Death and mourning
Death and the cycle of samsara
Death is very important in Buddhism as it is central to the concept of samsaraIn Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism, this is the cycle of life, death and rebirth.. This is the life cycle in which all people are born, live, die and are reborn. This means that death is something that has to happen so that the cycle of samsara can move forward. It enables a person to be reborn so that they can try to gain enlightenmentThe realisation of the truth about life. In Buddhism it releases a person from the cycle of rebirth..
Buddhists believe in the idea of aniccaThe belief in impermanence; the first of the Three Marks of Existence in Buddhist teaching., or impermanence. Therefore they have to accept that, like everything, life must change, and death is an important part of this. Death is not viewed as the end, but a transition.
This is linked to the importance Buddhists place on funerals. Buddhists believe funerals are important as they provide a reminder of the BuddhaThe founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, after his enlightenment. It is a title which means the enlightened or awakened one. teachings. For example, if Buddhists can remember the Buddha’s teachings regarding impermanence, then they can remember that nothing lasts forever. This helps Buddhists to accept that everything changes, which in turn helps them to reduce their suffering by encouraging them not to hold on to things.
Death rituals
When a person is dying, a monk reads important words to them. These words act as a reminder of the teachings of the Buddha. The Tibetan Book of the DeadA book read by Tibetan Buddhists to a recently dead person, believed to guide them through the bardo states.is sometimes read to remind people that they are moving on to the next life and that death is not the end.
Funeral rituals
Different Buddhist denominationA group within a religion. Christian denominations include, for example, Roman Catholic and Anglican denominations. and communities have different ways of carrying out funeral ceremonies.
Theravada Buddhism
TheravadaMeaning ‘teachings of the elders'. It is primarily focused on the Arhat path to enlightenment. This branch of Buddhism can be found in Sri Lanka and South East Asia. Buddhists believe that rebirth happens straight after a person has died. Theravada Buddhist funerals involve a shrine with the dead person’s picture and an image of the Buddha surrounded by candles, flowers and incense. A monk leads the funeral service, which involves giving a talk and carrying out important rites. Theravada Buddhists either bury or cremate the dead person. Family members usually help during the ceremony by carrying the person and lifting them up, which marks the final stage of the funeral.
Japanese Buddhist traditions
In the Japanese traditions, Buddhists wash the body carefully and dress the person in a suit (for a man) or a kimono (for a woman). The eldest son usually takes charge of the funeral arrangements and chooses the type of service. The body is placed in a casket with the coffin pointing west, and the community chants as they walk around it. There are also special readings from the Lotus Sutra, which is one of the most important texts in Japanese Mahayana Buddhism. The casket is then cremated. An urn containing the ashes is kept in the family home or at the grave of the deceased.
Tibetan Buddhist traditions
Tibetan Buddhists often have a sky burial. This is when the body of the deceased is placed high up on a hill or mountain so that it can be eaten by vultures. If the vultures eat the body, the belief is that the deceased had no sins. Once this has happened, the remains of the body are collected and burned. Prayers are said and lamps are offered every seven days.