The Tibetan Book of the Dead (TBD) was gradually developed within the Dzokchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, not a single ancient text. Comparing its descriptions of death and afterlife with reports from Tibetan délok, near-death experiencers, mediums, and children who remember past lives shows some consistent features but also key inconsistencies. These inconsistencies likely reflect the unique Dzokchen tradition's concepts rather than universal experiences. Scholars should therefore be cautious about uncritically adopting the TBD's contents.
Terminal lucidity—unexpected mental clarity shortly before death—has been reported across cultures and eras, but its characteristics in children had not been systematically studied. Using a 42-item online survey, this study collected case reports of terminal lucidity in 11 children aged 16 years and under. Terminal lucidity typically occurred within the final hours to minutes before death and manifested as notable changes in mental abilities, behavior, and emotions. It was not preceded by any changes in medical regime and often happened despite children being semi- or comatose just before the episode. These results suggest a surge of mental clarity in terminally ill children occurs contrary to medical expectations, which may inform end-of-life care and understanding of consciousness at the end of life.