Isaan Funeral - 24 October 2009 (2552)

Saturday, 24 October, we went to see Duang's younger brother perform in a small village north of here towards the Lao border. He is an entertainer and puts on Mahlam Lao shows in the area. He is carrying on the family tradition from his father who used to perform shows and later taught many of the current local performers. Mahlam Lao shows are performed to celebrate many events an occasions. We have attended shows that celebrated engagements, weddings, New Years, fund raisers for Wats, the start of the Rainy Season, the end of the Rainy Season, handicraft fairs, Monk Ordinations, "Thank You" from local politician, one year anniversary of a wife's death, - just about any and all reasons, justifications, or excuses to get together and have a party. Yesterday's event was a new reason for us - a funeral. A village man had died three days ago. He was cremated at the local Wat earlier in the morning before our arrival at 10:00 A. M. Breaking from tradition, his family was having a party to celebrate his death rather than waiting a year. Many Lao Loum people wait for the first anniversary of the decease's death to have the party. This wait gives them time to earn and save money to pay for the celebration. The man's children had the money readily available so the celebration was held on the same day as his cremation. The stage for the show was set up on a vacant lot across the street from the man's home. Three large awnings were set up in the man's yard and two awnings set up in the next door neighbor's yard. I suspect that the neighbor was also a relative as is pretty much the case throughout Isaan - families live close to each other. The village street between the two houses and stage was filled with vendors selling ice cream, soft drinks, and cooked foods. Further down the street and off to the side there was a "Jolly Jumper" type amusement for the children to enjoy. The show started off pretty much as typical - some rocking music and go-go girls dancing. After about 5 songs, the show entered into what I call the traditional phase. During the "traditional phase" of the shows, the music is old time Lao. The rhythm is supplied by a wind bamboo mouth organ called a "khene". The khene makes a sound similar to harmonica and accordion and in my opinion - a little bit of bag pipe thrown into the mix. There is not much a melody to the songs but a definite hypnotic beat and rhythm from the khen. A singer accompanies the khene and sings traditional Lao music - folk music. the music is sung in a long drawn out style with many single words song out across a wide range of tones somewhat like yodeling. The music is definitely not for everyone's tastes. I enjoy its primitive tribal nature as well as its sense of linking to the past. The songs appear to fall into two basic categories - laments of a dispossessed people living far from their family, a lost kingdom and culture, or lost love, the struggles of day to day living off of a poor land; the second category is free verse between a male and female singer with sexual intonations. Today, apparently due to the reason for the celebration, there was not any free verse bet wen a male and female singer. The traditional music was limited to the laments sung by the female singer of the show. During one of the sadder songs, the youngest daughter of the deceased man, danced in her grief with a framed photograph of her father. She had come back to Isaan from Bangkok where she works. This is very often the case in Isaan. To earn a living and to help support their family, young men and women leave Isaan to perform menial labor, heavy labor or to service the adult entertainment industry in the big cities outside of Isaan. This daughter had not seen her father everyday and had not taken care of him all the time so in her grief there was most likely some remorse as well as guilt. In Isaan, the youngest daughter is expected to care for her parents. In return for this burden and obligation, it is the youngest daughter who inherits the parent's property when they die. There are strong social pressures for the youngest daughter to "take care of her parents". The deceased man loved to dance and particularly liked the song that his daughter was dancing to. The song was requested and dedicated to his memory so that she could make a personal goodbye. The song was about dying and all the people being sad at death but wishing him well so that he could rise and care for the people who had died before him. As the youngest daughter danced some relatives came up to join her for a while. They were giving her emotional support and telling her not to be sad because all people die. In Buddhism, death is seen as much as a beginning as an end. With the end of this life, there is the opportunity to start of a new life - hopefully a better life. It is the optimism of a possible better new life that the people celebrate and focus on. She was the only person that I observed to be noticeably grieving. After the traditional phase ended, the show was like any other mahlam lao or mahlam lao sing performance - rocking music, go-go dancing, heavy drinking, and people dancing up a storm. Everyone was enjoying themselves immensely. People of all ages participated in the event. It was a family event. After awhile, I ended up at the dead man's home. Underneath one of the erected awnings, men were assembling "basahts". Basahts are like spirit houses. These were made out of bamboo and banana stalks. Men had taken large banana stalks and peeled them to create strips of material that could be cut into decorative and ornate pieces to adorn the houses that are made out of woven fresh bamboo strips. There were two of these "houses". One was for the dead man and the other was for his wife who had died prior to him. Inside of each of the basahts, sticky rice and other food items were placed for "Phii" (spirits, ghosts). On the table alongside of the bashats were offerings to the Monks such as sahts, tea kettles, candles, soap, matches, and pillows. Offering these to the Monks along with money would earn merit for the deceased people to help them on their journey to the next life. Merit will also be earned by the people who contribute to the offerings. Later in the afternoon the basahts as well as offerings were carried on the men's shoulders in a procession to the Wat. The procession was typical for Isaan - loud music, dancing, and drinking whiskey or beer. It was a celebration like any other more traditional recognized in the West as for happier events. The basahts will remain at the Wat outside of the buildings for about a month. The offers will facilitate the acceptance of the departed into the spirit world. After the basahts have decayed to some point, the Monks will take care of disposing of them. It may appear intrusive for a stranger who is the only foreigner at this type of event, who is a Christian and not a Buddhist let alone an Animist, to be walking around taking photographs. It may appear to us that way but not to the Lao Loum people. The man's family took me by the elbow and brought me closer to take photographs of anything that I wanted to. They were concerned about me having something to eat. People kept offering me beer and whiskey. I did not feel like a stranger or any bit uncomfortable for long. They readily and willingly answered all questions that I had - of course Duang had to do a great deal of translating! I am constantly amazed and surprised at the openness and friendliness of the Lao Loum people. Towards the end of the afternoon, there was another religious ritual. The deceased man's family went up on stage and kneeled down facing the people. Two large photographs of the man and his wife were held so that the people could see. A large metal tray of food and drink as well as candles and some plant offerings were also on the tray. These were to help the man on his journey up. The relatives were praying as the female singer and khene player performed a traditional Lao funeral song. Once in a while, some of the people in the audience went up to the stage to offer condolences and money. It was a very touching and fitting tribute. My brother-in-law then performed a requested song dedicated to the deceased man. After what we thought was going to be a typical show but turned out to be another insight into the rich tapestry of Lao Loum culture and life, we returned home. Today as I finish this blog, I will go out and wash the new truck. After driving out to Tahsang Village the other day, the truck needs cleaning however according to Duang, the truck could not be cleaned for three days after it was blessed. I can't complain - it wasn't like when we moved into our house and had to wait for it to be blessed before we could ...

