This book describes and analyses the structure and performance
of Tibetan Buddhist death rituals, and situates that performance
within the wider context of Buddhist death practices generally.
Drawing on a detailed and systematic comparative survey of existing
records of Tibetan funerary practices, including historical travel
accounts, anthropological and ethnographic literature, Tibetan
texts and academic studies, it demonstrates that there is no
standard form of funeral in Tibetan Buddhism, although certain
elements are common.
The structure of the book follows the twin trajectories of
benefiting the deceased and protecting survivors; in the process,
it reveals a rich and complex panoply of activities, some handled
by religious professionals and others by lay persons. This
information is examined to identify similarities and differences in
practices, and the degree to which Tibetan Buddhist funeral
practices are consistent with the mortuary rituals of other forms
of Buddhism. A number of elements in these death rites which at
first appear to be unique to Tibetan Buddhism may only be 'Tibetan'
in their surface characteristics, while having roots in practices
which pre-date the transmission of Buddhism to Tibet.
Filling a gap in the existing literature on Tibetan Buddhism,
this book poses research challenges that will engage future
scholars in the field of Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and
Anthropology.
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