Bardo

Bardo [Tib.] - commonly used to denote the intermediate state between death and rebirth, but in reality bardos are occurring continuously, throughout both life and death, and are junctures at which the possibility of liberation, or enlightenment, is heightened.

The Four Bardos

1. the natural bardo of this life (rang bzhin skye ba'i bar do)
2. the painful bardo of dying ('chi kha gnad gcod kyi bar do)
3. the luminous bardo of dharmata (chos nyid 'od gsal gyi bar do)
4. the karmic bardo of becoming (srid pa las kyi bar do)