Click here for The Reluctant Messenger (Host Site)

THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD I

John WorldPeace
Copyright 1997 by John WorldPeace Houston, Texas USA
All rights reserved.

To World Peace the possible dream"

and To my angelic and loving wife, Kay, whose beautiful spirit caresses me with perfect love

---

INVOCATION

O God, Boundless Light of this Reality, O loving and fierce celestial beings, angels and guides, O great spiritual teachers and saints I acknowledge the oneness of the Infinite Potential.

RECOGNITION BY THE INFINITE, IMMORTAL SPIRIT OF THE PERFECT CLEAR LIGHT OF THE INFINITE POTENTIAL IN THE POST PHYSICAL DEATH SPIRITUAL REALITY

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! The time has come for you to find your path in the reality of the spirit. Your physical breath has stopped; the perfect clear light of the Infinite Potential of the first phase of your transition into the spiritual reality has begun to manifest. Your physical breath has stopped and you begin to experience the spirit reality; barren and void like space. Your immortal, infinite spiritual awareness begins to awaken, clear and empty; perceiving no horizon or center. You must immediately recognize this void as yourself. You must stay centered within this experience.

Now the vision that begins to manifest in the void is the image of mud which represents the earth merging into water. The image of smoke which represents water merging into fire. The image of sparks which represents fire merging into the wind. The image of a candle flame which represents the wind merging into consciousness. The image of a moonlit sky which represents consciousness merging into luminance. The image of the sunlit sky which represents luminance merging into radiance. The image of the night sky which represents radiance merging into imminence. The image of the predawn twilight sky which represents imminence merging into the perfect clear light.

Hey, immortal one, you who was called ______! Now that you have passed through the doorway of "physical death" and transitioned into the spiritual reality, you must now reorient yourself. Repeat to yourself the following words.

"Wake up! I have transitioned from physical life through bodily death to the point of spiritual awakening. From this point on, I will awaken my spirit and my consciousness by contemplating the Infinite Potential of the spirit. I must meditate on peace and harmony and love and compassion. For the sake of all beings in all realities, I must remain centered in the oneness of the Infinite Potential. Now for the sake of all beings, I will acknowledge the perfect clear light as the representation of the Infinite Potential. Within this experience of Infinite oneness, I will attain the supreme peace and harmony of the Infinite Potential and I will accomplish the purpose of all beings. If I do not attain the supreme peace and harmony, then, at the least, while I reside in the spiritual reality, I will recognize that I am residing within the spiritual reality.

I will moment to moment recognize and acknowledge the spiritual reality as a manifestation of the Infinite Potential and I will moment to moment stay centered on my path of life in the spiritual reality and thereby accomplish my purposes in this reality by manifesting whatever I need in order to remain centered in the Infinite Potential.

Hey immortal one, you who was called _____! Listen to me! Right now the perfect clear light of Infinite Potential manifests for you. Recognize it! Acknowledge it! Incorporate it into your experience!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! This, your present conscious natural clear void awareness, this presence in clear voidness without any objectivity of substance, sign, or color - just this is the reality, the Mother, Buddha All-around Goodness! And this, your conscious awareness natural voidness, not succumbing to a false annihilative voidness, just your own conscious awareness, unceasing, bright, distinct, and vibrant - just this awareness is the Father, Buddha All-around Goodness! Just this presence of the indivisibility of your awareness' naturally insubstantial voidness and the vibrant bright presence of your conscious awareness- just this is the Buddha Body of Truth. Your awareness thus abides in this vast mass of light of clarity-void oneness. You are free of birth or death - just this is the Buddha Changeless Light. It is enough just to recognize this. Recognizing this you own conscious awareness' purity nature as the Buddha, yourself beholding you own awareness -that is to dwell in the inner realization of all Buddhas.

Hey, immortal one, you who was called ____! Meditate on the Infinite Potential! Do not be distracted! Focus your entire being on the Infinite oneness! Meditate on manifesting the spiritual reality! Do not meditate on it manifesting the material reality!

Center yourself within the Infinite Oneness!

THE LOVING DEITY REALITY BETWEEN

Hey, immortal one, you who was called ____! Listen resolutely with intense concentration! There are seven kinds of between: 1) the physcial birth point between, 2) the physical life consciousness between, 3) the dream consciousness between, 4) the contemplation-meditation between, 5) the physical death-point consciousness between, 6) the spiritual reality between, 7) and the spiritual existence consciousness between.

Hey, immortal one, you who was called ____! At the end of physical life, the three spiritual betweens will dawn for you; 5) the death-point consciousness between, 6) the spiritual reality consciousness between, 7) and the spiritual existence consciousness between.

In the death-point consciousness between, the reality clear light manifested. But unfortunately, you did not recognize it, so you arrived here. Now the spiritual reality consciousness between and the existence consciousness between will manifest for you. As I describe them, you must make every effort to recognize them without fail.

Hey, immortal one, who was called _____! Now you have arrived at what is called "physical death". You are transitioning from the physical reality to the spiritual reality. You are not alone; it happens to everyone. You must not indulge in attachment to or insistence on your physical life. Though you are attached to it and you insist, you have no power to stay. You will not avoid wandering the life cycle. Do not lust! Do not cling! Be now mindful of the Three Jewels!

Hey, immortal one, who was called ____! Whatever terrifying visions of the spiritual reality consciousness between may dawn upon you, you should not forget the following words. You must proceed remembering in your mind the meaning of these words. Herein lies the key to your peaceful orientation within the spiritual reality.

