can hear all the weeping and wailing of his friends and relatives, and, although he can see them and can hear them calling upon him, they cannot hear him calling upon them, so he goeth away displeased.
At that time, sounds, lights, and rays—all three—are experienced. These awe, frighten, and terrify, and cause much fatigue. At this moment, this setting-face-to-face with the Bardo [during the experiencing] of Reality is to be applied. Call the deceased by name, and correctly and distinctly explain to him, as follows:
O nobly-born, listen with full attention, without being distracted: There are six states of Bardo, namely: the natural state of Bardo while in the womb;[1] the Bardo of the dream-state;[2] the Bardo of ecstatic equilibrium, while in deep meditation;[3] the Bardo of the moment of death;[4] the Bardo [during the experiencing] of Reality;[5] the Bardo of the inverse process of sangsaric existence.[6] These are the six.
O nobly-born, thou wilt experience three Bardos, the Bardo of the moment of death, the Bardo [during the experiencing] of Reality, and the Bardo while seeking rebirth. Of these three, up to yesterday, thou hadst experienced the Bardo of the moment of death. Although the Clear Light of Reality dawned upon thee, thou wert unable to hold on, and so thou hast to wander here. Now henceforth thou art going to experience the [other] two, the Chönyid Bardo and the Sidpa Bardo.
- ↑ Text: Skye-gnas Bardo (pron. Kye-nay Bardo): 'Intermediate State', or 'State of Uncertainty, of the place of birth (or while in the womb)'.
- ↑ Text: Rmi-lam Bardo (pron. Mi-lam Bardo): 'Intermediate State', or 'State of Uncertainty, [during the experiencing] of the dream-state'.
- ↑ Text: Ting-nge-hzin Bsam-gtam Bardo (pron. Tin-ge-zin Sam-tam Bardo): 'Intermediate State', or 'State of Uncertainty, [during the experiencing] of Dyhāna (Meditation) in Samādhi (Ecstatic equilibrium)'.
- ↑ Text: Hchi-khahi Bardo (pron. Chi-khai Bardo): 'Intermediate State', or 'State of Uncertainty, of the dying moment (or moment of death)'.
- ↑ Text: Chös-nyid Bardo (pron. Chö-nyid Bardo): 'Intermediate State', or 'State of Uncertainty, [during the experiencing] of Reality'.
- ↑ Text: Lugs-hbyung Srid-pahi Bardo (pron. Lu-jung Sid-pai Bardo: 'Intermediate State', or 'State of Uncertainty, in the inverse process of sangsāric (worldly) existence'—the state wherein the Knower is seeking rebirth.
