The core of Buddhist religion, practiced in many countries the world over, comes from the basic teachings of Lord Buddha. This religion requires love & mercy for mankind and fruition of the Ultimate Truth.
These basics of Buddhism can be seen in the rites practiced in a Buddhist funeral. Certain mandatory rites should be followed when a person Buddhist person dies, to make sure that his soul gets elevated to a higher level in the next life. Prayers are used to invoke the good energies of the deceased, ensuring his deliverance from this life and wishing him the best for his next.
A traditional ablution of the deceased marks the start of the Buddhist funeral rites. Buddhist monks read out from religious text, and these chants are believed to give the soul the right guidance to achieve spiritual freedom. Then the Lord Buddha's teachings that highlight the importance of kindness and compassion are recited aloud by the monks. Meanwhile, the body is prepared for the final rituals. The deceased is usually provided with some coins put in his casket by the family members. This is to help the deceased cross the River of Three Hells.
Then friends and family pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is put at the altar. While friends and relatives give condolences, attendees are expected to offer prayers for the deceased. Priests who perform the rituals continue to chant the appropriate sutras. The attendees present have to bow before the altar when this chanting 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 performed, the body may then be either buried or cremated in accordance with the beliefs of the family. In all, the rituals try to bring a sense of peace and acceptance to the bereaved family while praying in order to elevate the dead to a higher stage of knowledge and realization. - 20763
These basics of Buddhism can be seen in the rites practiced in a Buddhist funeral. Certain mandatory rites should be followed when a person Buddhist person dies, to make sure that his soul gets elevated to a higher level in the next life. Prayers are used to invoke the good energies of the deceased, ensuring his deliverance from this life and wishing him the best for his next.
A traditional ablution of the deceased marks the start of the Buddhist funeral rites. Buddhist monks read out from religious text, and these chants are believed to give the soul the right guidance to achieve spiritual freedom. Then the Lord Buddha's teachings that highlight the importance of kindness and compassion are recited aloud by the monks. Meanwhile, the body is prepared for the final rituals. The deceased is usually provided with some coins put in his casket by the family members. This is to help the deceased cross the River of Three Hells.
Then friends and family pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is put at the altar. While friends and relatives give condolences, attendees are expected to offer prayers for the deceased. Priests who perform the rituals continue to chant the appropriate sutras. The attendees present have to bow before the altar when this chanting 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 performed, the body may then be either buried or cremated in accordance with the beliefs of the family. In all, the rituals try to bring a sense of peace and acceptance to the bereaved family while praying in order to elevate the dead to a higher stage of knowledge and realization. - 20763
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