The Rite Of Letting Go And Funeral Rites In The Buddhist Custom
A person’s demise signifies his or her transitions from this life to the next one; this is a precept of the Buddhist belief system. The death of a person will remind those who are left behind about the impermanence of everything in life. The funeral rites wish to impart the message that the deceased, under the influence of karmic forces, is now transitioning to his or her manner of rebirth.
Whatever religious upbringing we all have, sorrow is still a universal feeling when loved ones depart this world. The faith system in which a person belongs to can do a ritual of relinquishing in order to assist those who are left behind to come to terms with a family member’s demise.
Buddhism is one of the most popular religions practised across the world. The main principles of the religion are based on the teachings of Lord Buddha. Buddhism calls for compassion and love for mankind and awareness of the Ultimate Truth.
These main tenets 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 purpose of ensuring that the soul of the departed can ascend to an elevated level. Prayers are done invoking the goodness of the departed soul 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 reading out from religious texts by the monks, thereby directing the soul towards the path of spiritual liberation. The teachings of the Buddha, which speak of the value of goodness and compassion in daily life, are read aloud. Meanwhile, the deceased is made ready for the final journey. Friends and family usually place some coins in the casket of the deceased person. This is believed to help the deceased cross the River of Three Hells to reach his destination.
The casket is then put before the altar in the house for friends and relatives to pay their final respects. Attendees are expected to pray for the deceased and the family and relatives offer their condolences. The ceremony is accompanied with chanting of relevant sutras by the priests. After the chanting is over, people present at the ceremony bow at the altar. As the visitors start leaving, the family members present a gift to each other to display gratitude for sharing their sorrow.
The family members can decide upon whether to bury the body or cremate it according to their familial customs, once all these important rituals are over. The rites and rituals are a way of bringing peace to the family of the departed as they know their prayers are aimed at elevating the status of the deceased in his life after death.