| Dissolution of the physical form causes a release of | | | | recognize its true nature as represented by the Clear |
| the awareness-principle from the body and expands | | | | Light. Impurity of thoughts and emotions, guilt, |
| the consciousness to enfold a higher state. The | | | | unforgivingness, attachment to the world of form and |
| absorption of the four elements are spiritually related to | | | | possessions, ignorance of the bardo states and its |
| the activities of their subtle counterpart personified as | | | | liberating potential, karmic stains, and the influence of |
| goddesses:1) Buddhalocana - Earth2) Mamaki - | | | | drugs are just some of the many causes that |
| Water3) Pandaravasini - Fire4) Samayatara - AirAfter | | | | prevents the soul from achieving salvation in the Clear |
| the absorption of the elements, what is called the | | | | Light. Earlyne Chaney in her book, "The Mysteries of |
| "Three Paths" commences. Whereas the above is | | | | Death & Dying" comments on why the Light may not |
| known as the "gross dissolution," the Three Paths is | | | | be seen:"If there is darkness within the consciousness, |
| known as the "subtle dissolution." The Three Paths is | | | | it is reflected on the mirror of your mind and the mirror |
| associated with inner processes called by lamas the | | | | cannot then reflect the radiance of the Clear Light |
| stages of "appearance," "increase" and "attainment." | | | | itself. At this moment when the Clear Light dawns, the |
| They are associated with the three "tigle," or "bindu." | | | | mind is like a mirror and only when it is cleared of |
| The tigles are described as being the essences of | | | | karmic obstacles can the mind reflect the ultimate light |
| one's parents and possessing certain colours related to | | | | of reality. This is why it is so difficult for most of us to |
| the male and female seed. The male tigle is white in | | | | imagine that we may merge with the Clear Light, |
| colour and resides at the top of the head. It represents | | | | because the mind must be completely cleared of all |
| "skillful means." It is also related to the | | | | karmic darkness." (1989:70)In order to prepare oneself |
| nirmanakaya--one of the three bodies often referred | | | | for the Clear Light experience, we are advised by |
| to in Mahayana Buddhism. The female tigle is red in | | | | lamas to meditate daily, and to undergo certain |
| colour and has its abode at the base of the spine. It | | | | purifying, detoxifying processes--mental, emotional, |
| represents "wisdom," and is related to the | | | | physical and spiritual--that clears the skandhas, the |
| sambhogakaya. The third tigle is a neutral essence, it is | | | | aggregates of the lower constitution of the microcosm, |
| a combination of both male-female tigles when they | | | | from all psycho-physical dross that hangs like a veil |
| meet in the heart; it results in the black tigle. This tigle is | | | | over the Clear Light preventing its shimmering brilliance |
| related to the dharmakaya. The movements of the | | | | from emerging and contacting the soul-in-transition. The |
| three tigles in the physical body result in the stages of | | | | more karmic stains in the skandhas, the less we see |
| one's realization of "emptiness," or the Clear Light of | | | | of the Clear Light. Purifying practices such as the |
| the Void, which in the average person goes | | | | Heruka Vajrasattva sadhana, for instance, are often |
| unrecognized. During the death process the white tigle | | | | resorted to, to clear one's mental and emotional |
| descends into the heart center followed by the ascent | | | | continuum of karmic stains. The necessity for purity in |
| of the red tigle into the same locality. These are the | | | | one's nature in order to see the Clear Light is also to |
| stages of "appearance" and "increase." The stage of | | | | be found in Christian teachings where it is said that |
| "attainment" or the "black path" occurs when both | | | | only the pure shall see "God." Surat An-Nur of the |
| male and female bindus meet in the heart center to | | | | Quran alludes poetically to the Clear Light, to Nur Illahi |
| form the black tigle and give rise to the actual moment | | | | and how it is perceived.Basically, one has to be |
