A Buddhist funeral contains elaborate last rites carried out according to sacrosanct rituals and traditions. The ceremonies performed during the Buddhist funeral are believed to liberate the deceased person's soul from the chains of life and enable it to find a new and better life after death where it comes closer to Moksha.
The Buddhist funeral services which conclude with cremation in most cases, are done by monks with the help of the family. The dormant positive energies are released from the soul by the chanting of appropriate sutras by monks who read from the religious books. While the chanting is on, the deceased is prepared for the funeral and for friends and relatives to pay last respects, so that there is no decay even if the cremation is delayed. The body is washed and laid to rest in a coffin along with fragrance sticks, candles, flowers and a photograph of the deceased person.
If the funeral is deferred by a few days for distant relatives to get a last look, the monks go to the deceased person's house everyday and chant verses from the Abhidharma, an important Buddhist book.
On funeral day, monks perform the final rites and the head monk voices his condolences to the family and speaks words of consolation to them along with homage to the dead person recounting his life. The Pansakula, an important ritual which is expected to carry blessings and good energies to the departed's soul is carried out during the last stage of chanting while a white cloth is being wrapped around the casket.
Just before the cremation, a close member of the family is asked to say a few words about the departed individual. A light meal for all the attendees is arranged after the Buddhist funeral ceremony and the cremation is carried out.
Although some modifications in traditions can be found, these are the general ritualistic procedures carried out during funeral ceremonies by followers in countries like Tibet, Thailand and China, where a huge number of Buddhists live. - 42495
The Buddhist funeral services which conclude with cremation in most cases, are done by monks with the help of the family. The dormant positive energies are released from the soul by the chanting of appropriate sutras by monks who read from the religious books. While the chanting is on, the deceased is prepared for the funeral and for friends and relatives to pay last respects, so that there is no decay even if the cremation is delayed. The body is washed and laid to rest in a coffin along with fragrance sticks, candles, flowers and a photograph of the deceased person.
If the funeral is deferred by a few days for distant relatives to get a last look, the monks go to the deceased person's house everyday and chant verses from the Abhidharma, an important Buddhist book.
On funeral day, monks perform the final rites and the head monk voices his condolences to the family and speaks words of consolation to them along with homage to the dead person recounting his life. The Pansakula, an important ritual which is expected to carry blessings and good energies to the departed's soul is carried out during the last stage of chanting while a white cloth is being wrapped around the casket.
Just before the cremation, a close member of the family is asked to say a few words about the departed individual. A light meal for all the attendees is arranged after the Buddhist funeral ceremony and the cremation is carried out.
Although some modifications in traditions can be found, these are the general ritualistic procedures carried out during funeral ceremonies by followers in countries like Tibet, Thailand and China, where a huge number of Buddhists live. - 42495
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