The Exploration Of The Rainbow Body And The Resurrection Of Jesus with Father Francis Tiso, Ph.D.

MP3 Download

The Rainbow Body is the dissolution of the material body at death. In many schools of Buddhism it is considered to be the most significant attainment. Father Tiso’s main spiritual teacher suggested that he travel to Tibet to gather eye-witness accounts of the dissolution of the body of Kenpo A Chö Rinpoche, who died in 1998. The questions he was pursuing were: Can we bridge the gap between physics and metaphysics, between spirituality and paranormal phenomena? Can we verify the claim that the resurrection of Jesus is not just a metaphor but an actual physical resurrection? Father Tiso goes into detail about the authenticity of the burial shroud of Jesus known as the Shroud of Turin. He ponders, “Does the Rainbow Body, [also known as the body of light or the subtle body] correspond to what was manifested in the resurrection of Jesus in those 3 momentous days in the tomb?” He tells us that is where the research takes off. The Rainbow Body research is based on eye witness accounts rather than artifacts. He goes on to list the differences between the burial rituals of Tibetan masters and the burial of Jesus. He also endorses interreligious dialogues and points out how such exchanges have been taking place for many millennia from Europe to the Far East. (hosted by Justine Willis Toms)

Bio

Father Francis Tiso holds a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard University, and a doctorate from Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary where his specialization was Buddhist studies. He was Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops from 2004 to 2009, where he served as liaison to the Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, the Sikhs, and Traditional religions as well as the Reformed confessions.

Father Francis Tiso is the author of:

• Liberation in One Lifetime: Biographies and Teachings of Milarepa (North Atlantic Books 2014)
• Rainbow Body and Resurrection: Spiritual Attainment, the Dissolution of the Material Body, and the Case of Khenpo A Chö (North Atlantic Books 2016)

Topics Explored in This Dialogue

• What is the Rainbow Body
• Was Jesus’ rising from the dead a metaphor or an actual physical resurrection
• What is the importance of the Shroud of Turin
• Why many Tibetan masters do not dissolve into a Rainbow Body of light
• What are the implications and connections between the Rainbow Body and the resurrection of Jesus
• What is the spiritual body that co-exists with the material body
• How Thomas Merton, the famous Catholic priest, bridged east and west spiritual traditions
• How cultures meet and transform one another through interreligious dialogue
• What is the importance of a contemplative practice in our lives

Host: Justine Willis Toms   Interview Date: 4/11/2016   Program Number: 3579

Music Playlist

From Album: Himalayan Nights
Artist: Agni and Lewis Howard
1997 Clarity Sound & Light #CSL 02

Opening Essay: Track 01 Dhaulagiri
Music Break 1: Track 06 Kailas
Music Break 2: Track 02 Annapurna
Music Break 3: Track 06 Kailas (reprise)