Rites of Liberation

Rites of "Liberation" (sgrol ba)

• The rites of "liberation" (sgrol ba), which are taught in the context of Mahāyoga, alongside the sexual practices (sbyor ba), are applied in order to bring to an end the life of a hostile being who is wholly intent on negative actions harmful to Buddhism and its sincere practitioners, and thereafter to transfer the consciousness of the deceased out of great compassion to a realm of higher rebirth, thus enabling him or her to avoid an unfavourable rebirth which would otherwise be inevitable in consequence of their preponderance of negative past actions. It is emphasised that such practices can only be applied by accomplished masters who have attained proficiency in consciousnes transference. See Klong-chen rab-'byams-pa, GGFTC, Ch. 11, pp. 914-919, and Ch. 20, pp. 1258-1261. GD (from the Glossary to Tibetan Elemental Divination Paintings)