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2011/09/08 17:56:45瀏覽4535|回應1|推薦6 | |
按: 最近,看了一部1999年法國-尼泊爾的電影,片名“喜馬拉雅”,敘述尼泊爾Dolpo山區的習俗。這是第一部尼泊爾影片,被提名入圍Oscar Award 最佳外語片。劇情是講有關與世隔絕的Dolpo山村,每年最重要的事,就是要帶著犛牛馱著村莊中的鹽,長途跋涉橫越喜馬拉雅山,去另一個部落交換糧食以過冬。這部片是有劇情的,但吸引人的是其習俗,Discovery頻道曾播出一部有關長途跋涉橫越喜馬拉雅山的記錄片,冠以“世上最後一條貿易遷徙古道”,將喜馬拉雅山壯麗的山脈雪景呈現在觀眾眼前,令人敬畏。 本文不談這條貿易遷徙古道,而是該片劇情中主角-酋長的兒子死亡,以傳統習俗“天葬”的方式進行喪葬。以下是筆者的閱讀筆記。 天葬﹝Sky Burial﹞是世界上最病態殘忍的﹝sadistic﹞喪葬傳統 ﹝註:不是筆者的評論﹞ 一談到人的死亡,人們會想到喪葬的傳統。每一個國家有不同的喪葬傳統。許多國家採用通行的土葬,如中國、印尼、沙烏地阿拉伯、馬來西亞及美國。火葬﹝Fire Burial or Cremation ﹞則是某些地區另一種通行的喪葬傳統,如印度和峇里島。但是,西藏的喪葬傳統卻是獨特罕見的。他們的喪葬傳統不是將屍體埋在土裡或焚化,而是將屍體留給禿鷹啄食吃掉。西藏人稱之為“天葬”。“天葬”的喪葬傳統是將屍體留給肉食鳥,按西藏的信仰,如此靈魂容易達到“涅盤”﹝nirvana﹞並投胎轉世。 註:“涅盤”(nirvana),按Longman當代英文字典解釋: 1. a state of knowledge or understanding that is beyond life and death, suffering, and change, and is the aim of believers in Buddhism 2. a condition of great happiness and a feeling of peace 天葬進行的方式,視個別家庭的經濟狀況而異。 經濟情況較差的家庭,僅將屍體留置在高處的岩石上,而不舉行任何儀式。經濟情況較好的家庭,則進行全套的儀式。天葬有若干步驟要進行。當人死了,屍體用白布包裹起來,放置在屋內角落3-5天。然後,邀請和尚來唸經,讓靈魂解脫離開。喪葬前一天,家庭成員脫去死者的衣物,然後在選定的日子,屍體被運往遠離村落的高山喪葬場。在祝唸“Daodeng”經文後,負責喪葬過程的人,開始切割屍體成條片狀。首先從背部切割,然後將肌肉剝離身體,四肢從關節處割開分解,內臟分解成碎塊。骨頭則砸成碎片,然後混合以大麥麵粉炒熟做成的“Tsampa”, 餵給小鳥食。在屍體完全切割後,將骨肉散佈在地上。 有關西藏“天葬”習俗的起源故事有多種說法。在西藏,一年中大部分時間土地凍結,不易開挖,也不易找到木材進行火葬。因此,人們發展出“天葬”的喪葬傳統。另一種“天葬”起源的說法是來自有關施捨﹝alms giving ﹞是佛教徒重要標誌的佛教教義。施捨物的最高層次就是施捨自己的肉體。 In sutra, there is a story about a man giving his own body to hungry tiger to save the tiger. The sutra says that the soul will apart of the body and get a new turn. When people died their body will be left and no use. So giving the body to vulture becomes the last generosity of a whole life. Tibetan believed that the vultures are ”Dakini”. Dakini is equivalent of angels. In Tibetan Dakini means “sky dancer” that will bring the soul to windy place where souls await for their next life. Some Tibetans said that the Drigung Kagyu order of Tibetan Buddhism established this tradition in land of snow, Tibet. The Communist government of China legalized sky burial for funeral tradition in 1980’s. Sky burial is a part of Tibetan culture. But, sky burial is forbidden to visitors and photographers. They are worried that the guests will give negative effects to the soul ascent. Many people said that sky burial is unbelievable moment because they cut every parts of their family dead body and give them to birds at the top of mountain. Since they believe in reincarnation, many people see no need to preserve the body or just let the birds eat it. Although, sky burial cultivates many negative opinions, they have been doing sky burial since at least 12th century based on the Tibetan Book of the Death. However, many of Buddhism around the world do not have the same way in funeral tradition. Tibetian considers this, because they do not need to dig in their hard rocky soil. However, people around the world consider this the most sadistic funeral tradition. |
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( 知識學習|隨堂筆記 ) |