Introduction. Death is not the end : What happens at death? ; Karma, the natural law of causality ; The cycle of life, death, and afterdeath ; Glimpses of the bardo ; Taking rebirth ; Transforming our future ; Ceremonies for the dead and dying ; The death of a great teacher -- 1. Human life: our precious days : What is our real nature? ; Precious human life is rare ; Life is impermanent ; Life is created by karmic causality ; Life is full of miseries ; The great potential of life -- 2. Dying: the crucial hour of life : The process of dying ; Delog accounts of the experience of dying ; Don't be afraid, be prepared -- 3. The ultimate nature: glimpses of the luminosity : The ultimate nature experienced at death ; Delog accounts of the passage of ultimate nature ; Our sublime potential -- 4. The bardo: the momentous transitional passage : Experiences of the bardo ; The court of judgment and verdict ; Hints of the rebirth awaiting us ; What should we do in the bardo? ; Our future journey -- 5. Tales of the bardo: afterdeath experiences of Tibetan delogs : Let her remember all that she sees: the experience of Lingza Chokyi ; What judgments await me?: the experience of Karma Wangdzin ; No fear of the foes: the experience of Denma Sangye Seng-ge ; Visits to the eighteen hell realms: the experience of Tagla Konchog Gyaltsen ; Distracted into delusion: the experience of Dagpo Trashi Namgyal ; Crossing the field of the dead: the experience of Gyalwa Yungstrung ; Purified by streams of nectar: the experience of Samten Chotso ; Don't be discouraged: the experience of Changchub Seng-ge ; Hell is the unexcelled pure land: the experience of Tsophu Dorlo ; Form inseparable from wisdom: the experience of Dawa Drolma ; Let everyone be liberated: the experience of Shugseb Jetsun Lochen ; Nothing to accept or reject: the experience of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje --
6. Rebirth: the ineluctable karmic cycle : Liberation or rebirth? ; The causes of rebirth ; The six realms of worldly existence ; Six emotions: the seeds of rebirth in the six realms ; Choosing your next rebirth could be in your hands
7. The Buddha of infinite light and his blissful pure land : Sources of the pure land tradition ; The three aspects of the pure land ; The power of the Buddha's vows ; The power of the Buddha's name ; What is the pure land like? ; The Buddha of infinite light and his deciples ; Rebirth in the blissful pure land
8. How to help the dying and the dead : Maintaining positive thoughts and behavior ; Performing prayers and rituals ; Making merits ; Buddhist rituals for non-Buddhists ; Universal meditation for all ; Instructions for Buddhists and those open to Buddhism ; Meditations for Buddhists and other meditators ; In helping others, we help ourselves ; Some important observances
9. Ritual services for the dying and the dead : The tradition of death rituals ; Religious services for the dying ; Religious services at the time of death ; Religious services after death
Appendixes : Some simple Buddhist death rituals : A. Meditations on the four causes of taking rebirth in the blissful pure land : Preliminary practices ; The four causes of taking rebirth in the blissful pure land ; The mantra and the name-prayers ; Concluding practice: dedication and aspiration prayer
B. Eight esoteric Buddhist rituals for the dying and the dead : Introduction to the eight rituals ; The performance of the eight rituals ; Preliminary practices ; Visualization and contemplation of oneself as the Buddha of compassion ; Summoning the consciousness of the deceased and giving teachings ; The sur offering to the deceased ; Dharma instructions to the deceased ; The meditation and prayers of phowa: transference of consciousness to the blissful pure land ; Prayer and meditation on the Buddha of infinite life ; Cremation of the effigy ; Dedication and aspiration prayer.
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