University of Virginia Library

Cremation

The funeral pyre had already been built by the young men despatched
in the morning. The construction consisted of two posts planted in the
earth, with firewood piled laterally between them.[2] The coffin was conducted
three times around the pyre in a counter-clockwise direction. It was
then placed near the pyre with the dead man's head pointing west. (The
circumambulation was explained by informants in two ways: (1) old
laymen said that it represented encirclement by death and birth (wian taj
wian koed), or the cycle of death and rebirth. (2) a monk explained that
each circumambulation signified in sequence: (a) roop-pa-pob—body
state—that is, `let the dead man be reborn as a human body', (b) kammapob—`let
the dead man be reborn and have wife and children' (actually
the strict meaning of the Pali concept is the `state of sensual existence'),

and (c) juan-ra-pob—state of walking—that is, `let the deceased travel
a good path in his next life'.[3] The anthropologist notes that the counterclockwise
circumambulation is a reversal of the clockwise circling of the
wat in collective Buddhist rites. If the latter `binds' the sacred and also
signifies `ascent', the former `unbinds' or scatters the body to its destiny
after death.)

The people assembled at the cemetery collected dry sticks and placed
them on the pyre. (`It brings merit to help burn the corpse.')

The white cloth covering the coffin was taken off and two men, standing
on either side of the coffin pyre, threw it to each other three times. This is
the bansakula cloth already referred to.[4] (Villagers interpreted the throwing
of this cloth three times in much the same way as they interpreted the
circumambulation.)

After the monks rendered a set of chants, they were presented with
gifts of packets containing tobacco, betel and money, and they chanted
a blessing in acceptance of the gifts.

The next sequence was the pouring of water on the corpse. Two monks
in succession poured coconut juice on the corpse's face (`Water of the
young coconut is as pure as the Five Precepts.') Relatives of the deceased
and villagers poured scented water on the corpse. (While pouring, one
usually says `I come to wash your face, may you ascend to heaven.' As one
informant put it, `The face is washed because after death he goes to the
other world. Water is poured to cleanse and make the corpse beautiful.
People usually say, while pouring: "When being reborn, don't bring
any disease with you. Don't starve, be rich in the next birth." ' He also
explained that monks cleanse the corpse first because they `keep the
precepts and practise morality'.)

The cord which had previously been attached to the foot of the coffin
when the monks led it to the cemetery was now fastened to its head.
Two monks held the cord and recited a brief chant. (This is called the
suad-anit-cha, which says that all bodies are impermanent; ageing, struggle
and death are inevitable processes.) Three other groups of monks repeated
this sequence. A log had been placed between the coffin and the monks,
and none of the monks stepped over this barrier. (No interpretation of this
was forthcoming. The anthropologist is tempted to say that monks stand
at the threshold of death, but do not actually enter that realm.) This

concluded the ritual role of most of the monks, who then returned to the
wat. Before leaving they were individually presented with gift packets
(bang-maag) which also contained money.

The ritual was now approaching the actual cremation. The four paper
flags were removed from the coffin and planted on the pyre. The abbot
moved to the head of the coffin and held one end of the white cloth placed
on its top. He rendered a brief chant and then took the cloth. The clothes,
mattress and blanket of the deceased were placed near the pyre, the
coffin was lifted on to the pyre, and the remaining monks and the villagers
lit the firewood. While the corpse burned, the monks chanted. (`This is
to tell the way to heaven.')

The people left the cemetery after the pyre was ignited. It is the custom
that when they return to the village from the cemetery, they must first
go into the wat compound and only then to the funeral house (home of
the deceased), where they are feasted. The wat immunizes the dangers
of death.

That evening a ceremony took place in the funeral house which I should
like to emphasize. Beginning on this evening, the monks came to the
house for three nights in order to chant suad paritta mongkhon `for
protection and for blessing'. Certain objects were put in a fishing net:
these were the clothes of the deceased left in the house and the tools used
for cutting wood for the pyre. A thread was attached to the Buddha image,
then it was held by the abbot; next it was wound round a bowl of water,
then it was held by the other monks, after which the end was attached
to the net. In a subsequent section I shall deal with these protection
ceremonies and the making of lustral water. It is obvious that the monks
were purifying the objects mentioned or, to put it differently, were themselves
`absorbing' and neutralizing their impurity. As one informant put
it, `the thread is tied to those objects, and sacred words in Pali pass
through it to drive away disease and the dead man's winjan'.

The chanting was followed by the wake `to make the family members
happy (gnan hyan dee)'. Many people, both old and young, stayed on
in the funeral house until very late, the old conversing and the young
playing games. This was an occasion for young people of both sexes to
have fun together. On the following two nights as well people visited the
funeral house, both to listen to the monks' chanting and to make the
bereaved family happy.