Bardo Thödol

At a glance

History, context & interpretation

The text and its story

Instructions read to a dying or dead person to guide them through the bardo, the 49-day state between death and rebirth, towards liberation.

Traditional attribution

Composed by Padmasambhava in the 8th century and hidden as a 'treasure' (terma).

Historical scholarship

Revealed by the treasure-finder Karma Lingpa in the 14th century.

Context and curiosity

Its 1927 English title was inspired by the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

Chronology and transmission

This text belongs to Buddhism (Tibet). The catalogue gives its approximate dating as revealed 14th century CE and original language or script as Classical Tibetan. The dated manuscript witnesses and traditional claims may not refer to the same historical event.

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Sources and further reading

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardo_Thodol

Historical descriptions are educational summaries. Religious traditions, scholarly interpretations and unverified claims are distinguished where possible; imagery may be illustrative rather than an artifact photograph.