The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying: A Study of Tibetan Teachings on Life and Death

Having a stone Buddha in your garden does not make one a Buddhist anymore than wearing orange or refusing to step on spiders does. Having been raised in a mainstream religion, certain aspects of other faiths and belief systems have nonetheless always been fascinating. I was academically introduced to Buddhist philosophy while taking a graduate course on death and dying, and while this book was not assigned, I found it when looking for additional resource material. This book is not to be confused with the more ancient Tibetan Book of the Dead, which I must confess was the book I thought I was buying. I am glad I made the mistake. Besides chanting and displaying compassionate regard for all sentient beings, Buddhists primarily think and spend a lot of time preparing to die. Not in a morbid or neurotic way, mind you, but through meditation and calm preparation, they experience a rehearsal of the dying process and lose their fear of it. Dying becomes an integral part of living - an idea that most people choose to push back into their subconscious. Sogyal Rinpoche offers an accessible narrative and is explicit that his goal is not to convert his readers to Buddhism. Instead his book, written explicitly for western readers, encourages us to consider the wisdom that others - mainly doctors, nurses, palliative and hospice care professionals have adopted and found so valuable inside the pages of this book: how to help people have peaceful deaths. Moreover, it is a life guide to building the confidence for those who feel helpless or scared around a dying person. Individual contact, quiet tenderness and preventing anxiety and panic and promoting laughter and positive thoughts are the greatest gifts we can give a dying person to help them die well. Whatever your belief system is or isn't, Sogyal's advice can be applied alongside any faith system. You don't have to believe in bardo, karma or reincarnation to see the common sense solutions he offers as a way to wipe away the terror of death. His lessons are unthreatening. He speaks to wisdom without borders of territory or tenet. This is a beautiful book in every sense of the word and a thoughtful gift and guide for anyone who is going through a difficult time will personal illness or facing the impending death of a loved one.

Great Book

For the last 20 years or so, I've felt that my spirituality was more along the Buddhist line than that of Christianity. I liked the idea of self-improvement, karma and harmony with the universe rather than worship of a God (especially a jealous and spiteful one as is described in the Old Testament). Well, Rinpoche's book has helped me to see this comparison in a whole new light. He writes about the spirituality of both, and presents many cases where one can follow whatever mysticism that one feels comfortable with rather than making right/wrong contrasts. If one thinks of Christ in terms of what he said and did, he is not that different from Buddha - both enlightened beings teaching us a path to follow toward enlightenment. Where I hadn't been to church in many years, I now find myself looking forward to starting each of my non-work days by reading this book. I could write for hours about the knowledge and understanding that I've gained. I finally understand why others feel the same way about the Bible (although I still don't understand the Old Testament). The amount of wisdom in this book is astounding - from the beginning sections regarding living to the process of dying, to the last chapters that discuss near-death experiences and the evolution of mankind. This book is written in such a clear and loving way that it makes obvious that the author's intent is to improve humanity. In my case, I hope to be able to mature my view of my fellow man toward compassion, and in the process improve both him and myself. If you really take it to heart, this book will help diminish fear of death and motivate to learn and be more prepared for it. After all, death is one thing that we all have in common.

I credit this book with so much - I've gained a different and more beautiful perspective on life and death than I ever thought possible. When my close friend was dying of cancer, I had a year to read this and prepare for what was going to happen, and it sounds crazy, but by the time his passing came, I was ready. I had such a healthy, beautiful mindset about it that I could truly celebrate his life instead of feeling grief-stricken. It was amazing. What a gift. I have loaned it to others when going through the death & dying process with their loved ones, and while some have described it as "intense" (which I did not feel it to be personally), they have ended up purchasing their own copies and passing it to their friends and loved ones as well. A few recommendations: - this book would likely not be helpful for those who are in denial about the death of a loved one or still feeling as though if they just fight harder or get more medicine their loved one could be saved. This book addresses death as a fact of life that we all must accept and understand, and thus those who aren't quite there yet, or who feel that death is a 'failure' of some kind (medicine, willpower, etc.), or haven't accepted it as an inevitable conclusion probably won't be in the right mindset to be able to use its guidance. - It helps to be an open-minded person who can see the connections between faiths and belief systems - I imagine it wouldn't be as helpful for someone who devoutly follows one specific non-Buddhist dogma and believes all others are 100% wrong, since this links multiple faiths/beliefs/spirituality together (beautifully!). It is ultimately based in Buddhism (albeit a Western interpretation), so anyone who would automatically reject it based on its eastern roots would probably not benefit from it. If you don't fit into either of the two above categories, it's amazing. I have friends who have read it even when not facing the death of a loved one, just to gain a healthier perspective on life. It's a beautiful book that contains beautiful words, no matter what you're facing in life.

Great book

This is an amazing translation. I'm teaching a university course on "Impermanence", and I ordered both this translation and one other. The other is much more technical (i.e. the majority of the book is laden with prayers, in both the native language and translated to English. ) Sogyal Rinpoche's translation, however, brings forth the soulful essence of the original teachings in a warm, understandable, 'wise grandfather sitting down to tell you stories about life' fashion. The writing itself is excellent, not just the content. The students love it. I love it. We are all learning so much... Each chapter is broken down into smaller, bite-sized sections (not like a coffee table book, at all-- but in a way that makes the reading feel less dense and more conversational--which I think is important when digesting such important, timeless, meaningful teachings.) Also, this translation really emphasizes Buddhism as a science of the mind and offers so much practical information on how to live life, how to approach meditation, and how to die (or help loved loves die) in peace. I find that students of all religious and non-religious backgrounds are embracing this text whole-heartedly, which does not happen often. Overall, one of the best reads I've had in a long, long time. Blessings, Jaclyn

After reading this, I have a great desire to continue my studies. This will become a very important pursuit for me.

I read this book nearly 20 years ago and remember sobbing after finishing it. I couldn't put my finger on it then, but now realize that I was sensing the depth to which it would effect me and my life. Out of a desire to "come back to" my old Self -- one I have sorely missed lately -- I recently decided to read this book again. (I needed a new copy so that I could make fresh highlights and notations.) I'm amazed to see from where SO many of my "leanings," beliefs, and core values had come. This book had clearly laid the foundation for most -- if not all -- of my long-held interest in/study of alternative medicine and energy healing -- tools I've relied upon and successfully used for nearly two decades. More than that, this book rooted my understanding of "the way things work" in the universe and blended with the teachings of my Christian upbringing to provide me with a rich and unique perspective on how to navigate life and it's challenges. I'll tell you a secret (and non-believers may find this a fluke): Since re-starting this book two weeks ago, I've had many strange and wonderful synchronicities occur that have validated my re-discovering it. Re-reading it seems to be like hitting the "reset" button -- putting me back into the natural flow of life and returning me to the happier, more peaceful person I once was. I wish the same for you as you begin your own journey with Sogyal Rinpoche's masterpiece.

Possibly the best most accessible version contains a wealth of information on vajrayana supplementary to the book of living and dying also . Another great version,

Best book for myself. One must read it once.

Un enseñanza necessario muy bueno

Book in perfect conditions

its convenient to bring with characters are clear