Living Is Dying
Books2020No matter who we are – pop star, nurse, teacher, real estate magnate, gardener, atheist, CEO, secretary, road sweeper, agnostic, film critic, Buddhist, home maker – each and every one of us will
No matter who we are – pop star, nurse, teacher, real estate magnate, gardener, atheist, CEO, secretary, road sweeper, agnostic, film critic, Buddhist, home maker – each and every one of us will die. We have no choice, no alternative option, no wiggle room. Death is inevitable. So why do so few of us even think about death, let alone make any effort to prepare ourselves for it? In Living Is Dying, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche offers a broad spectrum of advice about how to prepare for dying, death, and beyond, no matter who you are. Inspired by nearly a hundred questions that were put to him by friends and students, Rinpoche describes how to:
- Prepare for our own death
- Help, comfort, and guide a dying friend or loved one to approach the moment of death
- Navigate the bardos (intermediate states)
- Guide the dead
- Help loved ones who have died
“These teachings about death and the bardos have been passed down through a long lineage of brilliant Buddhist thinkers, each of whom went to great lengths in order to examine the process in minute detail and from every angle. Their advice may well be especially useful for Buddhists, or those attracted to the Buddha’s teachings. Even those of you who know nothing about the teachings of the Buddha but who are open-minded, curious, and perhaps contemplating your own death or that of a loved one, may well find something in these pages that will be of help.” — Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse
No matter who we are – pop star, nurse, teacher, real estate magnate, gardener, atheist, CEO, secretary, road sweeper, agnostic, film critic, Buddhist, home maker – each and every one of us will
No matter who we are – pop star, nurse, teacher, real estate magnate, gardener, atheist, CEO, secretary, road sweeper, agnostic, film critic, Buddhist, home maker – each and every one of us will die. We have no choice, no alternative option, no wiggle room. Death is inevitable. So why do so few of us even think about death, let alone make any effort to prepare ourselves for it? In Living Is Dying, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche offers a broad spectrum of advice about how to prepare for dying, death, and beyond, no matter who you are. Inspired by nearly a hundred questions that were put to him by friends and students, Rinpoche describes how to:
- Prepare for our own death
- Help, comfort, and guide a dying friend or loved one to approach the moment of death
- Navigate the bardos (intermediate states)
- Guide the dead
- Help loved ones who have died
“These teachings about death and the bardos have been passed down through a long lineage of brilliant Buddhist thinkers, each of whom went to great lengths in order to examine the process in minute detail and from every angle. Their advice may well be especially useful for Buddhists, or those attracted to the Buddha’s teachings. Even those of you who know nothing about the teachings of the Buddha but who are open-minded, curious, and perhaps contemplating your own death or that of a loved one, may well find something in these pages that will be of help.” — Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse