Chinese Funeral - Introduction
Chinese
Theravadins
Buddhists
follow
the
Indian
custom
of
burning
the
body
at
death.
The
Buddha’s
body
was
cremated
and
this
set
the
example
for
many
Buddhists,
even in the West.
When
someone
is
dying
in
a
Chinese
Buddhist
home,
monks
come
to
com-
fort them.
They
chant
verses
to
them,
such
as:"Even
the
gor-
geous
royal
chariots
wear
out;
and
in-
deed
this
body
too
wears
out.But
the
teaching
of
good-
ness
does
not
age;
and
so
Goodness
makes
that
known
to
the good ones."
After
death,
while
the
dead
person
is
be-
ing
prepared
for
the
funeral
fire,
the
monks
continue
to
chant
in
order
to
help
the
dead
one’s
good
energies
to
be
released
from
their
fading personality.
The
monks
come
with
the
family
to
the
funeral.
The
family
and
all
their
friends
give
food
and
candles
to
the monks.
Goodwill
is
created
by
these
gifts
and
it
is
believed
that
the
goodwill
helps
the
lingering
spirit
of
the
dead person.
It
is
believed
that
as
soon
as
the
death
of
the
body
has
taken
place,
the
personal-
ity
goes
into
a
state
of
trance
for
four
days.
During
this
time
the
person
does
not
know
they
are
dead.
Tombstone
Chinese funeral procession
Tombstone
Tombstone
Chinese funeral procession