Kathmandu Funerals

A Corpse, Prepared for Cremation, Is Carried Along the Banks of the Bagmati River

Pashupatinath located on the outskirts of Kathmandu along the banks of the sacred Bagmati River and close to the international airport is Nepal's most important Hindu temple. It is also one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Hindu world.  The temple is dedicated to Shiva, specifically his incarnation as the Lord of the Beasts, Pashupati.  Pashupati is considered to be the national deity of Nepal.  Ninety-five percent of the people who die in Kathmandu are cremated at Pashupatinath.

Being a Non-Hindu, I was not allowed to enter the main temple.  However, I had visited Pashupatinath specifically to observe and document the open air cremations conducted along the banks of the Bagmati River and the Sadhhus.  Non-Hindus, after paying an entrance fee, are allowed to access the areas of the cremations, Shiva shrines, and hillside.

Living in Thailand and being exposed to the Buddhist rituals and attitudes towards death, I have become interested in the ways and traditions in which people deal with the final days of loved ones.

Since I started living in Thailand ten years ago, I have attended more funerals than in all my previous 58 years.  Visiting Pashupatinath was my first opportunity to witness and experience the Hindu funeral ritual.

Son and Priest Perform Ritual for Dead Parent

After a short walk from the entrance to the site, I came upon the east ghats along side of the Bagmati River - a short stone throw from the ghats on the other side of the river where cremations were being performed.  Ghats are the stairs that lead down to the river.  Often the term, ghat, is used to describe the stone platforms built on and among the stairs upon which the funeral pyres are constructed.

