The Tibetan Book of the Dead - Francesca Fremantle (Translator), Chogyam Trungpa (Translator)

Category: Self-help, Spiritual & Religious
Language: English
Keywords: Afterlife buddha Buddhism Enlightenment Meditation Tantra Tibet Tibetan

Written by Francesca Fremantle (Translator), Chogyam Trungpa (Translator)
Read by Richard Gere
Format: M4A
Bitrate: 128 Kbps
Unabridged

In this classic scripture of Tibetan Buddhism—traditionally read aloud to the dying to help them attain liberation—death and rebirth are seen as a process that provides an opportunity to recognize the true nature of mind. This translation by Chögyam Trungpa and Francesca Fremantle emphasizes the practical advice that the book offers to the living, and Fremantle’s insightful introduction explains the text and presents a psychological perspective on its teachings. Read by the actor Richard Gere, this audio program offers a new way to encounter the profound meaning of this sacred text.

From Publishers Weekly

As part of a Buddhist ritual, this scripture is to be read to a person who is dying, yet it also serves within Buddhist culture to remind people at all stages of life about the reincarnation cycle. While the introduction does provide a brief overview of names and concepts, this translation is not sufficient for the neophyte to understand well enough in an audio production, especially considering how many times Buddhist terms are employed in the production. An additional text guide might have been useful as a quick reference. Richard Gere, a Buddhist himself, smoothly executes the audiobook with inflection and tone that indicate his strong grasp of the material. However, his slight nasal projection might wear a bit on some listeners.

Review

“A landmark in rendering this extraordinary revelation accessible to modern minds.”—Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying