Death, Dreams, and Visions in Tibetan Buddhism

Fulfills the L&S breadth requirements in Philosophy & Values.

Tibetan Buddhists view the moment of death as a rare opportunity for transformation. This course examines how Buddhist practitioners prepare for this crucial moment through tantric meditation, imaginative rehearsals, sky gazing, extended dark retreats, and lucid dreaming. Many of these practices, and Tibetan dream yoga in particular, are rooted in the contemplative traditions of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen). With its focus on the visual sphere and the lucid aspects of awareness, the Great Perfection seeks to unlock our habitual patterns of seeing to allow for a fuller range of visual experiences to emerge within the space of emptiness. To make sense of these ideas and practices, class discussion turns to modern parallels in the fields of psychology, philosophy, and film. The course ends by turning to the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and how the west’s fascinations with this ancient text have produced a variety of unexpected interpretations of its significance.