Evans-Wentz was a distinguished scholar and a dedicated Theosophist who infused his commentary on the Tibetan Book of the Dead with specific Theosophical perspectives. His work even inspired Carl Jung, the renowned analytical psychologist, to produce a psychological commentary on the text, showcasing the profound influence of Evans-Wentz's interpretation. Since the 1970s, there has been a remarkable resurgence of interest in this sacred text, initiated by the influential edition by Francesca Fremantle and Chogyam Trungpa. More recently, Robert Thurman's meticulous translation has further enriched the available English and other European language interpretations of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

This new wave of translations has rectified many of the serious inaccuracies found in the original pioneering edition, allowing for a more authentic representation of Tibetan Buddhism, which has flourished in America and Europe. As a result, a wealth of translations and commentaries on fundamental Buddhist practices and the rich indigenous literature of Tibet has emerged, illuminating this profound spiritual tradition.

This remarkable book acts not only as a guide for living a meaningful life but also as a crucial how-to manual for consciously navigating the journey beyond death. Its profound teachings have gained immense popularity among Buddhists in Central Asia, where it offers specially crafted guidance and practices aimed at transforming one’s daily experiences.

Within its pages, readers will discover methods to explore and nurture an awareness of the ultimate nature of mind in their everyday lives, along with insightful guidance on recognizing the signs of impending death. It also provides a detailed account of the intricate mental and physical processes involved in dying. The text includes rituals designed to prevent premature death, as well as the now-famous "great liberation by hearing," which consists of sacred readings offered to those who are dying and to the deceased.

Moreover, it contains heartfelt prayers recited at the moment of death, along with an allegorical masque play that whimsically dramatizes the journey through the intermediate state. To complete its rich tapestry, the book presents translations of the sacred mantras that are affixed to the body after death, believed to facilitate liberation for the departed. Through these teachings, the Tibetan Book of the Dead offers a holistic framework for understanding life, death, and everything in between.

A teaching ostensibly for guiding a dying person through the death-trip by talking them through it, sort of like an air traffic controller. Timothy Leary thought that the esoteric content of this book refers to any natural state of ego-loss, including death, psychedelic experiences and meditation.

The book vividly describes several states of mind that the student passes through, each with their pitfalls and possible escape routes to enlightenment. If the practitioner is skilled, she or he attains lasting liberation early on in the experience. As the experience progresses, possibilities for liberation present themselves less frequently with lesser result; the final state is simply rebirth into the abyss of maya. The experiencer seems to transit through a stage of ego-losing, then ego-loss, then ego-rebirth, each with its attendant spiritual entitites, iconography, etc.

Was Leary right in his interpretation? I don't feel confident to comment on the esoteric meaning of a text this obscure. There is a strong possibility, as always, that he was shoehorning an ancient mythology into his own world-view conception. However, it would seem that the authors would have had access to this realm of experience through their rigorous spiritual exercises. One would assume that non-death ego-loss states would at least prepare one for some aspects of the process of death. A fascinating topic.