[the General Conclusion]

By the reading of these properly, those devotees [or yogis] who are advanced in understanding can make the best use of the Transference? at the moment of death. They need not traverse the Intermediate State, but will depart by the Great Straight-Upward [Path]. Others who are a little less practised [in things spiritual], recognizing the Clear Light in the Chonyid Bardo, at the moment of death, will go by the upward [course]. Those lower than these will be liberated—in accordance with their particular abilities and karmic connexions—when one or other of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities dawneth upon them, during the succeeding

There being several turning-points,* liberation should be obtained at one or other of them through recognizing. But those of very weak karmic connexion, whose mass of obscura- tions is great [because of | evil actions, have to wander down- wards and downwards to the Szdpa Bardo. Yet since there are, like the rungs of a ladder, many kinds of settings-face-to- face [or remindings], liberation should have been obtained at one or at another by recognizing. But those of the weakest karmic connexions, by not recognizing, fall under the in-

The Astrology for the Dead—a Tibetan work, in many versions, for determining (by using the moment of death as a basis for astrological calculations) the appropriate time, place, and method for the disposal of the corpse, and the after-death realm to which the deceased is destined and the land and condition in which he will be reborn on earth—prescribes such use of the Tahdol.

* See p. 893, above.

teachings for closing the womb-door and for selecting the womb-door; and, at one or other of these, they should have apprehended the method of visualization and [applied ]

dition. Even the lowest of them, resembling the brute order, will have been able—in virtue of the application of the Refuge—to turn from entering into misery ; and, [obtaining]

body, will, in the next birth, meeting with a guru who is

it will be like the connecting up of good actions, resembling

such is this Teaching.”

Those of heavy evil karma cannot possibly fail to be liberated by hearing this Doctrine [and recognizing]. If it be asked, why? it is because, at that time, all the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities being present to receive [one], and the Maras and the Interrupters likewise coming to receive [one] along with them, the mere hearing of this Doctrine then turneth one’s views, and liberation is obtained; for there

To win a perfectly endowed human body, one must inherently possess faith, perseverance, intellect, sincerity, and humility as a religious devotee, and be born at a time when religion prevails (i.e. when an Enlightened One shall be incarnate or when His teachings are the driving force of the world) and meet then a great, spiritually developed guru.

® If a drain be broken, the continuity in the flow of the water is broken. The Teaching is, in its effects, like repairing the drain by insertion of a trough to conduct the water across the break (which is symbolical of the break in the stream of consciousness caused by death). Thereby is the merit of good deeds

done in the human world made to carry the deceased forward: the continuity is re-established.

PAR eM EERICACY-OF THE BARDO THODOL 195

is no flesh and blood body to depend upon, but a mental

may be wandering in the Bardo, one heareth and cometh, for one possesseth the slender sense of supernormal per- -ception and foreknowledge; and, recollecting and appre- hending instantaneously, the mind is capable of being changed

use here. It is like the mechanism of a catapult.’ It is like

men cannot carry, but which by being floated upon water can be towed wherever desired ina moment.? It is like the con- trolling of a horse’s mouth by means of a bridle.®

out of this life,—if the body be there,—impress this [upon the

and the yellowish water-secretion begin to issue from the nostrils. At that time the corpse should not be disturbed. The rules to be observed for this [impressing to be efficacious] are: no animal should be slain on account of the deceased ;* nor should relatives weep or make mournful wailings near the

possible.®

this Doctrine the deceased can be directed or turned in his after-death pro- gression.

In other ways, too, this Great Doctrine of the Bardo Thodol, as well as any other religious texts, may be expounded [to the

Guide’ and recited [along with The Guide| it becometh very efficacious. In yet other ways it should be recited as often as possible.2 The words and meanings should be committed to

death-symptoms are recognized,—strength permitting—one should recite it oneself, and reflect upon the meanings. If strength doth not permit, then a friend should read the Book and impress it vividly. There is no doubt as to its liberating.

The Doctrine is one which liberateth by being seen, without need of meditation or of sadhand;* this Profound Teaching liberateth by being heard or by being seen. This Profound Teaching liberateth those of great evil karma through the Secret Pathway. One should not forget its meaning and the words, even though pursued by seven mastiffs.

By this Select Teaching, one obtaineth Buddhahood at the moment of death. Were the Buddhas of the Three Times

not find any doctrine transcending this.

Thus is completed the Profound Heart-Drops of the Bardo Doctrine, called The Bardo Thodol, which liberateth embodied beings,

[Here endeth the Tibetan Book of the Dead]

* Text: Bsgrub (pron, Dub): Skt. Sadhana, ‘perfected devotion’, which ordinarily requires the very careful performance of a ritual more or less technical and elaborate,

* Fierce mastiffs are numerous in most Tibetan villages, and travellers protect themselves by special charms against them, This reference to seven mastiffs is purely Tibetan, and is additional internal evidence that the Bardo Thédol took form in Tibet itself, deriving much of its matter from Indian mythology and systems of Yoga philosophy.

eben bP, BENT) 1x

[In our Manuscript (but not in the Block-Print), directly following the text of the Bardo Thidol, there are thirteen folios of rituals and prayers (lit., ‘paths of good wishes’), which all professional readers of the Bardo Thédol must know, usually from memory, and apply as needed; and they are here rendered into English as follows:]|