Death and Rebirth

By Nicholas Ribush

These teachings and meditations, by Dr Nicholas Ribush, can help you understand life, death and rebirth and the nature of the mind. You can discover how to use the certainty and imminence of death to enhance your quality of life. See how the entire path to enlightenment hangs together as a cohesive whole and where the teachings on impermanence and death, the first and last that the Buddha gave, fit in. The meditations included here guide you in the practice of analytical and placement meditation on these topics. 

References

Buddha Shakyamuni. Compilation of Indicative Verses (Udanavarga; title also translated as the Verses Spoken Intentionally; published as The Tibetan Dhammapada). Translated by Gareth Sparham. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1986. (Especially Chapter 1, “Impermanence.”)

Dhargyey, Geshe Ngawang. “Death and the Way,” in From Tushita. See the Death and Rebirth section on the Discovering Buddhism Reading Materials CD.

Gampopa. The Jewel Ornament of Liberation. Translated by Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche. Ithaca, NY: Shambhala Publications, 1998. (Especially Chapter 4, “Impermanence.”)

Gehlek Rimpoche. Good Life, Good Death. New York: Riverhead Books, 2001. Available through Amazon.com.

Gyatso, Tenzin, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Advice on Dying and Living a Better Life. Translated by Jeffrey Hopkins. New York: Atria Books, 2002. Available through Amazon.com.
—. The Joy of Living and Dying in Peace. Translated by Donald S. Lopez Jr. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1997. (Especially Chapter 2, “Dying in Peace.”) Available through Amazon.com.

Lati Rinbochay & Jeffrey Hopkins. Death, Intermediate State and Rebirth. Ithaca, NY: Shambhala Publications, 1980.

Mullin, Glenn H. Living in the Face of Death. Ithaca, NY: Shambhala Publications, 1998.

Nagarjuna. Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland: Buddhist Advice for Living and Liberation. Analyzed, translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins. Ithaca, NY: Shambhala Publications, 1998.

Nyanaponika Thera & Hellmuth Hecker. Great Disciples of the Buddha. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1997.

Pabongka Rinpoche. Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. Translated by Michael Richards. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1991. (Especially Day 10, “Remembering Death.”)
—. Heartspoon: Encouragement through Recollecting Impermanence. Translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Jampa Gendun. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1995.

Shantideva. A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Translated by Vesna A. Wallace and Alan B. Wallace. Ithaca, NY: Shambhala Publications, 1997.

Tegchok, Geshe Jampa. Transforming the Heart: The Buddhist Way to Joy and Courage. Ithaca, NY: Shambhala Publications, 1999. (Especially Chapter 5, “Being Mindful of Impermanence.”)

Tsongkhapa. The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume One. The Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee. Ithaca, NY: Shambhala Publications, 2000. (Especially Chapter 9, “Mindfulness of Death.”)

Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Thubten. Daily Purification: A Short Vajrasattva Meditation. Boston: Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, 2001.
—. Making Life Meaningful. Boston: Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, 2001.
—. Retreat Advice for the Practice of Yamantaka Solitary Hero. Boston: Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, 2002. For initiates only.
—.The Wish-fulfilling Golden Sun of the Mahayana Thought Training. Boston: Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, 1975.

Yeshe, Lama Thubten. Life, Death and After Death. See the Death and Rebirth section on the Discovering Buddhism Reading Materials CD.
—. Transference of Consciousness at the Time of Death. See the Death and Rebirth section on the Discovering Buddhism Reading Materials CD.