The Tibetan Book of the Dead — ed. W. Y. Evans-Wentz

8 Such deeds are, for example, the feeding of /amas and of the poor, almsgiving, the presentation of religious texts or images to monasteries, and the endowment of monasteries if the deceased left much wealth.

196 BARDO OF SEEKING REBIRTH [BK. It, PT. 11]

In other ways, too, this Great Doctrine of the Bardo Thédol, as well as any other religious texts, may be expounded [to the dead or dying]. If this [Doctrine] be joined to the end of 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 memory [by every one]; and, when death is inevitable and the 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 necd of meditation or of sa@dhand;* this Profound Teaching liberatecth 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 obtaincth Buddhahood at the moment of death. Were the Buddhas of the Three Times [the Past, the Present, and the Future] to seek, They could not find any doctrine transcending this.

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

[Here endeth the Tibetan Book of the Dead]

u See jo, Gig.

2 Lit., ‘ be recited always’.

® 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.

Men EP APPENDIX}

[In our Manuscript (but not in the Block-Print), directly following the text of the Bardo Théodol, 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:]

[I: THE INVOCATION OF THE BUDDHAS AND
BODHISATTVAS]

[Instructions to the Officiant]: The invoking of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for assistance, when [any one is] dying, is [thus] :

Offer up to the Trinity whatever actual offerings can be offered [by the dying person, or by his family], together with mentally-created offerings; and, holding in the hand swectsmelling incense, repeat, with great fervency, the following :

O ye Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, abiding in the Ten Directions,? endowed with great compassion, endowed with foreknowledge, endowed with the divine eye, endowed with love, affording protection to sentient beings, condescend through the power of your great compassion to come hither; condescend to accept these offerings actually laid out and mentally created.

O ye Compassionate Ones, ye possess the wisdom of understanding, the love of compassion, the power of [doing] divine deeds and of protecting, in incomprehensible measure. Ye Compassionate Ones, (such-and-such a person) is passing from this world to the world beyond. He is leaving this world. He is taking a great leap. No friends [hath he]. Misery is great. [He is without] defenders, without protectors, without forces and kinsmen. The light of this world hath set. He

1 The directions for employing these rituals and prayers are contained in the

Bardo Thédol above (pp. 88, 192).
2SCiapy rot.

p. 198

goeth to another place. He entereth thick darkness. He falleth down a steep precipice. He entereth into a jungle solitude. He is pursued by Karmic Forces. He goeth into the Vast Silence. He is borne away by the Great Ocean. He is wafted on the Wind of Karma. He goeth in the direction where stability existeth not. He is caught by the Great Conflict. He is obsessed by the Great Afflicting Spirit. He is awed and terrified by the Messengers of the Lord of Death. Existing Karma putteth him into repeated existence. No strength hath he. He hath come upon a time when he hath to go alone.

O ye Compassionate Ones, defend (so-and-so) who is defenceless. Protect him who is unprotected. Be his forces and his kinsmen. Protect [him] from the great gloom of the Bardo. Turn him from the red [or storm] wind of Karma, Turn him from the great awe and terror of the Lords of Death. Save him from the long narrow passage-way of the Bardo.

O ye Compassionate Ones, let not the force of your compassion be weak; but aid him. Let him not go into misery [or the miserable states of existence]. Forget not your ancient vows; and let not the force of your compassion be weak.

O ye Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, let not the might of the method of your compassion be weak towards this one. Catch hold of him with [the hook of] your grace.’ Let not the sentient being fall under the power of evil karma.

O ye Trinity, protect him from the miseries of the Bardo.”

Saying this with great humility and faith, let thyself and
[all] others [present] repeat it thrice.

1 See p. 109%.

Catch hold of him with [the hook of] your grace.’ Let not the sentient being fall under the power of evil karma.

O ye Trinity, protect him from the miseries of the Bardo.”

Saying this with great humility and faith, let thyself and
[all] others [present] repeat it thrice.

1 See p. 109%.

? It is interesting to compare with this Northern Buddhist prayer the following medieval Christian prayer, to Saint Michael, from The Craft to Know Weill to Die, chap. VI, Comper’s ed. (pp. 84-5): ‘Saint Michael Archangel of God, succour us now before the right high Judge. O champion invincible, be thou present now and assist thou this (Name), our brother, which strongly labourcth towards his end, and defend him mightily from the dragon infernal, and from all the frauds of the evil spirits. O yet furthermore, we pray thee, which art the right clear and much fair shower of the divinity, to the end that in this last hour of the life of this (Name), our brother, thou wilt benignly and swectly receive his soul into thy right holy bosom; and that thou wilt bring him in the place of refreshing, of peace and rest. Amen,’

p. 199

(l:] (TE PATH OF GOOD WISHES FOR*SAVING FROM THE DANGEROUS NARROW PASSAGE- Way OF THE BARDO’

’ is [as follows]:

[1]
O ye Conquerors and your Sons, abiding in the Ten
Directions,
O ye ocean-like Congregation of the All-Good Conquerors,
the Peaceful and the Wrathful,
O ye Gurus and Devas, and ye Dakinis, the Faithful Ones,
Hearken now out of [your] great love and compassion :
Obeisance, O ye assemblage of Gurus and Déakinis ;
Out of your great love, lead us along the Path.

[2]

When, through illusion, I and others are wandering in the
Sang sara,

Along the bright light-path of undistracted listening, reflection, and meditation,

May the Gurus of the Inspired Line lead us,

May the bands of Mothers be our rear-guard,

May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo,

May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.

[3]

When, through violent anger, [we are] wandering in the
Saugsara,

Along the bright light-path of the Mirror-like Wisdom,

May the Bhagavan Vajra-Sattva lead us,

May the Mother Mamaki be our rear-guard,

May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo,

May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.

p. 200

[4]
When, through intense pride, [we are] wandering in the
Sangsara,
Along the bright light-path of the Wisdom of Equality,
May the Bhagavan Ratna-Sambhava lead us,
May the Mother, She-of-the-Buddha-Eye, be our rear-guard,
May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the
Bardo,
May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.