Publications

The Tibetan Book of the Dead
First Complete Translation

Graham Coleman is the editor, with Thupten Jinpa, of the first complete translation of ‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’. Introductory Commentary by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Translated by Gyurme Dorje. Published in the UK and USA by Penguin Books in 2005 and translated into seven languages.

The 'Tibetan Book of the Dead' is one of the greatest works created by any culture and one of the most renowned of all Tibetan Buddhist texts in the West. To date there have been several English translations, but all of these have been partial abridgements. In 1989, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave his support to the idea that the 'Tibetan Book of the Dead' should at last be fully translated. He personally asked a number of great Tibetan masters to become involved with the project and these great masters and the Dalai Lama gave oral teachings to Graham Coleman on the basis of which this translation was undertaken. Following fifteen years of preparation, with the close support of leading contemporary lineage holders, this new complete edition of the 'Tibetan Book of the Dead' represents a major step in the understanding of the Tibetan Buddhist vision of our spiritual journey through life and death. It includes one of the most detailed and compelling descriptions of the after-death state in world literature, practices that can transform our experience of daily life, guidance on helping those who are dying, and an inspirational perspective on coping with bereavement.

Bryan J. Cuevas, Ph.D., Tricycle
The most celebrated and widely read work of Tibetan literature outside Tibet . . . now in its finest and most complete form in this excellent English translation.

Francesca Fremantle, Ph.D.
This new translation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a tremendous accomplishment. The whole text is a vast source of inspiration.

The Observer, London, Paperback of the Week
An inspiring and vital commentary on the one experience we all share.

The Guardian, London
Magnificent . . . beautiful verse meditations.

Time Out, London
One of the great scripts of world civilization... a voyage inside the profound imagination of a people, immaculately rendered in an English both graceful and precise.

A Handbook of Tibetan Culture

Edited by Graham Coleman
Published by Random House (UK), 1993.

Synopsis
The first comprehensive sourcebook on Tibetan culture. It consists of biographies of lamas and scholars, a directory of over 600 Tibetan-related organizations around the world - monasteries, libraries, museums, cultural centres, etc - a map of monastic sites in Tibet, and a glossary of key Tibetan, Buddhist, and Sanskrit terms.

Meditations on Living, Dying, and Loss
The Essential Tibetan Book of the Dead

Edited and Introduced by Graham Coleman
Published by Penguin Books (UK & US), 2008.

Synopsis
With an introductory commentary by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, ‘Meditations on Living, Dying, and Loss’ is a compilation of essential writings from the first complete translation of ‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’, whose visionary perspective on living, dying, and loss is one of the most inspirational in world literature. These selections address becoming more aware of our psychological habits; our understanding of the process of dying and the nature of the after-death state; and the challenge of bereavement. Drawing on his experience of loss and his knowledge of contemporary near-death research, editor Graham Coleman illuminates this ancient text’s secrets, revealing the immense creativity that expanding our insight into the relationship between living and dying can bring.

Shambhala Sun Magazine
The perfect introduction to ‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’ for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike..