Best tibetan book of the dead according to redditors

Be Here Now by Ram Dass

The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science by Culdasa

The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead by Timothy Leary

If you read the Tibetan book of the dead, it actually is a guide to realize one is dead, which is not unlike realizing one is dreaming, many books cover this topic. Dreaming can basically be a trial run at death, if you know how to handle yourself in a dream, you can handle yourself in the afterlife.
http://www.amazon.com/Living-Dreaming-Dying-Everyday-Tibetan/dp/1590301323

> I have tried reading articles and books but they were all pretty advanced and technical and I'm still confused.

What exactly confused you? And what books have you been reading?

I would highly recommend to read Luminous Emptiness. It's one of the best commentaries on The Tibetan Book of The Dead, which describes the process of rebirth very precisely.

>Also, the Tibetan Book of the Dead says to move away from the light when you die. Is this wheel the device by which you get reincarnated? Moving away from the light supposedly allows you to escape from Samsara:

This is a gross oversimplification. I encourage everyone interested in the subject to read the book to get the full picture:

https://www.amazon.com/Tibetan-Book-Dead-Awakening-Dying/dp/1583945555

Sometimes the trip is about what's around you. But you can have some of the most powerful experiences just from lying down, closing your eyes, clearing your mind, and submitting to wherever the headspace takes you. No background music or TV.

Like The Beatles sang: "Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream. Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void."

They were quoting from a landmark guidebook written by none other than Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner, and Ram Dass. You can buy it at many bookstores, and it's also floating around the Web as a PDF, for example. There's even the original audiobook narrated by them, which you can find on YouTube.

you think that just because you take a drug and experience something out of the norm that that must be a truth because TPTB are keeping it from us. and you do this all without mastering the experience of psychedelics? theres more to the art of "trippin".

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XMQ78YK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Have you read Fremantle's Luminous Emptiness: Understanding the Tibetan Book of the Dead and would you recommend reading this prior to the translation you recommended? Or do you think Trungpa's translation has a sufficient commentary to understand the text? I've read Thurman's translation and commentary, and I must admit, the Tibetan Book of the Dead is very complex and esoteric.

My mistake. Francesca Fremantle also wrote a commentary to the Liberation by Hearing called Luminous Emptiness: Understanding the Tibetan Book of the Dead.


So, back to the Fremantle Trungpa book. I don't think that book contains Chapters 1-5 that the Gyurme Dorje book does contain. Indeed, I think the Fremantle Trungpa book is only about Chapter 7. As is Fremantle's Commentary, which is more of a guided meditation, really, which is nice.


So, I guess it all depends on which you prefer, only Chapter 7, which is pretty awesome or the "Soup to Nuts" version, which is the Colemen, Jinpa, Dorje book. I prefer the Dorje book. The first 5 Chapters were pretty great. Chapter 6 is very similar to Chapter 7, but more of a Sadhana. Chapter 8 is an extended confession based on Chapter 7. (I say Chapter 7 but it's really all about the 100 Deities of the Zhitro.)
Up to you. Amazon-wise on price, they are the same. So, hey, you "get more for your buck" by purchasing the Coleman-Jinpa-Dorje book. Enjoy!