"Hey! Now when the spiritual reality consciousness between dawns upon me, I will let go of the illusion of instinctive terror. I will recognize all objects as my mind's own visions and understand this as the pattern of perception in the spiritual between; Come to this moment, arrived at this most critical cessation, I will not fear my own visions of the loving and fierce deities!"

Hey, immortal one, you who was called ______! You should proceed clearly repeating these words aloud in your mind and remembering their meaning. This is very important! It is the key to recognizing whatever terrifying visions dawn as being a manifestation of your own mind.

Hey, immortal one you who was called _____! At this time when your spirit and body have parted ways, pure reality manifests in subtle, dazzling visions, vividly experienced, naturally frightening and worrisome, shimmering like a mirage on the desert. Do not fear them! Do not be terrified! Do not panic! You now have what is call an "instinctual spiritual body," not a material, flesh and blood body. Thus whatever sounds, lights, and rays may come at you, they cannot harm you. You cannot die. It is enough for you to recognize these experiences as a manifestation of your own mind. Remember your are now in the spiritual between.

Hey, immortal one, you who was called ____! If you do not recognize these visions as a manifestation of your own mind in this way - whatever other meditations and achievements you may have experienced in the human world, if you did not meet this particular instruction - the lights will frighten you, the sounds will panic you, the rays will terrify you. If you do not know the key of this instruction, you will not recognize the sounds, lights, and rays and you will become confused in the cycle of life between the physical and spiritual realities. This is why I am reading this information to you. To help you find your way in the spiritual between reality.

THE FIRST PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Having been without your physcial body for a time, you are now proceeding. You have awakened in the confusion of anxiety with the worry asking yourself, "What is happening to me?" Recognize that you are in the spiritual between! Now, your life cycle is transcending and all things manifest as lights and deities. All space manifests full of blue light. Now, from the central Buddha-land, All-pervading Drop, the Lord Vairochana appears before you, white bodied, sitting on a lion throne, holding in his hand an eight-spoked wheel, united with his consort Akasha Dhatvishvari. The natural purity of the consciousness mosaic, the blue light of the Reality Perfection wisdom, a clear and vivid color blue, frighteningly intense, shines piercingly from the heart center of the Vairochana couple, dazzling yours eyes unbearably.

Simultaneously the soft white light of the gods shines upon you and penetrates you along with the bright blue light. Confused in the manifestation of the spiritual reality, you panic and are terrified of that bright blue light of Reality Perfection wisdom and you attempt to flee from it. You tend to feel an attraction to the soft white light of the gods, and you approach it.

Listen! You must not panic at the blue light; the clear, piercing, brilliant, frightening supreme wisdom clear light! Do not fear it! It is the light ray of the Transcendent Lord, the Reality Perfection wisdom, the oneness of th Infinite Potential. Feel attracted to it with faith and reverence! Make it answer to your prayer, thinking, "It is the light ray of compassion of Lord Vairochana - I must take refuge in it!" It is the way Lord Vairochana comes to escort you through the straits of the spiritual between. It is the light ray of the compassion of Vairochana. Do not be enticed by the soft white light of the gods. Do not be attached to it! Do not long for it! If you cling to it, you will wander into the realm of the gods, and you will continue to cycle through the seven realms of driven existence in the life cycle. It is an obstacle to merging into the Infinite oneness, the path of peace and harmony, so do not look upon it. Become devoted to the brilliant penetrating blue light, aim your intense willpower toward Vairochana, and repeat after me the following prayer:

"When I roam the life cycle driven by confusion in the manifestations of the Infinite, May the Lord Vairochana lead me on the path of clear light of reality-perfection wisdom! May his Consort Buddha Dhatvishvari back me on the way, deliver me from the perilous straits of the between, and carry me to the perfect Buddhahood!"

Thus praying with fierce devotion, you dissolve into rainbow light into the heart of the Vairochana couple. There you will enter the central pure land Ghanavyuha, Dense Array, and become a Buddha by way of the Body of Perfect Beatitude!

THE SECOND PERIOD

Hey, immortal one you who was called _____! Listen without wavering! In this second period, the white light that is the purity of the element water dawns before you. At this time, from the blue eastern pure land of Abhirati, Intense Delight, the blue Lord Vajrasattva Akshobhya arises before you seated on an elephant, carrying a five-pronged vajra scepter, in union with his consort Buddhalochana, attended by the male Bodhisattvas Kshitigarblh and Maitreya and the female Bodhisattvas Lasya and Pushpa - a group of six Archetype Deities. The white light of Mirror wisdom, purity of the form mosaic, white and piercing, bright and clear, shines from the heart of the Vajrasattva couple before you, penetrating, unbearable to you eyes.

At the same time the soft smokey light of the hells shines before you along with the wisdom light. At that time, under the influence of hate you panic, terrified by that brilliant white light, and you attempt to flee from it. You feel a liking for that soft smokey light of the hells and you approach it. But now you must fearlessly recognize that brilliant white, piercing, dazzling clear light as wisdom. Be gladdened by it with faith and reverence! Pray, and increase your love for it, thinking, "It is the light of the compassion of Lord Vajrasattva! I take refuge in it!"

It is Lord Vajrasattva's shining upon you to escort you through the terrors of the between. It is the guiding beam of the light of compassion of Vajrasattva - have faith in it! Do not be enticed by that soft smoky light of hell! Hey! That is the path of destruction from the confusion you have accumulated by your strong hatred! If you cling to it, you will fall into the hells; you will be stuck in the mire of unbearable ordeals of suffering, without any escape. It is an obstacle to the path of peace and harmony. Do not look upon it and abandon all hate! Do not cling to it! Do not long for it! Have faith in that dazzling bright white light! Aim your intense willpower toward Lord Vajrasattva and make the following prayer:

"Alas! When I roam the life cycle by strong hate, may the Lord Vajrasattva lead me on the path of clear light of the mirror wisdom! May his consort Buddhalochana back me on the way, deliver me from the dangerous straits of the spiritual between, and carry me to perfect Buddhahood!"

