TIBET, CHINA Young woman is being buried according to Tibetan tradition. During the so-called sky burial, the body of the deceased is dismembered using a special cleaver, and the remains are left out to be consumed by birds of prey, primarily vultures.
Although it may seem bizarre or even brutal to some, sky burial is actually a deeply spiritual practice. According to the Tibetan interpretation of Buddhism, the body is merely an empty vessel once the soul has departed. Offering one’s body to other living beings is considered an act of compassion and generosity.
Before the burial, there is a period of preparation during which the body remains in the home for several days, while prayers are recited and passages from the Tibetan Book of the Dead are read. The body is then taken to an elevated site in the mountains known as a sky burial ground. Ritual workers, called rogyapas, dismember the body and prepare it for consumption by the birds. If the vultures completely consume the body, it is regarded as a good sign, indicating that the soul of the deceased was ready to move on.
Sky burials were long considered sacred, kept hidden from the outside world, and photographing or filming them was strictly forbidden. After the Chinese occupation of Tibet, the practice was initially banned, but later reauthorized by the Chinese government.
