The Importance Of Buddhist Funeral Rites
The basic teachings of Lord Buddha form the crux of the Buddhist religion which is practised extensively in many nations of the world today. Buddhism teaches mercy and universal love for mankind and realization of the Ultimate Truth.
These fundamentals of Buddhism are evident in the rites followed in a Buddhist funeral. When death occurs in a Buddhist family, there are some basic rituals which are followed with the objective of ensuring that the deceased's soul can ascend to an elevated level. The positive energies of the dead are evoked to pray and wish the best for the deceased's next life beyond this birth.
A traditional bath to the body marks the beginning of the Buddhist funeral rites. The second stage entails invitation of monks, who chant from religious scriptures and thereby aid the soul in finding eternity. Then Buddha's teachings that emphasize on the significance of kindness and concern are recited aloud by the monks. Meanwhile, the body is prepared for the last journey. Friends and family usually keep some money in the casket of the dead person. This is for enabling the dead person to pay and go across the River of Three Hells.
Then the friends and family pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is placed at the altar. The relatives and friends give condolences to the dead person's family, while the attendees pray for his soul. The ceremony is accompanied with chanting of relevant sutras by the priests. Once the recital is over, people bow before the altar to pay their last respects. The family members then thank the attendees for sharing their sorrow by giving them token gifts.
Once these rituals are over, the family members can decide to cremate or bury the body according to their family customs. These rites are meant to allow the family to alleviate their grief by offering prayers that will elevate the deceased to a higher pedestal of enlightenment and knowledge.
These fundamentals of Buddhism are evident in the rites followed in a Buddhist funeral. When death occurs in a Buddhist family, there are some basic rituals which are followed with the objective of ensuring that the deceased's soul can ascend to an elevated level. The positive energies of the dead are evoked to pray and wish the best for the deceased's next life beyond this birth.
A traditional bath to the body marks the beginning of the Buddhist funeral rites. The second stage entails invitation of monks, who chant from religious scriptures and thereby aid the soul in finding eternity. Then Buddha's teachings that emphasize on the significance of kindness and concern are recited aloud by the monks. Meanwhile, the body is prepared for the last journey. Friends and family usually keep some money in the casket of the dead person. This is for enabling the dead person to pay and go across the River of Three Hells.
Then the friends and family pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is placed at the altar. The relatives and friends give condolences to the dead person's family, while the attendees pray for his soul. The ceremony is accompanied with chanting of relevant sutras by the priests. Once the recital is over, people bow before the altar to pay their last respects. The family members then thank the attendees for sharing their sorrow by giving them token gifts.
Once these rituals are over, the family members can decide to cremate or bury the body according to their family customs. These rites are meant to allow the family to alleviate their grief by offering prayers that will elevate the deceased to a higher pedestal of enlightenment and knowledge.
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