Tibetan Rituals of Death: Buddhist Funerary Practices

ISBN-13: 9780415566360 / Angielski / Twarda / 2010 / 208 str.

Margaret Gouin

Opis

This book centres on funeral rituals in Tibetan Buddhism with particular emphasis on their structure and performance. Drawing on historical travel literature, anthropological studies and ethnographic literature, as well as Tibetan texts and existing academic studies, the book describes and analyses Tibetan Buddhist funeral rituals from the earliest available records up to the present. It demonstrates that there is no standard form of funeral in Tibetan Buddhism, although certain elements are shared.

The structure of the book follows the twin trajectories of benefit and protection, and in the process reveals a rich and complex panoply of activities, some handled by religious professionals and others by lay persons. Many rituals take place between death and disposal of the body.

In addition to providing detailed information on these various activities, the book analyses the information to identify commonalities and differences in practices. The degree to which Tibetan Buddhist funeral practices are consistent with the mortuary rituals of other forms of Buddhism is also discussed, as are the elements that appear to be specific to Tibetan practice. The author suggests that a number of elements in these death rituals which at first glance 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.

Spis treści

1. Introduction 2. The Sources 3.Before Death 4. Immediately After Death 5. Disposal of the Body 6. Special Cases 7. Post-Disposal Rituals of Benefit and Protection 8. Remembering the Deceased 9. Conclusion

O autorze

Margaret Gouin received her doctorate in Tibetan Buddhist studies from the University of Bristol and is now an independent scholar. Her current areas of interest are dying and death in Buddhist practice, the adaptation and evolution of Buddhism in the West, and research methodology.