Death, Memory and Building: The Non-Cremation of a Cambodian Monk

Abstract

This article examines one case of the ceremonial preservation of a Buddhist monk's body in rural Cambodia. While consistent with Buddhist relic veneration traditions and regional death ritual patterns, the case shows local actors and conditions influencing practice. The study discusses whether there is a recent efflorescence of such practices in Cambodia and whether the ‘post-socialist’ moment has tended to foster their revival.