The Significance Of Buddhist Funeral Rituals

The basic teachings of Lord Buddha form the core of the Buddhist religion which is practised extensively in many nations of the world today. The followers of Buddhism are expected to display boundless love for all and try to realize the Ultimate Truth.

Buddhist funeral rites are also based upon these basic principles of the religion. There are certain mandatory rites that need to be adhered to during the funeral of a dead person. These rites are meant to ensure that the deceased is raised to a higher stage. Prayers are chanted calling upon the good energies associated with the deceased for his or her ultimate deliverance from this cycle of life.

The funeral rites begin with giving the deceased a traditional ablution. The next stage involves presence of monks, who chant from 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 mercy and kindness. Meanwhile, the body is prepared for the final rites. The relatives usually keep some coins in the casket of the deceased. This is for enabling the deceased to pay and wade across the River of Three Hells.

Then the casket is displayed to the near and dear ones to enable them to pay their final respects by putting it at the altar. The relatives and friends give condolences to the deceased’s family, while the attendees pray for his soul. The priests performing the rites keep chanting the sutras as the proceedings move on. The attendees present have to bow before the altar when this chanting is completed. After the proceedings, the family members of the departed give out gifts to the attendees for sharing their sorrow.

Once these rituals are completed, the family can decide to cremate or bury the body according to their family customs. The different ceremonies are a way of bringing peace and acceptance to the family members of the departed as they know their prayers are directed towards elevating the status of the departed in his life after death.

Discover more about the best company that provides high quality casket and best funeral director that will organize the entire funeral. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory