Buddhist funerals

Buddhist beliefs about death

Buddhists generally believe that nothing is permanent, and that death is a passing from one life into another rather than an ending. There is a belief in rebirth, though not of a soul moving from one body to the next. It is understood more as a continuing, changing state of being. Actions in this life, or karma, shape the life that follows, and the goal is release from that cycle and the perfect peace of enlightenment.

The state of mind at the moment of death is held to be important. Families place great value on a calm, quiet space in the hours and days before and after a death, and chanting or the reading of sacred texts may be used to help settle the mind.

Buddhist funeral ceremonies

There is no universal Buddhist funeral ceremony. Rites differ from tradition to tradition, and family to family. Many Buddhists see the ceremony itself as simple and largely non-religious. In most traditions, monks or a senior member of the community take part in some way – chanting from the scriptures, offering a blessing, or giving a sermon – at a temple or monastery, or at the crematorium or graveside.

Cremation is often the most common choice, following the cremation of the Buddha himself, but it is not universal. Burial is also common among Sri Lankan families and in Tibet, cremation has traditionally been rare.

Customs differ widely between Buddhist traditions, so if you are unsure it is always fine to ask the family. Here's what to expect:

• Anicca: Impermanence. The teaching that nothing that exists is permanent, and that everything will eventually cease to be.
• Karma: Action and its consequences. What a person does in this life shapes the life that follows.
• Samsara: The cycle of death and rebirth that beings move through, driven by karma.
• Nirvana: Release from samsara, and the state of perfect peace and freedom that is the ultimate goal. Called nibbana in Pali.
• Sangha: The Buddhist community. Sometimes used for the monastic community, sometimes for all practitioners.
• Sutra: A Buddhist scripture, chanted by monks at funerals and memorials. Called a sutta in Pali.
• Pali: The ancient language of the Theravada scriptures, used for chanting in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
• Dana: Generosity or giving, including the almsgiving offered to monks in the name of the person who has died.
• Mataka-vastra: The cloth for the dead. A white cloth offered to the monks by close relatives, and a core rite in Theravada funerals from Sri Lanka to Laos.
• Bardo: In Tibetan Buddhism, an intermediate state. The period between death and rebirth is described as lasting 49 days and involving three bardos.

The cost of a Buddhist funeral in the UK depends on the funeral director, the crematorium or cemetery, and the personal touches you choose to include. Most Buddhist families choose an attended funeral, with time in a chapel of rest for chanting and meditation, and a simple ceremony led by a monk or a senior member of the community. Because there is no fixed timescale, families usually have time to consider the options without pressure. Your local Dignity funeral director can talk you through everything that is included, and the costs, so you can plan with confidence.

At Dignity, we’re here to support people of all religions and none. We can arrange Catholic, Anglican, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox, Methodist, Baptist, Quaker and Sikh funerals. Call your local funeral director today to talk about your needs.