visualizing stage. If it be one who was in the perfected stage, then call him thrice by name and repeat over and over again the above instructions of setting-face-to-face with the Clear Light. If it be one who was in the visualizing stage, then read out to him the introductory descriptions and the text of the Meditation on his tutelary deity,[1] and then say,
O thou of noble-birth, meditate upon thine own tutelary deity.—[Here the deity's name is to be mentioned by the reader.[2]] Do not be distracted. Earnestly concentrate thy mind upon thy tutelary deity. Meditate upon him as if he were the reflection of the moon in water, apparent yet inexistent [in itself]. Meditate upon him as if he were a being with a physical body.
So saying, [the reader will] impress it.
If [the deceased be] of the common folk, say,
Meditate upon the Great Compassionate Lord.[3]
By thus being set-face-to-face even those who would not be expected to recognize the Bardo [unaided] are undoubtedly certain to recognize it.
Persons who while living had been set face to face [with the Reality] by a guru, yet who have not made themselves familiar with it, will not be able to recognize the Bardo clearly by themselves. Either a guru or a brother in the Faith will have to impress vividly such persons.[4]
- ↑ Cf. the following, from The Craft to Know Well to Die, chap. 1V, Comper's ed. (p. 73): 'And after he [the person dying] ought to require the apostles, the martyrs, the confessors and the virgins, and in special all the saints that he most loved ever.'
- ↑ The favourite deity of the deceased is the tutelary (Tib. yi-dam), usually one of the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, of whom Chenrazee is the most popular.
- ↑ Text: Jo-vo-thugs-rje-chen-po (pron. Jo-wo-thu-ji-chen-po): 'Great Compassionate Lord', synonymous with Tib. Spyan-ras-gzigs (pron. Chen-rä-zi): Skt. Avalokiteshvara.
- ↑ A person may have heard a detailed description of the art of swimming and yet never have tried to swim. Suddenly thrown into water he finds himself unable to swim. So with those who have been taught the theory of how to act in the time of death and have not applied, through yogīc practices, the theory: they cannot maintain unbroken continuity of consciousness; they grow bewildered at the changed conditions ; and fail to progress or to take advantage of the opportunity offered by death, unless upheld and directed by a living guru. Even with all that a guru can do, they ordinarily, because of bad karma, fail to recognize the Bardo as such.
