諸經要集 19.54

19.54

According to the Western Regions, there are four methods of burial: first, floating in water; second, cremation by fire; third, burying in the earth; fourth, offering [the corpse] to the forest. The Mahīśāsaka-vinaya says: 'When burning with fire, place [the body] on stones; it must not be on grass or soil, for fear of harming insects.' The Dharmaguptaka-vinaya says: 'The Tathāgata and the wheel-turning king are both cremated with fire; for other people, the previous [methods] are permissible.' The Mahīśāsaka-vinaya says: 'A corpse should be buried.' (This refers to where the king's law does not allow casting away the body, and moreover in summer one fears burning and killing insects, and so orders it buried. Apart from this, where there are no difficulties, water and forest burials are also permissible.) According to the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya and the Five Hundred Inquiries: If one sees a Tathāgata stūpa or temple, or sees the burial stūpas of the five assemblies of renunciants who are senior to oneself, one must successively pay homage according to their seniority in age and monastic ordination during life. If ordinary white-robed laity see the burial stūpas of renunciants, without distinguishing seniority, all must pay reverent homage.