| of death. The appearance of the Clear Light follows at | | | | detached from the five skhandas (essence of form, |
| that precise moment. In the black stage the average | | | | sensation, volition, consciousness, and deluded |
| person usually falls unconscious, the Buddhist initiate of | | | | perception) in order to recognize the Clear Light and its |
| such teachings as Dzogchen or Mahamudra, however, | | | | transformative qualities. It takes a perfectly detached |
| is able to maintain awareness and recognize the Clear | | | | mind and a pure awareness, free from karmic stains |
| Light as it appears. Concerning the nature and | | | | to merge with the high energies of the Divine flame of |
| movements of the tigles, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in the | | | | the Clear Light of the Void. Only then is one free from |
| Bardo Guidebook comments:"Whiteness or | | | | all mortal states and is born into a realm beyond the |
| appearance is due to the descent of the white | | | | laws of change, of becoming. Immortality is attained in |
| element, obtained from one's father at the moment of | | | | such a manner. Bokar Rinpoche, in the book Death & |
| conception. At that time there is a white shimmering | | | | the Art of Dying tells us the significance of the |
| light like moonshine. The outer sign is similar to the | | | | consummation of one's mergence with the Clear |
| moon descending or rising. The inner sign is that one's | | | | Light:"Recognizing this fundamental Clear Light means |
| consciousness feels hazy like a mirage. This should be | | | | `becoming' Buddha in the absolute body at the moment |
| acknowledged as the experience of the | | | | of death! It is said that it also means `being liberated as |
| whiteness."The experience of redness involving the | | | | a Buddha in the first Bardo.' When awakening is |
| ascent of the red element obtained from one's mother | | | | attained, the bardo no longer continues." |
| at conception is like sunshine in a place filled with dust | | | | (1993:19-20)Chikai Bardo, Second StageWhile the first |
| so that the sun appears very red. The outer sign is a | | | | stage of Chikai occurs in the swoon state approaching |
| red sun either rising or setting. The inner sign is | | | | death, this second stage occurs after clinical |
| scintillating sparks that appear and disappear like | | | | death--usually half an hour after the occurrence. From |
| fireflies. The experience of blackness is like the | | | | the occult point of view, it occurs after the heart |
| darkness of the night sky. At this point one's | | | | seed-atom departs from the physical body and the |
| consciousness alternates between being clear and | | | | severance of the sutratma. The duration of this stage |
| hazy." (1991:92-93)The phenomena of the three tigles | | | | is a little longer than the previous one. In this stage the |
| should be considered symbolic. They represent | | | | Clear Light seemingly reduces its intensity to some |
| psychological processes that purifies, as much as | | | | degree. It actually does so because of the |
| possible, the psyche from emotional and mental stains. | | | | obscurations of one's ignorance and karma. Although |
| Our primordial nature is the Clear Light of the Void, in | | | | the Clear Light may not be recognized in the primary |
| Christian terms this corresponds to one's "Father" in | | | | stage, there is still a chance for the |
| heaven or Nur Illahi, as muslims would call it.. This shining | | | | awareness-principle, when awakened from its stupor |
| divine spark within is clouded by negative emotional | | | | or dream-like state to take notice of the Clear Light in |
| and mental qualities, recognized my muslim mystics as | | | | this secondary phase of the Chikai. This is usually done |
| the "hijab" or veil. Once freed from those negative | | | | with the assistance of the presiding guide, the Reciter |
| toxins of the psyche, one's true nature may be easily | | | | of the "death manual," or the Bardo Thodol. The bardo |
| apperceived. The "movements" of the tigles facilitates | | | | ritual also helps awaken the deceased person to |
| this process. In the Bardo Guidebook the author refers | | | | recognize the fact that it had passed through the |
