The Tibetan Book of the Dead and Near-Death Experiences http://www.near-death.com/experiences/buddhism01.html
http://www.near-death.com/experiences/buddhism01.html The Tibetan Book of the Dead and Near-Death Experiences http://www.near-death.com/experiences/buddhism01.html Descriptions of the afterlife as revealed in the Tibetan Book of the Dead are remarkably similar to descriptions of the afterlife revealed in near-death experien... View on www.near-death.com http://www.near-death.com/experiences/buddhism01.html Preview by Yahoo Notice first section, 1. First Bardo where commentary says that souls (subtle bodies in Buddhism since there is no "Soul" in the Christian sense) have an opportunity to dissolve into the Clear Light of the Void; and paragraph 2 where it says :"However, most souls fail to do this". (i.e. they are pulled down into the Bardos by the weight of their karma and material attachments). ...Thus, failing to merge into the Void of pure Consciousness, the momentum of their ingrained karma and attachments propels them eventually to incarnate in another physical body suitable for the fulfillment of those desires. The cycle of incarnations continues until Enlightenment; at which time the entity may incarnate as an "Avatar". Example: Ramakrishna, although Enlightened in his previous incarnation, stated that he would incarnate another time for the purpose of helping humanity.
