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Pithi Bon Sob (Funeral Ceremony)
  • Manage No, Sortation, Country, Writer ,Date, Copyright
    Manage No EE00002491
    Country Cambodia
    ICH Domain Social practices, rituals, festive events
Description People in the world believe in the incarnation, and in order to be reborn, relatives and friends have to perform many ceremonies dedicated to their beliefs; however, the practice of this tradition varies from nation to nation. Even within Cambodia may vary by region. In the city or town, the body is usually cremated immediately within a few days after the death and the ashes are collected. This can be explained by the fact that the location and lifestyle required this. In some areas, after death, the body is permanently buried. In other areas, especially the Angkor region, Siem Reap, whether rich or poor, a deceased person must go through two major ceremonies. In the first stage, when death occurs, it is very important to perform a funeral one to two days, after the body is buried in the grave for at least a year. The locals understand that this is to let the earth embrace the body and feed the animals, that is, let the soil and water (adjacent to the soil) dissolve the body one step at a time. When the flesh is rotten, only the bones are left, and then the bones are burned and the air finally dissolves. This is because the human body is made up of four elements: water, earth, fire and air, and when dissolved it is made up of these four elements. According to the locals, the feeding of animals does not refer to vultures or other animals, but to earthworms. When a Chinese diplomat named Chiv Takwan arrived in Angkor in the 13th century, he wrote “a human corpse is placed in the wood to be eaten by animals”, it is believed that the soul will be incarnated faster”. Whatever the tradition, the main reason is how to get the dead person to reincarnate. The second stage is the cremation. Before the ceremony, the priest must do the ritual of "Yorng Sob" which is to remove the bones from the pit, wash them, pack them in rags, and wrap them in another mat, then place them on a tree trunk. After that, they arrange a joint cremation on the field. Because the burial was made long ago before the cremation and it is a joint cremation, so they could choose the day and the month as they wish. Cremation is usually held during the month of Phalkun, and although the ceremony lasts for several days, the day of the cremation has to be on "Ronoch". In general, this cremation is very solemn because it is held together by many families with about 10 to 100 corpses. In the case of any family with sufficient resources or the corpse of the former chief priest of the pagoda, it can be done separately, but it is very rare. The funeral lasts for 3 nights and 3 days. On the first night, they started a ritual called “stealing the corps” by taking the corpse (the package of bones from the Yorng Sob task) and hanging it on a tree or putting it in Saley cart until the evening of the third day before the corpse procession to the funeral hall or crematorium or "Phnom Yorng " or called "Meru") in the Khmer language. In the morning, on the first day, elders, priests and relatives of all the corpses prepare according to their respective duties and affordability. Achar (Priest) Yogi draws 12 soul flags, Achar organizes Buddha altars and an eight-story pavilion. Grandmas prepare Bay Betabor, Bay Sey and Sla Tor and men Jak Jek, making sand mountain, making Rean Nim Reach or Rean Puth Kun and Phnom Yong. Whereas, young women prepare spices, fish, meat for cooking and baking. On the same day, the initiator of the festival brings “Kroeung Bonlong” to a nun who has a role of "Keas Junh Jean Tbong". A priest ordains a man who will “Buos Mok Plerng”. Another priest performed the ritual of calming the coffin by measuring a banana vine and sprinkling water on the coffin. In the afternoon (around 3 PM), Acha Yogi performs Krong Pali. The next ritual is to raise the Aphitorm flag and the crocodile flag. The work is solemn as there is "Chark Ho." Later, seven monks recite prayers and performed sermons, and the next work is “Apisek” on Buddha statue. The ritual ends with a performance on the scene which “Socheata took honey “Mathubayeas” to give to the Buddha. In the early morning of the second day, arriving at the funeral hall, they piled up the sand, from a nearby pond to build a mountain with perfect decoration. According to the elders, the sand mountains represent the stupas in the Trinity. After that, the priests and elders performed the ordination ceremony of the sand mountain. On the second day, from about 3 to 4 pm, they prepare a reception. Traditionally, they often make Num Banjok “Khmer noodles” for the reception. It was about 4:30 when the corpse procession leaves the place where it was kept and enter the festival hall. The procession was followed by ritual items. The nun wears a gem ring, sitting in the front row, while the relatives of the corpse carry pole of Balong, and there is a monk sitting on a wheelless cart carried by men. Next, relatives were strapped by Sbov Pleang knot to a Somley cart, and four monks sit on the cart. If it is a procession of the body of the King or the body of the high priest, chariot is decorated and designed as a dragon or phoenix. Upon entering the Pnum Yorng, they process three rounds around the mountain. Then, Achar Yogi and Achar Phluk, they perform prayers and prayers in front of the Rean Puth Kun. Relatives of the corpses placed fragrant vines under the coffin. They make gods to come down and offer fire, and firecrackers were set on fire to run and set the coffin on fire. While worshiping, the Acha-yogi sits chanting dharma on the east side. As for the four Achar Pluk, they sit and chant dharma in the halls of each direction. The Keas Jun Jean Tbong nun meditates next to the funeral hall. This meditation session is to see which corpses have been received Balong and which corpses have not yet been received. After the cremation, Achar Yogi and Achar Phluk take banana leaves and a krama to cover the bones mixed with charcoal and rotate the Popil for the corpse. Later, the "transformation" ritual is the most important, Achar Yogi draw a human form and start a ritual for the corpse. Then Popil rotation ritual will be started, the relatives of the corpse collect the ashes, wash them with coconut water and put the ashes in a Krama hammock, and sing a lullaby to put the ashes to sleep as if putting the baby to sleep too. All ashes will be taken by relatives to keep at home for a while. The main rituals can be said to be over now, but the cremation ceremony will be completed on the morning of the third day, Rorb Bart ceremony and unrope sand mountain. So far, it is believed that the souls are not in peace yet, it is required to have one more ritual called interment of ashes. However, some families could not afford to keep the ashes at the stupa or under the temple grounds, they only do minor ritual. But if the family of the deceased has a prosperous life, they will hold another burial ceremony.
Community Angkor area, Siem Reap province

Information source
Cambodia