4/26/2006: Vultures feast in Tibetan burial ceremony

[nephtes]

Aaah, I've read about this. It's also called "Sky Burial" (Wikipedia info). I originally came across this in a book by the same, a true story about a chinese woman named Shu Wen who travels to Tibet to search for her missing husband. Wholeheartedly recommended -- I read it almost cover-to-cover on a flight from Montreal to Miami. Absolutely spellbinding.

But I digress. Getting back to the ceremony itself, the description in the book is somewhat at odds with the Wikipedia article, which emphasizes the purely pragmatic aspects. According to my recollection, the body must be completely consumed; even the bones are ground up for the birds. Any remains would tie the spirit to this world, leaving it prey to demons and preventing it from moving on to reincarnation or nirvana.

Hey, who's to say this is weirder than spending two grand on a mahogany coffin so it can rot in the ground?

- Steve

[Jordon]

Buddhists can be some pretty Goth folks. I just finished reading the biography of Milarepa, again. It was common to meditate in graveyards in order to impress oneself with the transitory nature of life. Then there's Celestial Burial. You end up as vulture poo. It's less ego flattering than all that morticians wax and pancake, formaldehyde and a casket that costs as much as and sort of looks like a Sky Blue Cadillac. If you want a concrete grave liner/sarcophagus type thang, that's extra, as are locks on the casket (don't ask), thank you for your Hallmark bereavement card embossed Stationary with the funeral parlor's name and website, flower arrangements, extra professional mourners, catering for the wake...

[Flint]

My buddy was telling me about this guy who, based on a conversation he had with his friend, after the guy died he stole the body, went out to the middle of the desert and burned it, Vader-style, according to what he believed his friend's last wishes were. The guy that died was from some band, and they made a movie about it. Anybody heard of this/have more details?

If I had my way I would have a sky burial... I am now doing my best to avoid any chemicals or extreme expense involved with my burial.
Here in FL the mortuary lobby has this insanely corrupt law they pushed through where they force your family to buy a casket even if you are being cremated and never lie in said casket... it only exists on paper. Legal theft.
I am doing my best to do what I can to see if I can avoid a mortuary being involved in my death. Unfortunately we have to plan for it now due to my current condition. One plus is that I found out about this travesty.

[Clodfobble]

Why does he have to shoo the birds away if they're already done eating the body? Won't they fly away on their own?

They have to make sure they ate everything, that all of them is gone.

[Wombat]

They do this in high-up mountain regions because it's the only practical way to dispose of a dead body. They can't bury it because the ground is frozen and/or solid rock, and they can't cremate it because there are no trees growing at high altitudes so firewood is very scarce. The only choice left is to get the birds to clean up. A dead body is a major heath risk for everyone if it's not disposed of quickly.