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Summary: A necessary read for seekers...
Review: My bookshelves are filled with books on many topics, including death and dying and spirituality -- this book might be the only book I really need.For years I have thought I must read the Tibetan Book of the Dead -- but whenever I tried, it was much too complicated for me to understand. Sogyal Rinpoche has written this book so that it is easily understood by anyone, even us Westerners, without compromising any of the Buddhist teachings it offers. In essence, we begin to die the moment we are born. We spend this life preparing to die well. Nothing is permanent, but we spend much of our lives filling our time with activities and pursuits that help us elude ourselves into thinking that what we see and touch is all that matters. Sogyal Rinpoche says, "To follow the path of wisdom has never been more urgent or more difficult. Our society is dedicated almost entirely to the celebration of ego, with all its sad fantasies about success and power, and it celebrates those very forces of greed and ignorance that are destroying the planet. It has never been more difficult to hear the unflattering voice of the truth, and never more difficult, once having heard it, to follow it: because there is nothing in the world around us that supports our choice, and the entire society in which we live seems to negate every idea of sacredness or eternal meaning. So at the time of our most acute danger, when our very future is in doubt, we as human beings find ourselves at our most bewildered, and trapped in a nightmare of our own creation." He writes about the importance of realizing the interconnectedness of all living beings (including nature), of meditation (and gives instructions and advice), of finding and being devoted to a good master (something very difficult for Westerners to accept -- he acknowledges that there are fraudulent ones about), of learning to live and learning to die, of letting go of egos and becoming egolessness. Throughout the book, he tells of female masters as well as males, something female readers may greatly appreciate. Sogyal Rinpoche is from Tibet, and speaks of the cruelty of the Chinese to the Tibetan Buddhists (very similar to the persecution of the early christians, and later the Jews by the Nazis -- when will we ever learn, but then that's the point of this book!) In the last section of the book, he speaks of "The Universal Process" which is about spirituality, living and dying of all humans, regardless of race, spiritual beliefs, gender or national origin. There are in the back two mantras with explanations and he shares photographs of his beloved masters. Throughout the book are inspiring poems from such poets as Rumi and St. Francis of Assisi, as well as Buddhists. In the very back he gives suggested readings, and offers phone numbers and addresses of Rigpa National Office, where those who are interested can find referrals to cources and study groups in the US, Canada and around the world. This book is a very good place for the seeker to begin. For those curious about Buddhism, or seriously interested in becoming a Buddha or a Buddhist, or just looking for more thoughts and information on death and dying, this book is excellent, easy to understand, thought-provoking.
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Summary: MASTERPIECE
Review: THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK I HAVE EVER READ.
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Summary: Beyond information and ignorance
Review: A wonderfully enlightening book. In it, Sogyal Rinpoche carefully places before us the information about death that Tibetan Buddhists have been collecting over the centuries. It is clear, concise, and very helpful. It goes beyond dealing with death, and takes us into a place where we can "deal with life" by putting it into perspective. I found the chapters on meditation to be tremendiously helpful for my own practice. And the information on the Ground Luminosity has taken me into new areas of understanding... or lack of ignorance. In essence, he points to the Primordal Simplicity and says, "Why not try it?" I have, and...
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Summary: You Will Die Laughing!
