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Bardo Teaching by Khenpo Phuntsok Tashi – Day 1 - Saturday, 31 st December 2022

Introduction – Many people have requested a teaching from my side but then also asking me why always
teaching on Bardo? But I recently came back from Koh Samui and I was thinking what would be the most
beneficial teaching I could offer at this time. We all have three jewels – the Dharma jewel, the Sangha jewel
and the Buddha jewel - and these three jewels are my offering to all of you during the transition of the year.

I would also like to introduce you to my team and in the same way, my team is like the three jewels - Sonam
Dema is the Sangha jewel and Susan Roe is the Dharma jewel and I am the Buddha jewel – and the three of us
are working together as a team to offering this reaching to you.

For this teaching I would also like to use English language as this will allow for clear communication and my
ability to convey Bardo teaching to all of you in a very clear manner and I will also make use of Chokey
language when it comes to the dharma teaching.

First, I will give you Lung or the reading transmission of the Six Bardo teachings, so when you receive the
transmission up until now, please know that these come from four different teachings given by His Holiness
Penor Rinpoche, then from Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, from Sangay Nyenpa Rinpoche and lastly Namkai Nyingpo
Rinpoche. To become enlightened we need the teachings and lessons from our masters. Not from You Tube or
from only reading but instead through instruction from the true Masters.

Reading by yourself or listening to You Tube, you cannot become enlightened but you can gain knowledge but
through the unbroken lineage teachings of the Bardo that will help you. The Bardo Chenmo means the Great
Liberation through hearing and even if you don’t practice, just by hearing you will be able to attain liberation. I
will give a transmission on this tonight for all of you.

Dedication Prayer along with transmission of the Six Bardos.

The Six Bardos

The Natural Bardo of This Life (Rangzhin keney ki Bardo)

The Bardo of Dream (Milam Nyingthrul gi Bardo)
The Bardo of Meditation (Rangnang Samten gi Bardo)
The Painful Bardo of Dying (Chikha Dhuk Ngal gi Bardo)
The Luminous Bardo of Dharmata (Choniyd Osel gi Bardo)
The Karmic Bardo of Becoming (Sidpa Leki Bardo)

The Six Bardos

Now you have received the transmission of the Six Bardos but unfortunately these are not in English. Maybe
someone can read to us in English … from Padmasambhava’s instruction these verses can be used in practice or
reflect on at the time at Bardo. Since there is no time to waste – focus your mind and actualize the Three Kayas.
When the Bardo of Dream appears to you, enter into the state of mindfulness. When the Bardo of This Life
appears to you, concentrate … When the Bardo of Death appears to you and abandon the appearance of
attraction and recognize the State of Awareness. When the Bardo of Becoming comes to you, focus on the one
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point of attention and close the opening the womb – abandoning jealousy, focus on the Guru and in achieving
the higher realm.

In Buddhism, there are three types of good news. What could these be? We all are equal under the Buddha
Nature – we all have the potential to become enlightened. No age or gender or racial barriers are there. This is
why Buddhism is becoming more popular in the West as we all have the ability to become enlightened. You can
drink coffee or butter tea but don’t take too much ema datshi – we cannot waste our potential.

The next good news is that there is no guilt in Buddhism – this is not a belief that Buddhists hold. When the
Buddha reached Vipassana, he walked away from Hinduism – he walked away because he was not satisfied
with the result. For us, there is no guilt and not anyone of you should feel guilt. At the same time, don’t sleep
or avoid lack of effort.

The third good news is the fact that karma can be purified. It is not set in stone – it is not eternal and negative
karma can be purified. In some faiths, this is not true but Buddhism offers us the opportunity to cleanse or
purify. Especially for this new year – these are three good things to recognize. And we all should have
confidence in ourselves that we can do and have these qualities and that reaching enlightenment is achievable.

