The Tibetan Book Of The Dead

Also known as Bardo Thodol, literally translated as liminality liberation, this details Buddhist beliefs about death, the intermediate state, rebirth and enlightenment. Although it is commonly referred as the 'Book', singular, it is more like a collection of smaller texts written by scholars in the past. The version I have borrowed from Central Library in Sheffield contains an introductory commentary by HH The Dalai Lama.

I found it quite interesting in the first couple of chapters, it wasn't talking so much about death, more about spiritual practices that should be done in this lifetime. Things like meditation techniques, and generally things more associated with Zen. After that though, you get into the bulk of it. When reading about the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, I was surprised to learn how often 'blood filled skulls' are mentioned. I assumed these would be the last things that are associated with a religion following ahimsa (non-violence), but, there you go.

Still haven't finished it yet, it is quite big. So far I have enjoyed reading it and learning more about Buddhist beliefs. I recommend finding a copy, even if, like me, you just borrow it from a library. For me, it was worth the time spent trawling through the lists of deities and their different appearances, characteristics, etc..

Thanks for reading, comment below or email me with any suggestions.