First Complete Translation (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

By far this is the best translation of the The Great Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate States (bar do thos grol chen mo). To have the full text is a huge added value. What people usually call "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" in other translations is the translation of just one chapter called "The Great Liberation by Hearing" of a bigger text. Were it becomes important to have the whole translation is that there is a lot of relevant information in terms of understanding the process of death and performing the rituals in the other chapters of the book and the authors here make a great job cross-referencing the various sections of the entire book. I am enjoying very much reading this and would recommend it to anybody interested in this tibetan literary genre.

Great book. Book originally written by an Indian adept who had gone to Tibet & then lived there , Master Padmasambhava.It is the only such masterly & very exhaustive,scientific book on the subject of death in world literature (except Indian literature such as Garud Puran , & upnishads ) . A must for clear orientation towards life as well as death.

A classic. Thurman's translation varies a bit from some others I have seen (probably more accurate given his scholarly endeavors and history as ordained monk. The commentary is very useful to help the reader understand the intent of the text.

I am very happy that there is an eBook version of this book, because I cann't read the hardcover copy anymore. It is a pitty that this edition is rather bad in handling the diacritical marks of the original and transform the letters with such marks in completely wrong letters. This happens over 1000 times I estimate. I hope that there will be a better edited version in the future of this important text.

The description of this book made it sound easy enough for a total novice to read. Turns out it's a lot more academic than I expected. That's not a bad thing -- it's just taking more time and effort than anticipated. If you're game for a real test of your determination to know more about this Buddhist stuff, go ahead and get it.

This is a superb and complete translation and well worth the price. My only qualm is that the publisher saw fit to print it with a ragged right instead of a smooth even cut as is the case with most books. This makes it inconvenient when paging backward and forward through the book.

I've long enjoyed the history and culture of Tibetian people. There's much to learn about living and dying and an afterlife that we (a people) can appreciate. Too often we believe our Western Civilization possesses absolutes instead of vague and often contradictory guidance through life.

I suggest this book may be enlightening to anyone seeking knowledge about life and death. This book replaces one lost years ago but its ways are remembered well.

This book is a fantastic and is considered one of the world's most holy texts..!!

The penguin deluxe edition of this book is concert one of the best in the English language for accuracy of the original text..!!

This book should be read to or read by someone with a terminal illness or someone who is dying...!!

Death should not be feared for it is truly not the end..!!!

Death is truly the Final Frontier to the greatest beginning of the greatest journey that you will ever truly take in your Holl existence..!!

Yours with love and kindness all ways..!!

Shifu Colins. MA. PHD.
A Chinese chan buddhist and a esoteric philosopher and researcher and musician and a teacher..!!

This is a difficult book to review. It has been around forever, is about a subject many people dismiss as superstition, and it needs to be translated, hence opinionated. Basically I found it difficult to follow. If you don't know the subject, don't buy it.

One of the best books I have ever read. I can honestly say this book has changed how I think and in turn how I live. I have found more peace and happiness in life and no longer strive for the conquest of purchasing happiness through materialistic possessions. I strongly recommend this book to anyone wanting to better their understanding of reality. No matter what your race, origin or religious views this book and the teachings of Buddhism can help you in reaching bliss and helping those around you. Truley a great book to own.

This I love the idea of reading this TBD, but since my mother-in-law just passed away, I cannot do it. A few years ago, at a second-hand store, I found another version of this book; my daughter, who is interested in Eastern religions, read it and found it very helpful. I will read this book when it's a better time.

Love this book. In a way it validates Christianity and all other religions. I am no yogi or guru that is capable of achieving an end to samsara on my own, so I will stick with Jesus Christ who truly is my Saviour.

I am pleased to have this product of a very wise writer, but must admit that I was not exactly looking for an academic overview or a commentary on the Tibetan book of the Dead,but rather a poetical translation. Maybe as I go though the book I will find a chapter that contains what I was looking for.But still it is a good book for a serious student to have. Maybe another time I will find a similar book for a spiritual mystic to have.
I have had this same experience with other books which I had thought were translation but were rather academic studies which did not convey anything of the charm or spirituality of the original language.

Robert Thurman seemed to have rewritten what i had thought of as an ancient or at least an older mystical text. I do not know where to get a better copy/publication/translation, but I wasn't able to get through this particular book.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead edited by Graham Coleman, Thupten Jinpa, translated by Gyurme Dorje (Viking) is by far the most popular example of indigenous Tibetan Buddhist treasure literature. An edition was issued in 1927 by Oxford University Press under the general editorship of W. Y. Evans-Wentz. The block-print copy, he used was an abridgment obtained in Nepal and translated by a Tibetan lama. Evans-Wentz was a scholarly Theosophist who imported certain Theosophical preconceptions into his commentary on the work. Carl Jung the prominent analytical psychologist even wrote a psychological commentary on the work prompted by Evans-Wentz. Since the 1970s, beginning with Francesca Fremantle and Chogyam Trungpa's edition of the text and more recently Robert Thurman's translation, corrected versions of the Tibetan Book of the Dead are well represented in English and other European languages. The mistakes and egregious errors of the pioneering edition have been corrected and Tibetan Buddhism now in America and Europe has been flourishing with many translations and commentaries on basic Buddhist practices as well as the indigenous literatures of Tibet.

This new edition by Graham Coleman and Thupten Jinpa uses a fuller edition of the work for translating, adding new chapters and reflecting the interpretation of contemporary masters and lineage holders of this tradition. In many ways this is the first complete The Tibetan Book of the Dead. In many ways this book is both a guide for living as well as a how to consciously move on after death. The book has been extremely popular in Central Asia among Buddhists. The Tibetan Book of the Dead contains especially written guidance and practices related to transforming our experience of daily life, on how to address the process of dying in the after-death states, and on how to help those who are dying. Some of these teachings include: methods for investigating and cultivating our experience of the ultimate nature of mind in our daily practice, guidance on the recognition of the science of impending death and a detailed description of the mental and physical processes of dying, rituals for the avoidance of premature death, the now famous great liberation by hearing that is read to the dying and the dead, special prayers are read at the time of death, and allegorical masque play that lightheartedly dramatizes the journey through the intermediate state, and a translation of the sacred mantras that are attached to the body after death and are said to bring liberation by wearing. The editors have also included two additional texts are not usually included in the first chapter there is a preliminary meditation and practices related to the cycle of teachings, and in chapter 10, instructions on methods of transforming consciousness at the point of death into a enlightened state and are an essential aspect of the practices related to dying.

