Whereas Western society views death as the last taboo, the Tibetan tradition incorporates meditation on death into everyday life. Tibetan Buddhists believe that a conscious awareness of one’s own impermanence allows a person to live a happy, fulfilled life.
Over the centuries the Tibetans have developed a wide-ranging literature on death, including inspirational poetry and prose, prayers, and practical works on caring for the dying.
This fascinating book presents nine short Tibetan texts. Important writings by the Second, Seventh, and Thirteenth Dalai Lamas, and by Karma Lingpa, author of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, are included. It covers topics such as meditation techniques to prepare for death, inspirational accounts of the deaths of saints and yogis, and methods for training the mind in the transference of consciousness at the time of death.
Glenn H. Mullin is a member of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives Research and Translation Bureau. He lived in the Himalayas from 1972 to 1984, where he studied tantric Buddhism under numerous Tibetan masters. A renowned author and Tibetologist, he has lectured and conducted workshops throughout the world, and has published over a dozen books on Tibetan Buddhism.
REVIEWS
“I am grateful to the author for the immense labor he has put into this masterpiece.”—Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
“This study performs the service of presenting the Tibetan understanding of death as a whole—circumambulating it, as we might say, to view it in the round.”—Huston Smith
“The translations of the nine texts sparkle with such clarity that the multi-faceted gems of Tibetan Buddhist belief shine boldly.”—Publisher’s Weekly
“…accessible translations of nine texts spanning centuries—including works by the 2nd, 7th, and 13th Dalai Lamas…[Mullin’s] introduction, and the preamble to each piece, are welcome additions, but the translated works themselves are engaging and very readable, providing enduring insight into a human difficulty that is here to stay.”—Tricycle
“This is a practical and easy-to-understand read, a series of signposts to that doorway we must all pass through to our next life. It goes a long way towards transcending the negativity that Westerners attach to the implacability of impermanence and death.”—Mandala
“Whether one is ardently attempting to make sense of the death and passing of a loved one…or wishes to delve into the conditions surrounding what will be the exit from the world of consciousness as we ourselves know it, this collection of concise writings is a marvel and an aide…Mullin as compiler and editor shares with us many insights of some powerful and evolved Tibetan teachers and masters…excellent writings that need to be part of the library on the impermanence of our lives for those with the desire for understanding.”—Thomas Peter von Bahr, New Age Retailer
“Living in the Face of Death is intriguing reading for those looking towards death with honesty, and could do much to improve one’s life.”—The Bookwatch
“This profound collection of Tibetan Buddhist writing on the subject of death and transcendence is a gorgeous initiation into the thoughts shared by those that follow this religion/set of beliefs. As a whole, the collected works are easily digestible and clear in their impact. The writings bridge a gap between Eastern and Western thought on the subject of death.”—Feminist Review
“Through the intense efforts of the author, in this book, we have been provided with a remedy to face and overcome the dreaded and taboo topic of death…. There is tremendous insight into the insurmountable hurdle and fear of death, provided by some of the renowned Tibetan Dalai Lamas and other writers.”—East and West Series
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.