The Tibetan Book of the Dead—also known as Bardo Thodol—is one of the most profound and spiritually rich texts in Tibetan Buddhism. Traditionally attributed to Padmasambhava, this sacred work guides the soul through the experiences of death, the intermediate state (bardo), and rebirth. With teachings designed to help both the dying and the living confront mortality, the book offers powerful meditative instructions, prayers, and rituals.

This particular edition features a foreword and spiritual context provided by the Dalai Lama, and is translated and interpreted by Robert Thurman, a renowned scholar and one of the first Westerners ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk by the Dalai Lama. Thurman’s translation brings clarity and accessibility to a complex text while preserving its deep mystical elements.

Why read this book?

• A sacred guide to understanding death, dying, and rebirth from the Tibetan Buddhist perspective.

• Offers spiritual insight into the transition between life and death, useful for both caregivers and spiritual seekers.

• Provides meditative techniques and visualizations to aid in attaining liberation or a favorable rebirth.

• Commentary by the Dalai Lama offers ethical, psychological, and compassionate interpretations relevant to modern life.

• Thurman’s translation is widely praised for being both readable and spiritually resonant, making it ideal for beginners and advanced practitioners.

• Encourages a contemplative, fearless approach to mortality and the impermanence of life.

About the Authors

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and a global symbol of compassion, peace, and non-violence. He has written extensively on Buddhist philosophy, ethics, and the inner sciences of the mind.

Robert Thurman is a leading scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, Professor Emeritus at Columbia University, and the founder of Tibet House US. As a close student of the Dalai Lama, he has played a key role in bringing Tibetan Buddhist thought to the Western world through his writings and translations.