johey24
Sky Burial by Fire and Vultures 1/19
Young monks chanting in the rain during the funeral
A Sky Burial is a type of funeral specific to the highlands of Central-East Asia, practised by a number of religions, including the Buddhists of Tibet, Qinghai and Sichuan. The most essential ingredient: Vultures. Hence SKY Burial ....
Basically it is, as with so many things associated with Culture, something born from the constraints and demans of geography: highlands with hard, rocky soil (no Ground Burial) + a very high altitude meaning a scarcity of trees and hence firewood (no Fire Bural) + an abundance of vultures + people doing what we all do: dieing = Sky Burials. Add to that a circular religion where what you give is what you get (kharma) + a nature bound religion + reincarnation = what is left behind is an empty vessel (meat, if you wish). All this fits in perfectly with another central tenant of Buddhism: "I lived off you, now you live off me".
There are different forms of Sky Burials which you can google for more info: ones with no fire and ones with a small amount of wood (part-cremation). We witnessed the last form, usually reserved for rather important people. Obviously we left before the vultures got to the partly cremated body.
Apparently the top clergy are not disposed of in either of these manners. Read more on google if you wish
Sky Burial by Fire and Vultures 1/19
Young monks chanting in the rain during the funeral
A Sky Burial is a type of funeral specific to the highlands of Central-East Asia, practised by a number of religions, including the Buddhists of Tibet, Qinghai and Sichuan. The most essential ingredient: Vultures. Hence SKY Burial ....
Basically it is, as with so many things associated with Culture, something born from the constraints and demans of geography: highlands with hard, rocky soil (no Ground Burial) + a very high altitude meaning a scarcity of trees and hence firewood (no Fire Bural) + an abundance of vultures + people doing what we all do: dieing = Sky Burials. Add to that a circular religion where what you give is what you get (kharma) + a nature bound religion + reincarnation = what is left behind is an empty vessel (meat, if you wish). All this fits in perfectly with another central tenant of Buddhism: "I lived off you, now you live off me".
There are different forms of Sky Burials which you can google for more info: ones with no fire and ones with a small amount of wood (part-cremation). We witnessed the last form, usually reserved for rather important people. Obviously we left before the vultures got to the partly cremated body.
Apparently the top clergy are not disposed of in either of these manners. Read more on google if you wish