Within Tibetan Buddhist ritual life, the text known as the Tibetan Book of the Dead functions as a spoken guide that accompanies a person through the entire process of dying, death, and the intermediate state. As death approaches, a lama or trained practitioner recites passages that describe the dissolution of consciousness and the appearance of the clear light, offering repeated instructions to recognize this light and not to cling or be afraid. These readings are not merely informative; they are intended as direct, moment‑to‑moment guidance, reminding the dying person of the nature of mind and the possibility of liberation at the very threshold of death. Mantras, prayers, and visualizations are performed to stabilize awareness and arouse devotion, so that the mind is better able to respond to these instructions.

Once death has occurred, the body is generally left undisturbed for a period while recitations continue, now addressed to the consciousness that is believed to be passing through the early stages of the bardo. The text is read aloud near the body or in its presence, with the lama or monk calling the deceased by name and describing the experiences that may be unfolding. These include encounters with peaceful and wrathful deities, visions of great clarity or terror, and powerful karmic projections. The ritual speech consistently urges recognition of these appearances as manifestations of one’s own mind, offering reassurance and protection so that fear and confusion do not dominate this passage.

Over the days that follow, the text is used as a kind of liturgical roadmap for the entire bardo period, traditionally understood to extend up to forty‑nine days. Specific sections are recited in seven‑day cycles, corresponding to different phases of the journey, from the initial luminosity to the more concrete pull toward rebirth. The guidance shifts accordingly: at some points emphasizing the chance for full liberation, at others offering detailed counsel on avoiding negative impulses and choosing a more favorable rebirth if enlightenment is not attained. Throughout, the aim is to keep the consciousness oriented toward clarity, compassion, and wisdom, rather than toward fear, attachment, or lower realms.

These recitations are woven into the broader fabric of funeral and memorial observances. Monks, lamas, and sometimes family members may maintain ongoing reading shifts, accompanied by offerings, mantras, and other ritual acts performed on behalf of the deceased. The text is often read before the final disposal of the body—whether by cremation, sky burial, or other means—to help sever lingering attachment to the physical form and the world just left behind. In this way, the Tibetan Book of the Dead serves both as a sacred manual for the dead and as a profound teaching for the living, illuminating how the mind can meet even death itself with awareness and the aspiration for awakening.