Luminous Emptiness

"The Death Process as Described in "The Tibetan Book of the Dead."

I. The Moment of Death, and the Clear Light of Pure Reality.

First of all there will appear to you, swifter than lightning, the luminous splendor of the colorless light of Emptiness, and that will surround you on all sides. Terrified, you will want to flee from the radiance, and you may well lose consciousness. Try to submerge yourself in that light, giving up all belief in a separate self, all attachment to your illusory ego. Recognize that the boundless Light of this true Reality is your own true self, and you shall be saved!

Few, however, are those who, having missed salvation during their life on earth, can attain it during this brief instant which passes so quickly. The overwhelming majority are shocked into unconsciousness by the terror they feel...." - Tibetan Book Of The Dead





This image reminds me of a book named 'Luminous Emptiness', by Francesca Fremantle, a disciple of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the founder of Naropa University, a university dedicated to Tibetan Buddhism and other miscellaneous eastern mystical schools.

Here is a short story I wrote based on this photograph:

"Luminous Thunder of Consciousness"

As the colourless light of emptiness reveals itself to the girl...she feels afraid.

The light comforts her, assumes various forms to amuse her and console her...but still she feels afraid.

"The human forms around you are just dream phenomena, not people says one. I look like a being to you but I am not a being. In fact, all the beings around you are formless life, conscious emptiness, pure innocent platonic love, talking to you."




"Just hear what we have to say", say the formless beings in chorus.

"If you do not understand what you hear, have faith...and keep listening, keep watching...and allow life to flow through you without resistance, allow the words to flow without resistance...all we are doing is shining the light of awareness on the demonic forces that are around you, so do not be afraid, just watch, and hear our words, and the light will grow...the demonic energy will transmute into bliss..."

"To do our job, we have to say and do crazy things...we cannot explain why, you won't understand right now."

"Just quietly listen to, and watch the dance that formless life does, as it displays its platonic love, its wonder, its power. Do not fear...we are here to restore you, not destroy you."

"Liberation through hearing during the Bardo phase, like the book 'Luminous Emptiness' says..."

"You will feel ok as your awareness increases and you see the reality of the pseudo-horror around you..."

And the dance continues...