The core of Buddhist religion, practiced in many countries the world over, comes from the basic teachings of the Buddha. Love & mercy for people and acknowledgement of the Ultimate truth are required in Buddhism.
These teachings of Buddhism can be seen in the rites practiced in a Buddhist funeral. When Buddhist person dies, there are certain mandatory rituals to be followed, in order to guarantee that the deceased's soul gets promoted to a higher level. 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 their next life.
A traditional ablution of the deceased marks the beginning of the Buddhist funeral rituals. Monks are asked to read out from religious scriptures, and these chants are believed to give the soul the correct guidance to attain spiritual freedom. Then the Lord Buddha's teachings that emphasize on the significance of kindness and concern are read out loud by the monks. Meanwhile, the deceased is prepared for the final rites. The relatives normally keep some coins in the casket of the deceased. This is to pay for the deceased's journey across the River of Three Hells.
Then the friends and relatives come and pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is put at the altar. The relatives and friends offer condolences to the deceased's family, while the attendees pray for his soul. Priests who perform the rites continue to recite the appropriate sutras. After the chanting is over, people present at the ceremony bow at the altar. The family members then thank the attendees for shouldering their grief by distributing gifts to them.
The family can decide upon whether to bury the body or cremate it as per their family beliefs, once all these essential rituals are over. The rites and rituals are a means of bringing peace to the family of the departed as they know their prayers are directed towards elevating the status of the departed in his after life.
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