The fundamental teachings of the Buddha form the core of the Buddhist religion which is the main religion in many nations of the world today. Buddhism teaches mercy and universal love for all creatures and realization of the Ultimate Truth.

Buddhist funeral rituals are also based upon these basic principles of the religion. When someone dies in a Buddhist family, there are some basic rituals which are followed with the objective of ensuring that the soul of the departed can soar to an elevated stage. The good energies of the deceased are invoked to pray and wish the best for the dead person’s life cycle beyond this birth.

The first task in funeral rituals is that of giving a traditional wash to the body. The second stage entails presence of monks, who chant from religious texts and thereby help the deceased in finding liberation. The monks read out those sermons of Lord Buddha that talk about the importance of practising compassion and kindness. The body is meanwhile prepared for the final rituals. The relatives generally keep some coins in the casket along with the deceased. This is done to pay for the dead person’s journey across the River of Three Hells.

The casket is then placed before the altar at home for friends and relatives to pay their respects. Attendees are expected to pray for the dead person and the family and friends give their condolences. Priests who perform the rituals continue to chant the appropriate sutras. The attendees present have to bow before the altar when this recital is over. The family members then thank the visitors for sharing their grief by distributing gifts to them.

Once these rituals are over, the family members can decide to bury or cremate the deceased based on their family beliefs. In all, the rites try to bring a sense of acceptance and peace to the bereaved family while praying in order to elevate the dead to a higher stage of knowledge and realization.

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