Today's Perspectives of The Bardo
The 13th Rule of Love
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1. The Buddhist Concept
In Tibetan Buddhism, particularly the teachings of the Bardo Thodol (The Tibetan Book of the Dead), the "Bardo of Waking Life" (or Kyenay Bardo) is one of the six intermediate states of existence.
Definition: It is the state of ordinary consciousness that lasts from the moment of birth until the onset of death.
The "Dream" of Life: From an enlightened perspective, this waking state is considered a primary illusion or a "long dream".
Purpose: It is viewed as a crucial time for spiritual practice, where individuals can cultivate kindness and awareness to prepare for the bardos experienced after death.
2. The Book by Richard Grossinger (2008)
This work is a collection of improvisational essays that examine human history, language, and culture as a transitional "bardo" state rather than an ultimate reality.
Core Premise: Grossinger applies the Tibetan concept of the bardo—traditionally the state between death and rebirth—to the ephemeral experience of daily life.
Diverse Topics: The book addresses a wide range of "mundane" and "esoteric" issues, including quantum mechanics, global warming, genetic theory, and childhood trauma.
3. Cultural Parallels
Waking Life (Film): Richard Linklater's 2001 film Waking Life explores similar themes, using rotoscoped animation to depict characters navigating philosophical paradoxes and the thin line between dreaming and waking reality.
Everyday Gaps: Modern teachers like Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche suggest that bardos occur in every moment, such as the tiny gap when you finish one activity and look up before starting another.
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