Typically the body being cremated is a person who died at home only a few hours earlier.  When a Hindu dies it is a common practice to cremate the body either before the sunset or sunrise following the death.  Cremation is held as soon as possible after all family members have the opportunity to view the body.  Customarily the body is brought to holy grounds for cremation.  Hindus believe that the soul quickly leaves the body upon death.  To help facilitate the soul on its journey, the cremation is performed as promptly as possible to ensure there is no temptation for the soul to linger on this side of the world. 

One of the first raised stone platforms that I encountered on the east side of the river was the site of a special ritual.  Cremation are held as soon as possible after all family members have the opportunity to view the body. In past times this was easy to comply with since families remained largely intact - tied to the land or village.  However today families, of all castes, are often separated by miles, kilometers, mountains, national borders, rivers, lakes, and even oceans.  There are thousands Nepalese Hindus living and working in countries such as Bhutan, the Middle East, and further afar.  Often they are not able to promptly return upon the death of a family member.  In such circumstances, the cremation is conducted, and the family member returns when they can to perform a special offering to honor the departed person.

I stopped and witnessed such a special offering ritual.  According to my guide, the man's father or mother had died and had been cremated.  The son had been unable to attend the cremation, he had returned now and with the assistance of a Hindu priest was making a special offering.

The man had shaved all of his hair from his head except for a small tuft at the upper backside of his skull.  He had also modestly removed his shoes, socks, pants, undergarments, and shirt and placed a loose white garment around his waist.  White is the color of mourning for Hindus rather than black.

The ritual was quite involved with many bowls, and containers.  Marigolds, water, rice, incense, plant leaves, and paper money were involved.  The marigold petals, rice, and water were at various points during the ritual sprinkled onto the head of the mourning man and flicked into the air.

It was a very moving and interesting ritual - a ritual that I did not understand, but a ritual that I will learn more about when I return to Nepal someday, someday soon.

Corpse is carried by males to the cremation site.  Rice is sprinkled on the pyre.

The caste system no longer exists in Nepal.  It was made illegal in 1962.  That is the way things are supposed to be and then there is the reality of the way things actually are.  Although the caste system was legislated away in 1962, there are clear and strongly defined economic stratification as well as class distinctions in Nepal society today.  These distinctions and stratification can be witnessed even in the cremation of bodies at Pashupatinath.

The Bagmati River is crossed by two pedestrian bridges.  South of the bridges, is where the common people are cremated.  North of the bridges, where the royals were cremated, is where the rich are cremated.

The body on a bamboo litter is carried around the pyre three times

Bodies to be cremated are carried by men on stretchers or handcrafted bamboo litters from the north to the south where the appropriate pyre platforms are located.  The bodies have been washed and prepared for cremation elsewhere.  They are wrapped in white except for the head.  An easily removable cloth covers the face of the deceased.  Garlands of marigolds cover the body.  Marigolds, saffron yellow, are considered pure whereas the corpse is considered to be impure.  The cremation, a ritual of fire, is a purification rite.  After the corpse is carried three times clockwise around the funeral pyre, the garlands are removed and used to decorate the funeral pyre.  The body is placed on the funeral pyre with the head pointed north - north, the direction of the dead.

Female relative pays respect

The cremation ritual is lead by by the eldest son.  If the eldest son is not available, the next oldest son will perform the duties.  If the deceased person did not have any sons, the responsibility will pass over to the eldest male relative on the patriarchal side of the family.  Daughters or any other females do not perform the ritual.

Eldest male relative, most likely son, supervises the ritual

As part of the cremation ritual, the eldest male places a rice ball, pinda, is placed in the mouth of the deceased to provide nourishment to the spirit for the journey from this this world.

Offerings and fire are carried around the funeral pyre

As part of the ritual, family members circle the body and place offerings of sandalwood kindling on the body.  Holy water from the Bagmati River, just beneath the cremation platform, is sprinkled by hand over the deceased person's body.

Holy Water from the Bagmati River is sprinkled upon the body

Cremation worker builds a funeral pyre

Eldest male relative completes building the funeral pyre

The eldest male, typically the son, completes the construction of the pyre on top of the body and lights the funeral pyre at the mouth of the deceased person.  It is believed that the spirit leaves the body through the mouth.  Starting the cremation fire at the mouth ensures that the spirit is purified as it exits.  Once the fire has commenced straw dampened with water from the river is placed upon the pyre to create a cloaking smoke of the cremation.