Bardo is very important for us. I have received so many calls asking for teachings on this topic. For those of you
who are here tonight, this is a great opportunity to learn. But before you listen to the Bardo teachings you
must know that the entire teachings of the Buddha have been summarized into the Six Bardo Teachings. If you
understand these, there is no need to become a monk because you can become enlightened through
understanding or preparing through these teachings. This is an extreme golden opportunity for all. Some will
spend time receiving other teachings or wangs but really there is a protocol for practice – good at the
beginning, good in the middle and good in the end.

The Words of My Perfect Teacher also emphasizes this – the great ocean-like bodhicitta must be aroused or
cultivated. We must meditate and aspire to receive this Bardo teaching to become enlightened not only for
myself but also for the sake of every other sentient mind. This altruistic mind is extremely important especially
as related to “good in the beginning”. If you miss this or lack this, you are lacking something very important.

Breathe out naturally and breathe in and while doing so, zoom in and bring your mind home as bodhicitta. If
you don’t meditate in this way, it is useless.

The Five Perfections

Secondly, this may be copied and pasted! Any teaching that you receive require the true characteristics of
bodhicitta – must strive to attain enlightenment (the good in the beginning component) and secondly, the good
in the middle – is the focus on the five perfections. Must contemplate these five perfections: Perfection of
Place – where we need to transform our ordinary place like our teaching hall or temple into Pure land. The
Perfection of Place lays the foundation for our practice and ability to progress. Number two – the Perfect of
Time or the Golden Time. Still there will be other Buddhas who will come but we also shouldn’t be complacent.
Enlightenment has no expiration date – you can become enlightened at any time but don’t waste or prolong
the time which is available to you as we may not have this opportunity again.

Perfection of Teacher – one needs to see teacher as a real Buddha who teaches the truth and gives wisdom;
the teacher is the means for sharing the precious teachings and not every teacher is perfect or they themselves
can also be contaminated but it is the teaching which is pure.
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You also think that your spiritual friends are not ordinary but also enlightened beings – this also depends on
your own perceptions but more importantly, take care of yourself and also rely on the sangha.

Then Dharma – it is also perfect. The Buddha didn’t teach religion but instead he taught the truth of
impermanence of how we become and die. He taught the truth and some people say that it is a mix of
philosophy and religion. Some Westerners also recognize this but difficult for them to call themselves a
Buddhist.

This also related to the notion of Good in the Middle. We have to remind ourselves, from time to time,
understand that the teachings are being transmitted through the lineage of the teachers and also recognize the
merit that we’ve generated in order to be here and be present for the teachings. This is part of the protocol of
the teachings.

We as recipients of the teachings – along with the lamas – we have equal responsibilities when receiving the
teachings. Sometimes we may feel tired or lose attention but we have to see that empowerment is gaining the
ability or the authorization to practice a certain text or practice and try to transform this into our daily lives.

Good at the End relates to the dedication of what we’ve received or learned, my responsibility is now to share
this with everyone else. We must be accountable to help everyone else. Along with my own enlightenment, as
a result of this positive action, must think also about generating more “interest” for others as well. This is
dedication and our efforts to visualize all the other beings who need our help.

The Bardo Teachings

Now on to the Bardo teachings; please fasten your seatbelts as there will be turbulence. Right now we are in
the Bardo. Bar – means middle and usually middle is a safer place but in this case, it is risky, insecure or an
unsafe place. Do means two – two ends or two opposite locations. Even this connotes danger and requires us
to wake up and understand that we are in an insecure place. Just like if you are trapped or squeezed between
two big rocks, this is a risky or unsafe situation. As if you are trying to lick the honey off of a razor blade – Bardo
is like this – the more you move, the more problem you may face. But at the same time, must remember the
three good news that we can apply to this situation.

In the “in between” of two places, there are many different Bardos that we have to negotiate through use of
lucid awareness or primordial awareness. We have to be aware that we are the Buddha, that there is no guilt
and that we can purify our negative karma through use of the altruistic mind. It is important not to recall or
recoil – instead use the power of intention and put to use what you know or can practice at this time. This is
why it is very important to have a teacher or Guru to guide you and direct you toward a more enlightened
state.

