bardos

Bardo is a term in Tibetan Buddhism meaning "in-between state" or "intermediate state." It refers to transitional periods in which consciousness is said to move between death and rebirth, or between other significant life states. The concept situates existence as a sequence of stages rather than a single, fixed moment.

The most influential source on bardos is the Bardo Thodol, often translated as the Tibetan Book of the Dead. This text is traditionally read to the dying or recently deceased, and it provides guidance on navigating the experiences that can occur during the afterlife process. It describes how the mind may encounter a series of dreamlike experiences and emanations, shaped by a person’s karma, and it emphasizes recognition of the mind’s true nature to attain liberation rather than being driven into further rebirth.

There are several frameworks for understanding bardos. A common categorization distinguishes three ordinary bardos within a human lifetime: the Bardo of living (the present life), the Bardo of dreaming (the dream-state during sleep), and the Bardo of dying (the death-process). A more detailed schema found in the Bardo Thodol outlines six bardos, starting with the dying process, passing through vivid visionary experiences, and culminating in either liberation or a new rebirth.

In practice, the bardo framework is used to understand how consciousness forms experiences after death and how awareness, compassion, and mindful preparation can influence outcomes. Beyond its religious context, the term bardo is sometimes used metaphorically to describe any liminal or transitional period between significant life events.