The editors have gone out of their way to be sure to relate what the actual masters of these traditions mean by these practices. For that reason alone, makes this new edition of The Tibetan Book of the Dead authoritative in ways that previous editions have not been. Needless to say, this book should capture the imagination not only of students of Buddhism, but psychologists, philosophers, spiritual directors, and chaplains as well as anyone who wishes to entertain profound teachings about the survival of consciousness after death as well as ways to encourage the meaning of our own life in the everyday world.

What I gleaned from this book, was that there are 3 sides to God, or 3 buddha-bodies: Reality, Resource, and Emanation.

What We are to do, is purify negativities in Our lives, and renounce laziness. We are to get rid of dissonant mental states, and get rid of oppression steming from ignorance and prejudice, and end suffering when possible.

We are to remember that Our ultimate essence is selfless, pure and compassionate. It is intrinsic awareness. It is stark of expectations (or unattached to out-comes). It realizes that impermanent things are unreliable, and becomes unattached to what it thinks life "should" be, and lives in the moment.

We are to strive after virtue in body, speech and mind. We are to study, reflect, and meditate. Also, We are to seek blessings, achievement and enlightenment!

Lastly, We are to be generous, joyful and happy.

The vendor delivered the book in record time, and was in excellent condition. They did a great job!! I would definitely order from them again. Robert Thurman's work is very useful in my work as a volunteer for hospice and also as a medium. Your Letters From Heaven.com

I needed the book for school and knowing it's been used, it arrived in perfect condition. Not a scratch on it. I try to stay within a budget that I set up for myself so sometimes I have to choose books simply based on that principle and less on the quality. So being able to achieve both with this is a lifesaver. I am a very satisfied customer.

I've bought this translation in three forms: cloth, paperback, and Kindle. The cloth bound edition used cheap binding and rapidly fell apart. But the Kindle edition is worse: the color plates have been omitted. This is an incomprehensible disservice to purchasers of the Kindle version. Color plates are expensive for printed versions, but not for electronic versions.a

The color plates are indispensable to the text. The text is a visualization. If Penguin didn't have electronic rights to the plates used in the print versions, they should have used a different set.

At the very least Penguin should disclose this significant omission to unsuspecting purchasers of the Kindle version.

I'm grateful to the translator for his effort. But translating "bardo" as "intermediate state" is a real blemish. Better to leave "bardo" untranslated. Robert This man's "between" is better but, as with " karma", translation is folly.

You should certainly purchase this translation of this deep and important work. But be aware that the Kindle version lacks a crucial component for understanding and appreciating the text.

After perusing several English translations at a university library, I think this is the most complete and scholarly English translation, but I am no Buddhist scholar. However, I recommend you slog through the Dalai Lama's introduction before you buy it. This book has a very comprehensive glossary. However, I believe these scriptures are intended only for those who are serious practitioners. Indeed, it may only be for nuns and monks, Lamas, etc. Therefore, I don't understand the western fascination with this book. I find the "Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche much more oriented to western culture, and easier to understand. However, Sogyal quotes very little of the actual scriptures of "The Tibetan Book of the Dying" (The English title for the actual Tibetan title: "The Great Liberation of Hearing in the Intermediate States.) I'd get this Graham Coleman, et al. book at the library if you have only an academic interest but buy a copy if you have an intense interest in practicing Tibetan Buddhism.

I became curious about many different religions and attempted my own perusal through different religions. Due to my doubt and skepticism in many different things the idea of a person who lived a normal life appealed to me. So thus I began looking into Buddhism and it's many different ideas and concepts.

What's striking to examine is that as Buddhism gradually updates itself with each book and iteration I've read, how many of them have significant parallels with Christianity. In the original story, Buddha was just a normal person, however when reading different books and gradually becoming more informed some have stated later that Buddha had powers or performed miracles (making the Earth shake upon becoming enlightened under the tree or stopping a charging elephant by simply standing still). The similarities of followers and the discourses with them like Jesus and those followers. In the book, "The Dhammapada: A New Translation of the Buddhist Classic with Annotations" written by Gil Fronsdal there's even an entire sectional poem entitled "Hell". The Tibetan Book of the Dead has interesting parallels with Christian belief of the Book of Life. Within this book, it mentions several times to not go towards the smokey light and to go towards bright light. The book mentions beings that occupy different layers of existence similar to Heaven and Hell.

I hypothesize there are many different reasons for this. There are different names and terms applied by different cultures all throughout history to the same items. Considering the outlook, it could simply be the observance of many entities upon a universal truth that each either fails to understand properly or applies the best term they're capable of. Alternatively, beings spread ideas that coalesce in others consciousness and the cultural impact of those spreading psychological outlooks could form different beliefs to different beings, whether true or not. Another possibility is that some entities seek to seize control or take the place of that universal "it" by subterfuge, imitation, convoluted mirroring, aggressive mimicry, etc. I don't know whether these ideas are done with such intent or not, so that's best left a hypothetical to consider when looking across religions.

Ultimately, I've discarded the Buddhist path, and other religions, as it's not my own. Many of the predominant major religions all have religious images that can fall victim to false images which lead consciousness astray from the universal truth. The major religions also tend to fall victim to corporate marketing schemes with money. Not to imply that this book has done either, it's just my personal outlook and observance as a generality. Buddhism, and many different religions, have some good ethics within them to consider so I think the attempt to illuminate and guide those fearful and less informed to be worth the read.

Albert Einstein once said, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough" and "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler."
If you're reading this, I suggest just 5 simple things are good enough.
Be healthy, Live balanced, Do what's right, Show care, and Be sincere.
I think all beings would benefit from this. It's enough to get through many things in life without the need of religious images/brands, corporate marketing schemes, and/or complicated life/religion hypotheticals.
I think the universal truth can't be replaced or denied and transcends any of this life/death or attempts at explanation in worldly sense. I'd rather believe that living by those five simple values to create positivity here will reflexively and automatically ensure happiness for anyone, despite their age, race, gender, creed, etc in life or death. That's just my opinion.

Thank you for reading and I hope this helps.

