Foreword by the Dalai Lama

The so-called "Tibetan Book of the Dead" has been recognized for centuries as a classic of Buddhist wisdom and religious thought. More recently, it has become very influential in the Western world for its psychological insights into the dying and dying process, and for what it can teach us about our lives. It has also been helpful in the grieving processes of people who have recently lost a loved one.

Composed in the 8th century AD. of C., its intention is to prepare the soul for the adversities and transformations of the afterlife. Its profound message is that the art of dying is as important as the art of living. Drawn from Tibetan spiritual traditions, it shows us the workings of the mind in its various manifestations - terrifying and reassuring, wrathful and beautiful - which appear most clearly in the consciousness of the deceased. Recognizing these manifestations we can reach the state of enlightenment, both in this existence and in the next.

The present translation preserves the form and spirit of the original, and has been specially prepared for Western readers by Robert A. Thurman, one of Tibet's leading scholars and a close associate of the Dalai Lama. His introduction to Buddhist beliefs, instruction on meditation, enlightening commentaries, and a guide to the practical use of Tibetan prayers, makes it the most accessible and informative of the versions available in Spanish.