art of dying is as important as the art of living. Drawing on Tibetan spiritual traditions, it shows us the workings of the mind in its various manifestations-terrifying and comforting, wrathful and beautiful-which appear more clearly after death in the consciousness of the deceased. By recognizing these manifestations, we can attain a state of enlightenment, both in this existence and in the existence to come.

This authoritative translation preserves the form and spirit of the original and was prepared especially for Western readers by Robert A. F. Thurman, one of the most prominent Tibetan scholars in America and a close associate of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's.

Zusammenfassung
The most accessible and informative version of the Buddhist classic available in English, with instruction in meditation, illuminating commentary, and guidance in the practical use of the prayers
 
The so-called “Tibetan Book of the Dead” has been renowned for centuries as a cornerstone of Buddhist wisdom and religious thought. More recently, it has become highly influential in the Western world for its psychological insights into the processes of death and dying—and what they can teach us about the ways we live our lives. It has also been found to be helpful in the grieving process by people who have recently lost their loved ones.
 
Composed in the eighth century C.E., it is intended to prepare the soul for the trials and transformations of the afterworld. Its profound message is that the art of dying is as important as the art of living. Drawing on Tibetan spiritual traditions, it shows us the workings of the mind in its various manifestations—terrifying and comforting, wrathful and beautiful—which appear more clearly after death in the consciousness of the deceased. By recognizing these manifestations, we can attain a state of enlightenment, both in this existence and in the existence to come.
 
This authoritative translation preserves the form and spirit of the original and was prepared especially for Western readers by Robert A. F. Thurman, one of the most prominent Tibetan scholars in America and a close associate of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s.

Leseprobe
CHAPTER 1
 
BACKGROUND
 
AN OUTLINE OF TIBETAN HISTORY
 
The Tibetans have always called their own country Bö, on some occasions adding Khawajen, “Land of Snows.” Their own recorded history dates back some 2300 years, to the time of the Macedonian Greek empire in the west, the Mauryan empire in India, and the late Chou empire in China. During Tibet’s first eight centuries, it was ruled by a military dynasty. It had an animistic religious system, run by a priesthood of shamans adept in divination, sorcery, and sacrifice. Its polity centered on a royal family believed to have descended from the heavens. The first seven kings came down to rule on a magical ladder hanging in space, up which they would return when their time had come to die. Due to some conflict in the palace, the eighth king cut the sky rope, and the kings thereafter, like the pharaohs of Egy…