For Western audiences this is the best Tibetan Book of the Dead I've read. Years ago I read the Evans-Wentz book, and then more recently the Sogyam translation, and then one other version - but for me personally Robert Thurmans book is the most accessible. Gone are the crazy in-depth descriptions of the zillions of deities, which are kindly shortened by Dr. Thurman. If you are not Tibetan this book will make the most sense in my opinion...

I have experience with at least four english editions of the Book of Liberation in the Between, and this is the one which I have become most attatched to. On some grounds, it is paradoxically, therefore, to be avoided. On the other hand, if temporary attatchment to a great work of spiritual philosophy seems beneficiary, I reccomend this eddition because it translates the work into fluent english and has a wealth of information in addition to the translation of the Book of Liberation.

What sets this edition apart from the others I have read is that it avoids some of the more anachronistic, ritual oriented sections of the Book of Liberation, while vividly explaining the theory and meaning behind it. Indeed, the Book of Liberation itself is only about a half of this volume, there being a section to provide context before the Book of Liberation is presented, and a section of supplements afterward, including prayers and an expansive glossary.

If not very experienced in Tibetan Buddhism, I reccomend this edition for the great context it provides and for its readability. If you already have a strong Buddhist background, a less explained and edited edition may be better for you. This is not to say that this edition is lacking, but that if there is no need for explanation, it may be better not to be distracted by it.

This translation is a real treat. At the edge of cutting edge science, the sceptics now admit that just before you die, you go into crazy hallucinations. The Buddhists knew about these hallucinations but they claim that the hallucinations carry on after the brain completely stops and the body rots!

We only know about the visions and the hallucinations because we can now revive some people who died on the hospital trolley. The Tibetans didn't have our advanced technology to revive the dead, but they still knew about the hallucinations and vision! This is an amazing FACT!

If they knew about what we are only now discovering in the West, than maybe the rest of what they claim is true.

Anyway, this is the book the read and who knows, science may one day also go beyond the post death state!

I'm sure there are better and worse translations, but this was the one I had to use for a class. As it turned out, I really got into it. The philosophical aspects are quite interesting, and the whole transitional process between life and death is, at times confusing and, at times, quite fascinating. Not being of any particular religious bent, I found this though-provoking and a little bit enlightening. It did make me think, and ponder a little bit of the Universe, and to me that makes for a good book regardless of the topic or translation.

The Penguin edition of 'The Tibetan Book of the Dead' (Bardo Thodol) is the first complete translation of the 'Natural Liberation' texts since W.Y Evans-Wentz's translation that introduced the text to western audiences back in 1927.

But Wentz's version translated only three chapters out of the twelve. Here, for the first time, we have a translation of all twelve chapters of the original text considered to be authored by the mythical Indian yogi Padmasambhava back in the 8th century. The legend goes that Padmasambhava hid the texts in a mountain, to be discovered later in a time when people could grasp its meaning; as a result it was uncovered in the 14th century by 'treasure-finder' Karma Lingpa.

The Penguin Edition has some beautiful colored illustrations of the 'Peaceful & Wrathful Deities' that are said to arise out of the deceased mind during the 'Intermediate State of Reality', also called the 'Bardo of Reality'. There are three main Bardos (Intermediate States) that are noteworthy:

1.) The Bardo of Death: Spanning from the moment dissolution of the physical body begins to the arising of the 'Clear Light' soon as respiration ceases (the 'Dharmakaya', or the 'Buddha Body of Reality' denoting the essence of the Enlightened Mind). For the initiated, this recognition will come naturally as a result of experience obtained via meditation, but for the common folk it's a tall task as the moment is instantaneous, and often they will be awed and cower from the Light in fear.

2.) The Bardo of Reality : Where, if the deceased fails to recognize the Clear Light as the essence of his own reality, the Peaceful & Wrathful Deities will arise, and the deceased will still have a chance to thwart cyclic existence by understanding the reality of these mental projections. It is important to note that these deities do not exist inherently, that they are projections of the deceased awareness; to understand this is enough, and the departed becomes one with the Buddha Bodies and achieves Liberation.

3.) The Bardo of Rebirth: Now consciousness has already manifested itself in a 'Manokaya' or 'Mental Body' (akin to that of a dream, where even though gross sensory input is absent the mind can still see and hear our dreams); while floating in this Mental Body the deceased will get restless, while constantly being haunted by his past non-virtuous (sinful) actions, hence he or she will try to slip into a womb as quickly as possible to avoid this suffering. Here the text lays out information on signs/sights to choose in order to get a good rebirth in a desirable plane where the Sacred Teachings prevail (there are six planes of existence: realm of Gods, Anti-Gods, Humans, Anguished Spirits, Animals, and Hell). But more often than not, the deceased will be drawn to copulating couples (or beasts) merely to slip into a womb (or egg) to be born again by virtue of his past actions. Thus runs the Circle of Life, of Cause and Effect, of Suffering.

If you think this is fantastical material, think again: Aldous Huxley, author of 'The Brave New World' had his wife read him verses from the book when he was dying; Timothy Leary based his notion of 'Ego Death' upon this book (THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCE A manual based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead); not to forget, renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung (creator of the 'Archetypes' and the 'Collective Unconscious') wrote a commentary to a later edition of Wentz's translation accentuating how the book is important not only as an esoteric text, but in terms of psychoanalysis: he claimed that in order to fully comprehend the unconscious, one must read the Bardo Thodol backwards--from the Bardo of Rebirth (Sidpa Bardo) to the Bardo of Reality (Chonyid Bardo) and finally to the Bardo of Death (Chikhai Bardo); he lamented the fact that Freudian psychoanalysis could (or would not) go beyond the Bardo of Rebirth, when the deceased is karmically drawn to visions of copulating couples--hence the basis of Freudian thought in the sexual aspect of the unconscious, which was what drove Jung and Freud apart. Jung believed things went further than the mere sexual aspect, hence his notion of the inherited 'Collective Unconscious/Archetypes' of humans correspond with the experiences elaborated in the Bardo states preceding the Bardo of Rebirth.

May all sentient beings be happy!

This translation is a real treat. At the edge of cutting edge science, the sceptics now admit that just before you die, you go into crazy hallucinations. The Buddhists knew about these hallucinations but they claim that the hallucinations carry on after the brain completely stops and the body rots!

We only know about the visions and the hallucinations because we can now revive some people who died on the hospital trolley. The Tibetans didn't have our advanced technology to revive the dead, but they still knew about the hallucinations and vision! This is an amazing FACT!

