The Significance Of Rituals In A Buddhists Funeral

Buddhism is one of the most popular religions practised across the globe. The main principles of the religion are based on the teachings of Lord Buddha. Buddhism involves quest for the Ultimate Truth as well as a spirit of compassion and genuine love for every living being.

These main tenets of Buddhism are evident in the rituals followed in a Buddhist funeral. After a person dies in a Buddhist family, some rituals have to be followed in order to ensure that the deceased’s soul is elevated to a higher stage in afterlife. Prayers are chanted invoking the positive energies of the dead person for his or her ultimate deliverance from this cycle of life.

A traditional bath to the body marks the start of the Buddhist funeral rites. The next stage entails presence of monks, who read out religious texts and thereby aid the soul in finding liberation. The monks read out those sermons of Lord Buddha that talk about the importance of practising compassion and kindness. Meanwhile, the deceased is prepared for the final journey. Friends and family members usually place some money in the casket of the deceased person. This is done to pay for the dead person’s journey across the River of Three Hells.

Then the friends and relatives pay their last respects to the dead person as the casket is put at the altar. While friends and relatives give condolences, visitors are expected to pray for the deceased. Priests who carry out the rites continue to recite the appropriate sutras. The attendees present have to bow before the altar when this recital is completed. As the visitors start leaving, the family members present a gift to each other to display gratitude for sharing their sorrow.

After these rituals are carried out, the deceased may then be either cremated or buried in accordance with the beliefs of the family. In all, the rituals try to bring a sense of acceptance and peace to the bereaved family while praying to promote the departed to a higher state of knowledge and enlightenment.

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