Buddhism is about 2500 years old. Presently, it is fourth in terms of number of devotees. It is estimated that there are about 350 million Buddhists in the world. China is noted to have the biggest Buddhist population. Unlike many religions that focus on humanity's relationship with God, Buddhism focuses on man's journey for an in-depth understanding of life.
However, this religion isn't different from the others in that it also has its own sets of beliefs or practices when it comes to death and funeral. Listed below are a number of interesting facts about funeral rites observed by different schools of Buddhism.
Most Buddhist schools adhere to cremation as the correct body disposal method. Cremation generally signifies the release of the soul of the departed from bondage. This method also prevents being attached to the dead which is deemed to be a big hindrance for the departed individual's soul to seek new life.
Buddhist tradition encourages family members to personally clean and dress the body of their departed 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 well-aware of Buddhist funeral customs and practices, some families, especially those in Singapore, entrust these tasks to their chosen Funeral services Singapore provider. Basically, what the deceased individual's family does is meet with the funeral director Singapore memorial service provider has and discuss what they like to happen. From there, the funeral director leads the organisation of 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. To transfer merit to the departed, relatives, meanwhile, pour water from a tiny jug into a dish. This tradition is known as Pansakula or the blessing of the deceased's body. Following the cremation, alms-giving happens. Here, pumpkin and dried fish are served. Pumpkin is believed to be helpful for the mourning heart while salted fish is said to replenish salts lost due to crying.
Despite the differences in practices, the different schools of Buddhism in general teach their followers to hold funerals that are devoid of extravagance. This is in keeping with Buddhism's teachings of maintaining simplicity from birth until death.
However, this religion isn't different from the others in that it also has its own sets of beliefs or practices when it comes to death and funeral. Listed below are a number of interesting facts about funeral rites observed by different schools of Buddhism.
Most Buddhist schools adhere to cremation as the correct body disposal method. Cremation generally signifies the release of the soul of the departed from bondage. This method also prevents being attached to the dead which is deemed to be a big hindrance for the departed individual's soul to seek new life.
Buddhist tradition encourages family members to personally clean and dress the body of their departed 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 well-aware of Buddhist funeral customs and practices, some families, especially those in Singapore, entrust these tasks to their chosen Funeral services Singapore provider. Basically, what the deceased individual's family does is meet with the funeral director Singapore memorial service provider has and discuss what they like to happen. From there, the funeral director leads the organisation of 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. To transfer merit to the departed, relatives, meanwhile, pour water from a tiny jug into a dish. This tradition is known as Pansakula or the blessing of the deceased's body. Following the cremation, alms-giving happens. Here, pumpkin and dried fish are served. Pumpkin is believed to be helpful for the mourning heart while salted fish is said to replenish salts lost due to crying.
Despite the differences in practices, the different schools of Buddhism in general teach their followers to hold funerals that are devoid of extravagance. This is in keeping with Buddhism's teachings of maintaining simplicity from birth until death.
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