"The video contains the story of a unique funeral in Tibet, the Sky Burial, where the flesh of the deceased is taken by the vultures, believing that it will send the soul above the heavenly realms. The story also covers how the people of Mustang, Nepal, and Tibetans view life and death.
Both believe that once the soul leaves the body, it becomes hollow. The believers of Tibetan Buddhism say that they have to practice good deeds throughout their life to have a better afterlife. And offering their body to the vultures after death is the very last offering they could make before they leave Earth. The more their body feeds the birds, the closer they get to a better afterlife.
It may seem shocking and cruel to the eyes of contemporary society as the corpse is fed to the vultures. However, it's considered a sacred ritual for Tibetans who believe in the idea of the afterlife. Though the locals are extremely reluctant to reveal this ritual to the outside world, the team from EBS DocuPrime was able to cover the story.
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The film crew went to various regions of Yarchen Gar, Labulengsi, and Langmusi, to learn about unique cultures related to life and death. Moreover, the team went to Tibetan summers and winters to get footage of the Sky Burial.
The Sky Burial Morticians are the ones who help the body be offered to the vultures.
Monk Chograp is the mortician who practiced his asceticism through this funeral for many years now.
He is the only one who takes care of the sky burial site located next to Yarchen Gar, 13,450 ft above sea level.
He's been a good companion for the deceased before they leave Earth completely.
Though axes, knives, and hooks are considered weapons, they become tools that help the dead to reach nirvana. It takes about 2 hours to dismember the body. It sure is not an easy job, but since it's the very last stage of offering from the deceased, he believes that his bloody hands are the most beautiful.
He also wants to conclude his life through a sky burial. Those who are not afraid of death continue to practice asceticism to see beyond the death itself, the afterlife.
Although it is hard for him sometimes, but he believes it's what he's destined to do as he was designated as the mortician by a living Buddha.
✔ Program Name: DocuPrime - Sky Burial (天葬) Episode 2, Sky Burial Mortician, the Mediator to Death
✔ Air Date: 2013.08.20
#DocuPrime #TheLastOffering #Samsara #Reincarnation #Buddhism"