Within the Six Bardos – the first Bardo or the intermediate state, in Dzongkhag is Rangzhin Keneki Bardo, you
must use your five perfections in order to recognize (continue on here with the names of the different Bardos).

In English these are known as: The Natural Bardo of this Life, Bardo of Dream, Bardo of Meditation, the Painful
Bardo of Dying, the Luminous Bardo of Dharmada, the Karmic Bardo of Becoming. Where are we right now?
Are we in the Bardo of Dream, Meditation or Natural Bardo? Yes, we are in the Natural Bardo of this time.
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Before the year of your birth – where were you before this? This is ignorance. If we know, we can prepare …
but no one knows actually. Do you know after you die, where you will go? That is a question that everyone
seeks to answer. This is now my eight time of giving Bardo teachings and it is the first for most of you.

I will not go into detail about the Natural Bardo of this Life or the Bardo of Meditation or Dream but instead will
focus on the Painful Bardo of Dying because we will all face this. Even when we go to sleep, we are practicing a
form of Bardo but hopefully we will all wake up and welcome the new year and move ahead.

The Natural Bardo of this Life is where we begin – from the year of our birth through the duration of our life.
But most books which describe the two places in-between – starting from our birth and to our death (which
most books describe) but this is not correct as we go beyond. Sometimes when are sick we cannot go for
pilgrimage or do the things we wish and this represents the last stages of our life although we are not yet dead.
When you become ill and all the signs of death begin to show, then the Painful Bardo of Dying begins. These
include 13 different signs of dying which come at different times, not all at once.

During the Natural Bardo of This Life you need the teachings and need to begin practice to prepare yourself
prior to the next phase. You have to find the right teacher or spiritual Guru to help you with this because
without the teacher, it is not possible. You also have to do meditation practice and other good deeds to also
generate merit. There are two ways to accumulate merit – through generosity and through undertaking good
deeds. Conventional merit is also associated with generosity or dhana – whatever you are able to offer. Please
note that generosity and charity or two different things. Charity often has to do with conditions but generosity
is free from expectations or other external influences or conditions. Secondly, cultivate the Perfection of Moral
Discipline (such as not stealing or not drinking alcohol). It is possible for everyone to adopt one or two of these
things. Third, the Perfection of Patience is to practice consistently with firm and steadfast. Fourth, the
Perfection of Joyous Effort – try to celebrate all that you do with joy and happiness. In addition, celebrate or
rejoice in what you learn. Fifth, the Perfection of Concentration is focusing on the mindfulness. Sixth, the
Perfection of Wisdom is to recognize the union of two truths and this wisdom sees the right path to nirvana
with any defect and fault.

You can also practice the meditation on the Four Immeasurable – Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and
Equanimity (Tshedmey Zhi). Meditating on the four immeasurable will help you attain the four kayas. Loving-
kindness will help to transform you into humble and egoless person, compassion will make you become more
detached, joy brings you pure mind, and equanimity will transform your biased mind into a spacious view
which can encompass all or everything.

This is also why the Preliminary Practices are very good in helping one to prepare for the next life. Also to take
or receive empowerments for different practices, these all help during the Natural Bardo of This Life.

In my village, I was a Gomchen before and I observed that my teacher – in his family – nine people died in his
household. We watched this and wondered where did they disappear to but for us, it will come to us as well.
Only practice and work on generate merit during this period as these are positive actions and contribute to the
creation of positive karma along with positive thoughts as the mind is the forerunner of all actions and what
you think, you will become.

The Bardo of Dreams

Another off shoot or branch of this is the Bardo of Dreams. When you sleep one can also experience the
rhythm of sleeping and waking up and during this time, we experience dreams. Our life is like a shooting star or
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a bubble – very impermanent. We have a great saying that we very much appreciate – enjoy without
attachment. Buddha didn’t say to not enjoy but to also recognize the impermanence of this in life. The same
goes with experiencing anger without holding on for a long time. Drop it quickly and more on. We must be
flexible and open in our lives.

