Generally, whenever physically embodied beings die, they first experience the twenty phases of coarse dissolution, which are as follows:
1. As the aggregate of form dissolves, the limbs twitch, and the body loses its strength and power.
2. As the mirror-like wisdom dissolves, the mind grows unclear and hazy.
3. As the earth element dissolves, the body grows dry.
4. As the eye faculty dissolves, sight becomes unclear and the eye takes on a rounder shape.
5. As the object form dissolves, the body loses its vitality and weakens.
6. As the aggregate of sensations dissolves, the dying person can no longer detect feelings.
7. As the wisdom of equality dissolves, there is no longer any awareness of the three types of sensation (i.e., pleasant, painful or neutral).
8. As the water element dissolves, the lips, sweat, urine, semen and ovum all dry up.
9. As the ear faculty dissolves, external and internal sounds can no longer be heard.
10. As the object sound dissolves, the sounds of the body itself can no longer be heard.
11. As the aggregate of perception dissolves, it is no longer possible to distinguish between different creatures. 1
12. As the wisdom of discernment dissolves, the dying person forgets the names of his or her own parents, siblings or children.
13. As the fire element dissolves, proper digestion of food is no longer possible.
14. As the nose faculty dissolves, upper respiration 2slows.
15. As the object smell dissolves, the person can no longer detect the odours of their own body.
16. As the aggregate of formations dissolves, the person is unable to carry out physical activities.
17. As the all-accomplishing wisdom dissolves, the person can no longer remember ordinary mundane tasks or their purpose.
18. As the wind element dissolves, the ten internal winds shift from their usual locations.
19. As the tongue faculty dissolves, the tongue feels thicker and shorter than usual and turns blue at its base.
20. As the object taste dissolves, the person can no longer detect the six kinds of taste.
Following the twenty coarse forms of dissolution, which unfold in this way, comes the process of subtle inner dissolution:
As earth dissolves into water, the person is unable to move the body and can no longer maintain its strength. 3It feels as if the body is sinking into the ground. As an inner sign, there is a shimmering expanse of blue, and the impression of softly drizzling rain and flowing water.
As water dissolves into fire, the mouth and nostrils dry up, and the tongue becomes lodged against the palate. As an inner sign, there is an appearance of a smoky haze swirling on a plain.
As fire dissolves into wind, the body loses heat in its extremities, and the stomach's digestive energy grows weaker. As an inner sign, shimmering red sparks crackle and flicker like fireflies.
As wind dissolves into consciousness, exhalations become longer, and, as the coarse outer breathing ceases, the person is unable to inhale. As an inner sign, there is a vision of a burning lamp, and many torches arranged in a row.
As consciousness dissolves into space, as an inner sign, awareness is very clear, and as an outer sign, there is an experience like the sky devoid of clouds. 4
Then, as space dissolves into luminosity, four visions gradually unfold:
1. The white essence obtained from the father descends from the crown, and when it reaches the heart there is what is called 'appearance'. As an outer sign, this is accompanied by an experience of whiteness, as when moonlight fills a completely clear sky that is entirely free from clouds. As an inner sign, there is a clear experience of the self-clarity of consciousness devoid of any coarse thought states focused on perceived objects.
2. As the subtle red element of the mother ascends from the base of the central channel, the wisdom of appearance fades into 'increase'. As an outer sign, a red vision unfolds like a cloudless sky pervaded by sunlight. As an inner sign, there is an extremely clear state of mind devoid of any coarse thought states focused on the perceiving subject.
3. As the subtle white and red essences meet at the heart, the wisdom of increase dissolves into 'attainment'. Through this, as an outer sign, there is an experience of blackness, like the thick darkness which falls when the sky turns completely black. As an inner sign, extremely subtle thoughts involving perceived objects and perceiving subject become completely absent, and all distinct concepts based on the appearance aspect of mind fade away, so that, as the ordinary dualistic mind ceases, the wisdom of attainment dawns.
4. When the the subtle essences of blood and breath, the bindus A and HANG 5and so on, which are inside the white, silken thread-like channel in the heart, all dissolve completely, the ground luminosity of the moment of death arises. As an outer sign, there is an experience of emptiness and clarity without centre or periphery, like a cloudless sky when it is completely clear. As an inner sign, you remain in co-emergent, non-conceptual wisdom that is entirely without elaboration. If, having recognized this, you can settle into an ongoing experience of the present moment, mother and child luminosities will meet together, and you will be liberated in the first bardo.
In this context, empty luminosity is explained according to the general approach of the tantras, whereas how the forms of the deities arise out of clear light, how the tikles of light and so on appear are explained in the Dzogchen tantras. Nevertheless, it would seem to be rare for these to unfold in a way that provides an opportunity for liberation. 6
Next, out of the luminosity into which the three visions dissolved, appearances unfold gradually once again, and the body of the bardo of becoming is formed. For the first half of this bardo, however long that might be, you have the form of your preceding life, and for the second half you take on the appearance of your eventual rebirth. All sensory faculties are intact, and you can travel anywhere but the mother's womb, miraculously and without obstruction. You are invisible to all except those of the same class (i.e. other bardo beings) and those who have obtained divine vision. Since you have taken on something like a body in a dream, for example, which is generated in an instant, and knows neither light nor complete darkness, this is known as the 'bardo of semi-darkness'.
