The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

He is celebrating his 30th anniversary !

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The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is widely regarded as one of the most complete and authoritative presentations of the Tibetan Buddhist teachings. A manual for life and death and a source of sacred inspiration from the heart of the Tibetan tradition, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying provides a lucid and inspiring introduction to the practice of meditation, to the nature of mind, to karma and rebirth, to compassionate love and care for the dying, and to the trials and rewards of the spiritual path.

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The teachings of Tibetan Buddhism have been called one of the last ancient wisdom traditions on earth. They are extraordinarily profound and relevant because they transmit a special understanding of the mind or, to be more precise, the knowledge of our true nature—the innermost, essential nature of the mind. In practice, they empower us to thrive in the world with kindness, compassion, resilience, and equanimity. These crucial instructions have been handed down meticulously over centuries from masters to their students in an unbroken line to the present day.

From the heart of the Tibetan tradition, the book presents simple yet powerful practices that anyone, whatever their religion or background, can do to transform their lives, prepare for death, and help the dying.

Over three decades The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying has touched and supported people from all walks of life. There were many who said it had transformed the death of a loved one or helped them at other critical moments in their lives. Some told of how they had read the book two or three times all the way through and still return to it at moments of crisis. Others kept it by their bedside and used it to dip into repeatedly for guidance and inspiration. In various places, medical and educational institutions adopted the book for their training courses and made use of its methods and practices.

How wonderful it is that the teachings from this tradition are increasingly accessible to people everywhere, young and old so that anyone can learn and carry these values of wisdom and compassion into everyday life and to face the struggles of the world.

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Some excerpts to contemplate from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying :

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Testimonials from readers of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying :

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I picked this book as a guide to better deal with the illness of a family member.

I have a world to say about this book and its contents but truly all that really matters is to say is that it is one of the most powerful books I've ever read. If there was one book I'd recommend everyone to read, it would be this one.

We will all experience illness, dying and death of others throughout and our own at the end of our lives. To avoid, suppress or reject this reality really only creates greater fear and rejection of something that if chosen, can be approached with a greater sense of ease and lightness of heart if we only take that first step and turn the page. PF

It explained some unfathomable part of my own religion.

Well I must say this book is really making me want to return to my own religion not in the form that I used to know! In fact by reading this book I find some unfathomable parts of my religion explained so every page and chapter I read makes me want to read more and understand more! SR

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Helped me see the purpose of my own life

Though I am finished with this book, it is not going back on its shelf. I'm placing it right next to my meditation spot and intend to put its words to use in my practice. And when the time comes that I or a loved one has the opportunity to prepare for death, I again expect to keep this book close at hand.

I read this book right after walking away from a serious car accident with only bruises. My years of yoga training served me well during the accident and its aftermath, but I knew that it was time to open this book and dig more deeply into the process and meaning of life and death while I still had the chance.

Within, I found practical, down-to-earth advice on how to live, why we live, and how to die. Sogyal Rinpoche covers every conceivable situation a person could encounter and stresses the importance of preparation through meditation at every stage. He also tells inspiring stories and helps the reader to approach these big, often scary topics with a relaxed, open mind.

I am grateful for having had the chance to read this book, and I hope to ensure in my own life that its wisdom was not passed along in vain. Thank you, Sogyal Rinpoche, for helping me to see more clearly the purpose of my own life and to be less afraid of both living and dying. JY

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Learning how to truly live

This is a book to be slowly read and reread, to be mulled over, to contemplate. It is not something one reads cover to cover like a novel. There's too much to absorb. It's book to keep going back to. Wonderful and full of wisdom. If there's one thing we all need to learn how to do, it's dying. And I don't in any way mean this in a morbid sense, for if we learn how to die, if we truly accept our mortality, we finally learn how to truly live. Thus, in learning how to truly live, we become human BEINGS rather than human DOINGS. EB

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Our fear of death is an enormous cause of our suffering

I have understood from reading the teachings in this book that throughout the modern world, our fear, avoidance, or shrugging off of death and dying is an enormous cause of our personal and collective spiritual suffering, as well as social injustices and environmental unraveling. The possibility of understanding death clearly, using our lives to prepare for death, and wholeheartedly living our lives free of suffering is available to us in every single moment. And there is a path through which we can integrate death & dying into our lives. ZD

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Helps us to understand the three aspects of our lives—living, dying and rebirth

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is a book which depicts the core of Buddhism—impermanence, emptiness and compassion. It is a book which illustrates the perfect picture of the realm of our lives and life after death. This book helps all Buddhist to understand the three aspects of our lives—living, dying and rebirth.

It also prepares us to embrace death in the peaceful manner and to console the one we love in times of death. This is a book which helps us to transform our mind to absolute peace and compassion. LM

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