| to the psychological cessation of thoughts related to | | | | portal of death and that it should now pay attention to |
| sensual desire, anger and delusions and in connection | | | | the subsequent psychological phenomena. In the |
| with the stages of the three tigles:"During the white | | | | Tibetan Book of the Dead, the awareness-principle in |
| experience the thirty-three thought states caused by | | | | the Chikai stage is advised to recognize its own |
| anger cease. During the red experience the forty | | | | primordial Self:"O nobly-born, when the body and mind |
| thought states caused by passions cease. When the | | | | were separating, thou must have experienced a |
| two essences meet, the seven thought states caused | | | | glimpse of the Pure Truth, subtly, sparkling, bright, |
| by stupidity cease." (1991:12)And once freed from the | | | | dazzling, glorious, and radiantly awesome, in |
| above negative, deluded thoughts of anger, passion | | | | appearance like a mirage moving across a landscape |
| and stupidity, what remains is the Clear Light of the | | | | in spring-time in one continuous stream of vibrations. Be |
| Dharmakaya--one's divine nature.When the dying's last | | | | not daunted thereby, nor terrified, nor awed. This is the |
| expiration is about to cease, lamas make it a practice | | | | radiance of thine own true nature. Recognize it." |
| to turn the pilgrim's dying body over to the right side. | | | | (1975:104)Like the first stage, liberation is also offered |
| This they call the "Lying Posture of the Lion." The | | | | here as a gift of the Divine Intelligence; it is, however, |
| carotid arteries of the left and right side of the throat | | | | an incomplete liberation, not as totally or as fully as the |
| are pressed simultaneously. By such a practice it is | | | | liberation of the first stage. To ensure the attainment |
| hoped that the "awareness-principle" would emerge | | | | of liberation, as said before, it is necessary to practice |
| from the crown chakra. By pressing the arteries the | | | | meditation every day where a glimpse of the Clear |
| remaining life-force in the body no longer re-circulates | | | | Light may be seen and experienced in an altered-state |
| within the physical system--it is forced out through the | | | | of awareness in order to aid us to recognize its full |
| crown portal. Pressure on the arteries prevents the | | | | power in the Chikai. Experience of the Clear Light in |
| soul, or awareness-principle from falling unconscious, or | | | | the meditative state help us to experience it in the |
| into the death-swoon. It also triggers the experience of | | | | Chikai state. Spiritual exercises such as visualizing one's |
| the Clear Light of the first phase of the Bardo and the | | | | physical body and aura surrounded with white light |
| hoped-for recognition of it. Incidentally, it is likewise | | | | assists us greatly to recognize the Clear Light when it |
| believed that the arterial pressure stimulates kundalini, | | | | emerges from the depth of our being. Recollection of |
| or the serpent-force lying at the base of the spine, just | | | | teachings pertaining to the bardo also increases |
| as the death-hormone is believed to by Chaney. This | | | | considerably the chances that the soul would realize |
| occult writer also believes that kundalini is an active | | | | the Clear Light and to know the manner of correct |
| cause of the appearances of the bardos. Kundalini as | | | | approach toward the following bardos. The marifat or |
| it rises to the dying brain via sushumna, or the subtle | | | | gnostic techniques of Islamic and Hindu mystics allows |
| spinal nerve, is believed by lamas to be an important | | | | the practitioner to evoke the presence of the Clear |
| factor in manifesting the Clear Light of the Void. The | | | | Light, as does the techniques of Dzogchen.The |
| pressure on the carotid arteries is maintained for about | | | | intensity of the Clear Light that appears to one's |
| six minutes after the last breath--the time that it takes | | | | consciousness is dependent upon the quality of light |
| for the Clear Light to dawn. We are also advised by | | | | within one's own consciousness. An impure |
| Bardo teachings not to touch a corpse for at least an | | | | consciousness taints the Clear Light of the Void. |
