Enlightened Intention, The Good Spiritual Life, and Dying into Rainbow Body

About this book

This book describes the embodiment of enlightened intention as manifested by a Tibetan Buddhist Bon practitioner who is living a good spiritual life. Those who have perfected this enlightened intention are believed to be able to transform into a, which can then culminate with a rainbow body during the dying process [delete - matter is transformed into light]. For those who study the Tibetan Bon tradition, this book provides access to two important texts not previously available in English. In particular, it includes a translation of "The Four Manners of Dying to Accomplish Rainbow Body," a short text by the revered Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, as well as a translation of the "Blue Lotus Flower," a biography of Shardza's successor, Dawa Dragpa written by Kalsang Tempa Gyaltsen. These two texts present an extensive discussion about the advanced (and esoteric) practices that can manifest a "rainbow body" a few days after dying where the residual substantiality of the physical body transforms into a light body similar in appearance to a rainbow. The book elucidates the four methods used to attain a rainbow body: first, from the text written by Shardza Rinpoche, and then, with a more extensive discussion found within the biography of Lama Dawa Dragpa, whose exemplary life ended with the full manifestation of the rainbow body. The biographical translation beautifully describes Dawa Dragpa's spiritual life of intense devotion to his teacher, to the advanced Bön Great Completion practices, and to his commitment to serving and teaching others. These two texts were translated under the guidance of His Holiness, the 33rd Menri Trizin (33rd Abbot of the Menri Monastery in India) by Geshe Sonam Gurung and Daniel P. Brown.