Tue 19 Oct, 2010
The Significance Of Rituals In A Buddhist Funeral
Comments (0) Filed under: BusinessTags: buddhism funeral, Buddhist funeral, Business, casket, catholic funeral service, coffin casket, funeral caskets, funeral directors, funeral memorial service, funeral service
The basic teachings of the Buddha form the core of the Buddhist religion and are practiced in many countries in the globe today. Love & mercy for humanity and acknowledgment of the Ultimate truth are necessary in Buddhism.
These basics of Buddhism can be seen in the rites practiced in a Buddhist funeral. When a person in a Buddhist family passes away, there are certain mandatory rituals to be followed, in order to make sure that the dead’s soul gets elevated in the next life. Prayers are used to invoke the positive energies of the deceased, ensuring his deliverance from this life and wishing him the best for his next.
A traditional bath to the deceased marks the beginning of the Buddhist funeral rites. The next stage involves presence of monks, who chant from religious texts and thereby assist the soul in finding eternity. The teachings of the Buddha, which speak of the value of practising virtue and compassion in life, are read aloud. Meanwhile, the body is made ready for the final journey. Friends and family often 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 casket is exhibited to the family and friends to enable them to pay their final respects by putting it at the altar. Visitors are expected to pray for the dead person and the family and friends offer their condolences. Priests who perform the rituals continue to recite the appropriate sutras. Everyone present have to bow at the altar when this recital is completed. The family members then thank the attendees for sharing their grief by distributing gifts to them.
After these rituals are carried out, the body may then be either buried or cremated in accordance with the beliefs of the family. The rites and rituals are a way of bringing peace to the family members of the departed as they know their prayers are directed towards elevating the status of the deceased in his life after death.
Death is a sensitive time. After all, funeral present the family with a need to transition into moving on with life. Get the best caskets for your loved one’s burial.