Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Religiously Significant Aspects Of Buddhist Funerals

By Joy Tan

A Buddhist funeral contains elaborate last rites carried out according to sacrosanct rituals and traditions. The funeral service, according to Buddhism, symbolizes the setting free of the deceased's soul, which was trapped in the mundane world of existence, and its quest for a new life thereafter.

The Buddhist funeral services which end with cremation in most cases, are carried out by monks with the aid of the family. The dormant positive energies are released from the soul by the chanting of appropriate sutras by Buddhist monks who read from the religious books. While the chanting continues, the deceased is prepared for the funeral and for friends and relatives to bid a final adieu, so that there is no decay even if the cremation is delayed. After washing the body, it is put in a casket with candles, bouquets, fragrant incense and a picture of the deceased.

When the last rites are deferred to allow distant relatives to come for the last glimpse of the deceased, invited monks visit the house everyday to read and recite from the Buddhist holy scripture Abhidharma.

On the occasion of the funeral, Buddhist monks perform the final rituals and their head monk delivers a short speech in honour of the dead person focusing on his achievements in life and consoling the bereaved family that death is inevitable. Other rites like wrapping a white cloth around the coffin during the religious incantation and Pansakula, a ritual of delivering virtues and blessings to the departed soul are also performed.

Just before the cremation, a close member of the family is asked to say a few words about the departed individual. A special meal for all the visitors is organized after the Buddhist funeral ceremony and the cremation is done.

Although some modifications in rituals can be found, these are the broad ritualistic procedures carried out during funeral service by followers in Thailand, Tibet, China and many other countries, where a huge number of Buddhists live.

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