The text commonly known in English as the *Tibetan Book of the Dead* is a translation of the *Bardo Thödol*, “Liberation Through Hearing in the Intermediate State.” Within Tibetan Buddhist tradition, its authorship is attributed to Padmasambhava, the 8th‑century master revered for establishing Buddhism in Tibet. He is said to have composed these teachings and then concealed them as a *terma*, a hidden treasure text, to be revealed when beings were spiritually ready. In this traditional view, the work thus bears the imprint of an 8th‑century origin, even though it was not made publicly available at that time.

The story of its emergence continues with Karma Lingpa, a 14th‑century *tertön* or treasure revealer, who is said to have discovered and compiled the *Bardo Thödol* as a concealed treasure. Through Karma Lingpa’s revelation, the text entered the stream of Tibetan religious life in a concrete and transmissible form. From a historical perspective, this means that the text, as it is known and used, dates to the 14th century, even while it is traditionally rooted in Padmasambhava’s earlier activity. In this way, the work stands at a meeting point between visionary origin and historical manifestation, bridging centuries through the Tibetan understanding of hidden teachings and their destined unveiling.