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When setting foot on the sacred land of Tibet, a special and somewhat creepy practice might reach your ears–sky burial. Deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhist traditions, it symbolizes the cycle of life and death, as well as the pursuit of spiritual freedom. Read this article to uncover the mysteries and explore the solemn process of how sky burial is carried out in Tibet.
Sky Burial Meaning: What is sky burial in Tibet?
Sky burial (celestial burial), known as “sky funeral” or “Jhator” in Tibet, is a unique funeral custom where the deceased’s body is placed on a mountain to be consumed by scavenging animals that consume dead organisms, primarily Himalayan vultures. Sky burial is a solemn and highly ritualized practice that has endured for centuries as an essential part of Tibetan cultural and religious heritage.
Sky Burial Origin: What is the origin of sky burial?
The practice of “sky burial” has a long history, and the specific reasons for its origin are no longer known. However, one possible explanation is that before Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha, he meditated and practiced austerities in the forest. One day, an eagle was hunting a dove, which fled in all directions and finally hid in the sleeve of Siddhartha Gautama. To save the dove, Siddhartha Gautama offered himself to the eagle to be eaten.
Sky Burial Significance: Why do Tibetans do sky burials?
Buddhists in Tibet practice sky burial to honor the cycle of life and death. According to Buddhist teachings, the body is merely a temporary vessel for the soul. When the soul departs, the body should be returned to nature without causing undue suffering or pollution. By allowing the body to decompose naturally, without the use of harmful chemicals or embalming fluids, sky burial promotes sustainability and harmony with the environment. Sky burial is seen as a selfless act, symbolizing the liberation of the deceased’s spirit and promoting the positive cycle of giving and receiving in the natural world.
Sky Burial Key Components: Recipient, Rogyapa, Vulture, Platform, Process, and Duration
Sky Burial Undergoer: Who can receive sky burials?
Traditionally, sky burial was reserved for those who had lived virtuous lives and had achieved a certain spiritual status, such as monks, lamas, and respected community members. However, over time, this practice has become more common among the general populace.
There are two categories of people who are not allowed to have sky burials:
1. Children who die before the age of 6 are not allowed to have sky burials because children are too small for vultures to eat. For such deceased children, water burials are generally practiced, whose bodies will be thrown into the river for fish to consume.
2. Those whose health conditions could affect the vultures are not allowed to have sky burials, such as those who died from cancer or had bodies containing toxins from drinking pesticides. Vultures are considered sacred birds in the minds of Tibetans, and sky burials of such individuals could impact the health and lives of the vultures.
Sky Burial Master/Practitioner (Rogyapa): an Angel and Ghost
In the Tibetan sky burial ceremony, the person who performs this special ritual is called a sky burial master or “rogyapa”. Sky burial masters are professionals who provide services specifically for the deceased who need to undergo sky burial. Their tasks include dismembering the body, feeding vultures, and completing the prayers and rituals for the deceased’s passage. Generally, sky burial masters are male, and some are lamas from monasteries.
Usually, sky burial masters regard their work as a “good deed” or “merit.” The deceased’s family treats the sky burial masters as important people who send the deceased to heaven and give them generous remuneration. People always have complex feelings towards them. When sky burial masters start their work and help the deceased enter heaven, people feel as if they have a divine halo above their heads; but in daily life, people stay away from them, and even despise them, because they deal with corpses all day long. Therefore, it can be said that sky burial masters are people with dual identities of angels and ghosts.
Sky Burial Enforcer: Vultures
The reason why Tibetans offer deceased bodies to vultures is related to the beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism and the habits of vultures themselves. In the belief of Tibetans, the soul and the body are separated, and the soul needs to be reincarnated. If a person’s body is not properly handled, the deceased’s soul might cling to the body and fail to achieve reincarnation.
Vultures are a type of carnivorous bird with strong digestive capabilities, and their carcasses are never found by people, which gives them a mysterious status and significant symbolic meaning in Tibetan culture. Therefore, Tibetans worship vultures and consider them suitable executors for sky burials. Vultures also symbolize nature, so giving oneself to vultures represents returning the soul to nature, which aligns with the simple beliefs of the Tibetan people.
When visiting Tibet, you don’t need to worry when encountering vultures, because vultures typically do not prey on living creatures and will not attack humans indiscriminately.
Sky Burial Platform: What are sky burial platforms like?
The sky burial platform is the site where sky burial is performed, where the bodies are placed, and where vultures will consume the bodies completely. The sky burial platform is generally a large, slightly flat stone, and some larger ones can hold up to 10 bodies at the same time.
Sky Burial Process: What are the procedures for sky burial?
Preparation before sky burial
After death, the body is wrapped in white cloth and placed in a corner of the house for three to five days while monks or lamas chant scriptures to aid the soul’s release from purgatory. Family members and friends of the deceased also participate in the ritual, offering their respects and expressing their grief and love.
Essence of sky burial: natural decomposition
On a chosen day before the funeral, family members remove the deceased’s clothing and place the body in a fetal posture–the head rests against the knees while the body is bowed into a sitting position. At dawn on a lucky day, the body is carried to a sky burial site, often a mountaintop, by a sky-burial master. The sky-burial master dismembers the body, and a special smoke is burned to attract vultures to consume the flesh. Contrary to what most people would think, the entire operation is carried out without a serious expression or intense sadness. The process is done with a light-hearted atmosphere, as Tibetan Buddhists believe this helps guide the dead to transcend from darkness to the next life.
