[Buddha-l] Book News - Tibetan Rituals of Death

[Margaret Gouin]

Hi Chris,

My book is a detailed review and analysis of the available literature describing what is actually done in Tibetan death rituals as opposed to what texts prescribe (or what Westerners believe). If the Sa-skya ritual you describe is the one performed for direct descendants of the Sa-skya line, it's included when I discuss the deaths of noble persons (see chapter 6, 'Special Cases'). My information on it is drawn from Turrell Wylie's 1965 article, 'Mortuary Customs at Sa-Skya, Tibet' (Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, 25: 229-42).

Here is the detailed Table of Contents of the book (without pagination). I hope you will find it useful:

1. Introduction
		Terminology
		Transliteration
		Inclusive Language

2. The Sources
	Tibetan Material
	Non-Tibetan Material
	Buddhism Outside Tibet
	Bön

3. Before Death

4. Immediately After Death
	Spiritual Concerns
		Consciousness Transference (powa)
		Death Horoscope
		Readings, Prayers and Bardo Guidance
		Purification Rituals
		Offering Food to the Deceased
	Practical Concerns
		Planning the Funeral: the role of the death horoscope
		Protection Against Malignant Manifestations
		Preparation of the Body
		Funeral Procession
	Comments on Activities Undertaken Immediately After Death
		Spiritual Concerns
		Practical Concerns

5. Disposal of the Body
	Burial (disposal in earth)
	Immersion (disposal in water)
	Cremation (disposal in fire)
		Activities at the Cremation Site
		Religious Rituals
		Conclusion of the Cremation Ceremonies
		Self-Immolation
	Exposure (disposal in air)
		Historical Origins and the ‘Parsi Debate’
		Who Qualifies for Exposure?
		Who Does It?
		How Is It Done?
		Religious Observances at the Disposal Site
		Why Is It Done?
		Speed and Completeness of Consumption
		Exposure and ‘Secondary Burial’
		The Charge of Cannibalism
		‘Sky Burial’ in Western Perception
	Treatment of Remains
		From Burial
		From Cremation
		From Exposure
		Bones for Ritual Use
		Hair
	Comments on the Disposal of the Body

6. Special Cases
	Holy Persons
		Preservation
		Cremation
		Remains
		Relics
	Nobility
	Children
	Old People
	‘Bad Deaths’
	Comments on Special Cases of Disposal

7. Post-Disposal Rituals of Benefit and Protection
	The Transition Through the Intermediate State (bardo)
		The Intermediate State
		The 49 Days
		The Nature of the ‘Bardo Being’
	Rituals of Benefit
		The Name-Card and the Effigy
		Prayers and Readings
		Bardo Guidance
		Purifying the Deceased’s Karma
		Severing Attachment: chö
		Food Offerings
		Making Merit
		What If There Is No Body?
	Rituals of Protection
		Protection Against the Deceased
		Protection Against the Death-Demon
	The Conclusion of the Funeral Rituals
	It Depends On What You Pay	
	Comments on Post-Disposal Rituals of Benefit and Protection

8. Remembering the Deceased

9. Conclusion

----------------------------------------
Margaret Gouin, PhD (Bristol)
Honorary Research Fellow
School of Theology, Religious Studies and Islamic Studies
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
________________________________________
From: buddha-l-bounces at mailman.swcp.com [buddha-l-bounces at mailman.swcp.com] On Behalf Of Christopher Fynn [chris.fynn at gmail.com]
Sent: 26 May 2012 19:02
To: Buddhist discussion forum
Subject: Re: [Buddha-l] Book News - Tibetan Rituals of Death

Hi Margaret

I'd be interested to know if your book covers Tibetan death rites
using the Sarvavid-Vairochana (kun rig rnam par snang mdzad) ritual -
popular in the Sa-skya tradition. Which other death rituals as well?

The contents list on Routledge's site is not very helpful.

regards

Chris Fynn

On 24/05/2012, Margaret Gouin <m.gouin at tsd.ac.uk> wrote:
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> I'm pleased to announce that my book, TIBETAN RITUALS OF DEATH - BUDDHIST
> FUNERARY PRACTICES (http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415566360/),
> is now available in paperback at the fairly reasonable price of £24.95
> (US$42.95). It's available through the publisher's print-on-demand
> programme, and can also be ordered from Amazon (and, hopefully, other
> booksellers). I think conference discounts also apply, if you happen to be
> at a conference where Routledge is handing out those nice forms with 20% off
> for attendees.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Margaret Gouin
>
> (apologies for cross-posting)
> ----------------------------------------
> Margaret Gouin, PhD (Bristol)
> Honorary Research Fellow
> School of Theology, Religious Studies and Islamic Studies
> University of Wales Trinity Saint David
>
> _______________________________________________
> buddha-l mailing list
> buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
> http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l
>

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