Smoke begins to rise from a funeral pyre 

As the funeral fire starts dampened straw is added to the pyre

Pashupatinath cremation scene

Eldest male washes and dismantles the bamboo litter

Smoke from wet straw rises above funeral pyre

Cremation worker tends the pyre

Relatives sit vigil as body is cremated

Ghat located north of the two pedestrian bridges is prepared for a wealthy person DSC 3019

West ghats are cleansed with water from the sacred Bagmati River DSC 3030

Each cremation is but a part of the mosaic of life along the Bagmati River.  Next to ongoing cremation rituals, the funeral workers, members of the lowest caste, build the pyres out of logs in preparation the next cremation that will happen with certainty. For cremations, where the mourners the mourners have left other than for some male relatives maintain a vigil, other funeral workers tend to the fires with long poles to ensure that all the remains are consumed by the purifying fire.  The two pedestrian bridges are jammed and lined with people - Nepalese as well as foreigners witnessing it all and photographing it all.  Behind the pyres, in the areas accessible only to Hindus, people can be scene entering shrines and temples as part of practicing their faith. The hillside on the east side of the river is covered with tourists congregating about the Sadhhus who are to found amongst the shrines to Shiva.  Further up the hillside, families are enjoying the view of it all from an overlook while enjoying snacks and beverages from the refreshment stand.  Life continues with the players all playing their roll of the moment and often oblivious to the others.

 I will return again to Kathmandu to witness and document the Hindu funerals but more importantly, to better understand the details and nuances of the ritual.  My wife will accompany me this time and I look forward to sharing with her the source of many of the rituals that she practices in her Theravada Buddhist faith.  Although she is Buddhist, her faith includes many Animist as well as Hindu precepts and practices.

All though we are often oblivious to each other and the ways along with beliefs of others, it is through travel that we will discover and commence to understand that we are actually all connected.

A Boy's Day In Isaan

Peelawat Gets His Hair Removed

The passage of time here in rural Northeast Thailand is marked by the seasonal rhythm of the land - the wet Monsoon season which we are now in, the dry season, rice planting, rice harvesting, cassava planting, cassava harvesting, sugar cane planting along with sugar cane harvesting, peanut cultivation, and corn cultivation.  The passage of time is punctuated by the many religious events and celebrations.

A person's life here is a journey of personal milestones - starting with birth, commencing pre-school at 3 years of age, graduating from pre-school, commencing elementary school, becoming married, and so on.

Last Saturday, 10 September 2016, was a busy day of milestones - the cremation of Duang's ex-husband and the first time that Peelawat, out seven year old grandson became a Monk.

Duang had been married for 20 years to her first husband and had two children with him.  I met her after she had been divorced for 5 years.  I had met her ex-husband under rather odd circumstances - he had driven a car from Bangkok to Pattaya with Duang's children to bring Duang and I  to Bangkok and back to our home so that I could buy gold as part of our marriage ritual.  I did not know who he was until late in the afternoon when I got Duang off to the side and asked her who he was.  She replied "He father, my daughter and my son"  I was shocked.

He attended our wedding in the village and it turned out that one of Duang's best friends was his current wife. He told Duang that he could see that we loved each other and that he would not cause any problems for us.  He kept his word and I have been grateful.

I had seen him several times over the past 10 years with the last time being three years ago when I hired him to be our driver when we flew down to Bangkok for a vacation.  Over the time we had developed a respect for each other.

Two months ago, he was diagnosed with cancer of the liver and spine.  The end came fast for him but not without suffering.  He had been living in the Bangkok area away from his son and other relatives.  Duang's son decided to bring his father up here to Isaan for the cremation and interment of his bones.  Duang joined her son, daughter, and several family members driving down to Bangkok and then immediately back to Thasang Village for the cremation ritual.

The cremation ritual was conducted on Saturday.  It is traditional and expected here that upon the death of a close family member, some male relatives have their heads shorn and  their eyebrows shaved on the morning of the cremation.  After having their heads shorn, often shaved, the males go to the Wat where the cremation ritual will take place.  At the Wat, they are interviewed by the Abbot, don the saffron Monk robe, take some vows, and become Monks for the day.  After they have a meal of food offered by the family of the deceased person, the Monks of the Wat and the new Monks go to the home where the body lies inside of a refrigerated coffin.

