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normally； in nine hundred and ninety…nine cases out of a thousand； the man is unconscious at the time of death； he has no knowledge of it。
on the one occasion when he is conscious； he moves away from watching his burning body； he escapes from the cremation ground。
so in bardo he is told； 〃look； dont miss this opportunity。
watch your body being cremated； just watch it once and for all。
watch that which you have been identifying your self with all along being destroyed totally。
watch it being reduced to ashes for certain； so that you may remember in your next birth who you are。
〃
as soon as a person dies he enters into a new world； one we know nothing about。
that world can be scary and frightening to us because it is neither like nor unlike any of our experiences。
in fact it has no connection with life on earth whatsoever。
facing this new world is more frightening than it would be if a man were to find himself in a strange country where everyone was a stranger to him； where he was unacquainted with their language； with their ways of living。
he would obviously be very perturbed and confused 。
the world we live in is a world of physical bodies。
as we leave this world the incorporeal world begins …… a world we have never experienced。
it is even more frightening； because in our world； no matter how strange the place； how different its people and their ways of living； there is still a bond between us and them： it is a realm of human beings。
entering into the world of bodiless spirits can be an experience frightening beyond imagination。
ordinarily； we pass through it in an unconscious state； and so we dont notice it。
but one who goes through it in a conscious state gets into great difficulty。
so in bardo there is an attempt to explain to the person what kind of a world it will be； what will happen there； what kind of beings he will e across。
only those who have been through deep meditation can be taken through this experiment …… not otherwise。
lately； i have often felt that those friends who are practicing meditation can be taken into the bardo experiment in some form or other。
but this is possible only when they have gone through deep meditation； otherwise； they would not even be able to hear what is being said to them。
they would not be able to hear what is being said at the moment of death； or follow what is being told to them。
in order to follow what is being said； a very silent and empty mind is needed。
as the consciousness begins to fade and disappear； and as all earthly ties start being severed； only a very silent mind can hear messages given from this world； they cannot be heard otherwise。
remember； it can be done only in respect to death； if anything； nothing can be done with respect to birth。
but whatsoever we do with death； it consequently affects our birth as well。
we are born in the same state in which we die。
an awakened one exercises his choice in selecting the womb。
this shows that he never chooses anything blindly； unconsciously。
he chooses his parents just as a rich man chooses his house。
a poor man cannot have a house of his choice。
you need a certain capacity to choose。
one needs a capability to buy a house。
a poor man never chooses his house。
one should say that actually the house chooses the poor man； a poor house chooses a poor man。
a millionaire decides where he should reside； what the garden should look like； where the doors and windows should be fixed …… the sunlight should enter from the east or west； how the ventilation should be； how spacious the house should be …… he chooses everything。
an awakened one chooses a womb for himself； that is his choice。
individuals like mahavira or buddha are not born anywhere and everywhere。
they take birth after considering all possibilities： how the body will be and from which parents it will be conceived； what the energy will be like； how powerful he will be； what kind of facilities will be available to him。
they take birth after looking into all of this。
they have a clear choice of what to choose； where to go； hence； from the very first day of their birth they live the life of their own choice。
the joy of living a life of ones own choice is altogether different； because freedom begins with having a life of ones own choice。
there cannot be the same kind of joy in a life which is given to you because then it bees servitude。
in such cases one is merely pushed into life and then whatever happens； happens …… the person has no role to play in it。
if such an awakening bees possible then the choice can definitely be made。
if the very birth happens out of our choice； then we can live the rest of our lives in choice。
then we can live like a jeevan…mukta。
one who dies in an awakened state is born in an awakened state and then he lives his life in a liberated state。
we often hear the word jeevan…mukta； although we may not know what the word means。
jeevan…mukta means： one who is born in an awakened state。
only such a person can be a jeevan…mukta； otherwise he may work his whole life for liberation； yet he can attain freedom only in his next life …… he will not be free in this life。
in order to be a jeevan…mukta in this life a man must have the freedom to choose from the very first day of his birth。
and this is possible only if one has attained to full consciousness in the dying moment of ones previous life。
but at this point that is not the question。
life is here； death has not arrived yet。
it is sure to e； there is nothing more certain than death。
there can be doubt regarding other things； but about death nothing whatsoever is in doubt。
there are people who have doubts about god； there are others who have doubts about the soul； but you may never have e across a man who has doubts about death。
it is inevitable …… it is sure to e； it is already on its way。
it is approaching closer and closer every moment。
we can utilize the moments which are available before death for our awakening。
meditation is a technique to that effect。
my effort in these three days will be to help you understand that meditat