Generally, Buddhist teaching views life and death as a continuum, believing that consciousness (the spirit) continues after death and may be reborn. Death can be an opportunity for liberation from the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
Buddhists typically favor cremation because they believe it is an important way to release the soul from the physical form. Buddha himself was cremated, so his followers often follow his lead. But burial with embalming is allowed, too. Buddhism also allows the donation of organs and autopsies.
These eight states - earth into water, water into fire, fire into air, air into consciousness, consciousness into luminance, luminance into radiance, radiance into imminence, imminence into transparency and then reversed -- transparency to imminence, imminence to radiance, radiance to luminance, luminance to ...
Buddhist funerals are not completely sad occasions, as Buddhists believe that the dead person has passed into the next rebirth and hopefully will experience a happier and more fulfilled life.
A central tenet of Buddhism is that we only fear death because we suffer from an illusion of a persistent self. Giving up that belief should reduce fear of death. In particular, it should reduce fear of death of the self.
The lesson on death and suffering that Buddha taught Kisa Gotami through an activity is that death and suffering are common to all. He said that there was no way by which one could avoid death or suffering. He compared it to an earthen vessel made by a potter, which would sooner or later die.
Buddha's life and Buddhist History:
During his late twenties, Siddhartha is said to have encountered "four signs" which altered his life forever. These signs were: an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a monk or a yogin (i.e. yoga or yogin refer to a man who pursues and/or teaches various religious practices).
The monks would die in a state of jhana (meditation) while chanting the nenbutsu (a mantra about Buddha), and their body would become naturally preserved as a mummy with skin and teeth intact without decay and without the need of any artificial preservatives.
Trimming hair and nails
Generally, this emanates from the belief that nails and hair were given to the children by the deceased as a parent and as such they shouldn't be trimmed during the mourning period and after the burial. At least you should wait for 49 days.
According to the historical Buddha, there is no "soul" or "self" in the sense of a permanent, intrinsic, autonomous "I" inhabiting our bodies. What we imagine to be "I" is an effect created by our brains and senses that is re-created anew every moment.
The first 49 days after a loved one's death are the most important in Buddhism because we believe it takes a total of 49 days for one's spirit and energy to be fully released.
Other Buddhists observe a mourning period of 100 days. During this time, they don't hold or attend celebratory events like weddings and baby showers. A ceremony may be held on the 100th day to celebrate the end of the mourning period and the successful rebirth of the person's soul.
According to Buddhist beliefs, death is an escape from one life and the beginning of a new life. Thus, white encompasses this hope for the departed to have been pure in heart, and to move on to their next life in peace.
One of the most helpful ways to understand your personal death awareness is to take a moment and recall the number of times today you've thought about your own----not someone else's death or limited span of life. Maybe you thought about your age and evaluated your own progress toward certain life goals.
More simply put, suffering exists; it has a cause; it has an end; and it has a cause to bring about its end. The notion of suffering is not intended to convey a negative world view, but rather, a pragmatic perspective that deals with the world as it is, and attempts to rectify it.
Buddhism is one of the world's largest religions and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists believe that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana.
Buddhists believe that all suffering is ultimately caused by these human urges. People might suffer because they cannot accept change (viparinama dukkha ) or because they have become attached to possessions or sensation (samkhara dukkha ). However, the root of all suffering is greed, ignorance or hatred.
What can a person be reborn as? Within Buddhism there are five or six possible forms that rebirth can take. These are from the highest to the lowest: gods, demi-gods, human, animal, hungry ghost and hell creature.
The helpless human being's cannot stop their loved ones from dying. This helplessness is the greatest grief of life. 2. When Kisa Gotami came to Lord Buddha for making her son alive once again, he requested her to bring some mustard seeds from a house which had not suffered from the pain of losing its loved ones.
“Be a lamp unto yourself. ”
As recounted by many historians, he gathered with his monks encouraging them to continue practicing everything he taught them long after he was gone. His words, translated into modern English: “I was only able to point the way for you.”
Why you shouldn't wear red to a funeral. Wearing red to a funeral can be a sign of disrespect. It will give others a completely wrong impression if you wear a bright and bold colour to a funeral, as this goes against the dark, muted colours associated with sadness and mourning.
The observation of the 40th day after death occurs in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The ritual represents spiritual intercession on the part of the dead, who are believed to collectively await the Day of Judgment.