Dissolution of the physical form causes a release of the awareness-principle from the body and expands the consciousness to enfold a higher state. The absorption of the four elements are spiritually related to the activities of their subtle counterpart personified as goddesses:

1) Buddhalocana - Earth

2) Mamaki - Water

3) Pandaravasini - Fire

4) Samayatara - Air

After the absorption of the elements, what is called the "Three Paths" commences. Whereas the above is known as the "gross dissolution," the Three Paths is known as the "subtle dissolution." The Three Paths is associated with inner processes called by lamas the stages of "appearance," "increase" and "attainment." They are associated with the three "tigle," or "bindu." The tigles are described as being the essences of one's parents and possessing certain colours related to the male and female seed. The male tigle is white in colour and resides at the top of the head. It represents "skillful means." It is also related to the nirmanakaya--one of the three bodies often referred to in Mahayana Buddhism. The female tigle is red in colour and has its abode at the base of the spine. It represents "wisdom," and is related to the sambhogakaya. The third tigle is a neutral essence, it is a combination of both male-female tigles when they meet in the heart; it results in the black tigle. This tigle is related to the dharmakaya. The movements of the three tigles in the physical body result in the stages of one's realization of "emptiness," or the Clear Light of the Void, which in the average person goes unrecognized. During the death process the white tigle descends into the heart center followed by the ascent of the red tigle into the same locality. These are the stages of "appearance" and "increase." The stage of "attainment" or the "black path" occurs when both male and female bindus meet in the heart center to form the black tigle and give rise to the actual moment of death. The appearance of the Clear Light follows at that precise moment. In the black stage the average person usually falls unconscious, the Buddhist initiate of such teachings as Dzogchen or Mahamudra, however, is able to maintain awareness and recognize the Clear Light as it appears. Concerning the nature and movements of the tigles, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in the Bardo Guidebook comments:

"Whiteness or appearance is due to the descent of the white element, obtained from one's father at the moment of conception. At that time there is a white shimmering light like moonshine. The outer sign is similar to the moon descending or rising. The inner sign is that one's consciousness feels hazy like a mirage. This should be acknowledged as the experience of the whiteness.

"The experience of redness involving the ascent of the red element obtained from one's mother at conception is like sunshine in a place filled with dust so that the sun appears very red. The outer sign is a red sun either rising or setting. The inner sign is scintillating sparks that appear and disappear like fireflies. The experience of blackness is like the darkness of the night sky. At this point one's consciousness alternates between being clear and hazy." (1991:92-93)

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