By praying in this way with intense faith, you will dissolve into rainbow light in the heart of Lord Vajrasattva, and you will go to his eastern pure land Abhirate and attain Buddhahood in the Body of Perfect Beatitude.

THE THIRD PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, who was called _____! Listen without wavering! In this third period, the yellow light that is the purity of the element of earth manifests. At this time, from the yellow southern Buddha-land of Shrimat, the yellow Lord Ratnasambhava appears seated on a fine horse, carrying a precious wish-granting gem, in union with his consort Mamaki, attended by the male Bodhisattvas Akashagarbha and Samantabhadra and the female Bodisattvas Mala and Dhupa - a group of six Buddha deities in a background of rainbows, rays and lights. The yellow light of the Equalizing wisdom, the purity of the sensation mosaic, yellow and piercing, dazzling and clear, adorned with glistening drops of droplets, shines from the heart of the Ratnasambhava couple before you, penetrating your heart center, unbearable to behold with your eyes.

At the same time, the soft blue light of the human realm shines before you, penetrating your heart in parallel with the wisdom light. At that time, under the influence of pride, you panic and are terrified by that brilliant, energetic yellow light, and you flee it. You feel a liking for that soft blue light of the human realms and you approach it. But you must fearlessly recognize that brilliant yellow, piercing, dazzling clear light as wisdom. Upon it place your mind, relaxing you awareness in the experience of nothing more to do. Or again be gladdened by it with faith and reverence! If you can recognize it as the natural energy of your own awareness, without even having to feel faith or make prayers, you will dissolve indivisibly with all the images and light rays and you will become a Buddha.

If you do not recognize it as the natural energy of your own awareness, then pray and increase your love for it, thinking, " It is the light ray of the compassion of Lord Ratnasambhave! I take refuge in it!" It is the tractor-beam of the light rays of compassion of Lord Ratnasambhave - have faith in it! Do not be enticed by that soft blue light of the human realms - that is the path of confusion in the transgressions you have accumulated by your fierce pride! If you cling to it, you will fall into the human realms; you will experience the suffering of birth, sickness, old age, and death, and you will find no time from liberation for the life cycle.

The soft blue light is an obstacle blocking the path of liberation. Do not look upon it, and abandon all pride! Abandon all instinct! Do not cling to it! Do not long for it! Have faith in that dazzling bright yellow light! Aim your one-pointed willpower toward the Lord Ratnasambhava and make the following prayer:

" Hey! When I roam the life cycle driven by strong pride, may the Lord Tarnasambhava lead me on the path of the clear light of the equalizing wisdom! May his consort Buddha Mamaki back me on the way, deliver me from the dangerous straits of the spiritual between, and carry me to perfect Buddhahood!

By praying in this way with intense faith, you will dissolve into rainbow light in the heart of the Lord Ratnasambhava couple and you will go to the southern pure land Shrimat and attain Buddhahood in the Body of Perfect Beatitude.

THE FOURTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one you who was called _____! Listen without wavering! In this fourth period, the red light that is the purity of the element of fire dawns. At this time, from the red western world of Sukhavate, the red Lord Amitabha appears before you seated on a peacock throne, carrying a lotus, in union with his consort Pandaravasini, attended by the male Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Manjushri and the female Bodhisattvas Gita and Aloka - a group of six Buddha deities in a background of rainbows and lights.

the red light of the Discriminating wisdom, purity of the conceptual mosaic, red and piercing, dazzling and clear, adorned with drops and droplets, shines from the heart of the Amitabha couple, precisely penetrating your heart center, unbearable to see with you eyes. Do not fear it!

At the same time a soft yellow light of the hungry ghosts realm shines before you, penetrating your heart in parallel with the wisdom light. Do not indulge in it! Abandon clinging and longing! At that time, under the influence of the fierce passion, you panic and are terrified by that brilliant, energetic red light, and you want to flee it. You feel a liking for that soft yellow light on the hungry ghosts realms and you approach it.

But at that time you must fearlessly recognize that brilliant red, piercing, dazzling clear light as wisdom. Upon it place you mind, relaxing your awareness in the experience of nothing more to do. Or again be gladdened by it with faith and reverence! If you can recognize it as the natural energy of your own awareness, without feeling faith, without making prayers, you will merge indivisibly with all the images and light rays and you will become a Buddha.

If you do not recognize it as the natural energy of your own awareness, then pray and hold your aspiration for it, thinking, "It is the light ray of the compassion of the Lord Amitabha! I take refuge in it!" It is the tractor-beam of the light rays of the compassion of Lord Ambitabha - have faith in it! Do not flee it! If you flee it, it still will not leave you! Do not fear it! Do not be enticed by that soft yellow light of the hungry ghosts realms! It is the path of the instincts of the transgressions you have accumulated by your fierce attachment! If you cling to it, you will fall into the hungry ghosts realms; you will experience the intolerable suffering of hunger and thirst, and it will be an obstacle blocking the path of peace and harmony. Without clinging to it, abandon your instinct for it! Do not long for it! Have faith in the dazzling bright red light Aim your one-pointed will toward the Lord Amitabha couple and make the following prayer:

"When I roam the life cycle driven by strong passion, may the Lord Amitabha lead me on the path of the clear light of the discrimination wisdom! May his consort Buddha Pandaravasini back me on the way and deliver me from the dangerous straits of the spiritual between and carry me to perfect Buddhahood!