If they knew about what we are only now discovering in the West, than maybe the rest of what they claim is true.

Anyway, this is the book the read and who knows, science may one day also go beyond the post death state!

Prof. Thurman's strength is that he combines academic skills with personal conviction about the truth of what he translates. Many scholars may scoff; many seekers may smile. The value of this formidable ninth-century "treasure-text" of considerably advanced instructions for the passage through the illusions of the afterlife lies in its haranguing-- if one's own hallucinated terrors and wonders manage to be manifested rather than the stunning blackness of unconsciousness.

You get the impression from Thurman that unless you've mastered "creation" deity visualization practices under a master teacher in this life, you may not even be able to witness, let alone try to attain enlightenment, post-mortem. Thurman does not simplify what has to be done in this life to increase the odds of attaining clarity and freedom from existence trapped in cyclical karma. He devotes in-depth coverage in his hundred-page introduction to this preparation, as well as the appendix on a Buddha-field visualization. (I assume he later expanded this into his "Jewel Tree of Enlightenment" text and tapes on this advanced dharma practice.)

You do close the TBoD, if not the supplements, probably overwhelmed. The degree of preparation required to comprehend the journey after death, from a traditional Tibetan Buddhist perspective, may discourage not only dilettantes. When you read that even deceased monks and high-ranked yogis can fail after death to read the signs explicated repeatedly in this text, you wonder how those of us raised totally outside of such conceptions, and likely to have come across the TBoD only after a considerable amount of our precious human life has passed, will fare on the eschatological rollercoaster ahead. You also wonder how stupid all of us must have been in a previous existence to fall back into the patterns that this text tells us to break away from.

I remain unclear about how everyday folks outside of Buddhism can truly benefit from the so-called TBoD-- despite also reviewing Francesca Fremantle's commentary "Luminous Emptiness" and Stephen Hodge & Martin Boord's concise "Illustrated TBoD." I've heard that the Dalai Lama encourages those raised in other faiths to stay in them to seek inspiration, but I've also read His Holiness (in "The Way to Freedom") warning how the Dharma and karma all but demand that we accept Buddhist tenets as our longshot, attenuated, but logical way eventually (he reckons the odds appear slim to practically none in any given incarnation, and I figure he should know) out of delusion. So, while I muddle through this guidebook to be recited by the living to the departed, while I am confused about its efficacy for those of us so far removed from its Himalayan contexts a millennium ago, I still am fascinated by this text and its visions and its warnings. It's the challenge of a lifetime, certainly, and for the greatest reward possible, if our hunches pay off in the karmic lottery. Yet, I wish Thurman, as a Western pioneer who earlier became the first American monk in the Tibetan tradition that I know of, could have explained this discrepancy between ancient context and rational mindset and if it matters or not to we his audience today-- more clearly in his admittedly wide-ranging preface or notes.

He appears to encourage us to transfer the cherubim and seraphim that we may know, for instance, into the "fierce deities"; he also tells "secularists" on p. 198 to follow a sort of Pascal's wager to imagine wise figures after one dies, in case the oblivion assumed by atheists does not come to pass. I agree with Scott Snyder in his review here (on the store); I would have welcomed a presentation placing this within a broader cross-cultural comparison of how the Tibetan conceptions overlap as well as differ with Western and other non-Buddhist realms. Yet, that may turn into a shelf of dissertations. Nonetheless, I can't fit the TBoD neatly with Dante, the visions of Ezekiel or Daniel, or the Egyptian or Norse or indigenous otherworlds as clearly as Thurman could have done, in a few pages of general orientation, in this edition aimed at an English-speaking audience, likely picked up by many non-Buddhists.

I like Thurman's attitude, speaking of a wider readership in the West, towards the likely state of wavering or denying belief that many skeptics who open this book are likely to possess. Thurman, with me reading a bit between the lines, adds the "Jewel-Tree" visualization, supplements that distill other Tibetan teachings. He intersperses bold-faced commands from the text to be read to a recently deceased individual as opposed to the other typeface incorporating the more explanatory material, and then stacks indented commentary of his own printed alas in a smaller font, as if in a Talmudic array. This enriches his text cleverly and helpfully. I get the impression that Thurman wants us to learn more about Tibetan Buddhism than the same old TBoD, and his anthology of "Essential TB" & his "Jewel-Tree" and books on the Dalai Lama surely attest to his convictions to disseminate vajrayana dharma.

The core of Thurman's exegetical insight comes, note well, quite late in the text proper. Around p. 161 the "concept of clarity-voidness" and "truth-status" on p. 186 prove profound, but they're rather buried in the details. Likewise, the glossary defines many terms we need to understand efficiently, but if they'd been asterisked in the text itself, it'd be easier to know that they lurk at the back. The photos for aiding meditation which he refers to on p. 224 as the volume's central color plates would, I concur, be helpful to accompany and guide the printed visualization. However, as may be inevitable for a mass-market paperback, they remain too small to make out satisfactorily, even when a painting's details gain separate depictions.

This translation reads a bit eccentrically, but "hey you" does get your attention now as I suppose it may in the hereafter, as "so-called so-and-so." Thurman does not let you get overwhelmed by the later "days" with their hundred deities and whirlwinds of surround-sound emanations, but he keeps the commentary moving forward. He guides us to the essential landmarks easiest to appreciate in a bewildering text much more bandied about than studied carefully.

It's therefore best read after a briefer presentation such as Hodge & Boord, or secondarily Fremantle & Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (although this 1975 version was revamped by Fremantle in her 2001 commentary). Such background prepares you for taking on Thurman's academic edition combined with a practitioner's depiction that can unsettle, perplex, or stimulate you. It's not some facile Tim Leary psychedelic wild ride, but it's not as dissimilar as you may think from a more familiar culture's renderings of heavens and hells. There's one crucial difference, with the Buddhist construction, ultimately: it's all in your mind. Mastering that conundrum and overcoming "duality" represents the challenge that, if the lamas who predicted these harrowing journeys prove accurate, we all must face sooner than later.

Unquestionably the best translation of the Book of the Dead published in the English language to date. Beautifully typeset and with an extensive set of color places. Heavily annotated and footnoted. It's a must purchase for students of Tibetan Buddhism.

