Living Is Dying

Book Description

Most of us spend our entire lives carefully avoiding one inevitable truth: we will die. While we meticulously plan careers, relationships, and daily routines, the subject of death remains an uncomfortable void in our consciousness, filled with fear and uncertainty.

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse offers a different approach in this profound exploration of mortality through the lens of Buddhist wisdom. Drawing from centuries of teachings passed down by accomplished masters who studied the dying process with extraordinary precision, this work transforms our relationship with life's final transition.

Rather than perpetuating avoidance, Khyentse addresses the practical questions that arise when death touches our lives. How does one prepare for their own passing? What words offer genuine comfort to someone who is dying? Which practices and prayers can serve as anchors when navigating the unknown territory ahead?

The teachings presented here illuminate the bardos, the intermediate states that Buddhist tradition describes as part of the death experience. These ancient insights, refined through generations of contemplative study, provide a framework for understanding what many consider incomprehensible.

This exploration reveals how confronting mortality can paradoxically deepen our appreciation for being alive. By examining death with clarity rather than denial, readers discover tools for reducing fear while cultivating a more authentic engagement with existence itself. The result is both practical guidance for life's most challenging moments and a pathway to greater spiritual understanding.