By praying in this way with intense faith, you will dissolve into rainbow light in the heart of the Lord Amitabha couple and you will go to the western pure land Sukhavati and attain Buddhahood in the body of Perfect Beatitude.

THE FIFTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Listen without wavering! In this fifth period, the green light that is the purity of the element of wind dawns. At this time, from the green northern Buddha-land of Prakuta, the green Lord Amoghasiddhi appears seated on an eagle throne, carrying a vajra cross, in union with his consort Samayatara, attended by the male Bodhisattvas Vajrapani and Sarvanivaranaviskambhin and the female Bodhisattvas Gandha and Nartya - a group of six Buddha Deities in a background of rainbows and lights. The green light of the All-accomplishing wisdom, purity of the creation mosaic, green, piercing, dazzling and clear, adorned with glistening drops and droplets, shines from the heart of the Amoghasiddhi couple, precisely penetrating your heart center, unbearable to see with your eyes.

Not fearing it, knowing it as the natural force of the wisdom of your own awareness, enter the experience of the great, unoccupied equanimity, free of attraction to the familiar and aversion to the alien!

At the same time a soft, envy-made red light of the titan realm shines upon you together with the wisdom light ray. Meditate upon it with attraction and aversion in balance. If you are of inferior mind, do not indulge in it! At that time, under the influence of fierce jealousy, you panic and are terrified by that brilliant, piercing green light, and you flee it in alarm. You enjoy and are attached to that soft red light of the titan realm and you approach it. But at that time you must fearlessly recognize that brilliant green, piercing, dazzling clear light as wisdom. Upon it relax your awareness in the experience of transcendence with nothing to do. Or again pray and increase your love for it, thinking, "It is the light ray of the compassion of Lord Amoghasiddhi! I take refuge in it!" It is the All-accomplishing wisdom, the light ray of the tractor-beam of the compassion of Lord Amoghasiddhi - have faith in it! Do not flee it! If you flee it, it still will not leave you! Do not fear it!

Do not be enticed by that soft red light of the titan realms! It is the path of destruction from the negative evolutionary actions you have committed through your powerful jealously! If you cling to it, you will fall into the titan realms; you will experience the intolerable suffering of interminable fighting, and it will be an obstacle blocking the path of liberation. Without clinging to it, abandon your instinct for it! Do not long for it! Have faith in that dazzling bright green light! Aim your one-pointed willpower toward the Lord Amoghasiddhi couple and make the following prayer:

"Hey! When I roam the life cycle driven by strong envy, may the Lord Amoghasiddhi lead me on the path of the clear light of the all-encompassing wisdom! May his consort Buddha Samayatara back me on the way, deliver me from the dangerous straits of the spiritual between, and carry me to perfect Buddhahood!

By praying in this way with intense faith, you will dissolve into rainbow light in the heart of Lord Amoghasiddhi couple and you will go to the northern pure land Prakuta and attain Buddhahood in the Body of Perfect Beatitude!

THE SIXTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Listen without wavering! Up until yesterday, the visions of the five Buddha-clans appeared to you one by one. Though they were clearly described, under the influence of negative evolution you were panicked, and still up to now are left behind here. If you had already recognized the natural shining of one of the wisdoms of the five clans as your own vision, it would have caused you to dissolve into rainbow light in the body of one of the five Buddha clans and to attain Buddhahood in the Body of Beatitude. As it is, you did not recognize the light and you are still wandering here. Now, behold without distraction! Now the vision of all the five clans and the vision of the joining of the four wisdoms have come to escort you in their direction. Recognize them!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! The purity of the four elements is dawning as the four lights. In the center the Vairochana Buddha couple as described above appears from the pure land All-pervading Drop. In the east the Vajrasattva Buddha couple with retinue appears from the pure land Abhirati. In the south the Ratnasambhava Buddha couple with retinue as described above appears from the pure land Shrimat. In the west the Amitabha Buddha couple with retinue as described above appears from the lotus-heaped pure land Sukhavate. In the north the Amoghasiddhi Buddha couple with retinue as described above appears from the pure land Prakuta, in a rainbow light background.

Hey, immortal one you who was called _____! Outside of those five Buddha-clan couples appear the fierce male door guardians Vijaya, Yamantaka, Hayagriva, and Amertakundali; the fierce female door guardians Amkusha, Pasha, Sphota, and Ghanta; and the six Lord Buddhas: Indra Shatakratu, the Buddha of the gods; Vemachitra, the Buddha of the titans; Shakyamuni, the Buddha of the humans: Simham the Buddha of the animals; Jvalamukha, the Buddha of the hungry ghostss; and Dharmaraja, the Buddha of the hells. Also appearing is the All-around-goodness Samantabhadra Father-Mother, the general ancestor of all Buddhas. Altogether the host of the forty-two deities of the Beatific Body emerges from you own heart center and appears to you. Recognize it as you own pure vision!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Those pure lands are not anywhere else - they abide in your own heart within its center and four directions. They now emerge from out of your heart and appear to you! Those images do not come from anywhere else! They are primordially created as the natural manifestation of your own awareness - so you should know how to recognize them!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Those deities, not great, not small, symmetrical, each with ornamentation, color, posture, throne, and gesture: those deities each pervaded by five mantras, each of the five circled by a five colored rainbow aura; with male Bodhisattvas of each clan upholding the male part and female Bodhisattvas of each clan upholding the female part, with all the mandalas arising simultaneously whole - they are your Archetype Deities, so you should recognize them!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called ____! From the heart of those five Buddha-clan couples, four combined wisdom light rays dawn in your heart center, each extremely subtle and clear, like sun rays woven together in a rope.

