Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth A Tibetan Buddhist Guidebook

Abstract

I OFFER MY GRATITUDE to Kyabje Dodrupchen Rinpoche and Kyala Khenpo Rinpoche for their profound teachings of Buddhism that made my life meaningful and their meticulous instructions and practices on death rituals, which gave birth to this book, and to my kind parents, foreparents, and loving friends, to whom I am indebted for my life and sanity. I am very thankful to Harold Talbott for editing Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth with patience, dedication, and wisdom. I am especially thankful to Kendra Crossen Burroughs for her mastery in the art of editing and knowledge of the subject that gave birth to this book in its final form. I am grateful to Ian Baldwin for navigating through the publishing world and for his great editorial advice; to Zenkar Rinpoche for providing many rare delog texts; to Gene Smith and the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center for being an invaluable research resource; to Larry Mermelstein for translating the Sanskrit mantras (unfortunately, we could not use the diacritical marks that he provided); to Mahasiddha Nyingmapa Center, the late Chagdud Rinpoche, Gyalse Putrug Rinpoche, Gyatul Rinpoche, Sherab Raldhi Lama, Lama Migmar Tseten, Ani Lodro Palmo, and Madeline Nold for sharing their valuable libraries; to Jonathan Miller, Byron Brumbaugh, and Philip Richman for reading the manuscript and giving valuable suggestions; to David Dvore for his computer skills; to Michael Krigsman for promoting our works at www.tulkuthondup.com; and to Victor and Ruby Lam for a peaceful place to work. I am deeply indebted to Michael Baldwin for single-handedly providing for all the human needs that have kept our research and writing projects productive and to all the patrons of The Buddhayana Foundation (3 Barnabas Road, Marion, MA 02738) for their most generous support over the past twenty-five years. I am highly grateful to Acharya Samuel Bercholz for trusting in my work and to Peter Turner, Jonathan Green, Lenny Jacobs, Hazel Bercholz, and the staff of Shambhala Publications for giving great care to this book. Thanks also go to L. S. Summer for preparing the index. I appreciate Acharya Emily Bower’s help editing the guided meditation audio that accompanies this book. Finally, I am thankful to Lydia Segal for her constant inspiration during the writing of this book and for lending her literary skills to the project with love and knowledge. I dedicate all the merits associated with this book with heartfelt prayers to all the friends who shared their most precious transitional moments with me in different ways and to all who will be Byron Brumbaugh, and Philip Richman for reading the manuscript and giving valuable suggestions; to David Dvore for his computer skills; to Michael Krigsman for promoting our works at www.tulkuthondup.com; and to Victor and Ruby Lam for a peaceful place to work. I am deeply indebted to Michael Baldwin for single-handedly providing for all the human needs that have kept our research and writing projects productive and to all the patrons of The Buddhayana Foundation (3 Barnabas Road, Marion, MA 02738) for their most generous support over the past twenty-five years. I am highly grateful to Acharya Samuel Bercholz for trusting in my work and to Peter Turner, Jonathan Green, Lenny Jacobs, Hazel Bercholz, and the staff of Shambhala Publications for giving great care to this book. Thanks also go to L. S. Summer for preparing the index. I appreciate Acharya Emily Bower’s help editing the guided meditation audio that accompanies this book. Finally, I am thankful to Lydia Segal for her constant inspiration during the writing of this book and for lending her literary skills to the project with love and knowledge. I dedicate all the merits associated with this book with heartfelt prayers to all the friends who shared their most precious transitional moments with me in different ways and to all who will be enjoying the teachings shared in this book. May they fully realize and always be one with the blessings of the Buddha of Infinite Light and all the blessed ones.