The Bardo of Meditation

Meditation is very important for us. There are two types: stabilized meditation and analytical meditation.
Firstly, calm / abiding meditation helps us to stabilize the mind – Vipassana and Shamata meditation can be
used to help us do this. There are nine stages to bringing your mind home, nine stages of peaceful living. When
you do the seven auspicious body postures, this helps to bring mind stability. When you have trained your
mind, you don’t have to use the seven auspicious body postures – can meditate while anything else you do.

The Seven Body Postures: Include crossed legs, hand mudra, spine straight, shoulders should be squared, chin
level and tip of the tongue placed on the roof of the mouth, and eyes lowered down.

Short meditation session done here … following the mental setting, continual setting, patch-like-setting and
close setting.

The Painful Bardo of Dying

The three realms include desire realm, form realm and formless realm. When you practice, you must do so in
the desire realm which also includes animals and all types of people. Your body is within the desire realm and
needs so many different things. You can feel it and you can touch it but actually there is the outer, inner and
secret enemy associated with this. Body can also be the outer enemy, while the inner enemy is speech within
the form realm and the mind compromises the formless realm and this can function in either a positive or
negative manner.

When I was 13 years old, I started the preliminary practices and I had the idea that I would attain the rainbow
body but this was very unrealistic. When we enter the Painful Bardo Dying, we must transform into the Three
Kayas – Absolute Truth, Enjoyment Truth and the Emanation Truth (Choku, Longku, Trulku) which are
represented by Om, Ah, and Hung. At this time we have the potential to go to a lower realm so we have to
close or block this. God, Demi-god, Human Being, Animals and Hungry Ghosts – these all include the lower
realms that we may be drawn to. The seed syllables are linked with these various realms. In order to burn out
or purify, the use of the syllables can help but we also know where we want to go and use the anti-dote to
avoid these realms. The mantras we use can break the chain links to these realms.

When one experiences death, it is not pleasant but we can prepare. Now we must recite the Six Root Verse of
the Six Bardos prayer.

When we die – must die with dignity and without fear. The five outer elements of earth, water, fire, wind and
space must dissolve. This followed by the dissolution of the five inner elements flesh, blood, heat, breath, and
consciousness.

For the Liberation of Hearing: when the elements dissolve into water, then the body becomes stiff – outer,
inner and secret dimensions – including five deities, five elements and five wisdoms have to been transformed
during the dying process. But there is also another chance to do this later on but if you miss, there is need for a
49 day puja done by your masters to help guide you otherwise you may end up in one of the lower realms.
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When you dissolve blood, water elements goes into fire then fire or heat dissolves into wind, then the wind or
breath element dissolves into consciousness. The out signs and inner signs are there – you must remember
these as it is like returning your properties. All five properties are retuned to consciousness and then finally
into wisdom. This also depends on your confidence and your ability to educate and prepare yourself.

Outer signs include the body becoming stiff and heavy then you must make sure that the wisdom of
equanimity is there and the inner sign is there through the swirling smoke or wisps of smoke or a flock of snipe
and during this time, you must invoke your teacher. Blood will then dissolve into fire (or water into fire), at this
time, water will drip from the mouth (outer sign) but inner sign is a vision as a shimmering mirage. All space is
permeated by a shimmering mirage, then the fire element dissolves into wind and you become shorter of
breath. At this time, visions of shimmering red sparks will appear. When the wind element dissolves into
consciousness, the outer sign is that the breath is very short or comes less frequently. You are unable to
swallow or talk and the inner vision is a row of candles is like a row of butter lamps or fireflies flickering.

Each person has six consciousness and five essential objects – smell, touch, taste, hearing and sight. These also
are signs of death approaching. Here too the use of mantra is very important. Lastly, when the blood / water
element is dissolved, you can no longer hear. If those caring for the person, can make a paper roll to direct the
mantra to them – for female on the left and male to the right. The fire element once dissolves, removes the
sense of smell and when the wind / breath element dissolves into consciousness, one cannot remember
anything or appears completely confused.

