The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, written by Sogyal Rinpoche and first published in 1992, presents the core teachings of Tibetan Buddhism on death, dying, and the intermediate states (bardos) to a Western audience. Drawing on the Bardo Thodol (Tibetan Book of the Dead) and the oral instructions of his own teachers, Sogyal Rinpoche guides readers through impermanence, the nature of mind, meditation practice, karma and rebirth, and practical methods for helping the dying. The 22 chapters are divided into two main parts — Living and Dying — with a foreword by the 14th Dalai Lama.

The book became a defining text at the intersection of Tibetan Buddhism and Western death-care culture. It influenced the hospice movement and prompted the establishment of the Spiritual Care Education and Training programme, which has trained more than 30,000 healthcare professionals. For readers approaching Tibetan Buddhist teachings for the first time, it remains one of the most accessible and comprehensive introductions available.

Contents

Reception

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying entered the New York Times bestseller list within weeks of its US publication in September 1992 and has remained in print continuously. More than three million copies have been sold, and the book has been translated into 34 languages and distributed in 80 countries. Religious studies scholar Huston Smith described it as the most comprehensive, practical, and wise book he had encountered on the interplay of life and death. Donald S. Lopez Jr. characterised its approach as "cosmopolitan eclecticism," noting that Sogyal Rinpoche situates Tibetan wisdom within a global lineage of thinkers no other Tibetan author had previously cited. Musician Thom Yorke and comedian John Cleese were among public figures who cited it as influential. The book had a measurable effect on palliative care: it was adopted by hospices, hospitals, and universities, and led directly to the Rigpa Spiritual Care programme. Sogyal Rinpoche retired in 2017 following serious abuse allegations, an outcome that prompted renewed critical scrutiny of his institutional legacy without diminishing the book's position in contemporary Western Buddhist literature.

Frequently asked

What is The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying about?

It presents the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism on death, the intermediate states (bardos), and rebirth, translated for a Western audience. Sogyal Rinpoche covers impermanence, meditation, the nature of mind, karma, how to help the dying, and what Tibetan teachings say happens at and after death. The Dalai Lama wrote the foreword.

How does it relate to the Tibetan Book of the Dead?

The Bardo Thodol (Tibetan Book of the Dead) is the classical Tibetan text read aloud to guide the dying. Sogyal Rinpoche's book draws on those same teachings but presents them at length, with commentary and practical instruction, for readers who have no prior background in Tibetan Buddhism.

Is this book suitable for people who are not Buddhist?

Sogyal Rinpoche wrote it explicitly for a broad audience. Huston Smith noted that readers from different spiritual traditions have found its central concerns — impermanence, care for the dying, and the nature of mind — universally relevant. The book does not require prior Buddhist knowledge.