Rebirth – Tibetan Game of Liberation
Tuesday, 22 April 2025 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
A short version of this Buddhist game of snakes and ladders, where we experience the vagaries of karma and rebirth in all its messy and terrifying glory. This game contains all the teachings of the Buddhist path, and is a powerful way to integrate what we have learned in class, gaining a deep appreciation of our present life.
This game is a living Buddhist teaching, as it contains all the realms of existence, and the various paths to enlightenment. It is a powerful way to integrate your studies and gain a deep appreciation of our present life.
The game was made by a monk for his sick mother when she was too sick to study the Dharma. The odds have been karmically worked out as to which rebirth we move to. Our next rebirth rests on the throw of a dice. We travel through the various realms, often circling through hells, animals, humans, and the hells again, until a (very genuine!) sense of renunciation arises to be liberated from this round of existence.
We may also travel on the different spiritual paths all the way to buddhahood. The top row of the board illustrates the Buddha’s life story. Apparently, the shortest path to buddhahood is if you throw 11 ones in a row!
“The real miracle is when someone is able to stop the cause of suffering and create the cause of happiness by learning that their own mind is the source of their suffering and happiness. The real miracle is to transform our mind, because this will take care of us for many lifetimes. Our positive attitude will stop us from creating the cause of problems, thus ensuring our happiness not only in this life but in hundreds, or even thousands, of future lives up to enlightenment. This is the greatest success.”
– Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Presented by:
Integrating your study:
This game forms part of our Discovering Buddhism assessment. Rather than public exams or debates, we try to encourage non-confrontational (and highly enjoyable!) ways to integrate Dharma study with lived experience.
Please make a donation:
Thank you for your contribution. All our classes are by donation, and we rely on the generosity of people like you to help keep LTC flourishing and offering events such as this. (The Zoom link for hybrid or online classes will appear at the top of this page 15 minutes before the start.)