The Tibetan Book of the Dead by W.Y. Evans-Wentz

“The Tibetan Book of the Dead” is a collection of Buddhist texts and teachings that describe the process of dying and the afterlife according to Tibetan beliefs. The book was compiled and translated by W.Y. Evans-Wentz, a British scholar of religion and philosophy, and was first published in 1927.

The book is based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead or Bardo Thodol, a text that was traditionally read aloud to the dying in order to guide them through the afterlife. The book describes the stages that the soul goes through after death, including the experience of the “bardo,” or intermediate state, which lasts for 49 days. The book also offers instructions for spiritual practices that can be performed to aid the soul’s journey through the afterlife.

Evans-Wentz’s translation and interpretation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead helped to popularize Tibetan Buddhism in the West, and the book has since become a classic of spiritual literature. It has been praised for its poetic language, its insights into the nature of consciousness, and its practical guidance for those who wish to prepare for death and dying.

Despite its importance, it should be noted that the book’s accuracy and authenticity have been questioned by some scholars and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism, and it is not considered to be a substitute for the traditional oral teachings and practices of the religion.