Meditations on Living, Dying, and Loss
The Essential Tibetan Book of the Dead
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A distillation of the acclaimed English translation of a revered Tibetan classic
The Tibetan Book of the Dead is the most significant of all Tibetan Buddhist writings in the West and one of the most inspirational and compelling texts in world literature.
In Meditations on Living, Dying and Loss, Graham Coleman, the editor of Viking?s acclaimed unabridged translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, collects the most beautifully written passages, ones that draw out the central perspectives most relevant to modern experience: What is death? How can we help those who are dying? And how can we come to terms with bereavement? New to this edition are Coleman?s introduction and his brilliant and incisive essays, which preface each chapter and provide the seeker entrée to these ancient insights. With introductory commentary by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and a highly praised translation by Gyurme Dorje, this succinct but authoritative volume will convey the profundity of the original to those hungry for a better understanding of this life and the next.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Coleman, one of the editors of a complete translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol) published by Viking in 2006, has selected key passages of this famous work and put each in context for the modern reader. His Holiness the Dalai Lama contributed introductory commentary to this concise volume. Both verse extracts and prose commentary provide a brief but intense introduction to subtle Buddhist concepts of mind, the self, impermanence, karma, and continuity of consciousness after death. The translation is beautifully clear, the content complex; a glossary explains in precise detail terms and concepts used in the text. The idea that death, the intermediate state, and rebirth may mirror the sleep, dreams, and awakening of ordinary life help guide the reader into this challenging set of ideas. Parallels with modern accounts of near-death experiences are also noted. This glimpse into the extraordinary intricacy of Buddhism shows how a major Tibetan text addressed the needs of both the living and the dead.
