One of the most widespread religions in the world, Buddhism derives its fundamental principles from the teachings of the Buddha. People who practise Buddhism are expected to show boundless love for all and try to attain the Ultimate Truth.
Buddhist funeral rituals are also based upon these basic tenets of the religion. After the death of a person in a Buddhist family, some rituals have to be practised in order to ensure that the departed soul rises to a higher stage in afterlife. The positive energies of the deceased are invoked to pray and wish the best for the dead person’s life cycle beyond this birth.
A traditional ablution of the deceased marks the beginning of the Buddhist funeral rites. Then comes the stage of reading out from religious scriptures by the priests, thereby guiding the soul to the path of spiritual liberation. The monks read out those sermons of the Buddha that talk about the significance of practising mercy and kindness. In the meantime, the body is prepared for the final journey. Friends and family usually keep some money in the casket of the deceased person. This is supposed to help the dead person cross the River of Three Hells to reach his destination.
Then the friends and family come and pay their last respects to the dead person as the casket is placed at the altar. Visitors are expected to pray for the dead person and the family and friends give their condolences. Monks who perform the rites continue to recite the appropriate sutras. Once the recital is complete, people bow at the altar to pay their final regards. After the proceedings, the family members of the deceased distribute gifts to the attendees for sharing their sorrow.
Once these rituals are over, the family can decide to cremate or bury the body according to their family beliefs. These rites are meant to enable the family to alleviate their grief by offering prayers that will elevate the deceased to a higher stage of enlightenment and knowledge.
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