1.
How
long do we go through the Bardo state and do we have awareness while
at that state?
If
you are asking about the length of time the causal body remains
in the Bardo after physical death, the Tibetan Book of the Dead,(which
is written in symbolism that requires some kind of special decoder
ring) answer is 49 days. Seven is a very sacred number, and 49 is
7 squared. Anyway, since time is a concept man has created to measure
the immeasurable, I suspect the amount of real time in the Bardo
is illusive, and varied. Do we have awareness in that state? Yes,
actually the bardos are levels of awareness, fields of attention
which a person passes through. They exist in life, they exist in
death. They are contained in the causal body, the ethereal body
that moves with you from lifetime to deathtime to lifetime.
2.
Why do ghosts and the likes come back to Earth if they are supposed
to be in the Bardo state?
Ghosts
probably have been unable to let go of attachments to the physical
world, if you are talking about the "haunting" spirits that seem
to reside in a particular space. However, if you are talking about
the ability of souls to communicate over time, space, and dimension,
that is another long story. Basically, we have a multidimensional
universe that is far more fluid than our senses know. Therefore,
it is possible to interact with beings who are not in the body.
The concepts of here and there, now and then, are not exactly the
way things are.
3.
Is it (the Bardo state) the same kind of awareness we have now while
we are alive?
If
a person looks closely at the Tibetan Book of the Dead, it is a
handbook for the living as well as the dying. Reincarnation is a
process by which you and I live and die many many times. Therefore
if you take the exoteric meanings of this book, you die and go through
the Bardo, time and again. The esoteric teachings suggest that this
is the Bardo Those who were fortunate enough to sit with Rama went
through countless deaths and rebirths in this life. This is the
fast path to enlightenment. In other words, the bardos of awareness
are washed away in the clear light of Samadhi. You die in that light,
and are reborn in a more balanced state of awareness. Your physical
body does not need to die, if you find a teacher who can take you
into the high states of mind, and if you are willing to go there.
4.
What is the difference between being there (in a Bardo state) and
being on earth. It would seem to be better if we don't have to eat,
sleep or go to work while in the Bardo state. Why do people want
to reincarnate to Earth if we still have the same awareness while
in the Bardo state?
Yes,
it would seem that the shedding of the physical body would provide
an environment that is more conducive to moving into enlightenment.
However, each incarnation is an opportunity to add a particular
kind of knowledge to the aggregate of your being. The cumulative
knowledge of all of your incarnations provides you with the best
shot at self-realization. Not every being will reach full enlightenment.
This gets pretty techy. The moment of death is a very important
moment. Everything that you are at that moment , the totality of
your being, will move into the Bardo There you will have several
opportunities to reach full realization. If you have led a life
focused on meditation and self-realization, and worked for the enlightenment
of others, you may be able to use the opportunities provided in
the Bardo to take you home to dharma kaya, the clear light.
Rama suggested that the best approach to dying is living. He demonstrated
the art of living. He suggested that reincarnation gives you the
conceptual space to enjoy life. What's the rush? The Christian "you
only live once". view of the world reduces that timeline. The result
may explain the western frenzy of do it all do it perfectly. It
is a perfect setup for societal neuroses. The cosmology of reincarnation
gives you a chance to relax and enjoy the life. Rama suggested that
if you are drawn to the practice of meditation you should live a
life of impeccability and power. A life that uses all of your knowledge
from your multiple incarnations to learn the lessons that will build
on your awareness, and allow you to live in highest states of mind.
Then, at the moment of death, whether death be physical or in Satori,
you will have the power to go through the doorway, and dance with
eternity. She is waiting.
Bonus question: "What happens to an enlightened being (or powerful
sorcerer) after he/she dies?"
The
enlightened being doesn't really die. Oh, their body is gone, and
we who loved and sat with that person miss them. (Now that is an
understatement!) But, there is no time, space, or limitations for
the enlightened. They live in allwhere. They are still accessible,
oh nobly born, only now students have to really learn the esoteric
practices. So, smile and lead an excellent life. Be happy. Meditate
and practice the arts of enlightenment. And when your physical body
dies, your final word, your final thought, your final reach should
be to your beloved.
Lynne