Allow me to dwell upon the Tibetean Book of the Dead or Bardo Thödol as Dr. W.Y. Evans-Wentz compiled and edited the translation by Lama Kazi Dawa-Sandrup in Sikkim about a hunderd years ago [1]. Lama Kazi Dawa-Sandrup had received private and aroally transmitted instructions concerning higher lamaic techings and especially the rado Thödol in Bhutan. The book has been a milestone in understanding a very important aspect of Vajrayana Buddhism.
Bardo Thödol could be rendered into English as: Liberation by Hearing on the After-Death Plane. The believe is as follows: the dead comes into the Chönyid Bardo and is confused about his state, still thinking to be alive. Incantations by lamas and rituals are performed to guide the dead.
Death in the buddhist way is viewed as a gateway into a new life. Mourning will take up to 49 days to guide the soul towards a smooth rebirth [2]. Prayer flags are erected and lamas are called to perform incantations. Most people in Bhutan are cremated, but in Tibet the traditional form would be sky burial because of the scarcity of firewood. The cremation is also thought to enable a quicker rebirth. One word on the Lhop, however, is necessary as they bury their dead [3].
For the king or a high lama the ashes would be buried under a stupa. For commoners this would be to expensive. But the requirements are still high. After cremation ashes are collected and incorporated in Tsa-Tsas.
Tsa-Tsas (also written Tsha-Tshas, where the h stands for aspiration) are small votive figures mostly a chörten, made dust, clay, water, and often the ash from cremation. Tsa-Tsas serve to remember the dead and are placed in sacred caves or places, you cant't travel through Bhutan without seeing them. One should place 108 of the small chörten tsa-tsas in different places.
Also the family has to erect 108 prayer flags for the diseased person at different places. These flag have only written Om mani padme hum in black letter on a white flag. The flags for the dead don not have any picture as prayerflags commonly have. The poles might be used by someone else, when the flags have been torn. These grouped flagpoles with flags can also be seen along the roads.
Links and Annotations:
[1] W. Y. Evans-Wentz (ed.): The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Oxford University Press, London 1960 [1927 1st ed.], As PDF available: https://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Tibetan-Book-of-the-Dead.pdf
[2] https://www.dailybhutan.com/article/the-death-rituals-and-funeral-rites-in-bhutan
[3] As this is leading in another direction, please refer to this article: https://www.dailybhutan.com/article/elaborate-death-rituals-and-funerals-by-bhutans-indigeneous-community
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