The introduction provided by Robert Thurman provides valuable context for understanding The Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding In the Between. Thurman is able to reach out to non-believers by calmly explaining that Tibetan Buddhism is not about belief and dogmatism, but understanding experience more fully. He likens the monks who obtained the knowledge found in the book to spiritual scientists--an oxymoron until one understands the pragmatic value of this book. Use of this book to greater good is not dependent on the particulars of one's personal religious faith or lack thereof. The author helpfully reminds us that according to the tenets of our our scientific laws energy is neither created nor destroyed. Thus it seems likely that our whole being or part of it at least will end up going somewhere, in some form after we die. The introduction and translation are valuable tools for people who want greater understanding or for those who wish to use this book for its intended purpose.

I read this book because I wanted to learn more about how reincarnation works. I do not know how accurate the translation is, but I trust that it is as accurate as it could be. A major problem with translating any religious texts, is that many religious meanings are lost from language to language. While this loss is inevitable, this version of the Tibetan book of the dead is very easily read, and explains every concept wonderfully. All of the content is very well organized, and presented in a comprehensible way. There is not much more that I can say about this book. If you have ever wondered about reincarnation, you will likely enjoy this book. The language seems to be as accurate as possible, and it is very understandable. You will not regret learning from this magnificent book.

This handsome edition comes with many credits. The title page tells us that it was composed by Padmasambhava, revealed by Terton Karma Lingpa, translated by Gyurme Dorje, edited by Graham Coleman with Thupten Jingpa, and has an introductory commentary by HH The Dalai Lama. This chain of transmission parallels the Tibetan Buddhist method of instruction: oral teachings, ideally, from master to student unbroken for millennia. "The Great Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate State" was revealed in the eighth century, but Padmasambhava foresaw its esoteric nature might be misconstrued and its power diminished, so he arranged to hide it as a "treasure text." It was found by Karma Lingpa in the fourteenth century, and W. Y. Evans-Wentz in the 1920s popularized it after what he understood as its Egyptian counterpart (one remembers the Tut craze then); the misleadingly evocative title has stuck.

What the compendium shows, well over six hundred pages in its first comprehensive presentation, is much more than the twelfth book-- what Evans-Wentz, recently followed by Francesca Fremantle & Chogyam Trungpa, Robert Thurman, and Stephen Hodge with Martin Boord have separately translated as the TBoD. That chapter seen in context here falls into place as part of a broader set of pre- as well as post-mortem litanies, guidance, and rituals. Its editor-translators here capture its essence well when they refer to Jung's conception of the work as used in a "backwards" trajectory in reference to psychoanalysis. That is, we can interpret its teachings moving not only with us after death, but reversed towards our primordial life-force, "right back to a pure original cognitive event." (xxxii)

Coleman sees chapter 1 as setting out a perspective to realize this shift in awareness, 2-6 building a framework for mental and spiritual realization, and chapter 7 as setting up a framework for modulating and refining our motivations and actions accordingly. Perhaps non-Buddhists can benefit from such visualizations? It's not easy, especially when confronted with a mass of terms in Tibetan that will challenge the uninitiated, but an 85-page, small-type, glossary with comprehensive definitions is provided, along with pithy contextual prefaces to each chapter. Endnotes are also given with more scholarly transliterations of phrases and cross-references to a bibliography. This apparatus should therefore satisfy academics as well as practitioners. Yet, it may well overwhelm the more casual inquirer; I'd start with the smaller versions of Chapter 12 published separately and read more about Buddhism first.

Chapter 8 offers recognition of the signs of impending death, inner and outer; rituals to avoid premature death follow in Chapter 9. A very advanced practice of "consciousness transference" comprises Chapter 10. The "TBoD" conventionally translated in the West takes up Chapter 11. Aspirational prayers make up Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 gives a "Masked Drama." The last section's a litany of a mantras amulet to be worn for "the liberation by wearing" by the dying person-- it reminds me of the scapular or miraculous medal in Catholicism. Two appendices list and catalogue the plethora of peaceful and wrathful deities enumerated in Chapter 11.

In his rather elevated if concise commentary, the Dalai Lama quickly discusses the text within "Higher Yoga Tantra." He makes a vivid comparison between karma, the Buddhist laws of cause & effect, and the weather on pg. xv. Today's weather is linked to yesterday's and tomorrow's even as we view each manifestation as distinct. Our body's health ties past, present, and future together similarly. Likewise, in our consciousness according to Buddhism our past, present, and future tie together even as we perceive them as discrete phenomena.

Unlike Thurman's translation-edition (reviewed by me as is Hodge & Boord's; see also my review of Fremantle's commentary on the TBoD, "Luminous Emptiness"), there's little attempt to make these contents fully accessible within an ecumenical or (post-?)modern setting. Coleman's references to Jung are about as far as it goes. Dorje sets the text in its literary history, and the Dalai Lama keeps to Buddhist concepts. The team, assisted by eminent Tibetan scholars also credited, strives rather to set the teachings within the lineage tradition of Nyingma, the oldest extant school of Buddhist knowledge from Tibet. So, newcomers may want to start with a simpler presentation such as Hodge & Boord's, moving into Thurman's snappier version, before tackling this comprehensive edition. The language is a bit more British and refined than Thurman's direct vernacular. For example, what the American scholar renders as the frequent Chapter 11 vocative "Hey you so-and-so," Coleman & Dorje mediate into "O Child of Buddha Nature, listen without distraction."

There's lots of vivid examples here to show the depth of entry into the territory edging towards our mortal transformation, for a Westerner, to find in this in-depth look into one of the oldest and most formidable of death-ritual texts. Chapter 8 enumerates many visual indications of the signs of remote, impending, and actual death that may remind medical observers in our hospitals and hospices today how carefully, even obsessively, old-school Tibetans watched the body and the mind for predictions of its end. Perhaps, the filter of a thousand years removed, those who care for the dying today might find valuable testimony within admittedly daunting symptoms such as those metaphorically called "rupturing of the Wish-granting Tree from the Summit of Mount Sumeru" (171) or "ceasing of the monks' smoke in the cities of the earth element." (170) Certainly more memorable than Latin or Greek terms used by doctors today with detachment and bureaucratic efficiency.

