Bardo Thoedrol is often translated as the Tibetan Book of Dead | Tibetan Book of the Dead Explained
Channel: Truly Bhutan
Date: 2021-11-17

Bardo Thoedrol is often translated as the Tibetan Book of Dead. It literally means 'liberation through hearing about the bardo', and bardo refers to the post-mortem intermediate state between this and the next life. It is one of the most common books used in Bhutan, especially for funeral rites. When people die, Bardo Thoedrol is read next to the deceased person's body to help the spirit.
Bardo Thoedrol is part of a larger cycle of teachings called Karling Zhithro, the teachings of Tertön Karma Lingpa on the practice of hundred peaceful and wrathful deities. This set of teachings is believed to have been taught by Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambhava in the eighth century. The great guru is said to have buried the text, like many other texts, and Karma Lingpa rediscovered the texts from Gampodhar mountain in south-eastern Tibet. 

Since Karma Lingpa revealed it, Bardo Thoedrol has spread to many parts of the Himalayas and become popular in Bhutan mainly through the line passed down through Lhalung Sungtrul and Thugse. In addition to the books of Bardo Thoedrol brought from Tibet, the book was printed in at least three different places in Bhutan including Tharpaling, Domkhar, and Paro Dzong. Today, Bardo Thoedrol has been translated into many languages including the first English translation in 1927.
When one watches a cham, one should understand the significance of the cham and know that cham is a representation of inner enlightenment being displayed to trigger more spiritual and enlightened experiences among the viewers. So, it should not be viewed purely as entertainment but as an entertaining path to enlightenment.
If a person effectively follows the instructions in Bardo Thoedrol, the person is said to get instantaneously enlightened or at least obtain a good rebirth to train further on the path to enlightenment. For this reason, a priest would normally read out the instruction loudly and step by step following the stages of the bardo. This is seen as the best method to help the deceased person on a spiritual path and in attaining happiness after he or she has gone through clinical death.
It is important for people to read the book and understand its content when they are alive so that it can be put into practice easily when one is in the state of bardo.