I found my inner teacher

When I think about what is my favourite part of the book, I don't have to think long. It's with no doubt from Chapter 9: “When we have prayed and aspired and hungered for the truth for a long time, for many, many lives, and when our karma has become sufficiently purified, a kind of miracle takes place. And this miracle, if we can understand and use it, can lead to the ending of ignorance forever: The inner teacher, who has been with us always, manifests in the form of the “outer teacher,” who almost as if by magic, we actually encounter. This is the most important encounter of any lifetime.” WF

I could guide my parents at the time of their death

My Buddhist path started in 1989, first with another tradition. In 1994 I came to the first meditation retreat at Lerab Ling and decided that Sogyal Rinpoche would be my teacher. Then I read The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying and also gave it to my father to read.

When my mother died a few years later, I had so much support through this book to help her. And indirect it helped my father also to let go. His comment after she died was: "I believe that your Buddhist masters are right.” There was a deep understanding. Thanks to the book I was able to be guiding my parents well when they passed away. TV

My friend came to me a in dream to thank me

The first time I read the book, the idea of facing death was too confronting. A few years later, after I finished Yoga education and read the book again. This time I was fascinated.

Using what I read in the book, when someone dear died I could do the essential phowa for them. Significantly, in 2000 a very kind neighbour died suddenly at the age of 56 by cancer. I immediately did the essential phowa several times for him. Then two weeks later he appeared in a dream to me and said "thank you". Since then I am convinced that phowa works.

By now I have learned the phowa from Chagdud Khadro and now I feel "armed against" death. DK

One of the most powerful books I’ve ever read

“I picked this book as a guide to better deal with the illness of a family member.

I have a world to say about this book and its contents but truly all that really matters is to say is that it is one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read. If there was one book I’d recommend everyone to read, it would be this one.

We will all experience illness, dying and death of others throughout and our own at the end of our lives. To avoid, suppress or reject this reality really only creates greater fear and rejection of something that if chosen, can be approached with a greater sense of ease and lightness of heart if we only take that first step and turn the page.” PF

It explained some unfathomable part of my own religion

“Well I must say this book is really making me want to return to my own religion not in the form that I used to know! In fact by reading this book I find some unfathomable parts of my religion explained so every page and chapter I read makes me want to read more and understand more!” SR

Helped me see the purpose of my own life

“Though I am finished with this book, it is not going back on its shelf. I'm placing it right next to my meditation spot and intend to put its words to use in my practice. And when the time comes that I or a loved one has the opportunity to prepare for death, I again expect to keep this book close at hand.

I read this book right after walking away from a serious car accident with only bruises. My years of yoga training served me well during the accident and its aftermath, but I knew that it was time to open this book and dig more deeply into the process and meaning of life and death while I still had the chance.

Within, I found practical, down-to-earth advice on how to live, why we live, and how to die. Sogyal Rinpoche covers every conceivable situation a person could encounter and stresses the importance of preparation through meditation at every stage. He also tells inspiring stories and helps the reader to approach these big, often scary topics with a relaxed, open mind.

I am grateful for having had the chance to read this book, and I hope to ensure in my own life that its wisdom was not passed along in vain. Thank you, Sogyal Rinpoche, for helping me to see more clearly the purpose of my own life and to be less afraid of both living and dying.” JY

Learning how to truly live

“This is a book to be slowly read and reread, to be mulled over, to contemplate. It is not something one reads cover to cover like a novel. There's too much to absorb. It's book to keep going back to. Wonderful and full of wisdom. If there's one thing we all need to learn how to do, it's dying. And I don't in any way mean this in a morbid sense, for if we learn how to die, if we truly accept our mortality, we finally learn how to truly live. Thus, in learning how to truly live, we become human BEINGS rather that human DOINGS.” EB

Our fear of death is an enormous cause of our suffering

“I have understood from reading the teachings in this book that throughout the modern world, our fear, avoidance, or shrugging off of death and dying is an enormous cause of our personal and collective spiritual suffering, as well as social injustices and environmental unravelling. The possibility of understanding death clearly, using our lives to prepare for death, and wholeheartedly living our lives free of suffering is available to us in every single moment. And there is a path through which we can integrate death & dying into our lives.” ZD

Helps us to understand the three aspects of our lives—living, dying and rebirth

“The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is a book which depicts the core of Buddhism—impermanence, emptiness and compassion. It is a book which illustrates the perfect picture of the realm of our lives and life after death. This book helps all Buddhist to understand the three aspects of our lives—living, dying and rebirth.

It also prepares us to embrace death in the peaceful manner and to console the one we love in times of death. This is a book which helps us to transform our mind to absolute peace and compassion.” LM