Speaking of efficiency, one editorial addition that I would have added would be not only the chapter phrase headings atop each page under the title of the "book," but a number for the chapter, and also numerical references by paragraphs, to standardize references and to facilitate easy consultation. If this work is to be used by those needing an English translation, such "chapter-and-section" types of organization would have aided those looking up passages more rapidly. It slows the reader down when only the general chapter heading is given, although the last part of the book is a page-by-page topical index within each chapter, so this lack is somewhat balanced.

The paper, also, I wish would have been more durable. I have the hardcover, but it seems flimsy and pulpy inside vs. the elegant binding and dustjacket. This may be a trade-off for what's an affordable edition, and the fact such a volume will stay in print as a mass-market trade paperback attests to the continuing relevance with what might well have languished as an obscure devotional tome if not for a surprising literary history. Also, this text has corrected earlier inconsistencies "inherited" in translation of faulty versions.

A final thanks for the illustrations of the Hundred Peaceful & Wrathful Deities by the late Shawu Tsering, a scroll artist from Amdo in Tibet. These, commissioned for Dr. Dorje's collection, show a clarity and precision often missing from photographs of "thangkas" in book form. They beautifully help the reader see what the text tells.

the store has listed all its customer reviews for this title, regardless of the translator and publisher, under all the various editions of this book. Obviously, all translations are not the same. Make sure the review you are reading concerns the translation you wish to read/purchase. You might want to purchase one of the editions with a preface by the Dalai lama. I did not write this as a review but in order to publish it I had to give a rating, so it is 5 stars - for the readers!
I hope this helps.

Uma is not the only superstar of the Thurman family. Robert Thurman has long been recognized as one of our leading scholars on Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan culture.

This book is be read to the deceased shortly after death to remind the deceased to keep focused on the "clear light" to avoid rebirth and if rebirth cannot be avoided to guide the deceased to be reborn into the best possible situation.

The one of the secrets of the Tibetan Book of the Dead is that it is as much for the living as it is for the dead.

The demons that devour the various parts of the body as one travels through the bardos try to frighten the dead and distract them from focusing on the clear light. They are similar to life's "demons" that distract us from our purpose and the work and path we have selected.

A great translation of the classic work.

Highly recommended

Jim Connell "Hallstatt Prince"

I am not competent to comment on the main part of this volume, the spiritual treasure, "Liberation Through Understanding in the Between." This actually deals with the experiences after death and before the next rebirth in detail, giving advice to achieve the best result possible. This was composed by the Tantric master Padma Sambhava in the 8th century AD.

The Robert Thurman introduction to the main text, around 90 pages, is an exhilarating view of Buddhism, Tibetan history, and the Buddhist way of thinking about life. Someone who has read a lot of English translations of Tibetan works with seriousness, I found this Robert Thurman introduction extremely clear and exciting. I recommend it to people who have a vague idea but wish to know more about Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism in particular.

With this translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, or Natural Liberation in the Between, Thurman fulfills the function of a Bodhisattva in helping others attain liberation. This is the most accessible, down-to-earth and learned rendering of this guide to spiritual liberation that I have encountered in modern American English. Thurman even manages to work in a little humor on the edges.
What this translation makes abundantly clear is just how many chances in the in-between we have for liberation. Apparently one has to be very non-aware to go through the in-between and miss the chance for stepping off the carousel. of samsara. (So why am I still here?)
It would be interesting to devote some time to a cross cultural/cross discipline study of death, dying and beyond. In particular, a study comparing Stan Grof's 3rd perinatal matrix; Sufi descriptions of the interworld (barzakh) and the world of Harqalya (see Corbin's Celestial Body); some schools of visualization/dream work; descriptions of the astral world (Robert Bruce's and Robert Monroe's works in particular); and shamanic traditions would be illuminating. Throw Dante in for good measure. There appear to be large areas of overlap and agreement as to what happens during death, and what happens next. (Get enough blind men together and compare their impressions of the elephant and a clearer picture may come to light.)
The best thing about this book, however, is that it invites the reader to learn the Tibetan death ritual for oneself. It helps that, as the book explains, our after-death mind is nine times more intelligent than our current mind. So just a little application now in learning these texts will go a long way later.
Face it. At some moment in the near future you will close your eyes for the last time on this world. Death is more certain than retirement - and longer. Like anything else, the more you learn about it and get acquainted with it, the less shocking and scary it will be.

This is a must have title for anyone who has an interest in Tibetan Buddism. Thurman's translation of this central Tibetan text is lucid and inspiring. His personal experience as an ordained monk, student of the Dalai Lama's and his many years of bringing the Dharma to west make him thoroughly and uniquely qualified to offer this brilliant translation. I find that Thurman writes in such a way that makes it easy to " hear ", the strong tradition of oral transmition that plays such as important role in the practice of Tibetan Buddhist teaching.

This was the first edition of the Bardo Thodrol I ever read. I had been a practicing Buddhist for about a year, but still could not understand, or really accept the idea of transmigration, i.e., a cycle of births and rebirths. It was this book that shattered my doubts, and to this day, it remains the most vivid discussion of the nature of life and death I have ever read. Yet it was not the translation that had the effect. It was the vast supplementary material supplied by Robert Thurman. The introductory essays concerning Tibetan Buddhism, living and dying in Tibetan and modern traditions, and the nature of death, are in fact worth much more than his translation. In trying render the Bardo Thodrol, an esoteric teaching of an esoteric religion, useful to all readers, Thurman sacrifices much of the intrinsic beauty of the text. He replaces words such as karma with evolution, Dharmakaya with Truth-body, and, following the tradition of Burton Watson, goes on to translate the names of various good and bad deities in a literal, clumsy translation. It was a nice effort, but ultimately, this text is made useful by Thurman's supplements, not his translation. For this, the Evans-Wentz version is still the standard. Yet, for a Buddhist who doesn't understand the cycle of birth and death, this is a great explanation.

This is an interesting book that brings to life many of the teachings and beliefs of the Tibetan Bhuddists. This book is primarily about the migration of souls and the process of death and rebirth. I particularly liked the background information given by the author leading into the main text that discusses the basics of this flavor of Bhuddism and the evolution of its teachings. The author retranslates the title for the purposes of reading and after reading the text, I certainly agree with him. The two major teachings that I see are what to expect after death and how to prepare for death while still alive. Although I think the emphasis is on the latter. I think you'll find that the basic tenets of this faith are found in all major religious beliefs along with noticable differences the further one defines the system. Overall, this would be a good starter text for a student of religions as well as bridge for those whose preconceived notions of religions outside their own are faulty and ignorant.

