Buddhist Funerals

I found the ceremonies connected with Buddhist funerals quite different and very interesting. Some of the differences included:

- 4 Buddhist monks are seated in front of of everyone next to a Buddha statue on a raised platform there heads being higher than surrounding people who kneel on the ground.

- The body is placed in a coffin with no lid and then put into a ceremonial display coffin(device)that is part refrigerator, this device keeps the body cool for the 3, 5 or 7 days of the funeral.

- A string is attached to the body and which then goes out the device door and is strung overhead for the monks to use during the ceremonies while they pray. This string allows a direct connection to the person who has died.

- When the monks do their nightly chanting they cover there faces, I asked why and from what I understood it was because it was a funeral and it represented the fact that the person had died, at weddings and other ceremonies the monks faces are not covered when they chant also at weddings a odd number of monks preside for the ceremony either 5,7,9 or more.

- Before the body is initially placed in the coffin it is placed under a red cloth with the head facing the crowd. When the cloth is removed money is placed and tied into the hands of the dead person in the shape of a Thai Wai.

- The visitors of the funeral offer daily personal prayers at the time of their choosing. They walk up Wai the photo (of the dead person on display) or they Wai the coffin they then kneel down and light some incense. The incense is shaken to eliminate the flame (not blown on) then it is placed in a Wai between your fingers. Then you Wai the deceased person again and quietly prey. When your done praying you place the incense stick in a pot filled with sand in front of the coffin. Finally you bow down (from your knees) and touch you head to a cushioned stool on the ground.

- Incense is lit on the first day of the ceremony and must stay lit for the entire time the funeral goes on, only when the funeral is over and the bones/ashes are either placed in the family home or in the temple area where they store ashes can the incense stick be allowed to run out. A person from the family slept nightly next to the coffin at the temple to make sure the incense sticks did not go out.

- After the funeral the photograph of the dead person, a urn with his bones and a ceremonial lit kerosene lamp along with lit incense stick are transferred to the persons home where they are placed high in the room and become a personal shrine area for that individual. The vehicle must not stop on this journey for food, toilet breaks or other reasons or bad luck will befall the family at some future date.

- A tray of food is given to the dead person next to his coffin every day, 3 times a day (his favorite food dishes while living). When you talk and prey to the body/person you have a conversation with him like he is still alive. Tell him what is happening when you will return, say goodnight etc.