Cremation And Burial

[chutai]

Having recently considered a woodland burial when I 'pop me clogs' I was reminded of when someone once said to me that Buddhists were always cremated. Although to be fair, he did look sheepish and couldn't answer when I aked why that should be an imperative.

My own take would be something like as the early Southern school of Theravada was to be found in hotter countries like Sri Lanka and those in Southeast Asia , then cremation might make more sense on health grounds. Although it must be said that in Thailand cremation seems to take place after about the same length of time as it does burial or cremation in the West (excepting the within three days uppheld in Issan I believe) . So perhaps that isn't right either.

Leaving aside the larger part of Mahayana, which differs from Theravada on the subject of death, according to the different emphasis on things like the Bardo states.

I'm left wondering if there may be something in the Vedic and Bramanistic teachings that early Buddhism might have adopted as a set of rules as dictated by Mahakashyapa to the first council ?

[Brucenkhamen]

Having recently considered a woodland burial when I 'pop me clogs' I was reminded of when someone once said to me that Buddhists were always cremated. Although to be fair, he did look sheepish and couldn't answer when I aked why that should be an imperative.

My own take would be something like as the early Southern school of Theravada was to be found in hotter countries like Sri Lanka and those in Southeast Asia , then cremation might make more sense on health grounds. Although it must be said that in Thailand cremation seems to take place after about the same length of time as it does burial or cremation in the West (excepting the within three days uppheld in Issan I believe) . So perhaps that isn't right either.

Leaving aside the larger part of Mahayana, which differs from Theravada on the subject of death, according to the different emphasis on things like the Bardo states.

I'm left wondering if there may be something in the Vedic and Bramanistic teachings that early Buddhism might have adopted as a set of rules as dictated by Mahakashyapa to the first council ?

I think you are looking at it the wrong way. I think cremation is the most logical and efficient way to dispose of dead bodies, the only reason people choose to bury rather than cremate is when cultural or religious imperitives make them want to do that.

For example in Christianity there is a preferance for burial, after all how can a body be resurrected on judgement day if it's been burned, but as the West has become more and more secular cremation is now more prevalent.

Chinese Buddhists bury, at least in Thailand they do, and I assume that's because Chinese culture is stronger to them than Buddhist culture.

I'm not aware of the Buddha having taught anything specific on the subject, I may be wrong, cremation was the norm in India at the time as it is today.

[chutai]

For example in Christianity there is a preferance for burial, after all how can a body be resurrected on judgement day if it's been burned, but as the West has become more and more secular cremation is now more prevalent.

I think that Christians mean a spiruitual resurrection to be fair. I'm smiling a bit here at the image of zillions skeletons suddenly emerginfg from the ground.

Althouugh I have known of cases where in medieval Christianity the resurrection of the dead was taken as crude literalism. In Portugal ,for instance, there's a whole little church decorated with human skulls because they ran out of burial ground.

Chinese Buddhists bury, at least in Thailand they do, and I assume that's because Chinese culture is stronger to them than Buddhist culture.

Would that be Pure Land, Amida ? As I said, Mahayanist generally cremate although there may be some exceptions.

I'm not aware of the Buddha having taught anything specific on the subject, I may be wrong, cremation was the norm in India at the time as it is today.

Which brings me back to my original question really concerning Vedic and Bramhanistic, or at least other cultural influences, on any early Buddhist regulations concerning disposal of the dead .

Edited June 3, 2008 by chutai

[IMA_FARANG]

Having recently considered a woodland burial when I 'pop me clogs' I was reminded of when someone once said to me that Buddhists were always cremated. Although to be fair, he did look sheepish and couldn't answer when I aked why that should be an imperative.

My own take would be something like as the early Southern school of Theravada was to be found in hotter countries like Sri Lanka and those in Southeast Asia , then cremation might make more sense on health grounds. Although it must be said that in Thailand cremation seems to take place after about the same length of time as it does burial or cremation in the West (excepting the within three days uppheld in Issan I believe) . So perhaps that isn't right either.

Leaving aside the larger part of Mahayana, which differs from Theravada on the subject of death, according to the different emphasis on things like the Bardo states.

I'm left wondering if there may be something in the Vedic and Bramanistic teachings that early Buddhism might have adopted as a set of rules as dictated by Mahakashyapa to the first council ?

Not to be critical, mate but....why do you care what happens to your body after you are dead? It won't be of any use to you will it? Do you plan to come back to "re-occupy". Not likely is it?

You do not have to be cremated...you can have a funeral if you have the land and want to spend the money.