Description
The Game of Liberation is a wonderful board game created by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu. It is both a game and a way to understand various aspects of our condition. The game consists of a board with 108 dimensions or spaces, some playing pieces and a booklet telling the players where they should place their tokens, which could be literally anywhere, ranging from the Dharmakaya to the hell of Diverse Desires, or any place in-between. The object of the game is to reach the Dharmakaya, or liberation. To do this each player throws the dice and places the playing piece on the indicated dimension space, and moves from there according to the instructions on the next throw of the dice. From the higher realms, it is still possible to go to the lower realms, perhaps passing through the human dimension. From the human dimension it is possible to go anywhere, though in stages. All players begin there. Then depending on the roll of the dice, one goes either up to the Ati yoga path, or any of a number of other paths to liberation, or to the formless or form realms, the bardo, or any one of the six lokas. A Tibetan version of this game was invented by the great thirteenth century master Sakya Pandita. The Game of Liberation designed by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche can be played by as many as can fit around the board. In playing it, it becomes clear how hard it can be to reach liberation, how precious the opportunities are for a fortunate rebirth, and how difficult it is to liberate from the lower realms. And once reaching the Dharmakaya, it is necessary to wait until everyone else arrives too, because the game is not over until all are liberated, and one never really plays alone.