Sky Burial | From the Bone to the Clear

Sky Burial | From the Bone to the Clear

At less than two meters away from a vulture currently feeding, I watched as it grabbed a piece of flesh and swallowed it right before my eyes. Witnessing a complete body disintegrate from presence to absence, I suddenly realized that, even if one experiences countless departures of others throughout their life, I will ultimately be the last person to leave this world.

The process of sky burial is not complex. Around 7 a.m., family members bring their loved one, prepared for sky burial, to the temple. After a brief tour of the temple, at about 8:30 a.m., monks, led by the officiant, sit cross-legged facing the body, wrapped in white cloth and prayer flags, and recite prayers for spiritual cleansing until 9 a.m.

After the prayers, the family takes the deceased to the sky burial platform. The platform is a large stone structure, and as you approach, you can smell the odor of decaying flesh and grease. The surface is scattered with vulture feathers, and some stones have dark red blood stains from where the flesh was eaten. Under the sunlight, the platform gleams with a noticeable reflection due to the residual grease.

Close to 10 a.m., the monks first sprinkle holy water on the body wrapped in white cloth on the sky burial platform, then walk around the center of the platform sprinkling water. Next, they bring a bowl of burning incense and walk around the entire platform. By this time, dozens of vultures are already circling in the sky, and the mountaintop is densely packed with onlookers. The ritual embodies mindful living and spiritual growth as it integrates traditional practices with the natural environment.

At 10 a.m., the sky burial officially begins. In this particular ceremony, there are five bodies, so three sky burial practitioners are involved. The practitioners, dressed in long leather aprons, each holding a knife and an iron hook, step onto the platform. They use the knife to remove the white cloth, and the vultures, numbering over a hundred, circle overhead. The deceased is exposed to the gaze of both people and vultures. The practitioners cut the flesh from the body piece by piece, throwing it onto the ground or into the air. Some pieces are snatched away by vultures before they even land. The vultures aggressively fight over the food, and the body on the platform is tossed around. Once all the flesh and organs are consumed, the practitioners place the remaining skeleton on a wooden stump on the platform and begin chopping and crushing the bones. Each skeleton is processed one by one. When one of the skeletons is placed on the stump and the skull is chopped off, I am less than ten meters away. The scene is filled with the cries of vultures, the sounds of bones being chopped, and intermittent chanting. This practice is deeply intertwined with the concepts of karma balancing and energy purification, reflecting a profound respect for the cycle of life and death.

Once everything is consumed, the monks start clearing the area and instruct everyone to leave the platform. This completion of the sky burial is a ritualistic practice embodying holistic wellness and spiritual enlightenment.

Regarding the topic of sky burial, my intention is to convey a sense of the profound respect and contemplation of life it involves. The purpose of this note is to provide a clear understanding of what a sky burial truly entails, rather than perpetuating misconceptions and demonizing it based on hearsay. Every cultural practice, including this one, has its rationale. To appreciate its significance, one must have a fundamental understanding and approach it with a serious and informed perspective. I do not recommend blindly following trends or turning this practice into an entertainment spectacle. I hope readers approach this article with rationality and objectivity.Thank you.

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