This is the process associated with the outer signs of death. The final and more difficult or complicated steps
are the inner dissolvement which occurs very quickly and then death is complete. At this time, you will
remember the kindness of your guru. The three inner signs include appearance, increase and attainment.

Dedication prayer.

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Bardo Teaching by Khenpo Phuntsok Tashi – Day 2 – Sunday, 1 st January 2023

Part 1

Opening / Dedication Prayer

Good in the beginning …

Please recite together the Six Root Verses of the Six Bardos prayer.

This is a very important and often recited by many masters and by reciting this; you have the chance to attain a
very good rebirth.

As you know, we are already in the bardo – the luminous bardo – so we must recite and share with others for
the benefit of all.

Happy New Year to you all – may you live a long life and fulfill all your wishes and dreams. Make sure all wishes
are positive and for 365 days we need to complete a peaceful and happy journey as we never know who within
this group will lead and where they will head. Therefore, we need to talk and think of only positive things along
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with practicing what we learned yesterday. Bardo Thodol means that we must study – not just knowing but
also understand and then finally we will experience and through this process, we will become a realized being.

You must remember that we all remain in the Painful Bardo of Dying. Yesterday we learned about how the
inner elements dissolve and today we will hear about the dissolution of the inner elements and this is very
important because this process is what leads to enlightenment. Yesterday we talked about swirling bits of
smoke or smog, and also the shimmering mirage and the red sparks, and a row of fire-flies or butter lamps
(Dhuwa, Migju, Meckher, Marmey). All will experience and we must prepare so that we are not terrified or
traumatized when we experience this.

What were the three things we discuss – Appearance, Increase and Attainment. Repeat three times and then
you will be authorized to practice and use these tools. Can you draw a simple skeleton on the board and show
us where the heart is. In the body as related to the head, hum seed syllable rests there and at the navel, one
should visualize the syllable red Ah. The prayer we use or which is used by the Lama so that your consciousness
receives on your journey ahead.

What I’m now going to talk about is that some people, as you know, we are not all the same. Some people
understand through example or analogy but others can directly understand. The teachers provided up with
analogies to help us understand and to more accurately convey the Bardo teachings to us. The first Bardo, the
Natural Bardo of this Life – which is represented by all of us being a captain sailing toward the Golden Island.
But we need to read and use the proper map to reach to our destination and cross samsara.

The Captain is very happy to make the journey in order to collect the precious items at the end of the journey
but you have to consider many things, the weather, the duration all other factors in order to undertake the
journey. Therefore, during this life, you also have to prepare and be smart and well prepared to make the
journey. This is just like reading the map to chart your course of make the journey. Use the Six Perfections and
other meditations to assist you.

The Painful Bardo of Dying after having a long illness or sickness, at that time, the analogy is like a beautiful
woman looking at a mirror before she goes out in public. She does this to make sure she dresses properly and
looks her best – and no one can help you do this. But instead, you need the instruction also on how to do this!

The next Bardo is the Luminous Bardo of Dharmada or of the Innate Nature of Your Mind. Here you should be
like a baby crawling on the lap of your mother. As a baby, they recognize the mother completely with no
mistake in recognizing and this mother is like the Ground Luminosity and includes the Path Luminosity as well.
The Path Luminosity must be clear in order to practice well but you are also like a child when you die so if you
have practiced, you will recognize the luminosity and allow it to guide you very well.

With regard to increasing appearance or attainment – in English we use these terms but it also lacks the
precision related to understanding these terms. It is important to use or remember Dzongkha terms – Nangwa
is appearance and Chedpa is increase. Thopa means gaining attainment. When the mother and father meet
together and embrace and unite, the father gives one drop or semen which transforms into the sustenance of
the body (which is also the Outer Enemy of the Desire Realm). Father provides the masculine part which is the
origin of your body. At the same time, the Mother then conceives through the female dot or the bindu – and
this represents the Inner Enemy or that of speech or the Form Realm.

