Saturday, January 30, 2010

Buddhist Funeral Traditions And Their Significances

By Marianne Parks

The core of Buddhist religion, practiced in many nations the world over, comes from the basic teachings of Lord Buddha. Buddhism requires love & mercy for mankind and fruition of the Ultimate Truth.

These teachings of Buddhism can be seen in the rites practiced in a Buddhist funeral. When Buddhist person dies, there are certain mandatory rites to be followed, in order to make sure that the his or her soul gets elevated in the next life. Prayers are used to invoke the positive energies of the deceased, ensuring his or her deliverance from this life and wishing them the best for the next life.

A traditional ablution of the body marks the start of the Buddhist funeral rites. Buddhist monks chant different religious text, which are thought to give the soul the correct guidance to achieve spiritual freedom. The Lord Buddha's teachings, which talk about the value of goodness and compassion in life, are read aloud. The body is meanwhile made ready for the final rites. The deceased is generally offered with some coins placed in his casket by the family members. This is supposed to help the dead person cross the River of Three Hells to reach his ultimate destination.

Then the friends and family come and pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is put at the altar. Visitors are expected to pray for the dead person and the family and relatives offer their condolences. The monks performing the rites keep reciting the sutras along with the proceedings. The attendees present have to bow at the altar when this recital is over. After the ceremony, the family members of the deceased distribute gifts to the attendees for sharing their grief.

Once these rituals are over, the family can decide to either bury or cremate the deceased based on their family beliefs. In all, the rituals try to bring a sense of peace and acceptance to the grieving family while praying in order to elevate the dead to a higher state of knowledge and realization.

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