Enlightenment and the dying process share remarkable similarities. One could describe enlightenment as a state of freedom arising after a psychological (cognitive) but not physical death. If this psychological death is of the more limited type, the arahant, the subsequent being experiences freedom from conceptual self, but not conceptual reality. The arahant dwells freely, but still within a familiar reality of things and people. The ‘psychological death’ that is complete results in a Buddha, who ‘dwells’ beyond cognitive reality and is in union with all.
Understanding the ‘Illusion’ of Death
We might consider that our whole being, including all of its realities and concepts, comprises two types of substance. One substance is present continuously and never changes in any way, remaining pure and pristine. In some ways, it might satisfy a definition of a soul or spirit. The other substance is changeable and can appear as anything and everything. This other substance seems to be in continuous motion and ever-changing.
The immutable and unchanging substance is our basic awareness. This awareness is a subtle, self-knowing presence that we are normally only familiar with in deep sleep – indeed, this is how we know we have been deeply asleep, rather than merely unconscious. In Dzogchen, we strive, through effortlessness, to recognize this basic awareness, and this is what is pointed out in the pointing-out instructions.
Awareness and Consciousness
In normal awareness, this subtle awareness follows our thoughts and feelings as they dart outwards towards desirous sense objects or flee from those we reject or fear. This subtle awareness becomes manifest consciousness when we engage and recollect that we engage with any cognitions.
A Buddha is a being who has eliminated conceptual reality and, through the complete eradication of self, is unified with this subtle, pervasive, and unchanging awareness. Sentient beings arise when this subtle awareness is not recognized, and are therefore plunged into samsaric thought and experience as they mistake cognitive reality as being real. The only difference therefore between a Buddha and a sentient being is that a Buddha recognizes this subtle awareness, yet, despite it being equally present, a sentient being cannot see it.
The Nature of Sleep and Awareness
It’s initially a little difficult to comprehend, but our awareness never ceases. When we think we sleep, in truth we are simply aware, but aware of nothing. When this happens, we approach the naked and pure awareness of the dharmakaya, and we experience deep and restful sleep. In this awareness there are no objects perceived, which means there is no conceptual experience of ‘perceiver’, which means during deep sleep we get a sense of going, or not being here.
Deep sleep occurs when we shift our awareness from our senses, which, if successful, slowly eliminates subjectivity as the perception of objects ceases. If we instead shift our awareness to cognitive objects and think about unsettling things, our sense of subjectivity remains and we suffer insomnia.
The Dying Process
While death seems significant for most of us, from the viewpoint of pure awareness, which is unchanging, it is simply a stage in a cycle. We call the stages ‘bardos’, of which there are six. Three stages are associated with ‘living’ – those of normal waking consciousness, dreaming consciousness, and meditative consciousness.
The Bardo of Dying
Our ‘mental body’ of feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and consciousness is ‘tethered’ to our physical body through intact circulation. The moment our blood circulation stops, we fall unconscious. If sufficient circulation isn’t restored, we die. Given our mental processes seem related to electromagnetism, our circulating blood, rich in iron, likely creates an awareness of our physical self through interacting with these electromagnetic fields.
The Subtle Body
The Subtle Body has five primary and five secondary ‘winds’. Winds are movements of the mind that create consciousness and are driven by karma. It is said that once the life-supporting and primary wind move from the central channel of the subtle body, physical death occurs. Nine of the winds then cease, leaving an all-pervading wind that remains with the physical body and decomposes with it.
The Elements of Being
We can imagine that while alive, these winds or electromagnetic currents create a kind of pressure or presence between the two polarities of being. These polarities are a mental being with cognition and a physical being with instinct and passion. Our mental being is formed of the white element from our father. Our physical being is formed from the red element, from our mother.
If we imagine our subtle body to be a network of fine channels that all originate from a central (spine), then the white elements from our father are said to be like moonlight that arises from the crown chakra (head). The red elements, which are flame-shaped and hot, arise from below and are said to be present just below the umbilicus.
The Meeting of Child and Mother Luminosities
The most advanced spiritual practitioners might be said to be those who achieve full enlightenment when ‘alive’ – which is otherwise known as buddhahood. Those who reach arahantship or grasp the pointing-out instructions should, if they die in this state, recognize the empty awareness that arises when red and white elements meet. These spiritual practitioners ‘leap’ like a child might, into its mother’s arms, into pure dharmakaya and achieve buddhahood. This is known as paranirvana – or liberation within the bardo of dying.
The Bardo of Dharmata
This bardo begins like awakening from sleep. One has a body, like in a dream, and is aware of sensations, feelings, perceptions, and thoughts. However, one no longer has form and can pass through physical objects. There is no sun or moon in this dreamlike experience, and one’s ‘bardo body’ sheds a faint light. One might not even know one has died, and might experience distress about getting relatives to hear or respond.
Manifestations and Experiences
During the bardo of dharmata, the various elements of one’s prior existence become personified, and angelic and demonic beings appear. Initially, kindly beings such as Buddhas, angels, and others arise and offer guidance. Later, huge and terrifying beings arrive and appear to tear the place apart.
The Bardo of Becoming
The Bardo of Becoming follows the Bardo of Dharmata after about seven days. One becomes like a ‘leaf’ in the wind. Whatever one’s mind thinks about, one is transported to the relevant place and even time. Unless one has established skills in jhana, one’s mind moves from place to place exploring relevant places from one’s prior existence.
Duration and Transitions
This period lasts, on average, 49 days, though this can vary significantly depending on one’s attachments and meditational skills. During the first half, one has the mental appearance of one’s prior life. If one had strong addictions, one might find oneself craving substances. ‘Eating’ is possible, although bardo beings only consume odors that must be ‘dedicated’ through ceremony.