The remarkable Bob Thurman offers us a new translation of the 'Tibetan Book of the Dead'. It surpasses by far the previous translation by Chogyam Trungpa and Frances Fremantle. As a text for practical use, as a source of spiritual inspiration, and as literature, this book shines. As well as the translation of the text and commentary, Professor Thurman has written an introduction which stands on its own as an introduction to Buddhism and Tibetan spirituality. If you have an interest in Buddhism, Tibet, or a concern about the after-death states, this book is essential.

Pete Folly

Thurman's translation definitely has value but THIS PARTICULAR TRANSLATION is not Thurman's so seriously people, ignore all reviews about Robert Thurman's translation unless you're thinking of buying that particular translation.

This book is an atlas. It is a valuable friend that will do more than save your life, it will alter your destiny beyond life as well. It is an essential guidebook for every voyager through life, death and rebirth. Inside are complete instructions to recognize every "in between state" and how to use them by remembering your true nature to become liberated from the wheel of death or to choose the best rebirth, instead of unconsciously falling into a random rebirth...like we have been doing for eons.

It is masterfully translated by Robert Thurman complete with insightful, inspiring, enchanting chapters on the history of Tibet and its evolution from a tribe of warrior shamans to the nonviolent peaceful people devoted to the Buddha Dharma. He tells in a very down to earth way about the Tibetans' view on life, death and rebirth. Read this book; you'll be glad you did; especially when you find yourself trying to navigate the afterlife.

I've been through three copies of this book and memorized the essence prayers.. Each night I use this in my meditation.. All my life I have had a fear of death and this book cuts right to the bone.. Padma Sambava tackels the problem head on.. I don't really remember why I started reading it.. I could never make it through the Evans-Wentz translation.. Too much esoteric mumbo jumbo.. Robert A. Thurman's version is for the everyman.. Please get this book..Life is short..

From the Root Verses.. "With mind distracted, never thinking death is coming... To slave away on the pointless buisness of mundane life, and then to come out empty is a tragic error.."

I should have done more research before buying this book. I bought it only because I found out a quote that I love that comes from it. I should start by saying that I consider myself more of a secular Buddhist. I don't believe in mythology or magic or reincarnation, and I don't find that the early Buddhist texts support these mythologies either. I am intrigued by the Buddhist concept of meditation being the way to prepare for our deaths with peace and acceptance instead of resistance and I had hoped to read more about that. This book is about mythology. It is about an afterlife and spending time on this earth preparing for that afterlife/reincarnation. This focus on the "self" existing after death into other lives and the belief in being able to engage in past-life memories is absurd to me and I have never in my life experienced anything to support that view. What I have observed is that we continue into the afterlife only in the form of atoms that become part of the vast universe of which we are all a part - interconnected - which is supported by Buddhism. I write this because I think it is important that Buddhism not be seen as WooWoo and to help people who may be interested in Buddhism to realize that there are many different interpretations and traditions that have evolved in the last 2500 years, many that don't support magic and many that do (kind of like Christianity). There are so many practical aspects of Buddhism that create real peace on this earth, the only earth we know, through the knowledge of the Four Noble Truths and the attempt to follow the Eightfold Path. It's a very simple philosophy (though not easy!) The focus on the here and now, this moment, this time without obsessing over the past or worrying about the future - to be fully present in this life and to choose to follow the path that hopefully leads to wisdom - that is Buddhism for me and many others. And that is in direct contrast with the factions of Buddhism that would have you worry that the actions in past lives will have negative bearing on your future self reincarnated.

This is a beautiful book, and I know of no other translation that is more readable and spiritually satisfying. Thurman is one of a handful of people responsible for buddhism's popularity in the west today. Having said that, I must also warn readers that Thurman has quite a tendency to romanticize Tibet as a pristine, untouchable place where perfection would have been inevitable, had the Chinese not destroyed the country (which undoubtedly they are destroying lives, culture, monasteries, and peace; but it has been argued that our perceptions of Tibetan buddhism could be more dangerous to Tibet than China). Donald Lopez's Prisoners of Shangri-la is an excellent book and balances Thurman's translation nicely. Tibet is a real place, and people there struggle with as many spiritual issues as westerners. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a somewhat obscure text that has been read by more westerners than Tibetans, largely due to fanciful inclusions of the perception of Tibet as the spiritually perfected country and Tibetans as the most spiritually advanced people on earth.

Grow spiritually through your reading of this book, but please supplement it with more honest cultural translations of Tibet and Tibetans. This book should not be the sole representative of Tibetan buddhism to you. Tibet's place as a real country with a history that includes its invasions of Burma and other, unsavory facts should not make it a less valued and endangered place.

In the introduction, Thurman admits that he prefers the Geluk tradition to the Nyingma tradition out of which this text arose. He agrees to translate this text to capitalize on the name recognition (despite the fact that he obviously doesn't think very highly of it), and uses entirely different Geluk materials to base his own commentary on.

If you want to read a better translation of the text from someone who belongs to and esteems the tradition from which it arose, get the 2006 Penguin Books translation by Gyume Dorje and skip this opportunism.

Death is there all the time, all along my life, waiting for me. How to be prepared for this moment ? the priceless wisdom of the tibetan Buddhism is here in this book which explains how to face the experience of dying and the state between death and birth known as the Bardo.
The teaching emphasize this truth : to face this moment, I must work now, in my lifetime, putting into practice the teachings of the Buddha, attention, self-recollectedness, control of the mind.

I find this text very readable, even though it is thick with tough ideas and complex philosophy. I find myself rereading pages not because I did not understand them, but because I find new meanings with each pass. I look forward to studying this book for years to come.

This complete translation of 'Liberation Through Hearing in the Intermediate State' is an important cornerstone to any collection of Buddhist literature. Gyurme Dorje gives an honest translation that captures the intent of the original text exquisitely.

To begin with: Whatever you do, do not touch the upper and lower ends of the spine of the 2007 Deluxe Edition, or it will look like a shabby edition ugly quickly. The cogwheelish cutting of the page edges are nice and unusual to look at, but it is a nightmare to quickly leaf through the book that way in order to find a specific page. Which you are supposed to do, as the book is very footnote ridden (32 pages of small print). That in itself wouldn't be the problem. But from there, you may get directed further into the glossary of key terms (85 pages). One glossary entry may include, say, 16 more terms to be looked up in the same glossary... and so on so forth. From there, you might get directed to Appendix One or Two (together 22 pages). You get the drift: Major obstacle reading. My advice: Read the glossary before you read anything else, attempt to remember it all and check the footnotes only while reading the book. And remember: While you are paging forward and backward - don't touch the edges of the spine or the fancy color will come off!

