The Tibetan Book of the Dead · 31 of 34
Appendix II: The Path of Good Wishes for Saving from the Bardo
[1]
O ye Conquerors and your Sons, abiding in the Ten Directions,
O ye ocean-like Congregation of the All-Good Conquerors, the Peaceful and the Wrathful, O ye Gurus and Devas, and ye Dākinīs, the Faithful Ones, Hearken now out of [your] great love and compassions: Obeisance, O ye assemblage of Gurus and Dākinīs; Out of your great love, lead us along the Path.
[2]
When, through illusion, I and others are wandering in the Sangsāra,
Along the bright light-path of undistracted listening, reflection, and meditation,
May the Gurus of the Inspired Line lead us,
May the bands of Mothers be our rear-guard,
May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.
[3]
When, through violent anger, [we are] wandering in the Sangsāra, Along the bright light-path of the Mirror-like Wisdom, May the Bhagavan Vajra-Sattva lead us, May the Mother Mamakl be our rear-guard,
May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.
[4]
When, through intense pride, [we are] wandering in the Sangsāra,
Along the bright light-path of the Wisdom of Equality,
May the Bhagavan Ratna-Sambhava lead us,
May the Mother, She-of-the-Buddha-Eye, be our rear-guard, May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.
[5]
When, through great attachment, [we are] wandering in the Sangsāra, Along the bright light-path of the Discriminating Wisdom, May the Bhagavan Amitabha lead us,
May the Mother, [She]-of- White-Raiment, be our rear-guard,
May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo,
May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.
[6]
When, through intense jealousy, [we are] wandering in the Sangsāra,
Along the bright light-path of the All-Performing Wisdom,
May the Bhagavan Amogha-Siddhi lead us,
May the Mother, the Faithful Tara, be our rear-guard
May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo,
May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.
[7]
When, through intense stupidity, [we are] wandering in the Sangsāra,
Along the bright light-path of the Wisdom of Reality,
May the Bhagavan Vairochana lead us,
May the Mother of Great Space be our rear-guard,
May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo,
May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.
[8]
When, through intense illusion, [we are] wandering in the Sangsāra,
Along the bright light-path of the abandonment of hallucinatory fear, awe, and terror,
May the Bhagavans of the Wrathful Ones lead us,
May the bands of the Wrathful Goddesses Rich-in-Space be our rear-guard, May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo, May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood.
[9]
When, through intense propensities, [we are] wandering in the Sangsāra, Along the bright light-path of the Simultaneously-born Wisdom, May the Knowledge-Holders lead us,
May the bands of the Mothers, the Dākinīs, be our rear-guard,
May we be saved from the fearful narrow passage-way of the Bardo,
May we be placed in the state of the perfect Buddhahood. [10]
May the ethereal elements not rise up as enemies;
May it come that we shall see the Realm of the Blue Buddha.
May the watery elements not rise up as enemies;
May it come that we shall see the Realm of the White Buddha.
May the earthy elements not rise up as enemies;
May it come that we shall see the Realm of the Yellow Buddha.
May the fiery elements not rise up as enemies;
May is come that we shall see the Realm of the Red Buddha.
May the airy elements not rise up as enemies;
May it come that we shall see the Realm of the Green Buddha.
May the elements of the rainbow colours not rise up as enemies;
May it come that all the Realms of the Buddhas will be seen.
May it come that all the Sounds [in the Bardo] will be known as one's own sounds;
May it come that all the Radiances will be known as one's own radiances;
May it come that the Tri-Kaya will be realized in the Bardo.
[Ill:] Here beginneth
'The Root Verses of the Six Bardos u . [1]
O now, when the Birthplace Bardo upon me is dawning! Abandoning idleness — there being no idleness in [a devotee's] life — Entering into the Reality undistractedly, listening, reflecting, and meditating,
Carrying on to the Path [knowledge of the true nature of] appearances and of mind, may the Tri-Kaya be realized:
Once that the human form hath been attained,
May there be no time [or opportunity] in which to idle it [or human life] away.
[2]
O now, when the Dream Bardo upon me is dawning!
Abandoning the inordinate corpse-like sleeping of the sleep of stupidity,
May the consciousness undistractedly be kept in its natural state;
Grasping the [true nature of] dreams, [may I] train [myself] in the Clear Light of Miraculous Transformation:
Acting not like the brutes in slothfulness,
May the blending of the practicing of the sleep [state] and actual [or waking] experience be highly valued [by me].
[3] O now, when the Dhydna Bardo upon me is dawning!
Abandoning the whole mass of distractions and illusions,
May [the mind] be kept in the mood of endless undistracted Samddhi,
May firmness both in the visualizing and in the perfected [stages] be obtained:
At this time, when meditating one-pointedly, with [all other] actions put aside,
May I not fall under the power of misleading, stupefying passions.