Now first, from Vairochana's heart center, a cloth of the frightening brilliant white light rays of the reality-perfection wisdom dawns connecting to your heart center. Within that light-ray cloth, white drops glisten with their rays, like mirrors facing toward you, very clear, brilliant, and awesomely penetrating, with each drop itself naturally adorned with five other drops. Thus that light-ray cloth is adorned with drops and droplets without limit or center.

From the heart of Vajrasattva, the mirror wisdom, a cloth of blue light rays shines brilliantly upon you connecting to your heart center, on which shining blue drops like turquoise bowls facing down toward you, adorned by other drops and droplets, all shine upon you.

From the heart of Ratnasambhave, a cloth of the equalizing wisdom yellow light rays shines brilliantly upon you, on which golden drops like golden bowls adorned by other golden drops and droplets face down and dawn upon you.

From the heart center of Amitabha, the discriminating wisdom red light cloth shines brilliantly upon you, on which radiant red drops like coral bowls facing down to you, endowed with the deep luster of wisdom, very bright and penetrating, each adorned by five natural red drops - all these shine upon you adorned by drops and droplets without center or limit. These also shine upon you connecting to your heart center.

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! These all arise from the natural exercise of your own awareness. They do not come from anywhere else! So do not be attached to them! Do not be terrified of them! Relax in the experience of nonconceptualization. Within that experience all the deities and light rays will dissolve into you and you will become a Buddha!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Since the exercise of the wisdom of your awareness is not perfected, the all-encompassing wisdom's green light does not shine.

Hey, immortal one you who was called _____! These are the visions of the four wisdoms in combination, the inner passageway of Vajrasattva. At that time, you should remember the orientation previously given by your spiritual teacher! If you remember that orientation, you will trust those visions, you will recognize reality like a child meeting its mother, or like the greeting of a long familiar person; and you will cease all reifying notions. Recognizing your visions as your own creations, you will trust your being held on the changeless path of pure reality, and you will achieve the samadhi of continuity. Your awareness will dissolve into the body of great effortlessness, and you will become a Buddha in the Beatific Body.

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Along with the wisdom lights, there also arise impure, misleading visions of the six species; namely, the soft white light of the gods, the soft red light of the titans, the soft blue light of the humans, the soft green light of the animals, the soft yellow light of the hungry ghostss, and the soft smoky light of the hells. These six arise entwined in parallel with the pure wisdom lights. Therefore, do not seize or cling to any of those lights. Relax in the experience of nonperception! If you fear the wisdom lights and cling to the impure six-species life-cycle lights, you will assume a body of a being of the six species. You will not reach the time of liberation from the great ocean of suffering of the life cycle. You will experience only trouble.

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! If you lack the orientation given in the instruction of the spiritual teacher, and you fear and are terrified by the above images and pure wisdom lights, you will come to cling to the impure life-cycle lights. Do not do so! Have faith in those dazzling, piercing pure wisdom lights! Trust in them, thinking, "These light rays of the wisdom of the compassion of the Blissful Lords of the five clans have come to me to hold me with compassion - I must take refuge in them!" Not clinging, not longing for the misleading lights of the six species, aim your will one-pointedly toward the five Buddha-clan couples, and make the following prayer:

"Hey! When I roam the life cycle driven by the five strong passions, may the Lord Victors of the five clans lead me on the path of the clear light of the four wisdoms in combination! May the supreme five Consort Buddhas back me on the way, and deliver me from the impure lights of the six realms! Delivering me from the dangerous straits of the between, may they carry me to the five supreme pure lands!

THE SEVENTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! You continue to wander in the between! Listen without wavering! In the seventh period, a five-colored, rainbow light will dawn to purify your instincts by immersion into reality. At that time, from the pure land of the angels, the Scientist Deity host will come to escort you. In the center of a mandala wreathed in rainbows and lights, the unexcelled Scientist of evolutionary development, Padmanarteshvara, will arise, his body lustrous with the five colors, his consort the Red Angel wound round his body, performing the dance of chopper and blood-filled skull bowl, striking the gazing posture toward the sky.

From the east of that mandala the Stage-contemplating Scientist will arise, white, his expression smiling, his consort the White Angel wound round his body, performing the chopper and skull-bowl dance and the gesture of gazing into space. From the south of that mandala the Lifespan-master Scientist will arise, yellow with beautiful signs, his consort the Yellow Angel wound round his body, performing the chopper and skull-bowl dance and the gesture of gazing into space. From the west of that mandala the Great Seal Scientist will arise, red with a smiling expression, his consort the Red Angel wound round his body, performing the chopper and skull-bowl dance and the gesture of gazing into space. From the north of that mandala the Effortlessness Scientist will arise, green and smiling fiercely, his consort the Green Angel wound round his body, performing the chopper and skull-bowl dance and the gesture of gazing into space.

Positioned outside of those scientists, the infinite Angelic host arises in order to escort the vow-holding devotee, and to punish the breakers of vows; they are the eight death-ground Angels, the four classes of Angels, the three holy place Angels, the ten holy place Angels, the twenty-four holy land Angels, and the Heroes, the Heroines, and the warrior deities, along with all their defenders, the Dharma-protectors. All wear the six human bone ornaments, carry drums, thigh-bones trumpets, skull drums, human skin victory standards, human skin parasols and pennants, singed flesh incense, and play infinite different kinds of music. They fill the entire universe, rocking, dancing, and shaking, all their musical sounds vibrating as if to split your head open and performing various dances.

