Kristen Finlayson

An individual's death signifies his or her transitions from this life to the next one; this is a precept of the Buddhist belief system. For the surviving family members, the person's demise will remind them that nothing is permanent in this life and in this world. The Buddhist funeral rites intend to pass on the message that the departed's transition to rebirth will be governed by the karmic forces at work.

When a family member passes away, a person is not exempt from sorrow no matter what her or his religion is. The religious affiliation of a person should be able to help the individual in this time of grief and also in accepting the demise of their loved one.

The basic teachings of the Buddha form the core of the Buddhist religion which is the main religion in several parts of the world today. Buddhism entails quest for the Ultimate Truth and also a sense of compassion and genuine love for every creature.

Buddhist funeral rituals are also based upon these basic tenets of the religion. After a person dies in a Buddhist family, certain rites have to be followed in order to ensure that the departed soul is elevated to a higher stage in afterlife. The positive energies of the deceased are evoked to pray and wish the best for the dead person's life cycle beyond this birth.

The first stage in funeral rituals is that of giving a traditional wash to the body. The second stage involves invitation of monks, who chant from religious texts and thereby help the soul in finding liberation. Then the Lord Buddha's teachings that highlight the importance of kindness and concern are read out loud by the monks. Meanwhile, the body is prepared for the final journey. The relatives generally keep some money in the casket along with the deceased. This is to pay for the deceased's journey across the River of Three Hells.

Then the friends and family come and pay their last respects to the dead person as the casket is put at the altar. Attendees are expected to pray for the deceased and the family and friends give their condolences. The proceeding is accompanied with recitation of relevant sutras by the priests. Once the chanting is over, people bow before the altar to pay their last respects. After the proceedings, the family members of the deceased give out gifts to the visitors for sharing their grief.

Once these rituals are done, the deceased may then be either cremated or buried in accordance with the beliefs of the family members. These rites are meant to enable the family to overcome their grief by offering prayers that will raise the deceased to a higher stage of enlightenment and knowledge.