Meditations on Living, Dying and Loss

The Essential Tibetan Book of the Dead

By: Graham Coleman, His Holiness the Dalai Lama - introduction

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

The Tibetan Book of the Dead is the most significant of all Tibetan Buddhist writings in the West and one of the most inspirational and compelling texts in world literature.

In Meditations on Living, Dying and Loss, Graham Coleman, the editor of Viking's acclaimed unabridged translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, collects the most beautifully written passages, ones that draw out the central perspectives most relevant to modern experience: What is death? How can we help those who are dying? And how can we come to terms with bereavement?

Coleman introduces each chapter with a brilliant and incisive essay, providing the novice seeker access to these ancient insights.

With introductory commentary by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this succinct but authoritative volume will convey the beauty and profundity of the original to both the simply curious and those hungry for a better understanding of this life and the next.

©2009 Graham Coleman and The Dalai Lama (P)2009 Tantor

Meditations on Living, Dying and Loss

Thank you, Thank you for this profound and wonderful book. It brought tears of gratitude to my eyes.

Excellent modern Tibetan Book of the Dead

I've always found existing translations of the Tibetan Book of the Dead to be extremely dry and difficult to get past the first chapter. This rendition puts the Tibetan Book of the Dead in a relatable context that allows the reader to understand its implications.

wonderful spiritual explanation of the death exper

Wonderful spiritual explanation of the death experience, and a guide to help those transitioning. The reader also has very comforting voice. My mother was Buddhist and I played part of this as she was transitioning. She had already read the book by her teacher, "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying".

Flat, Monotone, Robotic Narration Ruined It

The content is very interesting, and worthwhile reading, however this narrator's flat, monotone, robotic style creates an extremely disharmonious listening experience that does a great disservice to the spiritual wisdom being discussed. I really do enjoy the content but found myself struggling to stay engaged because of the narrator's droning cadence which caused my thoughts to continuously wander away to focus on the poor performance or other thoughts. I do not recommend this as an audio book with this narrator. Reading the text would be much more beneficial in this case.

Excellent and concise

the reader though was difficult to listen to for a good deal of it, though he got better toward the end.

It is what it is.

There were parts that were very difficult to get through with all the deity's names being recited and the narrator being a bit monotone. There also were sections that I found extremely fascinating. It is what it is. I am glad that I listened to it.

the bardo thodol is 'lives-changing' for anyone

this was/is superb on 4th time through and counting. fifteen words are needed? the beginning says enough. why say 15 is minimum?

Too Dramatic

For a Buddhist text focusing on non-attachment, this reading is far too dramatic. I understand an actor giving respect to such a profound topic, but the mispronunciations of Tibetan words and the overly dramatic cadence is just too much. This narrator might be better suited for storytelling, not profound (and quite frankly, secret and personal) instructions on death and the nature of mind. I love that Audible has made titles like this available, just take a more reasoned approach to narration.