The red color and ash color dots from the Father (ash color) and Mother (red color) and at this point our
consciousness enters. Before your birth date, a person is not yet as the state of union between the male and
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female has not occurred but when this happens, you then join the human family. Attaining the human rebirth is
also very fortunate but whether we can attain this depends on each person and their actions in the human
realm.

How do we purify these three aspects? Some do through use of mantra as the antidote as each syllable is
associated with rebirth in the different realms – the god realm, the demi-god realm or the human realm which
are more peaceful. But if your karma is exhausted, there is no guarantee. The animal realm is located at lower
levels as is hungry ghost and hell realms. If you exit your consciousness at the lower levels, your next rebirth
will result in rebirth in these lower realms. That is why you need a lama to guide you.

In the middle, we are in the living realm and through use of the mantra we can destroy the potential for the
lower realms and an unfortunate rebirth. But to be able to completely transform samsara you must go beyond
this. We know that our mother and father is temporary although they gave us form but the two drops which
they gave us still exist as these have formed our consciousness.

The Natural Bardo of this Life is like the Karmic Bardo of Becoming or the Suffering of Existence. If you miss
these bardo states (which occur within the 49 day period but can also take place quicker than this or the fast
track), a different outcome can occur.

If the Luminous Bardo merges or becomes one with Ground Luminosity, then one can become a Buddha. Just
like if there is a water source and if the line or pipe is broken, the water source continues to flow but the pipe
needs to be mended or repaired. Like this, the 49 days allow us – through prayer – to repair the flow and
ensure that flow is proper and strong and reaches the best destination or intended place. If you ignore or don’t
practice, it may be too late to make the repairs and this also why having a skillful master or lama is there to
help you.

Now how to address the appearance dimensions we will experience? When you dissolve your consciousness
and as you breathing pattern changes and the senses go, the semen dot in the head shoots down to your heart
(accompanied by a vision of all pervasive space which is white in color). If you practice when you wake up, you
recognize that you didn’t pass away and can acknowledge this – each and every time you wake up by saying
Oh, Ah, Hum. When the dot hits your heart, you will blink your eyes and this helps you to recognize this.

At the same time, the mother red drop or bindu rises up to the heart - and this is very important to
enlightenment - if you know or recognize (no matter how many negative karma you have created) this will also
help to purify. Anger comes from the father (or 33 aggressive thoughts) so these will also cease at this time – it
is a wonderful chance to transcend this anger. From the navel, the mother’s red dot rises along with the red or
ruby colored visions associated with 40 different types of attachment related thoughts. Again, this is the one
chance that these can cease and one can become a Buddha or an enlightened one. The inner respiration is still
taking place and this is why the body should not be disturbed.

The feeling at this time is one of crushing – like the earth and sky are coming down. During death this is more
terrifying and finally the inner respiration ceases. At this time also, the vision is of complete darkness or
blackness. At this time, you go back to the storehouse of all consciousness which is associated with the heart
disk inside the body – or the ground of all consciousness. At that time also the seven types of ignorance is also
eliminated (along with the aggression and attachment).

If there is no anger, attachment or ignorance and we then have the chance to become enlightened.
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I wish you all the best but please do not forget to practice and work on the bardo practices in order to navigate
and path and the process.

Let us recite one more time our prayer.

Part 2

The Six Root Verses of the Six Bardos – can be shared in any language with those who need.

The Karmic Bardo of Becoming – now after the three dots meet at the heart and the black-out period comes
and your conscious exits from the body – this is when death is complete. Do not move or alter the position of
the person – only hold their hand.

At this time, it is very easy for the person to reach enlightenment because no anger or no attachments are
present. The third drop represents the time that child-like luminosity arises and one can climb onto the lap of
the mother and this heightened or luminous state. Again, the lama for assistance here is very important.

Because of the unbroken lineage and teachings we have access too – this can help us in speeding up our
understanding and the results of good process. The lama will sit and you join in with what he is sharing with
you. This is the real bliss – no anger, attachment or ignorance – but if we haven’t practiced enough, we will not
recognize this state and return to another body. Despite the cremation and disposal of the body, you cannot
have wisdom of accomplishment when you die because you are not Buddha yet.