| hour after death, for, it is said, that the | | | | Normally, the average person would not experience or |
| awareness-principle is attracted to the area being | | | | recognize the Clear Light of the Chikai stage; and |
| touched. This would only cause the mind of the soul to | | | | those who experience violent deaths go through the |
| be distracted and to wander away from the important | | | | first stages of the bardos very quickly, likewise without |
| bardo experiences.Although soul-emergence out of the | | | | recognizing the Clear Light.While experiencing the |
| crown chakra is the desire of every well-informed | | | | Chikai stage, it is possible for the awareness-principle |
| Tibetan, the incarnated soul may also exit, according to | | | | to be distracted from the Clear Light by loud physical |
| Lamas, through any of the other eight different | | | | noises, or the lamenting of relatives and friends. It is for |
| openings of the body, the route of which, it is said, | | | | this reason that the room of the dying one should be |
| determines the place of abode of one's | | | | free from any conditions that may disturb its mental |
| awareness-principle in the after-life. Below we give the | | | | focus.Should one successfully recognize the Clear |
| nine portals of exit and their associated realms:Anus - | | | | Light, one should merge into it, or absorb its radiance. |
| Hell realmGenital - Animal realmMouth - Hungry ghost | | | | This will lead one to the Buddhic or higher worlds. |
| realmNose - Human realmNavel - Desire-gods | | | | Otherwise, if unsuccessful in recognizing and merging |
| realmEars - Asura/Titan realmEyes - Form realms of | | | | with the Clear Light, one would simply fall into slumber |
| the godsTop of head - Formless realms of the | | | | and awaken to the subsequent bardos. It is to be |
| godsCrown of head - DevachanWe shall now | | | | noted that in this Secondary Light of the Chikai that the |
| consider the three bardos, or the three phases of the | | | | deceased may often catch a glimpse of awaiting |
| Bardo--the Chikai, Chonyid, and Sidpa. Below we give | | | | relatives and friends on the Otherside, or see their |
| the bardo-phases and stages, and the approximate | | | | presiding deity or guru, or even hear heavenly music. |
| number of days that the soul may linger in them:1) | | | | This phenomena is substantiated in Near-Death |
| Chikai Bardo, first stage - First to third day2) Chikai | | | | Experiences as recorded by doctors and researchers |
| Bardo, second stage - Third to fourth day3) Chonyid | | | | of the paranormal.Chonyid Bardo, First StageAs the |
| Bardo, first stage - Fourth to eleventh day4) Chonyid | | | | awareness-principle sink deeper into the depths of the |
| Bardo, second stage - Eleventh to nineteenth day5) | | | | bardo--because of lack of spiritual attainment--the |
| Sidpa Bardo, first stage - Nineteenth to fortieth day6) | | | | Clear Light of the Void lessens its shining brilliance, or to |
| Sidpa Bardo, second stage - Fortieth to forty-ninth | | | | be more accurate, heavier veils enshroud it. In the |
| dayIt should be noted that not all of these bardos may | | | | previous Chikai stage, the Clear Light was a |
| be experienced by the one undergoing transition. | | | | manifestation of the dharmakaya. In this Chonyid stage, |
| Liberation and illumination may occur in the first or | | | | the Bardo of Dharmata, the Light filters through the |
| second phase making the undergoing of the | | | | sambogakaya, which may be interpreted to mean the |
| succeeding stages unnecessary; it all depends upon | | | | causal body. In terms of psychology, this |
| the purity, the spirituality, and the karma of the dying | | | | sambogakaya may correspond to the |
| pilgrim. Each succeeding stage makes it more | | | | superconsciousness, whereas the former corresponds |
| improbable that liberation be gained; however, with the | | | | to Cosmic Consciousness. One's consciousness at this |
| correct faith, humility, knowledge, attitude, behaviour, | | | | stage sees the refracted Clear Light of the |
| and awareness, the grace of the Cosmos may pour | | | | sambogakaya as coloured rays which are moulded |
| upon the one experiencing the bardo and offer | | | | according to the nature of the spiritual side of our |