I have attended many funerals here in Isaan, many more than I had attended in my previous 61 years in America.  I remember being sheltered as a child from attending funerals.  It was not until I was 17 or 18 years old that I attended a funeral.  Such is not the case here in Isaan.  At the earliest age and more importantly, throughout childhood, children attend and participate in funerals.

Children attend and participate in funerals as full members of the family or community.

I am often reminded of a wonderful quote from National Geographic contributor, Wade Davis, a renowned Canadian Anthropologist.  In his documentary series, "Light At the End of the World" concerning the Buddhist attitude towards death ... "The Buddhists spend all their lies getting ready for a moment that we spend most of our lives pretending does not exist, which is the moment of our death".

In Isaan, death is a milestone of life which is familiar to and accepted by all people from a very early age.  The conclusion of this life, which for many has been very difficult, presents the hope as well as the opportunity for a better as well as easier life in the future - another step towards eventual liberation - enlightenment.

With the death of his grandfather, Peelawat, our 7.5 year old grandson, would mark a major milestone of his young life - he would become a Monk for the cremation ritual.

Peelawat Takes A Seat

Around 9:30 AM the morning of his grandfather's cremation, Peelawat took a seat in front of his great-grandmother's house where he lives.  It was his turn to have his hair removed and then his eyebrows shaved.  His turn had been determined by age ... older male relatives went first in accordance with their age.

Peelawat sat very patiently an stoically as an uncle from the village removed his hair with some electric clippers.  The uncle was also assisted by Duang who took a turn with the shears,

In a short time, Peelawat's hair was all gone.  At most of the funerals that I have attended here in Isaan the head was also shaved but for this ritual the heads were not shaved.  However the eyebrows were shaved with Duang's oldest brother doing the job just off to the side of the hair removal station.

Just like the relatives before him, Peelawat sat down in another plastic chair for his uncle to shave off his eyebrows using a straight razor - one razor for all but a freshly purchased razor from the little market at the end of the street.

Peelawat Has His Eyebrows Removed

After the last young boy had his eyebrows removed, the Monks "to be" walked the short distance to the Wat inside of Thasang Village. In quiet orderly fashion, they climbed the stairs to enter the Bot (ubosoth - ordination hall).

Once inside the Bot, all the men and boys lined up and knelt in single file to pay their respects to the Abbot of the Wat - the Monk that I have nicknamed "Rocket Man".  He then interviewed them to ensure that they were humans - "of this world" and not Nagas.

Peelawat Reverently Holds His Robe

The men and boys were then presented with Monk robes by the Abbot.  The Monk robe was actually comprised of several individual articles of clothing - Angsa - a vest that hangs over the left shoulder leaving the right shoulder exposed.  Peelawat, after removing his shirt, put his on incorrectly but "Rocket Man" corrected him and then assisted Peelawat with getting dressed completely and properly.  The older men who had been Monks before tended to themselves.  Another male relative helped the two other young boys.  I was of no help to Peelawat so "Rocket Man"'s help was much needed and appreciated.

Peelawat Gets Help With Sabong

The second article of the Monk's robe was a sarong called Sabong.  It is a simple sarong ut very important because it is the article of clothing that is worn 24 hours a day.  After putting on the Sabong, Peelawat like all the others. modestly removed his pants from underneath the sarong.

The sabong is held in place by a wide and thick cotton belt called a Prakod.

The last article comprising the robe is the Jeeworn (Mantle Robe) the outer cloak like wrapping that you often see Monks adjusting.  When a Monk is at his temple, his Jeeworn covers his body except for the right shoulder.  When the Monk leaves his Wat, his Jeeworn must cover his entire body.  The Jeeworn has no straps, buttons, velcro, or zippers so it must be folded, wrapped and tucked to be worn properly.

Peelawat Awaits His Jeeworn

After everyone was dressed, they participated in a short ritual that made them Monks.  They then sat down to have a meal.  One of Duang's female cousins made offerings of food to the Monks - taking care now to not touch the boys as well as men since they were now Monks.

