In a Buddhist funeral, the followers of the religion believe in carrying out elaborate rites and rituals during the funeral proceedings. The funeral service, according to Buddhism, symbolizes the setting free of the deceased person’s soul, which was trapped in the futility of existence, and its quest for a new life after death.
Monks are invited to perform the ceremonies and rituals during a Buddhist funeral, which typically ends with cremation. The dormant positive energies are freed from the soul by the chanting of the correct sutras by monks who read from the religious books. To prevent any decomposition in case of delayed cremation, the mortal remains are prepared cautiously while the religious chanting is being performed. The body is bathed and put to rest in a coffin along with incense sticks, candles, wreaths and a photograph of the deceased person.
When the last rites are deferred to allow distant relatives to arrive for paying their last respects to the deceased, invited monks visit the home everyday to read and chant from the Buddhist religious book Abhidharma.
The monks complete the last rites on the day of the funeral and the head monk gives a speech recounting the noble deeds and actions done by the deceased and consoling the grieving family members and relatives. The Pansakula, a significant ritual which is expected to carry blessings and good energies to the soul of the departed is done during the last stage of chanting while a white cloth is being wrapped around the coffin.
Just before the cremation, a close family member is requested to say something about the departed individual. The Buddhist funeral ceremonies conclude with a light feast for the visitors after the funeral.
Although some variations in rituals can be seen, these are the broad ritualistic procedures carried out during funeral service by followers in countries like Tibet, Thailand and China, where a huge number of Buddhists live.
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