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
Bön ......................................................... 11
3 Before death ................................................ 12
4 Immediately after death ..................................... 15
Spiritual concerns .......................................... 16
Consciousness transference (powa) ......................... 16
Death horoscope ........................................... 19
Readings, prayers and bardo guidance ...................... 21
Purification rituals ...................................... 24
Offering food to the deceased ............................. 26
Practical concerns .......................................... 29
Planning the funeral: the role of the death horoscope ..... 29
Protection against malignant manifestations ............... 31
Preparation of the body ................................... 33
Funeral procession ........................................ 37
Comments on activities undertaken immediately after
death ....................................................... 44
Spiritual concerns ........................................ 44
Practical concerns ........................................ 45
5 Disposal of the body ........................................ 46
Burial (disposal in earth) .................................. 46
Immersion (disposal in water) ............................... 49
Cremation (disposal in fire) ................................ 52
Activities at the cremation site .......................... 54
Religious rituals ......................................... 56
Conclusion of the cremation ceremonies .................... 58
Self-immolation ........................................... 59
Exposure (disposal in air) .................................. 59
Historical origins and the 'Parsi debate' ................. 61
Who qualifies for exposure? ............................... 62
Who does it? .............................................. 64
How is it done? ........................................... 64
Religious observances at the disposal site ................ 67
Why is it done? ........................................... 68
Speed and completeness of consumption ..................... 70
Exposure and 'secondary burial' ........................... 71
The charge of cannibalism ................................. 71
'Sky burial' in Western perception ........................ 71
Treatment of remains ........................................ 72
From burial ............................................... 73
From cremation ............................................ 73
From exposure ............................................. 75
Bones for ritual use ...................................... 75
Hair ...................................................... 76
Comments on the disposal of the body ........................ 77
6 Special cases ............................................... 80
Holy persons ................................................ 80
Preservation .............................................. 80
Cremation ................................................. 82
Remains ................................................... 84
Relics .................................................... 85
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
The intermediate state .................................... 96
The 49 Days ............................................... 97
The nature of the 'bardo being' ........................... 99
Rituals of benefit ......................................... 100
The name-card and the effigy ............................. 100
Prayers and readings ..................................... 102
Bardo guidance ........................................... 103
Purifying the deceased's karma ........................... 104
Severing attachment: chö ................................. 107
Food offerings ........................................... 107
Making merit ............................................. 110
What if there is no body? ................................ 116
Rituals of protection ...................................... 116
Protection against the deceased .......................... 117
Protection against the death-demon ....................... 120
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
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