Tibetan rituals of Death : Buddhist funerary practices

Acknowledgements . . xix

1 Introduction . . 1
Terminology . . 3
Transliteration . . 4
Inclusive language . . 4

2 The sources . . 5
Tibetan material . . 5
Non-Tibetan material . . 8
Buddhism outside Tibet . . 10
Bon . . 11

3 Before death . . 12

4 Immediately after death . . 15
Spiritual concerns . . 16
Practical concerns . . 29
Comments on activities undertaken immediately after death . . 44

5 Disposal of the body . . 46
Burial (disposal in earth) . . 46
Immersion (disposal in water) . . 49
Cremation (disposal in fire) . . 52
Exposure (disposal in air) . . 59
Treatment of remains . . 72
Comments on the disposal of the body . . 77

6 Special cases . . 80
Holy persons . . 80
Nobility . . 86
Children . . 87
Old people . . 92
'Bad deaths' . . 93
Comments on special cases of disposal . . 94

7 Post-disposal rituals of benefit and protection . . 96
The transition through the intermediate state (bardo) . . 96
Rituals of benefit . . 100
Rituals of protection . . 116
The conclusion of the funeral rituals . . 122
It depends on what you pay . . 123
Comments on post-disposal rituals of benefit and protection . . 126

8 Remembering the deceased . . 130

9 Conclusion . . 134

Notes . . 138
Glossary . . 162
Bibliography . . 165
Index . . 177