homa and cremation

[mkapstei at UCHICAGO.EDU]

While Brahmanical funerary rituals in some
contexts stipulate the performance of homa
in connection with final rites, does it occur that
the cremation itself comes to be considered as
a homa? This does occur in some Tibetan rituals
that I am working on, and I wish to ascertain whether
or not this was a novel innovation, or if there was
in fact a basis for this development in earlier
Indian tradition.

with thanks for your responses,

Matthew T. Kapstein
Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies
The University of Chicago Divinity School

Directeur d'études
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris