One of the most widespread religions on earth, Buddhism derives its main principles from the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhism teaches mercy and love for mankind and awareness of the Ultimate Truth.

These basic principles of Buddhism are evident in the rituals practised in a Buddhist Funeral. When someone dies in a Buddhist family, there are some basic rites which are practised with the objective of ensuring that the soul of the departed can ascend to an elevated level. Prayers are offered invoking the goodness of the deceased person and wishes are made for a blissful life after death for the deceased.

The first stage in funeral rites is that of giving a traditional wash to the body. Then comes the stage of chanting of religious scriptures by the monks, thereby guiding the soul towards the path of spiritual liberation. Then Buddha’s teachings that emphasize on the importance of kindness and concern are recited aloud by the monks. Meanwhile, the body is prepared for the final rites. Friends and family members often place some coins in the casket of the dead person. This is supposed to help the dead person cross the River of Three Hells to reach his ultimate destination.

Then the friends and relatives pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is put at the altar. While friends and relatives offer condolences, attendees are expected to offer prayers for the deceased. The proceeding is accompanied with chanting of relevant sutras by the monks. After the completion of recitals, people present at the ceremony bow at the altar. The family members then thank the attendees for shouldering their grief by giving them token gifts.

Once these rituals are carried out, the deceased 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 to promote the departed to a higher stage of knowledge and realization.

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