What Is The Relevance Of The Rituals In A Buddhist Funeral

The basic teachings of the Buddha form the core of the Buddhist religion which is practised extensively in several parts of the world today. Buddhism teaches mercy and love for all creatures and realization of the Ultimate Truth.

These main tenets of Buddhism are evident in the rites followed in a Buddhist Funeral. After the death of a person in a Buddhist family, certain rites have to be followed in order to ensure that the departed soul rises to a higher stage in afterlife. Prayers are offered invoking the goodness of the departed soul and wishes are made for a peaceful life after death for the deceased.

The first task in funeral rituals is that of giving a traditional wash to the body. Then comes the stage of reading out from religious texts by the priests, thereby directing the soul towards the path of spiritual freedom. Then Buddha's teachings that highlight the importance of kindness and compassion are recited aloud by the monks. Meanwhile, the deceased is prepared for the final journey. The relatives normally place some coins in the casket along with the deceased. This is for helping the dead person to pay and wade across the River of Three Hells.

Then the friends and family come and pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is placed at the altar. Visitors are expected to pray for the deceased and the family and relatives offer their condolences. The priests carrying out the ritual keep reciting the sutras as the proceedings move on. Once the chanting is over, people bow before the altar to pay their final regards. As the visitors begin leaving, the family members give a gift to each other to display gratitude for partaking in their sorrow.

The family can decide upon whether to cremate the body or bury it as per their familial customs, once all these essential rituals are completed. These rituals are meant to allow the family to alleviate their sorrow by offering prayers that will elevate the dead to a higher pedestal of enlightenment and knowledge.

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