Tibetan funeral customs have evolved over time. After the 7th century AD, with the introduction of Buddhism and the unique form of Tibetan Buddhism, the entire Tibetan population embraced Buddhism. Consequently, Tibetan funeral practices have been profoundly influenced by Tibetan Buddhist thought. Buddhism posits that the human body is composed of the four basic elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. Therefore, upon death, the body naturally returns to these elements. This belief has led to the prevalence of various funeral practices in the Tibetan region, including earth burial, water burial, cremation, sky burial, and stupa burial.
Buddhist Death Rituals: Sky Burial
Sky burial, also known as “bird burial,” is an ancient custom and the most common funerary practice in Tibet. Every Tibetan village has a designated sky burial site, and there are individuals, known as “Lobjakpa” in Tibetan, who specialize in performing these rituals. After death, the body is wrapped in a woolen cloth and kept at home for three days. Subsequently, it is transported to the sky burial site by horses or yaks. The sky burial usually takes place in the early morning, allowing birds with empty stomachs to consume the body quickly.
The sky burial practice is deeply rooted in traditional Tibetan religious beliefs and later Buddhist influences. Inspired by Buddhist concepts like “sacrificing one’s body to feed the tiger,” Tibetans believe that the soul is immortal, and the body is merely a vessel. Rather than letting the body decay naturally, they offer it to other living beings as a final act of generosity.
Buddhist Death Rituals: Water Burial
Water burial is practiced in two main forms. The first involves throwing the entire body into a river. Two people usually carry the corpse to a deep, fast-flowing part of the river and cast it in. After the body is submerged, tsampa (roasted barley flour) is burned at the river’s edge, concluding the ritual. The second form involves dismembering the body before throwing it into the river. This practice typically takes place at night. The body is taken to the selected water area and dismembered with an axe, starting from the joints and working downwards. Each piece is thrown into the water until the last piece, the axe, the bag that held the body and the bloodied soil around the site are thrown in.
Buddhist Death Rituals: Earth Burial
In earth burial, the grave must be at least 1.5 meters deep. The grave is rectangular, and grains are scattered at the bottom. The body is typically placed in a wooden coffin, which is then buried and covered with soil, after which the burial ceremony concludes. A cone-shaped mound is then created on top of the burial site.
Stupa Burial: A Sacred Tibetan Buddhist Burial for High Lamas
Stupa burial is the most prestigious funeral practice in Tibetan tradition. It is reserved for the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama, and other highly revered living Buddhas. The ritual begins with the embalming of the deceased’s body using various precious herbs and spices for dehydration. The body is then wrapped in silk and linen and placed inside a stupa for permanent preservation in the monastery. Stupas vary in form, depending on the status of the deceased, and are made of gold, silver, copper, wood, or clay. The bodies of the first to fifth Jamyang Zhepa Lamas, who have passed away in Labrang Monastery, were treated with high-grade spices and preservatives, and then placed in stupas adorned with gold, silver and jewels.
Cremation: An Increasingly Common Tibetan Buddhist Funeral
Historically, cremation was second in importance only to stupa burial and was reserved for living Buddhas and high-ranking lamas. However, it has gradually become more common. First, elders cleanse the body. The body is then bound with hemp rope in a seated position, mimicking the position of a baby in the womb. The orifices are filled with yak butter, and the body is placed inside a wooden coffin. For the cremation, a bottle-shaped furnace is built with mud and stones. Pine and cypress wood are placed inside the furnace with flammable liquids such as butter and oil. Then, the “bridge” is placed on top of the furnace and the lamas are invited to chant sutras while the body is burned. After cremation, the furnace is dismantled, and the ashes are either scattered in rivers or on mountains or buried in the ground. If the deceased is a prominent lama, the ashes are collected and placed in a stupa.
Tibetan Cultural Customs and Taboos
When welcoming guests, always give way to the guest or elder, both in walking and speaking. Use honorifics, such as adding “La” after a person’s name, to show respect and affection. Avoid addressing people directly by their given names. When greeting and sending off guests, bow with knees bent and show a smile. When sitting indoors, sit cross-legged and do not stretch out your legs or show the soles of your feet to others. Avoid looking around the room excessively. Accept gifts with both hands, and when offering gifts, bow and raise the gift above your head with both hands. When offering tea, alcohol, or tobacco, present it with both hands, taking care not to put your fingers into the rim of the bowl. Tibetans absolutely abstain from eating donkey, horse, and dog meat, and some regions also avoid eating fish. When eating, do not overfill your mouth, chew quietly, and do not slurp while drinking. When drinking yak butter tea, wait for the host to offer the tea with both hands before receiving it. It is forbidden to spit or clap hands behind someone’s back. When walking past monasteries, Mani stones, or stupas, always walk around them from left to right. Never step over religious objects, fire pits, prayer wheels or turn prayer wheels in the wrong direction. Do not touch the top of someone’s head.
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