O, Alas! Alas! Fortunate Child of Buddha Nature,ĭo not be oppressed by the forces of ignorance and delusion!īut rise up now with resolve and courage!Įntranced by ignorance from beginningless time until now, Its opening lines speak directly to the deceased: In other words, corpses are the intended audience for the work, which makes it unique among the world’s literary classics. Not only is The Tibetan Book of the Dead meant to be read aloud, it is meant to be read to the dead. Reading silently was uncommon in the ancient world. This is not surprising when we consider that ancient texts from many cultures were meant to be recited. The most important thing to understand about The Tibetan Book of the Dead is that it is meant to be read aloud. A classic of medieval Buddhist literature, it contains vivid descriptions of the bardos or intermediary states between death and rebirth that are, like other medieval texts, often illustrated. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is an exemplar of Tibetan literary prose and a compelling commentary on the universal experience of death and dying from a Buddhist perspective. There are also multiple expert commentaries, ranging from scholarly discussions to Buddhist practice guides. At present, there are at least 21 translations in multiple languages and formats. Since it was first published in English in 1927, The Tibetan Book of the Dead has proved to be the most popular book on Tibetan Buddhism in the Western world.
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