| attainment of the long sought-for salvation. Our | | | | psychic contents. What one sees in the Chonyid are, |
| understanding, awareness and reactions in the Bardo | | | | basically, hallucinations.In this phase and stage one's |
| determines whether we attain enlightenment or prolong | | | | mental and subconscious contents of a spiritual nature |
| our existence in samsara.Chikai Bardo, First StageIn | | | | are projected externally onto the sambogakaya lights |
| this first stage of the bardo the Clear Light of the Void | | | | as psychic images. These images may take the form |
| dawns upon the consciousness or awareness-principle. | | | | of gods, devas, masters, or angels--anything that |
| In Vajrayana teachings this Clear Light is none other | | | | reflects our spiritual conscious state. Teachings of |
| than the dharmakaya, the highest principle within the | | | | Tibetan Buddhism refer to this stage as the |
| microcosmic being of man. In Theosophy, this is the | | | | appearance of the "42 peaceful deities," or the |
| Monad; or the "I AM Presence," as some esoteric | | | | appearance of karmic illusions of a spiritual nature. It is |
| schools of thought would call it; or "Yechidah" in the | | | | said that these peaceful deities emanate from the |
| Qaballa, the oral tradition of Judaism.The Clear Light is | | | | heart center. The spiritual forms of these deities usually |
| like a mirror that reflects our Divine Self, our true | | | | appear in the guise of the being that we often pray to |
| Buddha nature. This Clear Light is said to be | | | | and seek spiritual refuge. It is, however, important to |
| resplendent and scintillating, of a brightness that | | | | realize that all forms that appear in the Chonyid and |
| surpasses a thousand suns. Recognizing, being aware, | | | | Sidpa are mental creations, and are, therefore, unreal. |
| and merging with one's true nature confers upon one a | | | | Concerning the nature of these deities, Tsele Rangorol |
| new spiritual status. The experience expands one's | | | | in The Mirror of Mindfulness says that,". . . the deities |
| consciousness, not unlike the "Cosmic Consciousness" | | | | are an expression of one's spontaneously present |
| of Richard M. Bucke. Fundamentally, the Clear Light is | | | | wakefulness; they are automatically there, inherent in |
| experienced when one abides in one's true primordial | | | | one's nature." (1993:10)Visions within this and the |
| nature in stillness without being moved by thoughts or | | | | following bardos are reflections of our habitual thought |
| emotions. This usually occurs in a deep state of | | | | patterns. The spiritual inclined will see spiritual images at |
| meditation. Experiencing the Clear Light in full | | | | this stage, while the mind with habitual carnal thoughts |
| awareness liberates oneself from samsara, from | | | | would probably bypass this bardo stage as it would |
| Maya, and the dualistic state of mind and conception. | | | | have done so with the previous Chikai stage and go |
| The Clear Light and liberation implies a non-dual state, a | | | | onto the next to see visions of its based thoughts. The |
| non-thought-formation, and an abidance in one's Divine | | | | primary aim in this and in the following stages is to |
| nature.According to Vajrayana teachings, the Chikai | | | | realize the "emptiness" of these images, and to grasp |
| stage is the first opportunity given to us to be free | | | | their real essence as being that of the Clear Light. In |
| from the world of birth and rebirth, of the cycle of | | | | this manner we transform our consciousness by |
| reincarnation with its concomitant sufferings and pain. | | | | realizing the true basis of these visions and integrating |
| Our main problem here is maintaining consciousness | | | | them into our own being. Failure to do so simply results |
| while undergoing the process of soul-release and | | | | in a rebirth in one of the lower six realms. Not |
| recognizing the Clear Light when it appears. Most | | | | recognizing the psychic images as one's own |
| people pass through this stage unconsciously, in a | | | | thoughtforms in this bardo and in the next results in a |
| state of slumber. Various factors causes the | | | | continued existence in samsara. |
| awareness-principle to fall into a stupor and not | | | | |