Returning from the dead: Contested continuities in Tibetan Buddhism

Abstract

In this paper, I chronicle the cleavages in Tibetan Buddhist ideology and practice made apparent in the posthumous continuation of a spiritual exemplar’s life story. Traversing the life, death and purported transmigration of this figure into the body of another person, this paper examines the extension of life beyond biological confines. Death, in Tibetan Buddhist contexts, can be influenced by religious practice and the life course of a person can continue through time in new bodies. In Tibetan Buddhism the vectors of this extension commonly include sanctified institutions such as recognised reincarnation and embodiment in relics, but there are other less documented ways in which life continues. This paper will explore the phenomenon of rolang or the reanimation of the corpse, a topic that inspires new directions in death studies.

Keywords:

• Tibetan Buddhism
• Dying
• Death
• Corpse
• rolang (ro langs)

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions.

I would also like to thank the organisers and participants of the 2011 International Conference on Death, Dying and Disposal (Radboud University, Nijmegan) for the opportunity to present this paper.

In addition I am very grateful for my 2011 residence at the beautiful Centro Incontri Umani in Ascona, without which I would not have had the time or resources to write this paper.

Notes

1. Importantly, there are cases of multiple nirmanakaya incarnations existing at the same time, for instance Kalu Rinpoche (1905–1989) was recognised as one of five incarnations of Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thai (1813–1899) (Zangpo, 1997, pp. 32–34). Instances of reported multiple incarnations are not without controversy. Presently there is contested status about the Seventeenth Karmapa with two different candidates recognised by opposing parties (Brown, 2004).

2. For a social analysis of the Tibetan Buddhist institution of reincarnation see Mills, 2003, pp. 263–294. The interstices of death, reincarnation and religious practice in relation to high-ranking Tibetan Buddhist lamas is a topic I explore in two recent papers (see Zivkovic, 2010a, 2010b).

3. It is important to note that a group of nineteenth century lamas from East Tibet developed a synthesis of Nyingma, Kagyu and Sakya traditions known as the Rimed movement (Samuel, 1993, pp. 533–552). However, this particular movement is not within the scope of this paper.

4. See Cuevas (2008, pp. 99–103) for a detailed discussion on the physiology of possession and the categories of spirits that possess corpses.

5. Noting the differences and similarities between the rolang and the vetāla, Walter (2004, p. 27) argues that the ‘rising corpse’ is not a ‘native’ Tibetan concept (p. 18). He writes that the term rolang and the ‘presumably, original model for a “risen corpse” is explained from the Indic yogic traditions which go back (probably) at least to the early seventh century’. See also Cuevas, (2008, pp. 95–97) on this point. For comparative insights on corpse resurrection, entering or ‘yoking’ other beings and the permeability of consciousness in Indian yogic traditions see White, 2009.

6. Importantly, the question of whether the transference of Gupha’s consciousness into another physical body was a result of the ‘ Foreceful Projection into another Residence’ (rten can du 'pho ba) was not raised to me by any of the monks in the monastery or surrounding vicinity. Nor was it something that I ever heard posited by lay followers of Gupha Rinpoche, though given the nature of the tantric roots of the practice and its prerequisite initiations, I presume it would generally be unknown to the local lay population.

7. Other works that problematise the naturalisation of death include, Desjarlais, 2003; Gupta, 2002; Kaufman & Morgan, 2005.