So much for what is more easily rated. Originally published in 2005, the many centuries old "The Great Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate States" - as the literal translation of the Tibetan title really reads - had been translated into English in part and faulty at that in 1927. The Dalai Lama and other dignitaries thought it would be about time to introduce a complete and better translation. That work is comprised of 14 chapters (379 pages), including even three chapters which aren't really part of the book but fit in neatly for further overstanding. The XIVth Dalai Lama provided part of the introduction (14 pages). Altogether, there are 51 introductory pages. Together with the bibliography, index and 16 full color picture pages (which are actually two related subjects only, but each enlarged in sections on the respective following pages), this book is 607 pages heavy.

The theme of the book is the myths and rites approaching, during and after the transition from one body to the next as in the context of reincarnation. The book is best for those who would like to really delve into Buddhism, as the translation is done for perfectionists, students of religion and of course Buddhists in the English speaking world. The more generally interested may be put off by the concentration on utterly unexplained rites. As in: How do they know all those things from the intermediate states? By remembering? By a prophesy? By divine telling? The rites (of reading texts) are extremely repetitive. Which has the function of conditioning in a positive sense: The neophyte is supposed to automatically recall certain passages as only then the right behavior has a chance in the dream-like states of "death". Even more difficult to read are the many Tibetan words still included. There is no chance of even guessing how to pronounce them correctly. Many are unavoidable names, but many are also regular words. Even if difficult to translate, neologisms overstandable in English would have been my choice, such as this one Iyaric term in this sentence. And let's put it this way: Tibetan words do not easily roll off the tongue such as "Mandala". There are others such as "Sarvadurgatiparisodhanatantra", not even including the many potential accents unproducable on my current keyboard. In other words, this book may be appreciated most by those who already have some prior knowledge.

The rites are a lot about veneration of and prostrating to a caleidoscope of deities. Who are one, but splintered at the same time. I was hoping to find a bit more mysticism in this book. Well, at least the chapter on the confession of sins in the beliefs of dualisms are rewarding. If you are a mystic (no matter of what branch of religion), that is. There were more traces of mysticism in the introduction than the book itself, though.

Many words of advice from Buddhism I can take, no matter wether everything corresponds to my door which leads to the same room or wether the same door shines in my light. I find the book Mind of Clear Light: Advice on Living Well and Dying Consciously by the XIVth Dalai Lama on the same subject much more accessible, if I am correct on the English title of a book I read in another language. If I would follow "The Tibetan Book of the Dead", I would think of myself to be occupied with "death" way too much. As a mystic I don't believe in death anyway, therefore I am less obsessed with checking myself for potential advance signs of death all the Imes as suggested here. The book works under the premise that life is a very bad thing anyway which should be avoided by all means. That is not my approach. Maybe there's suffering in the everlasting cycle of life, but that's fine with me, for there are some nice moments in between all the suffering. Besides: What if God/the universe/Jah/etc., which we are all part of in the mystic overstanding LIKES to experience life in the forms of various bodies, accepting the suffering along the way? Wouldn't it be egoistical to refuse life? What if "everybody" would refuse "rebirth"? I had a lot of questions like that popping up while reading this book. Other Imes, the book put a smile on my face. For example, when I imagined another religious leader, such as the Pope, giving the advice, in a certain context, to inhale one's semen through the nose, while the former is still warm. I am not that sure, wether I will ever follow THAT advice either. But it's refreshing that we can talk about any possible body function and unorthodox use. I forgot: In Tibet, that IS orthodox...

this book is complete.
it is for someone who dedicates their life to buddhism, but can't understand the language.
if you want information on buddhist thinking, there's a nice lengthy introduction from the dalai lama.
you'll need a personal guru or master to add to this book.
5 stars because it is what it is.

I purchased this book for my 20yr old nephew, as he indicated he was very interested in the contents. I was absolutely thrilled to receive the book in perfect (like new) condition! The book was meticulously wrapped and was received in prompt order. I will use this service again. My nephew was very surprised and delighted to unwrap his "new", book on Christmas morning! He perceives the book as brand new. You really can't tell the difference.

I was searching for books that would give some spiritual enlightenment. This book contained nothing I found useful. There are 92 pages of "introductory" material which could have been reduced to less than 10 pages. The next 100 pages contained "prayers" that were to be read into the ear of the deceased. These prayers contained some very scary imagery and made it sound like one misstep and the recently deceased would find their self in some form of hell. Further that it was up to the recently deceased to hear the instructions being read to them and to repeat the prayers with strong understanding and conviction. This 100 pages of prayers could have been reduced to less than 50 pages if the translator had not interjected explanations, opinions, beliefs and personal opinion.

As a college level text on the subject this book does excel. But if you are looking for spiritual enlightenment then please pass this book by.

Someone recommended this book to me and I must say ...oddest first 20 pages I've ever encountered. Hard to understand. I assume b/c it's been translated...who knows. I'm working through it. It's rough.

Anyone who has taken high school English should know there is no gender neutral third person pronoun in English that can be used to apply to people. Thus, the default is the masculine. "He or she", "Him or Her", or "They" may also be used. ONE DOES NOT SWITCH BETWEEN HE AND SHE AT RANDOM. It is jarring and makes the book hard to read aloud to the dead individual. Any translator that does this is not a good translator.

It gets worse.

An angel is not a Dakini. They are not similar in any way to each other! Only the ignorant or the simple would ever consider the terms similar.

When officiating, it is unpleasant to skip though a half a page of translator commentary per page on average. There are appendixes and glossaries for this very reason.

Why are the Liberation though Wearing charms not in the book? They're mentioned in the text, why were they removed?

Why bother to remove the secret teaching of Phowa from your translation if your going to ADD the EVEN MORE secret teachings of Dzogchen?

This book is disgusting.

Buy another translation. Any other translation.

Two stars, but only for uninspired book-making. I'm not really qualified to comment on the contents, but it is disappointing that such an apparently fine, definitive translation is not printed on acid-free paper.