Now we will discuss Karmic Bardo – when you enter here it can be very terrifying and you can faint. Respiration
has stopped but really it is not the end – the consciousness is still going on. Because you haven’t become
enlightened, you will wake up again and the option for rebirth will be there. The choice is enlightenment or
going on to another rebirth in one of the realms. Many lamas practice the state of lucid awareness or the state
associated with this – following their death – where there is no decay or bad smell due to their advanced
practice.

At the time of our death, we are meeting on our Buddha Nature and often people will faint and then one will
come back awake and based on habitual practices, the next choice or step will unfold. The karmic wind (of your
consciousness) will direct you to the next realm. Each time you wake up, you have the chance for
enlightenment and although there is no sun or moon, you have the light of your own consciousness. When a
person is born, they have the miracle of a body and can also possess their own internal light and for the good
meditator, this will be clearer and more apparent.

The Buddha said he would make prostration to his own mind because of the mind is clear and focused, this can
lead to advancement on the path. The mind is special and if you train, it can become the closest friend to you.
Only mind is the source of everything – whether or not you go to nirvana or samsara or have the ability to fulfill
all wishes. This is how in the Bardo of Dharmada you have some time and some choices.

Again, one must recognize the illusions that you will experience. When dreaming we can imagine a snake
encircling our body or a tiger approaching and it can feel real but it is only an illusion. It is important to have
the ability to recognize this. Some of the practitioners are known for unique practices (such as drinking vast
amounts of alcohol or extended periods of sleeping) but they were able to sustain themselves in long periods
of awareness and fully understanding the nature of the mind.
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In addition, some who spent time near the Ganges (such as Tilopa) also explained, that I have nothing to teach
but stayed near the river in order to be near the flow. One cannot be transformed by the teaching but by only
understanding in.

I would like to stop here as I do not want to scare everyone but I had made a short movie on what the
experience of the Bardo will be like but I didn’t not bring it here. In an earlier teaching, we did use and some
participants were crying or very fearful but we also chanted to help ease people’s mind and generate more
understanding. When you go into the Karmic Bardo, the effects will be even more powerful than this.

We will close by doing the Tsok prayer of the Five Perfections as today is also Guru Rinpoche Day. It is Guru
Rinpoche’s birthday, the first day of the New Year and many other auspicious days combined all in one. The
Guru has 12 deeds which were demonstrated to his followers and he tried to show that if you can become
enlightened, this is possible. Today is the first day of our year as it is linked to all the others along with the
people that we live with – and we should not forget the interdependent nature of all things. If we understand
this, we will get through but Bardo will squeeze us. Through our practice we can prepare and revisit for the
time of our own transition and by the continued cultivation of Rigpa or continuous awareness.

Again, why do we consider 49 days for the transition through Bardo? The Buddha became enlightened at
Bodhgaya many years ago and when he became enlightened, he had a challenge from the dots – firstly
distraction was there (and the beautiful girls became skeletons) and this was abolished by impermanence
(desire – attachment), then Marpa tried to distract with weapons threatening him (associated with anger) but
the Buddha used loving-kindness to defeat them. Anger can be subdued by loving-kindness. And lastly, because
it was full moon day, there was an eclipse but the Buddha said you can black out outer phenomena but
because of my inner wisdom and light, there will be no darkness. Due to this, Siddartha could then become
fully enlightened.

After this, he became a forest dweller because he wasn’t sure if he could or should share the teachings or what
he found. Because he attained the six qualities of the Buddha, he also experienced these … profound, peaceful,
free from extreme thoughts, luminosity, permanent, and nectar. During this time, he completed 49 days
without speaking or teaching until then his followers requested him to teach. Reminding him about his
commitment to being good in the beginning, good in the middle and good in the end, we were then all given
the precious teachings including that of the Bardo.

End Tashi Delek!

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