Hey, immortal one, who was called ____! Spontaneously purifying instincts in reality, the five-colored wisdom light striped like colored threads wound together dazzles, shimmers, and shines steadily, clear and brilliant, startlingly piercing; from the hearts of the five Scientist Lords it blinds your eyes and penetrates your heart center. At the same time the soft green light of the animal realm dawns together with the wisdom light. At that time, under the influence of your instincts, you fear the five-colored light and flee from it, enticed by the soft green light of the animal realm. Therefore, do not be afraid of that energetic, piercing, five-colored light! Do not be terrified! Recognize it as wisdom! From within the light comes the thousand rolling thunders of the natural sound of teaching. The sound is fierce, reverberating, rumbling, stirring, like fierce mantras of intense sound. Do not fear it! Do not flee it! Do not be terrified of it! Recognize it as the exercise of your own awareness; your own perception. Do not be attached to that soft green light of the animal realms. Do not long for it! If you cling to it, you will fall into the delusion-dominated realm of the animals and you will suffer infinite miseries of stupefaction, dumbness, and slavery, without any time of escape. So do not cling to it! Have faith in that penetrating, bright, five-colored light! Aim you will one-pointedly toward the Lord Scientist Master Deity host! Aim your will with the thought:

"This Scientist Deity host with its Heroes and Angels has come to escort me to the pure angelic heaven! O, you must know how beings such as me have accumulated no stores of merit and wisdom. We have not been taken up by the grip of the light rays of compassion of such a five-clan Deity host of the Blissful Buddhas of the three times. Alas! Such am I! Now, you the Scientist Deity host, from now on do not neglect me no matter what! Hold me with the tractor-beam of your compassion! Right now draw me to the pure heaven of the Buddha Angels!

Then you should make the following prayer:

"May the Scientist Deity host look upon me! Please lead me on the path with your great love! When I roam the life cycle driven by strong instincts, may the Hero Scientists lead me on the path of the clear light of orgasmic wisdom! May their consort Angel host back me on my way, deliver me from the dangerous straits of the between, and carry me to perfect Buddhahood!"

When you make this prayer with intense faith, you will dissolve into rainbow light at the heart center of the Scientist Deity host and without a doubt will be reborn in the perfect Angel heaven realm.

THE EIGHTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one who was called _____! If you can hear me, it is because you continue to wander in the spiritual between! Listen without wavering! The peaceful between already dawned, but you did not recognize the light. So now you still must wander here. Now in this eighth period, the Heruka Fierce Deity host will arise. Do not waver! Recognize them!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! The great, glorious Buddha Heruka appears, wine maroon in color, with three faces, six arms, and four legs stretched out, his front face maroon, his right face white, his left face red, his entire body blazing with light rays. His eyes glare, fiercely terrifying, his eyebrows flash like lightning, his fangs gleam like new copper. He roars with laughter, "A la la," and "Ha ha ha," and he makes loud hissing noises like "shu-uu."

His bright orange hair blazes upward, adorned with skull crown and sun and moon discs. His body is adorned with black snakes and a freshly severed head garland. His first right hand holds a wheel, the middle an ax, and the third a sword; his first left hand holds a bell, the middle a plowshare, and the third a skull bowl.

His consort Buddha Krodhishvari enfolds his body, her right arm embracing his neck, her left hand offering him sips of blood from her skull bowl. She clucks her tongue menacingly and roars like thunder.

Both are ablaze with wisdom flames, shooting out from their blazing vajra hairs. They stand in the warrior's posture on a throne supported by garudas. Thus they arise manifestly before you, having emerged from within your own brain! Do not fear them! Do not be terrified! Do not hate them! Recognize them as an image of your own awareness! He is your own Archetype Deity, so do not panic! In fact, they are really Lord Vairochana Father and Mother, so do not be afraid! The very moment you recognize them, you will be liberated!

THE NINTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Listen without wavering! You continue to wander in the spiritual between! Now in the ninth period the Lord Vajra Heruka of the Vajra-clan will arise before you, emerging from within your brain. He is dark blue, with three faces, six arms, and four legs stretched out. His front face is dark blue, his right face is white, his left face is red. His first right hand holds a vajra, the middle a skull bowl, and the third and ax; his first left hand hold a bell, the middle a skull bowl, and the third a plowshare.

His consort Buddha Vajra Krodhishvari enfolds his body, her right arm embracing his neck, her left hand offering him sips of blood from her skull bowl.

Thus they manifest before you, having emerged from within your own brain! Do not fear them! Do not be terrified! Do not hate them! Recognize them as an image of your own awareness! They are your own Archetype Deity, so do not panic! In fact, they are really Lord Vajrasattva Father and Mother, so have faith in them! The very moment you recognize them, you will be liberated!

THE TENTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! You continue to wander in the spiritual between! Listen without wavering! Now in the tenth period the Jewel-clan Heruka, Lord Ratna Heruka, will manifest to you, emerging from within your mind. He is dark yellow, with three faces, six arms, and four legs stretched out, his front face dark yellow, his right face white, his left face red. His first right hand holds a jewel, the middle a khatvanga staff, and the third a club; his first left hand holds a bell, the middle a skull bowl, and the third a trident.

His consort Buddha Ratna Krodhishvari enfolds his body, her right arm embracing his neck, her left hand offering him sips of blood from her skull bowl.

Thus they arise manifestly before your eyes, having emerged from within the southern part of your own brain! Do not fear them! Do not be terrified! Do not hate them! Recognize them as an image of your own awareness! They are you own Archetype Deity, so do not panic! In fact, they are really Lord Tatnasambhava Father and Mother, so have faith in them! The very moment you recognize them, you will be liberated!

