six bardos
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six bardos (bar do drug)
- bardo of this life (skye gnas kyi bar do). The period from being conceived in the womb until meeting with an irreversible cause of death. 'This life' literally means 'being born and remaining alive.'
- bardo of dying ('chi kha'i bar do). The period from the onset of the process of dying until the end of the three subtle dissolution stages.
- bardo of dharmata (chos nyid kyi bar do). The period from dying until emerging in the mental body of the bardo of becoming.
- bardo of becoming (srid pa'i bar do). The period from the arising of confusion and one's emergence in a mental body until entering the womb of the next life. It is the time of seeking a new rebirth. The word 'becoming' here also means 'possibility.'
- bardo of dreaming (rmi lam gyi bar do). The period from falling asleep until waking up again.
- bardo of meditation (bsam gtan gyi bar do). The bardo of the meditation state takes place within the bardo of this life. For instance, when a practitioner has received the pointing-out instruction, this bardo is the period beginning with recognizing the mind essence and ending when being distracted therefrom.
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See also four bardos