Buddhism is around 2500 years old. Presently, it ranks fourth in terms of number of adherents. It is estimated that there are about 350 million Buddhists around the world. China is noted to have the largest Buddhist population. Unlike many religions that focus on humanity's relationship with God, Buddhism puts its focus on man's quest for an in-depth understanding of life.
This religion, however, isn't different from other religions in that it also has its own sets of beliefs and practices when it comes to matters like deaths. Below are some of the different interesting funeral practices and traditions observed by the various schools of Buddhism.
A lot of Buddhist schools adhere to cremation as the proper body disposal method. Cremation in general signifies the release of the soul of the deceased from bondage. Using this method also prevents attachment to the dead which is seen to be a huge hindrance for the departed individual's soul to seek new life.
Buddhist tradition encourages members of the family to personally clean and dress the body of their deceased loved one. The reason behind this is to make sure that the body is treated with respect and handled with the greatest care.
These days, though, with the presence of funeral companies that are aware of Buddhist funeral customs and practices, some families, especially those in Singapore, entrust these concerns to their chosen Funeral services Singapore provider. Essentially, what the deceased individual's family does is meet with the funeral director Singapore memorial service provider has and discuss what they want to happen. From there, the funeral director takes the lead role in organising the funeral.
In the Theravada tradition, on the day of the funeral, a white cloth, also known as a Mataka Vastra, is draped on the casket by monks. Relatives also participate in blessing their departed by pouring water from a tiny jug into a dish. This tradition, which is called Pansakula, is believed to be an act of transferring merit to the deceased. After the cremation, alms-giving happens in the funeral home where pumpkin, believed to be good for the grieving heart, and salted fish, said to replenish lost salts in the body due to crying, are served.
These are just some of the many funeral traditions and practices in the Buddhist faith. While there could be variations or differences in practices among the different schools, Buddhist leaders are on the same page when it comes to teaching their followers to focus on having funerals that are solemn and not extravagant.
This religion, however, isn't different from other religions in that it also has its own sets of beliefs and practices when it comes to matters like deaths. Below are some of the different interesting funeral practices and traditions observed by the various schools of Buddhism.
A lot of Buddhist schools adhere to cremation as the proper body disposal method. Cremation in general signifies the release of the soul of the deceased from bondage. Using this method also prevents attachment to the dead which is seen to be a huge hindrance for the departed individual's soul to seek new life.
Buddhist tradition encourages members of the family to personally clean and dress the body of their deceased loved one. The reason behind this is to make sure that the body is treated with respect and handled with the greatest care.
These days, though, with the presence of funeral companies that are aware of Buddhist funeral customs and practices, some families, especially those in Singapore, entrust these concerns to their chosen Funeral services Singapore provider. Essentially, what the deceased individual's family does is meet with the funeral director Singapore memorial service provider has and discuss what they want to happen. From there, the funeral director takes the lead role in organising the funeral.
In the Theravada tradition, on the day of the funeral, a white cloth, also known as a Mataka Vastra, is draped on the casket by monks. Relatives also participate in blessing their departed by pouring water from a tiny jug into a dish. This tradition, which is called Pansakula, is believed to be an act of transferring merit to the deceased. After the cremation, alms-giving happens in the funeral home where pumpkin, believed to be good for the grieving heart, and salted fish, said to replenish lost salts in the body due to crying, are served.
These are just some of the many funeral traditions and practices in the Buddhist faith. While there could be variations or differences in practices among the different schools, Buddhist leaders are on the same page when it comes to teaching their followers to focus on having funerals that are solemn and not extravagant.
No comments:
Post a Comment