THE ELEVENTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! You continue to wander in the spiritual between! Listen without wavering! Now in the eleventh period, the Lotus-clan Heruka, Lora Padma Heruka, will manifest before you, emerging from within your mind. He is dark red, with three faces, six arms, and four legs stretched out, his front face dark red, his right face white, his left face blue. His first right hand holds a lotus, the middle a khatvanga staff, and the third a rod; his first left hand holds a bell, the middle a skull bowl filled with blood, and the third a small drum.

His Consort Buddha Padma Krodhishvari enfolds his body, her right arm embracing his neck, her left hand offering him sips of blood from her skull bowl.

Thus they manifest before you, standing in sexual union, having emerged from within your own brain! Do not fear them! Do not be terrified! Do not hate them! Feel delight! Recognize them as an image of your own awareness! They are your own Archetype Deity, so do not panic! In fact, they are really Lord Amitabha Father and Mother, so have faith in them! The very moment you recognize them, you will be liberated!

THE TWELFTH PERIOD

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! You continue to wander in the spiritual between! Listen without wavering! Now in the twelfth period, the Lord Karma Heruka of the Karma-clan will manifest before you, emerging from within your brain. He is dark green, with three faces, six arms, and four legs stretched out, his front face dark green, his right face white, his left face red. His first right hand holds a sword, the middle a khatvanga staff, and the third a rod; his first left hand holds a bell, the middle a skull bowl, and the third a plowshare.

His Consort Buddha Karma Krodhishvari enfolds his body, her right arm embracing his neck, her left hand offering him sips of blood from her skull bowl.

Thus they manifest before you, standing in sexual embrace, having emerged from the north of your own brain! Do not fear them! Do not be terrified! Do not hate them! Recognize them as an image of your own awareness! They are your own Archetype Deity, so do not panic! In fact, they are really Lord Amoghasiddhi Father and Mother, so have faith in them, feel deep reverence for them! The very moment you recognize them, you will be liberated!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! You continue to wander in the between! Listen without wavering! The eight Gauri goddesses will emerge from within your brain and appear to you! Do not fear them! From the east of your brain appears to your east a white Gauri, her right hand holding a corpse as a club and her left hand holding a blood-filled skull bowl. Do not fear her! From the south, a yellow Chauri, aiming a bow and arrow; from the west, a red Pramoha, holding a crocodile victory standard; from the north, a black Vetali, holding a vajra and a blood-filled skull bowl; from the southeast, an orange Pukkasi, her right hand holding intestines, her left feeding them into her mouth; from the southwest, a dark green Ghasmari, her left hand holding a blood-filled skull bowl and her right hand holding a vajra, with which she stirs the blood and feeds it into her mouth; from the northwest, a pale yellow Chandali holding a body and head across her shoulders, her right hand holding a heart and her left hand feeding herself with the corpse; from the northeast, a dark blue Shmashani, feeding on a headless body; all these eight holy-ground Gauri goddesses emerge from within your brain and appear to you surrounding the five Herukas! Do not fear them!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Listen without wavering! After that, the eight Pishachi ghouls of the holy lands will appear to you! From the east a dark maroon, lion-headed Simhasya, crossing her arms over her chest, holding a corpse in her mouth, and tossing her mane; from the south, a red, tiger-headed Vyaghrasya, crossing her arms downward, staring hypnotically and gnashing her fangs; from the west, a black, jackal-headed Shrgalasya, with a razor in her right hand, holding and feeding on intestines in her left hand; from the north, a dark blue, wolf-headed Shvanasya, lifting a corpse up to her mouth with her two hands and staring hypnotically; from the southeast, a light yellow, vulture-headed Grdhrasya, carrying a corpse over her shoulder and holding a skeleton in her hand; from the southwest, a dark red, hawk-headed Kankhasya, carrying a corpse over her shoulders; from the northwest, a black, crow-headed Kakasya, with a sword in her right hand, eating lungs and hearts; from the northeast, a dark blue, owl-headed Ulukasya, eating flesh and holding a vajra in her right hand and a sword in her left hand; all these holy-land Pishachi ghouls emerge from within your brain and appear to you surrounding the five Herukas! Do not fear them! Recognize whatever arises as the creativity of your own visionary awareness!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Listen without wavering! The four Door-guardian goddesses will emerge from your own brain and appear to you, so recognize them! From the east of your brain, a white, horse-headed Ankusha, with an iron hook in her right hand, and a blood-filled skull bowl in her left hand, will appear to your east. From the south, a yellow, pig-headed Pasha holding a noose; from the west, a red lion-headed Shernkhala, holding an iron chain; from the north, a green, serpent-headed Ghanta holding a bell; these four Door-guardian goddesses will emerge from your brain and appear to you! Recognize them as being your own Archetype Deities!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! Outside of these thirty fierce Heruka deities, the twenty-eight Ishvari goddesses with their various heads and their various implements will emerge from within your brain and appear to you. Do not fear them, but recognize them as the creativity of your own visionary awareness! At this time when you have arrived at the crucial moment of cessation, remember the instructions of your spiritual teacher!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! From the east, the dark maroon, yak-headed Rakshasi holding a vajra; the orange, serpent-headed Brahmi holding a lotus; the dark green, leopard-headed Maheshvari holding a trident; the blue, mongoose-headed Lobha holding a wheel; the red, mule-headed Kumari holding a javelin; the white, bear-headed Indrani holding an intestine-noose; these six eastern Yoginis emerge from your own brain and appear before you! Do not fear them!

