Tibetan Buddhist Teachings - Near Death Experience?

by Simon
(Canada)

Please read the following quote I got off the internet. The questions are below the quote. Sorry I forgot the website, but there are a good number of websites and books that basically say the same thing.

Researchers in Theosophy, Scientists, Poets, Doctors of Medicine, Yogis and Academics have published articles on the existence of life after death.

In this article, material has been published from their writings. Dr. Raymond Moody has researched on "death bed experiences", (people who were pronounced as 'clinically dead" were revived and they spoke of their experiences while they were in a clinically 'dead' state).

The majority of patients who 'died' said that, they left their bodies and hovered above their physical lifeless form and observed the doctors trying to revive their body.

Elizabeth Taylor, the beautiful and famous actress who nearly died of pneumonia had this particular experience. Similarly, there were other patients who were pronounced clinically 'dead', but later they were able to identify the doctors and nurses who attended on them. Some patients were able to rise above their prostate bodies and "see" and identify patients who were occupying other rooms in the hospital.

In Dr. Raymond Moody's study, the patients who were pronounced dead experienced going through a long dark tunnel at very high speed and meeting a 'being bathed in light' at the end of the tunnel who lovingly welcomed them and had a conversation with them regarding their life "performance" in this world. Various important aspects in their life were reviewed in flash backs like on a TV screen.

Is there anything in Buddhist teachings that would explain this phenomena? What is this being bathed in light about? Is this some kind of deva? Is there anything in Buddhist teachings that explains the long dark tunnel experience? Is this is some kind of realm experience.

I find these kind of statements rather confusing as they seem to conflict with the Tibetan Buddhist teaching of instant rebirth, but maybe I am not seeing the whole picture. Would appreciate your insight on this matter.

Simon