THERE'S MORE TO DYING THAN DEATH: A Buddhist Perspective by Lama Shenpen Hookham
There's More to Dying than Death draws on the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of positively preparing for death throughout one's life. Lama Shenpen Hookham offers Westerners like herself a warm, readable and heartfelt exposition on the issues that surround death and caring for the dying, including:
How meditation helps us understand death.
The stages of death and rebirth.
How the living can help the dead or dying.
Practical planning for one's own death.
There's More to Dying than Death is of great interest to anyone seeking a spiritual perspective on death and a deeper experience of being truly alive.
MIND BEYOND DEATH, DVD Set by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
In this five-talk teaching, Ponlop Rinpoche elaborates the six stages of bardo and teaches extensively on the natural bardo of this life. Inlcuded are instructions on bringing appearances, emotions and suffering to the path, as well as teachings on the bardo of dream, the bardo of meditation, and the bardo of dying. He presents how to transform our fear of dying into an open spacious curiosity.
The ultimate meaning of bardo is found in the precious experience of now, recognizing the clarity and beauty of every moment and making it meaningful. Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche begins these talks by introducing the essential meaning of bardo and introducing the more elaborate six stages of bardo: (1) the natural bardo of this life, (2) dream, (3) meditation, (4) death and dying, (5) dharmata, and (6) becoming. In talks two and three, Rinpoche teaches extensively on the natural bardo of this life, providing moving and uplifting methods for making this life beneficial and meaningful in every moment. These talks include instructions on bringing appearances, emotions and suffering to the path. In talk four, Rinpoche introduces the bardo of dream, the bardo of meditation, and the bardo of dying. In the final talk, Rinpoche teaches on transforming our fear of dying into an experience of open spacious curiosity and using death as an opportunity to experience the nature of mind. The weekend included opportunities for students to ask questions on this emotionally difficult topic. One student's assessment of the weekend after it concluded captures the magic of Rinpoche's teachings:
«I just wanted to share with you my experience of how wonderful this weekend was. Rinpoche was amazing, both in terms of teaching and in terms of how he compassionately and tactfully teaches students with such diverse perspectives. It was such a very sensitive topic. It was incredible to see (and hear) how he so brilliantly taught according to the listener's receptivity.»
The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is acknowledged as one of the foremost scholars of his generation in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He is known for his sharp intellect, humor, and the lucidity of his teaching style, and is considered one of the foremost scholars of his generation. Fluent in the English language and well versed in Western culture, Rinpoche is also an accomplished calligrapher, visual artist and poet.
TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD, Book and CD set translated with commentary by Francesca Freemantle and Chogyam Trungpa, read by Richard Gere
In this classic scripture of Tibetan Buddhism--traditionally read aloud to the dying to help them attain liberation--death and rebirth are seen as a process that provides an opportunity to recognize the true nature of mind. This book and audio set offers a new way to encounter the profound meaning of this sacred text. The package contains a complete edition of The Tibetan Book of the Dead with an introduction by Francesca Fremantle and insightful commentary by Chogyam Trungpa, written in clear, concise language, that explains the text and offers a psychological perspective on its teachings.
Also included here is a set of three audio CDs with an introduction by Fremantle and a translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, both read by the actor Richard Gere.
Chogyam Trungpa, meditation master, teacher, and artist, was the founder of Naropa University and the author of several books on Buddhism and the path of meditation, including Shambhala: the Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting through Spiritual Materialism, and The Myth of Freedom.
Francesca Fremantle received her doctorate from the School of Asian and African Studies at London University. She is a scholar and translator of Sanskrit and Tibetan works, and was a student of Chogyam Trungpa for many years.
The narrator, Richard Gere, is a founding member of Tibet House, a cultural and educational center in New York City dedicated to preserving Tibetan Culture.
KARMA CHAKME'S MOUNTAIN DOCTRINE VOL. 3 taught by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, translated by Yeshe Gyamtso, Chojor Radha, Jigme Nyima, and Namgyal Khorko
Opening with concise bardo teachings and offering instruction on benefiting people who are within the bardo state, this volume then continues with instructions for the practitioner that cover: how to protect oneself from potential threats with loving-kindness and compassion; how to purify obscurations through the invocation of wisdom deities; the signs that arise through practice; how to recognize when you get off the track and eradicate the cause; problems that can impede practice and stop it from working; methods necessary to cause one's practice to develop; bringing the five mental affliction to the path in terms of four different approaches.
PRACTICING THE FIVE POWERS NEAR THE TIME OF DEATH by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Advice and commentary from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on how to practice the five powers near the time of death, thereby ensuring a peaceful death and positive rebirth. Not only for use by those facing imminent death, this is a deeply profound teaching on how to live life for anyone who wishes to make his or her life and eventual death most meaningful.
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