From the west, the dark green, vulture-headed Bhakshasi holding a club; the red, horse-headed Rati holding a human torso; the white, garuda-headed Mahabali holding a club; the red, dog-headed Rakshasi holding a vajra razor; the red, hoopoe-headed Kama aiming a bow and arrow; the red-green, deer-headed Vasuraksha holding a vase; these six western Yoginis emerge from within your brain and appear before you! Do not fear them!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! From the north, the blue, wolf-headed Vayavi holding a banner; the red, ibex-headed Narini holding an impaling stake; the black, boar-headed Varahi holding a tusk-noose; the red, crow-headed Rati holding a child's skin; the green-black, elephant-headed Mahanasi holding a fresh corpse and drinking blood from a skull bowl; the blue, serpent-headed Varuni holding a serpent-noose; these six northern Yoginis will emerge from within your brain and appear before you! Do not fear them!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! The four outer Door-guardian Yoginis will emerge from within your brain and appear before you! From the east, the white, cuckoo-headed Vajra holding an iron hook; from the south, the yellow, goat-headed Vajra holding a noose; from the west, the red, lion-headed Vajra holding and iron chain; from the north, the green-black, serpent-headed Vajra holding a bell; these four Door Yoginis will emerge from within your brain and appear before you! All these twenty-eight goddesses arise naturally from the creativity of the self-originating bodies of the fierce Herukas- so you should recognize them as Buddha-wisdom!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! The Truth Body arises from the voidness side as the peaceful deities! Recognize it! The Beatific Body arises from the clarity side as the fierce deities! Recognize it! At this time when the fifty-eight-deity Heruka host emerge from within your brain and appear before you, if you know that whatever arises is arisen from the natural energy of your own awareness, you will immediately become nondual with the Heruka Body and become a Buddha!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! If you do not recognize that, you will cling to superficial reality, feel fear and hate, and flee these deities. You will go down again into excessive misery! If you do not recognize them, you will perceive the whole Heruka Deity host as if they were Yamas, Lords of Death, and you will fear the Heruka deities. You will hate them! You will panic! You will faint! Your own visions having become devils, you will wander in the life cycle!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! These mild and fierce deities at most will be as big as space, at medium will be as large as Sumeru, the planetary axis, at the least will be as large as eighteen times the height of your own body-so do not be afraid of them! All visible existence will arise as lights and deities! And all visions arising as lights and deities must be recognized as the natural energy of your own awareness. When your own energy dissolves nondually into these natural lights and deities, you will become a Buddha!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! What you see and perceive, whatever terrifying visions occur, recognize them as your own visions! Recognize the clear light as the natural energy of your own awareness! If you so recognize, there is no doubt you will become a Buddha right away! The so-called "instantaneous perfect Buddhahood" will have come to pass! Remember this in your mind!

Hey immortal one, you who was called _____! If now you do not recognize the light, and if you cling to terror, all the mild deities will arise as black Mahakala guardians! All the fierce deities will arise as Yama Dharmaraja deities! Your own visions having become devils, you will wander in the life cycle!

Hey, immortal one, you who was called _____! When it happens that such a vision arises, do not be afraid! Do not feel terror! You have a mental body made of instincts; even if it is killed or dismembered, it cannot die! Since in fact you are a natural form of voidness, anger at being injured is unnecessary! The Yama Lords of Death are but arisen from the natural energy of your own awareness and really lack all substantiality. Voidness cannot injure voidness!

Except insofar as they arise from the natural creativity of your own awareness, you must firmly decide that all that you see- the mild and fierce deities, the Herukas, the animal-headed angels, the rainbow lights, and the Yama deities- none is substantially, objectively existent! Once you understand that, then all the fears and terrors become liberated on the spot, you dissolve into nonduality and become a Buddha! If you so recognize them, you must feel intense faith, thinking, "They are my Archetype Deities! They have come to escort me through the straits of the between! I take refuge in them!"

Be mindful of the Three Jewels! Remember whoever is your Archetype Deity! Call him or her by name! Pray to him or her, "I am wandering lost in the between - by my savior! Hold me with your compassion, O precious deity!" Call on your spiritual teacher by name, praying, "I am wandering lost in the between - be my savior! For compassion's sake, do not let me go!" Feel faith in the Heruka Deity host, and pray to them:

When I wander in the life cycle driven by powerful instincts, may the host of mild and fierce Lords lead me on the path of the clear light that conquers terror-visions of hate and fear! May the fierce Ishvari goddess hosts back me on the way, deliver me from the dangerous straits of the spiritual between and carry me to perfect Buddhahood!

Now that I wander alone, apart from my loved ones, and all my visions are but empty images, may the Buddhas exert the force of their compassion and stop the fear- and hate-drawn terrors of the between!

When the five lights of brilliant wisdom dawn, fearless, bravely, may I know them as myself! When the forms of the Lords mild and fierce arise, bold and fearless, may I recognize the between! Now when I suffer by the power of negative evolution, may the Archetype Deities dispel that suffering! When reality crashes with a thousand thunders may they all become OM MANI PADME HUM!

When I am pulled by evolution without recourse, may the Compassion Lord provide me refuge! When I suffer due to evolutionary instincts, may the clear light bliss samadhi dawn upon me!

May the five main elements not arise as enemies! May I behold the pure lands of the five Buddha-clans!

Thus you should pray with intense reverence and faith! It is extremely important, since your fear and terror will thus disappear and you will surely become a Buddha in the Beatific Body! Do not waver!

---

Tibetan Book of the Dead
Evans-Wentz

Tibetan Verses of the Bardo
The Invocation

Tibetan Book of the Dead
Houston I

Tibetan Book of the Dead
Houston II