Treatment of bones after sky burial
When the vultures have eaten up the flesh, the body breaker will crush the bone into fine particles and combine it with tsampa, a Tibetan staple made from barley flour, to feed the vultures. The whole process is intended to return the deceased to nature in a symbolic and respectful manner.
Sky Burial Duration: How long does a sky burial take?
The duration of a sky burial can vary depending on the weather and the number of scavengers present. In ideal conditions, it probably takes about 15-20 minutes for the birds to come–a few dozen in all vying for the spoils. And it takes about 2-3 hours to dissect, smash, and feed the bodies to the vultures.
Unexpected Sky Burial: What if the sky burial is not complete?
Three days after the sky burial, relatives will come to the burial site. If the body has been completely consumed by birds and beasts, it signifies that the sky burial ceremony has been completed, the sins of the deceased have dissipated, and the soul has ascended to heaven or been reborn, which brings joy to the family. If the body has not been fully consumed, it indicates that the deceased’s sins have not been completely absolved. In such cases, the family must invite lamas to chant sutras for the deceased to aid in their transcendence. The sky burial master will also continue to process the body. The flesh is pounded into a pulp, mixed with barley flour, tea, and yak butter, and given to the crows and hawks, after the vultures have had their fill of meat.
Sky Burial Cost: How much does a sky burial cost?
The cost of sky burial varies by region and specific custom. Generally speaking, the cost of using a regular sky burial platform is about USD 27-41 a time, and hiring a sky burial master costs about USD 41. However, masters with excellent knife skills will be more expensive, and the more famous the temple, the higher the cost. The prices mentioned here are basically for ordinary temples at the township level. The most expensive part is the chanting of sutras, which is also a part of the sky burial process. It usually takes 49 days of continuous chanting, and the cost is about USD 11,000 to 12,500.
Sky Burial Today: Is sky burial still practiced today?
Yes, sky burial continues to be practiced in Tibet, albeit in fewer regions due to modernization and urbanization. It remains an important part of Tibetan culture and religion, offering a deeply spiritual and respectful way to honor the deceased.
Sky Burial Witness: Where to see a sky burial?
In fact, tourists are not allowed to watch a sky burial. This is to respect the deceased and their families, as well as to preserve local religious and cultural traditions. But you can visit the sky burial platforms instead. There are two well-known destinations for sky burial in Tibet. One is the Drigung Til Monastery, situated approximately 150 kilometers to the east of Lhasa in Maizhokunggar County. Nestled against the precipitous cliffside, the monastery commands a panoramic view of the breathtaking Mum Pa Valley below. Another one is Chimpu Meditation Cave, a famous spiritual practice destination located in the Shannan region, about 8 kilometers away from Samye Monastery. There are many meditation caves, which have been the place for monks to practice in seclusion. According to legend, within the mountains of Chimpu Meditation Cave, there were 108 meditation caves, 108 sacred springs, and 108 sky burial platforms.
Sky Burial Mustn’t-dos: What are the taboos of sky burial in Tibet?
There are several taboos associated with sky burials. For example, strangers are not allowed to attend the ceremony, as it is believed to bring negative energy to the ascending of the souls. Besides, family members are not permitted to be present at the burial site.
Beside Sky Burial: How about other Tibetan funeral customs?
While sky burial is the most well-known, other funeral customs in Tibet include stupa burial, fire burial (cremation), water burial, and inhumation. The choice of funeral practice depends on local customs, family preferences, and the availability of resources. These various practices reflect the diversity within Tibetan culture and the importance of honoring the deceased in accordance with their beliefs and traditions.
Stupa Burial
Stupa burial is considered the noblest funeral ritual in Tibet. It is reserved for high-ranking lamas, such as the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama, and Living Buddha. After the lama passes away, their embalmed corpse undergoes a complex preservation process. The body is dehydrated and wrapped with rare medicinal herbs and spices. In some cases, gold flakes and saffron are scattered on the body. The preserved body is then placed inside a stupa, a Tibetan Buddhist religious monument, for worshipping. Stupas can vary in size and materials, ranging from elaborate structures made of gold, silver, and bronze to simpler ones constructed of wood or earth.
Fire Burial (Cremation)
Although less common in traditional Tibetan practices, cremation is gaining popularity, especially among the younger generations. The body is burned, and the ashes are either kept by the family, scattered in a significant location, or placed in a stupa or memorial. This method is seen as a way to release the soul from the physical body and facilitate its journey to the afterlife.
Water Burial
Primarily practiced in regions where water is abundant, water burials can be done by scattering cremated ashes over water or, less commonly, by submerging the entire body in a biodegradable casket or shroud. Water burials are considered an eco-friendly option and are in line with the Buddhist belief in the cycle of life, where water symbolizes the return to the elements.
Inhumation
Also known as earth burial, inhumation is the practice of interring the body in the ground. This method is less prevalent in Tibet due to the harsh climate and the belief in the impermanence of the physical body. However, it is still used in certain regions and circumstances, often with the body wrapped in cloth and placed in a shallow grave.
Conclusion
Sky burial among Buddhists in Tibet is a deeply spiritual and respectful practice that reflects their beliefs in the cycle of life and death, non-attachment, environmental harmony, and the importance of honoring the deceased. It serves as a powerful reminder of the interconnection of all beings and the importance of living in harmony with nature. If you want to know more about sky burial or other Tibet features, please feel free to contact us or leave your comments below.