Monks Have Their Meal

I was surprised at how much Peelawat ate.  He was the last one to leave the bot!  He eats well when he is at our house but he often does not eat that much at home.  At home he is often preoccupied with playing futball (soccer) or riding bicycles with friends.  At the Wat there were no distractions - the Monks ate in silence.  There were no soccer balls, televisions, smart phones, or bicycles in sight.

After Peelawat had finished eating around 11:00 AM, I returned to the house where Duang and everyone were occupied. One hour and a half later, all the Monks arrived at the house.  There was a 20 minute ritual lead by the chanting Monks.  Upon completion of the 20 minute ritual, the coffin and deadman's personal possessions were removed from the house in placed in two pick-up trucks for the short drive back to the Wat.

Outside of the house, a funeral procession formed up.  The procession was lead by the oldest Monk of the Wat followed by the 6 family member Monks.  A sacred cord, sai siin, was carried by the Monks with the other end of the cord attached to the refrigerated coffin located on the back of a following pick-up truck.

Immediately behind the Monks, close family members walked in front of the truck bearing the coffin.  They also held on to the sai siin.  One of the family members, a brother, carried a basket filled with freshly puffed rice.  As the procession marched along the village street towards the Wat, He threw handfuls of the puffed rice along the route - offerings to the local spirits.

The second pick-up truck carrying the possessions and tributes to the deceased person followed behind the first truck.  Extended-family members, and friends marched alongside and behind the second truck.

The Monks, truck with the coffin and close family members circled around the crematory furnace 3 times counter-clockwise while the other members of the procession broke ranks and settled down in the sala or covered pavilion for the remainder of the ritual.

The refrigerated coffin was offloaded from the pickup truck and placed in front of the furnace structure.  It was opened and the consumable coffin containing the body was removed to be carried up the stairs for placement on steel sawhorses at the doors to the furnace.  The personal possessions were offloaded from the second truck and placed in a pile off to the side and behind the furnace structure to be burned.

There was an extended ritual conducted inside the sala which is located next to the crematorium.  The ritual involved making offerings to the Monks and offerings to the spirit of the deceased man.  For part of the offering, the sacred cord, sai sin was strung out and held by the Monks thereby connecting the Monks, Buddha statue of the Sala and the coffin at the door to the crematorium furnace.  Peelawat did his part and held on to the sai sin as if he had done the ritual many times before.

The ritual then focused at the coffin located at the doors to the furnace.  Offerings were placed on top of the coffin and then the senior Monks climbed the stairs one by one to accept the offerings as presented by senior members of the family or dignitaries at the funeral.

Bamboo and paper mementos, called daugmaichan, were placed upon a tray placed on top of the closed coffin by everyone.  Attendees walked up the steps of the Wat's crematorium to the coffin that was placed upon two metal sawhorses at the doors to the furnace.  They carried with them small paper and bamboo objects called "Daugmaichan", good luck tokens that they had taken from a large bowl placed on a table at the foot of the stairs, and placed them in metal trays on top of the coffin. They first "wai", slightly bowing the head as the hands in the praying position are raised to the forehead, and then placed their daugmaichan on the pile building up in the trays.  The wai is the Thai expression of respect that people use to greet each other or to say goodbye.  Some people will knock three times on the side of the coffin in a final farewell gesture.  Other people will call out in controlled voices words to the effect "Good luck to you, I will miss you, I hope to see you again soon."  The scene is always dignified and touching.Upon completion of the placing of the mementos, it was time for the body to have coconut water poured on it.

The Monks climbed the stairs to pour coconut water on the corpse.  The senior Monks were first in line to pour the coconut water followed by the family Monks for the day.  Peelawat had never performed this ritual before.  With guidance and encouragement from the Monks, Peelawat did just fine - not showing any fear or being shy,

After the funeral, Peelawat's time as a monk was over.  He returned to his home to resume his life as a 7 year old.  His aunt asked him if she could borrow some money from him.  He had received roughly $9 USD (280 baht) from offerings during the funeral ritual.  His aunt was teasing and joking with him about having some money.  Peelawat explained to her that he could not give her any money because he had given it all to his great-grandmother so that she could give it to him each day for school.  Peelawat "needs" 20 baht ($0.60 USD) each day to buy lunch and snacks at school.  His plan is to use his funds from being a Monk to buy some of his lunches and snacks.

