Shitro Mantra (CD 16)

As the foundation of the Bardo Thodöl, popularly translated as the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Shitro is considered part of the Maha Yoga teachings. The 100 Peaceful and Wrathful symbolic deities of Shitro personify each practitioner's skandhas of the aggregates of form, perception, feeling, mental volitions and consciousness and the main elements of wind, fire, water and earth. At the moment of death, the elements dissolve and their pure nature arises as visions. With actualization of the practice of Shitro, practitioners can recognize the stages of the Bardo as they occur, will not fall into lower existences, and have the possibility to attain liberation from cyclic existence through Buddhahood. This mantra is the essence of the practice, and merely hearing it will begin to ripen the seeds that lead one to the accomplishment of its goal. Mantra of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities.

By His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche during the 2002 Summer Teachings at the Garchen Insititute.