Review: This book is the foundation for all American Tibetan Buddhists. Are not we all confused? Don't we try to make sense of all this. Imagine! An entire world not connected with 1) Where they will be in 100 years from now 2) Will we survive after our body passes away. Imagine that! It is the FIRST thing that you would wonder about. If you were on a boat, certainly you would ask "Where am I going?" Wouldn't you? According to Tibetan Buddhism, this is a case of hysterical and mass repression. We DO care about death. Very much so. But we just may not be aware of it. I am 49. I'm getting old! I was worried about aging when I was 25. And so is everybody else that I've ever known! It's sort of like being on the Titanic, knowing that there is an iceberg ahead - so instead of looking into this matter - we all get together and talk as fast as we can and play pinball machines! Isn't this true? This is a book about Living and Dying. We go to bed at night. We tell ourselves that EVERYTHING will be beautiful in the future (lying to ourselves but maintaining our sanity). Or tell ourselves that really horrible things could happen tomorrow (like being pinned under a car). The last scenerio is actually more realistic, but we become so neurotic that we seek professional help! Then the psychiatrist tells us to delude ourselves with "wishful thinking"! Plus a few pills and we are all set. BUY THIS BOOK. You will learn so much. BUY IT if you are a Christian, agnostic, Buddhist, Athiest, Scientologist, Hindu, Democrat, or Republican. Read about how the late Karmapa kept getting cancer but somehow, he recovered after every operation! Causing goose bumps to appear on the nurse's arms. Point made. PART ONE: Living This part deals primarily about this life. It simply shows the absolute necessity for leading a "good life". What is a "good life"? Well, read part one. PART TWO: Death This and the next part will show you what happens after death. Reject everything that you know when you read this part and the next. Be a scientist. Do not believe it (OH Boy!) or push it away (Hogwash! I don't believe it.) Just examine it. PART THREE: Death and Rebirth This part tells you where you will end up. I have no comment. Just take it slow and easy. PART FOUR: Conclusion This is just that. The conclusion. If you are a Christian, these findings go back 1,500 years. They will NOT contradict your faith in Jesus. The last chapter even quotes St. Francis! If you are an athiest or an agnostic, here is something to chew on! Maybe I should have told more about the contents of the book. Sogyal Rinpoche has given us an ever-lasting gem. For all mankind. The only question is - will we pick it up. Well? P.S. A lot of people will say "I can't do anything about what happens after death. Since I can't do anything about it." Well... this book tells EVERYBODY how they can change where they will be in 100 years. They won't calmly reject your answer as if you are loaning them "Lonesome Dove". You will see great fear. Try it!
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Summary: Karuna, karuna,...
Review: Sogyal's books ( and especially this one ) are as yet the best popular presentations of the Yellow-cap versions of the Vajrayana Buddhism for the Westerners ( or arond the globe ). Good things ----------------- "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" is, without a shadow of doubt, a product of a noble mind. The author has succeeded in capturing the essence of the Buddhist sensibilitry, as expressed in selfless detachment and humanitarian loving-kindness. Also, it recreates the Buddhist Weltanschauung re general Mahayana metaphysics. Sogyal's book is a treasure trove of legends, myths and folklore of the Tibetan nation. This loving devotion to his people assures us, albeit tenuously, in the (possible ) truth of that biblical dictum "..they shall not perish." Not entirely satisfying stuff ------------------------------------------ This book is not on the Vajrayana as such. Essentially, this is a work in Thanatology; therefore a restricted field of interest. The author has honestly exposed the Buddhist worldview. Needless to say, the noble resignation emanating from the "The Book of Living and Dying" will not satisfy any vitalist passionately involved in deciphering the sealed secrets in the Book of Life's Grandeur. His renedering of the NDEs is completely unsatisfactory. He relegates it to the Sidpa Bardo, in fact ( theosophically speaking ) astral & lower astral before incarnation. What about Clear Light ? An exampke of sloppiness, I gues. Also- the majority of his Bardo part is hearsay. More, he has not touched differences between rigpa and shespa, combinig to give sher-rig. Although an accessible work ( or maybe just because of that ), it lags far behind the Red-caps revised Wentz's "The Bardo Thodhol". Be as it may- this is a highly commendable read.
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Summary: Life, Death, Chaos, and Reincarnation
Review: As a noted Zen master once said, when dying: "This is all, and nothing more." I think that sums up the beauty of this book.
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Summary: The reality of death.
Review: My father practiced Tibetian Buddism and because of that I came to know of this book. I have delved into it, at various points in my life and I have always found wisdom there. But never more than when I learned my father was terminally ill with cancer. I read to him from this book while he was dying and it has been a great teacher to me since his passing. My father died with great dignity because of his beliefs, and I learned that contemplation on death is the most difficult and important work of all.
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Summary: Check it out
Review: If you've got the interest, the book has the substance.
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Summary: The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
Review: This is an amazing book full of the richness of the spiritual greatness of Tibet. Every one should read it, regardless of religious affiliation. Sagyol Rinpoche gives great insight into how to live your life so that you are ready to embrace death when your unexpected time comes. I would rate it number one as a guide to liberation.
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Summary: Beautiful
Review: I can honestly say that reading this book has caused the buddha in me to stir and manifest more in my day to day life. I would suggest this highly, especially if you are trying to figure out which tradition best suits your personal path. I would also suggest "Glimpse after Glimpse," by the same author.
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