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For this moment there are several vital profound teachings. Listen undistractedly. Even
though thou hast not apprehended by the above settings-face-to-face, here [thou wilt, because]
even those who are very weak in devotions will recognize the signs. Therefore listen.
[Instructions to the Officiant]: Now it is very important to employ the methods of closing the
womb-door. Wherefore it is necessary to exercise the utmost care. There are two [chief] ways
of closing: preventing the being who would enter from entering, and closing the womb-door
which might be entered.
[Method of Preventing Entry into a Womb]
The instructions for preventing the being from entering are thus:
O nobly-born, (so-and-so by name,) whosoever may have been thy tutelary deity, tranquilly
meditate upon him-as upon the reflection of the moon in water, apparent yet non-existent [as a
moon], like a magically-produced illusion. If thou hast no special tutelary, meditate either
upon the Compassionate Lord or upon me; and, with this in mind, meditate tranquilly.
Then, causing the [visualized form of the] tutelary deity to melt away from the extremities,
meditate, without any thought-forming, upon the vacuous Clear Light. This is a very profound
art; in virtue of it, a womb is not entered.
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[The First Method of Closing the Womb-Door]
In that manner meditate; but even though this be found inadequate to prevent thee from
entering into a womb, and if thou findest thyself ready to enter into one, then there is the
profound teaching for closing the womb-door. Listen thou unto it:
'When, at this time, alas! the Sidpa Bardo is dawning upon oneself,
Holding in mind one single resolution,
Persist in joining up the chain of good karma;
Close up the womb-door, and remember the opposition.
This is a time when earnestness and pure love are necessary;
Abandon jealousy, and meditate upon the Guru Father-Mother.'
Repeat this, from thine own mouth, distinctly; and remember its meaning vividly, and
meditate upon it. The putting of this into practice is essential.
The significance of the above teaching, 'When, at this time, the Sidpa Bardo is dawning upon
me [or upon oneself]', is that now thou art wandering in the Sidpa Bardo. As a sign of this, if
thou lookest into water, or into mirrors, thou wilt see no reflection of thy face or body; nor
doth thy body cast any shadow. Thou hast discarded now thy gross material body of flesh and
blood. These are the indications that thou art wandering about in the Sidpa Bardo.
At this time, thou must form, without distraction, one single resolve in thy mind. The forming
of one single resolve is very important now. It is like directing the course of a horse by the use
of the reins.
Whatever thou desirest will come to pass. Think not upon evil actions which might turn the
course [of thy mind]. Remember thy [spiritual] relationship with the Reader of this Bardo
Thödol, or with any one from whom thou hast received teachings, initiation, or spiritual
authorization for reading religious texts while in the human world; and persevere in going on
with good acts: this is very essential. Be not distracted. The boundary line between going
upwards or going downwards is here now. If thou givest way to indecision for even a second,
thou wilt have to suffer misery for a long, long time. This is the moment. Hold fast to one
single purpose. Persistently join up the chain of good acts.
Thou hast come now to the time of closing the womb-door. 'This is a time when earnestness
and pure love are necessary', which implieth that now the time hath come when, first of all,
the womb-door should be closed, there being five methods of closing. Bear this well at heart.
[The Second Method of Closing the Womb-Door]
O nobly-born, at this time thou wilt see visions of males and females in union. When thou
seest them, remember to withhold thyself from going between them. Regarding the father and
mother as thy Guru and the Divine Mother, meditate upon them and bow down; humbly
exercise thy faith; offer up mental worship with great fervency; and resolve that thou wilt
request [of them] religious guidance.
By that resolution alone, the womb ought certainly to be closed; but if it is not closed even by
that, and thou findest thyself ready to enter into it, meditate upon the Divine Guru Father-
Mother, as upon any tutelary deity, or upon the Compassionate Tutelary and Shakti; and
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meditating upon them, worship them with mental offerings. Resolve earnestly that thou wilt
request [of them] a boon. By this, the womb-door ought to be closed.
[The Third Method of Closing the Womb-Door]
Still, if it be not closed even by that, and thou findest thyself ready to enter the womb, the
third method of repelling attachment and repulsion is hereby shown unto thee:
There are four kinds of birth: birth by egg, birth by womb, supernormal birth, and birth by
heat and moisture. Amongst these four, birth by egg and birth by womb agree in character.
As above said, the visions of males and females in union will appear. If, at that time, one
entereth into the womb through the feelings of attachment and repulsion, one may be born
either as a horse, a fowl, a dog, or a human being.
If [about] to be born as a male, the feeling of itself being a male dawneth upon the Knower,
and a feeling of intense hatred towards the father and of jealousy and attraction towards the
mother is begotten. If [about] to be born as a female, the feeling of itself being a female
dawneth upon the Knower, and a feeling of intense hatred towards the mother and of intense
attraction and fondness towards the father is begotten. Through this secondary cause -- [when]
entering upon the path of ether, just at the moment when the sperm and the ovum are about to
unite -- the Knower experienceth the bliss of the simultaneously-born state, during which state
it fainteth away into unconsciousness. [Afterwards] it findeth itself encased in oval form, in
the embryonic state, and upon emerging from the womb and opening its eyes it may find itself
transformed into a young dog. Formerly it had been a human being, but now if it have become
a dog it findeth itself undergoing sufferings in a dog's kennel; or [perhaps] as a young pig in a
pigsty, or as an ant in an ant-hill, or as an insect, or a grub in a hole, or as a calf, or a kid, or a
lamb, from which shape there is no [immediate] returning. Dumbness, stupidity, and
miserable intellectual obscurity are suffered, and a variety of sufferings experienced. In like
manner, one may wander into hell, or into the world of unhappy ghosts, or throughout the Six
Lokas, and endure inconceivable miseries.
Those who are voraciously inclined towards this [i.e. sangsaric existence], or those who do
not at heart fear it -- O dreadful! O dreadful! Alas! -- and those who have not received a
guru's teachings, will fall down into the precipitous depths of the Sangs

ra in this manner,
and suffer interminably and unbearably. Rather than meet with a like fate, listen thou unto my
words and bear these teachings of mine at heart.
Reject the feelings of attraction or repulsion, and remember one method of closing the womb-
door which I am going to show to thee. Close the womb-door and remember the opposition. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]