Mind Beyond Death

Some of the most difficult to understand teachings found in Buddhism are the teachings on the experience of bardo - the space in between or, one could say, life, death and transition. In Mind Beyond Death, The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche has made these teachings accessible for the lay reader and the more serious student of Buddhism alike. In clear, concise prose, with wit and humor he brings these teachings into the realm of our ordinary experience and helps us make a connection between the larger unknown of death and the experience of transition in our everyday life. As others have pointed out, he presents the full complement of bardo teachings without diluting them, but it is his ability to use these teachings to highlight this lifetime and its potential for waking up that makes this such a powerful reading experience and guide.

The author pulls no punches in this book. I got the feeling that he wasn't holding back any information, although he often cautioned the reader that certain practices are better learned under the personal guidance of a teacher. He gave a clear outline of Buddhist practices into which you could then fit in the information. Sometimes Buddhist teachings go into such ornate details that you forget what the whole point is. This book went back and forth from a wide perspective to the specifics. The book can be read at many levels. Both beginners and advanced practitioners would benefit. Also, it is helpful for those who interpret Buddhist views within a psychological framework, as well as for those who believe in reincarnation. And this is all done in a friendly, conversational style, with wit and compassion!

Well now, there's no getting around the fact that this book is about Buddhism, and it's also the case that if you absolutely don't believe in the possibility of reincarnation, then the whole business might not appear to make any sense. And yet...if there lingers in your mind the faintest openness to the notion that life doesn't end at "death" but may well wander on into another life, and then still another, you might find this book a revelation and even a delight. Try, perhaps, reading just the first 20 pages or so while loitering in the bookstore: one might find oneself hooked. The book is about life, death and, most of all, about right now. This is a profound text to be treasured and pored over, I believe. I recommend that you give it a shot. You just might change your life for all eternity, so to speak.

Mind Beyond Death is not just a treatise on Tibetan Buddhist beliefs about the afterlife. It is a comprehensive guide to living fully and meaningfully now. By teaching us how to transform our fear of death and to understand the truth of our existence, Ponlop Rinpoche gives us the tools to work with all the circumstances of our present life. This well-structured handbook on the journey of life and death is always intelligent, insightful, and accessible. Rinpoche's clear explanations of both theory and practice are delivered in contemporary language, laced with wit and humour. The book's diagrams, illustrations, footnotes, and glossary are valuable additional resources. Like Ponlop Rinpoche's other books, Penetrating Wisdom: The Aspiration of Samantabhadra and Wild Awakening: The Heart of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Mind Beyond Death is a book to be treasured and read time and again. Highly recommended for non-Buddhists and Buddhists alike.