Buddhism is one of the most widespread religions practised across the world. The basic principles of the religion have been derived from the teachings of Lord Buddha. People who practise Buddhism are expected to show unconditional love for all and try to realize the Ultimate Truth.
Buddhist funeral rites also rely on these fundamental tenets of the religion. When death occurs in a Buddhist family, there are some basic rituals which are practised with the purpose of ensuring that the deceased's soul can ascend to an elevated stage. Prayers are chanted invoking the positive energies of the deceased for his or her ultimate deliverance from this life cycle.
The funeral rites start with giving the deceased a traditional wash. Then comes the stage of chanting of religious texts by the priests, thereby directing the soul towards the path of spiritual freedom. The teachings of Lord Buddha, which speak of the value of goodness and compassion in daily life, are read aloud. The body is meanwhile prepared for the final rites. The relatives generally place some money in the casket along with the deceased. 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. The relatives and friends give condolences to the deceased's family, while the attendees pray for his soul. The priests carrying out the ritual keep chanting the sutras along with the proceedings. Once the chanting is complete, people bow at the altar to pay their final regards. As the visitors start leaving, the family members give a gift to each other to display gratitude for partaking in their sorrow.
Once these rites are over, the family members can decide to bury or cremate the body based on their family beliefs. The different ceremonies 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 life after death.
Buddhist funeral rites also rely on these fundamental tenets of the religion. When death occurs in a Buddhist family, there are some basic rituals which are practised with the purpose of ensuring that the deceased's soul can ascend to an elevated stage. Prayers are chanted invoking the positive energies of the deceased for his or her ultimate deliverance from this life cycle.
The funeral rites start with giving the deceased a traditional wash. Then comes the stage of chanting of religious texts by the priests, thereby directing the soul towards the path of spiritual freedom. The teachings of Lord Buddha, which speak of the value of goodness and compassion in daily life, are read aloud. The body is meanwhile prepared for the final rites. The relatives generally place some money in the casket along with the deceased. 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. The relatives and friends give condolences to the deceased's family, while the attendees pray for his soul. The priests carrying out the ritual keep chanting the sutras along with the proceedings. Once the chanting is complete, people bow at the altar to pay their final regards. As the visitors start leaving, the family members give a gift to each other to display gratitude for partaking in their sorrow.
Once these rites are over, the family members can decide to bury or cremate the body based on their family beliefs. The different ceremonies 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 life after death.
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