It had been quite a busy day for Peelawat.  He had successfully achieved one of his life milestones - being a Monk for the funeral of his grandfather.  Peelawat is quickly evolving into a responsible young man - a young man that we are so proud of.

A Monk's Cremation

Wan Tong Veeboonkul

Buddhists do not believe in a permanent and fixed reality.  To them everything in this world is subject to change as well as alteration.  Impermanence and change are truths in our existence according to Buddhism.

In Buddhism, impermanence is described in four phrases:

Whatever is stored up is bound to run out.

Whatever rises up is bound to fall down.

Whatever come together is bound to fall apart.

Whatever is born is impermanent and is bound to die.

Everyday, if we look or choose to be aware there are examples as well as affirmations of the four phrases regarding impermanence.  However, it is the death of someone that we know that strongly drives into our reality the truth of the fourth phrase  "Whatever is born is impermanent and is bound to die".

A week ago, one of Duang's cousins died.  Wan Tong Veeboonkul was 72 years old.  We last saw him at a funeral in Thasang Village on October 14th.

Wan Tong Veeboonkul - far right side of this photo

Wan Tong had been a Theravada Buddhist Monk for five years.  He had become a Monk after the death of his wife.  As is very common her in Thailand, many men after the death of their wife and their children leaving to start their own families, will "take refuge" in the Triple Gem (Three Jewels) of Buddhism - the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings of Buddha), and the Sangha (the Buddhist religious community of Monks and Nuns).

Duang's cousin had four daughters and one son who lived near him in Ban Nong Daeng near Duang's home village in Nongwa Subdistrict.

He had not been feeling well for a while - Duang said that his insides were no good.  Last week he went out for a walk and had a heart attack.  Typically when someone dies of natural causes they are cremated three days after their death.  In cases of violent deaths such as accidents or suicides, the person is cremated sooner because the spirits are unsettled by the death - in those cases the body is cremated one or two days later.  However Duang's cousin was a Monk which is an entirely different protocol.

Monks are considered and treated as a higher class of people than typical people here in Thailand.  Their social status is due to Monks being closer to liberation ("Enlightenment") than average people or even wealthy people.

I have attended over 15 funerals in six years, however this was the first cremation ritual for a monk.  To paraphrase an expression that Duang often uses when I point out something in America or Thailand that Is different from each other - "Funeral for Buddha (Monk) not same for other people"

The first difference is that a Monk is not cremated until 7 days after his death.  Secondly whereas all the cremations that I have attended were around 1:00 PM, the cremation for Monks does not start until after sundown.  Our sunset now is around 5:30 PM so yesterday's ritual did not start until 7:00 P.M. The ritual for the Monk lasted two hours whereas typical cremations that I have attended lasted around one hour.

The ritual for laypeople starts at their home with a procession to the local Wat for the final aspects of the ritual.  The Monk was kept at the Wat where he lived.

Entrance to Wat Udom Nong Daeng

Oh - the biggest difference was Monks are cremated on a funeral pyre on the Wat's grounds and not in the Wat's crematory furnace.  When I arrived yesterday afternoon for the evenings ritual, the Monk was already positioned on top of the funeral pyre.

Funeral Pyre for Wan Tong Veeboonkul

A small ornate pavilion had been erected around the funeral pyre. The pavilion was constructed from four concrete piles placed in the ground to serve as support columns.  The concrete columns served as support elements for horizontal bamboo members that in turn served as attachment points for long thin bamboo members to form a dome above the funeral pyre.

The dome framework was covered with a fine white fabric that very well could have been mosquito netting. The base of the dome was circled by a ring of  homemade ornate consumable panels - thin Styrofoam boards covered with a solid colored foil with an overlay of a different colored foil cut by hand into intricate designs.  I have watched this type of decoration being produced before but on a much smaller scale for "spirit houses" (basahts) used in Tambon Nong Roy Wan parties (Bone Party).

Ornate thin colored cloth panels, reminiscent of delicate summer curtains from my youth in New England were suspended from the dome ring and gathered at their end near the ground to form triangles along the circumference of the funeral pyre.  There was a low wall type structure created from horizontal bamboo poles and fabric covered thin Styrofoam panels.  Two openings at opposite ends of the structure allowed access to the pyre.  Leaning up against the outside  four low walls were many funeral memorial placards readily available for all funerals.  The placards often contain clocks, fans, giant ornamental watches, and sometimes kitchen utensils along with artificial flowers, garlands and custom printed banners of best wishes for the deceased along with the name of the donor.

