Four bardos

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Four bardos (Tib. བར་དོ་བཞི་, bardo shyi, Wyl. bar do bzhi) —

1. the natural bardo of this life which begins when a connection with a new birth is first made and continues until the conditions that will certainly lead to death become manifest.
2. the painful bardo of dying which begins when these conditions manifest and continues until the 'inner respiration' ceases and the luminosity of the dharmakaya dawns.
3. the luminous bardo of dharmata which lasts from the moment the dharmakaya luminosity dawns after death and continues until the visions of precious spontaneous perfection are complete.
4. the karmic bardo of becoming which lasts from the moment the bardo body is created and continues until the connection with a new rebirth is made.