9780861711314

A perfect companion to the well-known Tibetan Book of the Dead.

In life and in death, in meditation and in sleep, every transitional stage of consciousness, or bardo, provides an opportunity to overcome limitations, frustrations, and fears. The profound teachings in this book provide the under- standing and instruction necessary to turn every phase of life into an opportunity for uncontrived, natural liberation.

Like the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Natural Liberation is a term, a "hidden treasure" attributed to the eighth-century master Padmasambhava. Gyatrul Rinpoche's lucid commentary accompanies the text, illuminating the path of awakening to the point of full enlightenment. Natural Liberation is an essential contribution to the library of both scholars and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism.

Gyatrul Rinpoche was born in Tibet in 1924 and has been teaching in North America since 1972. He has founded several Dharma centers in the U.S., principally Tashi Choeling, near Ashland, Oregon.

B. Allan Wallace, received his Ph.D. from Stanford University and now runs the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies. He is the author of several books including The Attention Revolution and Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground Up.

Translator's Preface

ix

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION AND PRELIMINARIES

3

(80)

Introduction: Motivation

3

(10)

Motivation

7

(6)

1. Preliminary Practices for Subduing Your Own Mind-stream

13

(40)

Pondering the Sufferings of Cyclic Existence

16

(9)

Pondering the Difficulty of Obtaining a Human Life of Leisure and Endowment

25

(9)

Meditating on Death and Impermanence

34

(19)

2. The Natural Liberation of the Mind-itself: The Four-Session Yoga of Spiritual Activity of the Secret Mantra Vajrayana

53

(30)

Going for Outer, Inner, and Secret Refuge

62

(3)

Generating the Mahayana Spirit of Awakening

65

(2)

Cultivating the Four Immeasurables

67

(1)

Reciting the One Hundred Syllables to Purify Sins and Obscurations

67

(2)

Offering the Mandala

69

(5)

Prayer to the Lineage

74

(4)

The Contemplation of Receiving the Four Empowerments

78

(5)

PART TWO: THE PROFOUND DHARMA OF THE NATURAL LIBERATION THROUGH CONTEMPLATING THE PEACEFUL AND WRATHFUL: STAGE OF COMPLETION INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SIX BARDOS

83

(194)

3. The Natural Liberation of the Foundation: Experiential Instructions on the Transitional Process of Living

83

(58)

Quiescence

90

(24)

Insight

114

(27)

4. The Natural Liberation of Confusion: Experiential Instructions on the Transitional Process of Dreaming

141

(28)

Instructions on the Illusory Body

141

(9)

Nighttime Instructions on Dreaming and the Natural Liberation of Confusion

150

(19)

5. The Natural Liberation of Awareness: Experiential Instructions on the Transitional Process of Meditative Stabilization

169

(26)

Meditative Equipoise of the Threefold Space

177

(2)

The Self-Liberation of Everything that Appears Following Meditation

179

(16)

6. The Natural Liberation of Mindfulness of Transference: Experiential Instructions on the Transitional Process of Dying

195

(40)

Training

197

(5)

Application

202

(32)

7. The Natural Liberation of Seeing: Experiential Instructions on the Transitional Process of Reality-itself

235

(22)

Striking the Critical Points of the Body, Speech, and Mind

236

(3)

The Alighting of Direct Perception upon Oneself in Dependence upon the Three Critical Points

239

(4)

The Ways in which the Four Visions Arise Due to Such Practice

243

(12)

Concluding Advice

255

(2)

8. The Natural Liberation of Becoming: Experiential Instructions on the Transitional Process of Becoming

257

(20)

Closing the Entrance of the Womb as a Divine Embodiment

257

(4)

Closing the Entrance of the Womb by Imagining Your Spiritual Mentor with Consort

261

(1)

Closing the Entrance of the Womb with the Practice of the Four Blisses

262

(2)

How Those on the Path of Liberation Close the Entrance of the Womb with the Antidote of Renunciation

264

(2)

Closing the Entrance of the Womb with the Clear Light

266

(1)

Closing the Entrance of the Womb with the Illusory Body

267

(10)

PART THREE: SUPPLEMENTAL PRAYERS

277

(32)

9. Three Prayers Concerning the Transitional Processes

277

(22)

Prayer of Supplication

277

(9)

The Natural Liberation of All Attainments: A Prayer Concerning the Transitional Processes

286

(10)

Prayer of Calling for Help to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

296

(3)

10. The Natural Liberation of the Vast Expanse of the Three Embodiments: A Prayer of the Natural Liberation through Contemplating the Peaceful and Wrathful

299

(6)

11. The Natural Liberation of the Three Poisons without Rejecting Them: A Guru Yoga Prayer to the Three Embodiments

305

(4)

Epilogue

309

(2)

Notes

311

(6)

Glossary

317

(8)

Bibliography

325

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Natural Liberation : Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos

0861711319

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

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