{\rtf1\mac\ansicpg10000\uc1 \deff0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\upr{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset256\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times New Roman;}{\f20\fnil\fcharset256\fprq2{\*\panose 020b0604030504040204}Verdana;}
}{\*\ud{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset256\fprq2{\*\panose 02020603050405020304}Times New Roman;}{\f20\fnil\fcharset256\fprq2{\*\panose 020b0604030504040204}Verdana;}}}}{\colortbl;\red0\green0\blue0;\red0\green0\blue255;\red0\green255\blue255;
\red0\green255\blue0;\red255\green0\blue255;\red255\green0\blue0;\red255\green255\blue0;\red255\green255\blue255;\red0\green0\blue128;\red0\green128\blue128;\red0\green128\blue0;\red128\green0\blue128;\red128\green0\blue0;\red128\green128\blue0;
\red128\green128\blue128;\red192\green192\blue192;}{\stylesheet{\nowidctlpar\adjustright \fs20\kerning28\cgrid \snext0 Normal;}{\*\cs10 \additive Default Paragraph Font;}}{\info{\author Joe Escobar}{\operator Joe Escobar}
{\creatim\yr2001\mo12\dy10\hr10\min54}{\revtim\yr2001\mo12\dy10\hr11\min3}{\printim\yr2001\mo12\dy10\hr11\min3}{\version2}{\edmins1}{\nofpages4}{\nofwords439}{\nofchars2507}{\*\company Lane Community College}{\nofcharsws3078}{\vern27}}
\widowctrl\ftnbj\aenddoc\hyphcaps0\viewkind1\viewscale100 \fet0{\*\docvar {ColorPos}{-1}}{\*\docvar {ColorSet}{-1}}{\*\docvar {StylePos}{-1}}{\*\docvar {StyleSet}{-1}}\sectd \pgnrestart\linex0\footery864\sectdefaultcl {\header \pard\plain \nowidctlpar
\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640\adjustright \fs20\kerning28\cgrid {\kerning0 
\par }}{\footer \pard\plain \nowidctlpar\tqc\tx4320\tqr\tx8640\adjustright \fs20\kerning28\cgrid {\kerning0 
\par }}{\*\pnseclvl1\pnucrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl2\pnucltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl3\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl4\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxta )}}
{\*\pnseclvl5\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl6\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl7\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl8
\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl9\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang{\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain \sl360\slmult1\nowidctlpar\adjustright \fs20\kerning28\cgrid {\f20\fs24 Heather Simcox
\par }{\fs24 
\par }{\f20\fs24 HST 149 Joseph Campbell Telecourse
\par Written Assignment #2
\par 
\par Page #119-Question #3
\par Death is fearful and mysterious.  Explain the pros and cons of a belief in the after-life as you find in }{\i\f20\fs24 The Tibetan Book of the Dead.}{\f20\fs24   Compare the Tibetan theory with your own beliefs about death and afterwards.
\par 
\par Grade on Paper_____/100
\par 
\par Spelling
\par Grammar
\par Answer the question
\par Reading Material
\par Video Material
\par Other Evidence
\par 
\par 
\par Instructor Comments:
\par \page 
\par }\pard \sl480\slmult1\nowidctlpar\adjustright {\i\f20\fs24 \tab The Tibetan Book of the Dead}{\f20\fs24  is a manual a lama uses to guide a dying person\rquote 
s life stream to emancipation, or in most cases rebirth.  The lama instructs the person throughout many trials to avoid being sent to one of the many Buddhist hell-like existences.
\par \tab There ar
e a few good parts to this belief of an afterlife.  For one thing, during descent to Chakra five where you meet the five meditation Buddhas you must in a sense learn to let go of your personality flaws to avoid being sent to hell.  This in turn teaches a 
person to be more open and in some sense learn from their mistakes. 
\par \tab The person is then faced with a barrage of violent deities and must remain calm, this is yet another test this reflects the fear of death and you must not succumb to it.  This teaches a person to face their fears.
\par \tab These trials are a test of a person\rquote s being and judge-ment is made on that as well as their previous life.  This is a much better way to judge the character of a person and I believe this is the best way to judge whether a perso
n deserves to be where they will be going.  The belief that there\rquote s almost a second chance makes the thought of death almost bearable.
\par \tab These trials in the afterlife are also to me the downside to the ideas of this afterlife.  What if a very good person is sent through these trials but what if they cannot prove they are a strong person?  Should they be sent to a hell?
\par \tab My beliefs of death and afterlife are somewhat similar to the ideas in }{\i\f20\fs24 The Tibetan book of the Dead}{\f20\fs24  but also different.
\par I was raised in a household of mixed religions, on my dad\rquote s side I was taught of heaven and hell through his Irish Catholic beliefs and the idea of reincarnation through my mother\rquote s Japanese Buddhist direction.
\par 
\par \tab I believe that after you die there is a place of judgement I\rquote m not sure what, and I don\rquote 
t believe it is quite as harsh as in the Tibetan belief.  That may just be because I personally am not a very religious person.  I do though, believe in the idea of reincarnation.  The idea that a pe
rson can be reborn as something other than human because of their past life to me is very plausible.  I believe that the Tibetan belief that if emancipation is not achieved the goal to be reborn in human form is very possible.  If that is the case, that w
ould explain the connection between animal extinctions and human overpopulation.
\par \tab I don\rquote t exactly know what all my views of death are, or maybe I just don\rquote t want to think about it.  All I know is that I still firmly believe the idea that when someone dies they\rquote 
re going to a better place (if they deserve it).   
\par 
\par }}