Underneath the dome, a refrigerated coffin was resting upon a bed of logs.  The bed of logs was comprised of two layers of 9" to 12" diameter hardwood logs perpendicular to each other.  Inside of the refrigerated coffin was the typical consumable coffin containing the corpse.

Outside of the entrance closest to the pavilions where people sat to view the ritual where tables with talisman called daughans that would be placed on top of the consumable coffin by mourners before coconut water is poured on the corpse by Monks, dignitaries and family members.  Men remove the daugchans from the lid of the consumable coffin and place them inside of the coffin before the pouring of the coconut water.

Mourners Carrying Monk Robes Offerings Three Times Clockwise Around Pyre

A very important aspect of the ritual is to earn merit for one-self as well as for the spirit of the deceased person.  Merit is typically earned at funerals by offering robes to the Monks by dignitaries and immediate family members. The people earn merit for themselves and the deceased person by carrying the robe up to the coffin and placing the robe on a ordinary metal serving platter on the coffin at the entrance to the furnace.  The Senior Monk accepts the first offering followed by Monks in descending seniority until all the robes are distributed.  Typically at funerals there are 2 to 5 offerings made.  For the ritual associated with the Monk's cremation, ordinary laypeople made a cash offering in a collection box at one of the tables off to the side of the pyre.  They then took a packaged robe and carefully carried it three times clockwise around the pyre.  It seemed to me that unlike a typical funeral there was no announcing of who gave what for cash offerings.  Unlike typical funerals, poor people who could not offer cash did not offer small bags of rice.  It appeared to me that you offered what you could at this ritual and you got to walk around with the robe.  After people completed their circumambulation of the pyre, the robes were returned to the white cloth covered folding table to be used by other mourners.

At most cremation rituals there are 6 to 14 Monks in attendance.  However for the ritual involving a Monk there was about 34 Monks participating.

At 7:00 PM the ritual commenced.  The start was initiated by the ringing of a bell - sounded like the ringing of a steam locomotive bell.

A senior education official did the "Master of Ceremony" duty - announcing and keeping things organized in accordance to the supervision of another one of Duang's cousins - an Abbott at another local Wat.  Both the education official and Duang's cousin are common participants at the local funerals.

The Start of the Ritual - School Official Shows Sign of Respect for the Deceased

A big difference in this ritual as opposed to a typical funeral was the offering of robes to the Monks.  Besides the sheer number of robes that were offered, there was a different way to offer them.  A dignitary or family member would be called, go up to the table of robes, take a robe on a gold colored pressed metal ornate raided bowl, and carry it to the area just inside of the pyre area.  Once the person had place the bowl with the robe on a table next to the coffin. a Monk would walk barefoot about 20 meters from their pavilion to accept the offering.  Each Monk said a chant before accepting the offering.

As part of the ritual. laymen removed the refrigerated coffin from the pyre and set it off to the side.

After the coconut water had been poured over the corpse and the daugchans placed inside of the consumable coffin, laymen punctured the bottom of the coffin to drain away the liquids in the coffin and to facilitate the cremation of the corpse.  They then placed additional long logs that had been stored off to the side of the funeral structure.  The logs were placed to form a large and dense teepee around the consumable coffin. The pyre was then doused with naphtha rather than the typical diesel fuel to start the fire.

As a Monk entered the funeral structure with a candle and started the pyre fire, fireworks were launched into the black sky.  Typically three are launched to scare away any malevolent spirits that might interfere with the release of the deceased person's spirit.  For the Monk's ritual there were several fireworks shot into the sky - it was difficult to count because each firework had several secondary explosions once it got up to elevation.  I was busy taking photos but I would estimate roughly 24 explosions and colorful bursts.

Like all funeral rituals, the symbolism of turning away from the materialism of this world, candies and foiled wrapped coins were tossed to the eagerly awaiting crowd - especially the children.

The cremation ritual last night took two hours to complete.  Typical funeral rituals take one hour once the coffin arrives at the local Wat.

Whatever is born is impermanent and is bound to die.