The bardo of this life is the period from when one takes birth until one dies. The way this bardo is experienced depends on the mind of the individual. The entire perception of life depends on the mind. For beings on the highest level of realization, this life is not different from a mandala. That means that they see everything on a pure level. The whole outer world is a pure realm and all beings are like buddhas and bodhisattvas. Whatever they say is pure, like a mantra. Whatever happens in their minds, they see as inseperable from highest truth and wisdom. This is their reality, how they perceive the world. The reason that ordinary beings don't experience life like this is their ignorance. Realized beings are able to see things as they really are; they are able to see everything as inseparable from the three Buddha states. This level of perception arises like this and dissolves like this, and remains present for the entire time from birth to death. Death for such beings is a natural process, it is simply self-liberating. Many names exist for this level of realization, for the ability to see all appearances as pure. Some describe it as the "wisdom-wheel of whatever is experienced", and another Lama has called it the "bardo of the four kayas in union" and the "bardo of self-cognizant wakefullness". There are many ways of describing this ability to see everything on a pure level. But whatever you call it, the meaning is to see that everything is not different from the wisdom-nature of the mind.
For ordinary beings who have not understood the ultimate truth, life is something which exists from the time one is born until one dies. The way it is experienced is totally dependent on what kind of karma one has accumulated. Whether it is a pleasant or an unpleasant life, whatever happens is experienced as being real and truely existing. One is following one's karmic tendencies and habits and one is caught up in the illusion of experiencing this life as real. One is mistakenly clinging to things as being real even though they are not and believing things to be permanent even though they are not. Thinking that what actually leads to suffering will bring happiness one mistakes brief worldly happiness for true happiness.
As long as this illusion remains, one is deluded and wastes one's whole life. One is torn between likes and dislikes and acts from the motivation of wanting to get and keep what one is attached to, even though one will inevitably lose it again anyway. Other things we dislike and the negative actions we do to avoid them will later bring us suffering. In this way we waste our time with meaningless activity. Totally confused, we spend our lives in the pursuit of unattainable goals.
At nighttime it is the same, because we are not able to practice the methods which enable us to consciously enter the state of sleep. Instead, like a corpse, we fall into a state of total ignorance. As we sleep, the stored impressions and habits in our mind give rise to various dreams. We don't recognize these as dreams and we may even suffer from nightmares. Not understanding our dreams for what they are, we believe them to be real, even though they are not. This is what the bardo of this life is like for ordinary beings.
There is a sutra which describes this kind of existence. It says that we cling to our wrong ideas and due to ignorance we have a lot of misconceptions and hold them to be real. This is the reason that sentient beings keep wandering in samsara. A noble being such as a Buddha or a bodhisattva, however, can understand the true essence of everything, and can understand that everything is the dharmakaya. This makes the difference in our perception of life: Whether we understand the essence of everything or not.
We need the instructions on how to turn the bardo of this life into the path, how to use it and learn from it. Once we have found a qualified teacher then we have to commit ourselfes to him or her in an honest and wholehearted way. That means not only to behave well in front of the teacher, but also when he or she is not there. We have to learn from our teacher and we have to go about this in the right way. The foundation of a proper dharma practice is that we take the main vows, that we keep the outer discipline, as well as the bodhisattva vow and our commitments in the vajrayana, the diamond way. This basis guarantees that we will be on the right path. Ónce we have made these promises, we must keep them. It is not enough to avoid completely braking our promises. We also have to take care with marginal actions which damage our vows though not completely breaking them. We should in this respect be as straight as possible in everything we do, say and think. Once we have a teacher, we have the possibility to learn from him or her and we should use this oppertunity as well as we can.
We should study and think about both the sutra and the tantra teachings we have received. While doing this, we must take care not to fall into the extreme of accepting as correct only what we have learned ourselves. We should not become sectarian. It would be a mistake to think that what we have learned is correct, while everything else is not, or to not respect and not tolerate other teachings. Instead we must understand that all dharma is usefull and therefore accept other teachings as well.
We should always be clear about the meaning of dharma, that whatever we learn has a purpose. The purpose of the dharma is to benefit our minds. The methods of the dharma help us to work with our minds, to reduce our disturbing emotions, and to improve our understanding. To practice dharma while at the same time preserving one's normal way of thinking is not right. Such a separation can happen when one is not integrating what one has learned into one's practise and into one's mind. It is really important not to do this. If one has learned many things, and can maybe even explain them, but does not apply what one has learned in one's life, then one has gone wrong. This is not the meaning of dharma. Instead one must integrate the dharma into one's mind.
Most important in your study and practice of the dharma are the instructions that you receive from your main teacher, your root lama. You should practice all the instructions that he gives you and follow his advice.
The deeper one's practice can cut into one's attachment to this life, the better. Our mind in it's ordinary state is usually totally involved in and attached to worldly activity and worldly relationships. If we want to practice more seriously, we have to cut this attachment. It may then be possible to stay in retreat in isolated places in order to work intensively with the dharma. It is, however, not enough just to be alone. Animals like birds and deer do that too. They also live in remote places, but we dont want to become like them. Instead we have to become more mindful with body, speech and mind. We have to become more and more aware, and practice the dharma according to whatever instructions we have.
As we learn and practice the dharma we might get some understanding of emptiness. Then we should remember that however much we know, we should never forget our understanding of cause and effect. We should always behave in accordance with cause and effect. We will never be too clever and too realized not to have to consider cause and effect anymore. This means that even small things are important and that everything we do on the relative level counts. It is very important not to start thinking that we have understood a lot and have so and so much realization, have meditated a lot, and that it no longer matters how we act. This would be a complete misunderstanding of the meaning of dharma. Simply set a good example, keep a good and warm heart, and be honest, because if one is dishonest and cheats and harms other beings, one is not practicing dharma. To live in accordance with cause and effect is of utmost importance.
How we live this life is what decides how we will manage in the bardos which follow after we die. Right now it is in our hands, right now we have the chance, the freedom, the possibility to learn and to practice. If we do it now, we will know what to do when we die. But if we don't use our life now, then we won't manage at the time of death; it will be too late. We can not suddenly at that time start to ask what we should do and start practicing. It will be too late then. We will be too confused and will not be able to manage. Orgyen Rinpoche (Guru Rinpoche) explained: "If one now thinks that one has enough time and that dharma practice belongs to the time of death, that one can learn it later when one is about to die, then one is wrong. When death approaches it is too late. At that time there is no way to learn what we need to know." We need to train now, in the bardo of this life, so that we will then know what to do. Since there are so many methods and we are all different from each other, one has to find the approach that fits with one's ability and aspiration. Once one has received the methods that suit one best, then one needs to practice in order to get the results. To get the full result one also needs an empowerment, which matures the mind and leads it to liberation.