Nondualistic experiences of light in near-death experiences and in The Tibetan book of the dead
Ren Jorgensen
Journal of Near-Death Studies 2006 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-2006-25-1-p3-15. (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Keywords | Visual arts |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Argues that some near-death experiences provide a basis for understanding a nondualistic perception of the Clear Light and that the reported light could represent insight into spiritual liberation. |
Abstract
This editorial brings together two forms of human understand ing of disembodied consciousness: the light in the near-death experience (NDE), and the Clear Light in the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I begin by telling the story of my own NDE. Then I compare my experience with the Tibetan Book of the Dead, to find points where the two are similar. To show that my NDE contained features in common with others, I also compare my experience with those found in the near-death literature. Specifically, I suggest that some NDEs provide a basis for the understanding of a nondualistic perception of the Clear Light. I also explore a broader and more unified understanding of enlightenment, based on the concept of the Clear Light. I argue that the NDEr could be on the right side of the dividing line in natural liberation, explaining how the experience of light as reported by NDErs could represent insight into spiritual liberation. Finally, I close by comparing the message from NDEs and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and pose questions for future research in the field of near-death studies.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otherworld Journeys: Accounts of Near-Death Experience in Medieval and Modern Times | 1987 | Historical analysis | |
| Neuroscience and the Near-Death Experience: Roles for the NMSA-PCP receptor, the sigma receptor and the endopsychosins | 1990 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Implications of near-death experiences for a postmaterialist psychology. | 2010 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Near-Death Experience as a Probe to Explore (Disconnected) Consciousness | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Near-death experiences between science and prejudice | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |