When death draws nigh the naked splendor of the Unborn appears as the natural-elements begin to dissolve-away into empty space. What is left is the Clear-Light of the natural unbornness. This is a golden opportunity to share in the natural ambiance of the Dharmakaya—Seeing Eye to eye with the self-same face before one is born. If all goes well then the recognition dawns with the acceptance of one’s original nature. At this junction it is the prior *gnosis that is the determining factor whether or not liberation is won or experiences abject failure in severing the cycle of samsara.
[The Lankavatarian book of the dead describes the absolute necessity of such a task.]
If perchance one has diligently practiced the Great Perfection of the Unborn Mind over the course of their lifetime, then the obscuring clouds will dissolve away at the moment of death, revealing the clear light before all else. Lacking this awareness, then all hope is lost as the descent into the heavy and dim lights of the karmadhatu relays yet another sequence of rebirth. This is not a game of chance or of mindlessly hoping one’s way through all that leads to savor the sweetness of deathless suchness. Such an opportunity may not come again for millions of existences. Be forever homeward bound!
Just a small addendum to your nice series, especially on the subject of death and Bardo.
To most sentients (with exception of the mind sage whom already dwells in the enligtened body of the bodhisattva), death arrives in two ways; Gradual or sudden. Where the first points to cases of disease where the pathological process has a characteristic of terminal signs and symptoms, or semi gradual like drowning, etc, the latter applies to sudden death found in accidents of many different causes, all unnecessary to mention here.
In the cases of the sudden deaths, the consciousness of the sentient simply shuts down in a complete blackout and remains so until the consciousness “reboots” in a Bardo body where all the four skandhas (beyond the consciousness) re-ignite and confirm their presence to the deceased. If you ever have woken up after a surgical operation in a hospital you get a good notion of how this will “feel”.
Though the deceased now cannot “touch” anything of the former realm in a later stage of this consciousness transition. It is here, the level of self-realization determines how the clear light of the dharmakaya will be received and/or used to the benefit of the deceased.
There are of course much more to be mentioned about death, transition into the Bardo and the experiences and/or opportunities available there to awake, or choose a favorable body and realm of regenesis.