Lzh Dg Bu Pm Sk 69Not Bury Corpse in Stupa

Discourse on Not Burying a Corpse in a Stupa

Background

This discourse is cited from the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, the code of training established by the Buddha Śākyamuni to govern the monastic community. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not only a set of rules of conduct, but also a collection of profound practical instructions on how to live in accord with Buddhism.

The issue addressed in this discourse arises from the early period of the Sangha, when monks and nuns needed specific guidance on how to handle the bodies of members who had passed away. This is an area the Buddha considered carefully, because it concerns respect for the deceased, the maintenance of purity in places of worship, and the distinction between honoring wise ones and excessive veneration.

Main Content

According to this rule, the Buddha clearly prohibited burying the body of any person, whether noble monastics, ordained disciples, or even persons who had made great contributions, inside stupas. Stupas are structures built to preserve the relics of those who have attained nirvana, especially Buddhas and arhats, those fully liberated from the cycle of rebirth.

This rule is not unreasonable or rigid, but expresses a profound principle: the distinction between revering those who have truly been liberated and treating those of lesser attainment as figures of equivalent solemnity. Burying a body in a stupa risks blurring this distinction and may lead to inappropriate veneration.

Instead, the deceased should be cremated according to proper rites, and the ashes should be placed elsewhere or distributed respectfully. Stupas are reserved for arhats or other special religious structures when the deceased is worthy of veneration.

Practical Meaning

The discourse teaches that forms of reverence, though important, must be carried out in the proper way.