Funeral Rituals of a Buddhism Vulture in Thailand - Essay Example

Anthropology Life, Death and Culture Funeral Rituals of a Buddhism Culture in Thailand Name of Professor: Name of Course: Code of the Course: Date of Submission: Anthropology Life, Death and Culture Funeral Rituals of a Buddhism Vulture in Thailand Introduction Buddhism is the main religion in Thailand. In fact, Thailand’s culture and Buddhism are intertwined. One of the main teachings of Buddhism is giving meaning to life and death, which is referred to as the anthropology of life and death by scholars (Kaufman & Morgan 2005, p.317). on this point, it can be appreciated that the lifecycle of an individual is marked by many aspects which are well illustrated in Thai Buddhism. At times, Buddhism also offers the living a chance to connect with their ancestors through specific religious rituals. On this aspect, it is important to note that funeral rites are some of the most important and closely observed rites in Thailand Buddhism. The following essay will take a deep insight into Buddhism in Thailand. Under this subtopic, it will be realized that modern Buddhism has several variations from the traditional conventional Buddhism (Theravada). The essay will then discuss about death and its significance in Buddhism. Lastly, the essay will also give an in depth discussion about the funeral rites in Thailand Buddhism. Under this, the essay will discuss about clothing, the duration of the funeral and mourning, the bathing rite, chanting, the ordaining of the novice monk and the cremation ceremony. Lastly, the essay will discuss about Monoraa Ronkruu, a ritual performed to enable the living connect with the ancestral world. Buddhism in Thailand Buddhism is the main religion in Thailand. The religion is so important to the Thai that most of their cultural practices are closely related with its teachings. So important is the religion to the people that there is a proviso in the country’s laws that its president must be a strict follower of Buddhism in addition to being a strong believer in its practices. The degree with which the religion is upheld in the country explains why Thailand is sometimes referred to as the ‘Country of Yellow Robes’ a phrase which depicts the high presences of the yellow robes which are worn by Monks. Buddhism in Thailand has always gone transformations according to the prevailing times for instance times or war or peace. Buddhism was introduced in Thailand by missionaries and travelers who made their way into the country from China and other Asian countries where Buddhism was more advanced/ popular. The history of Buddhism in Thailand can be traced back to the Al Lao period, who was the first ruler to proclaim that he upheld Buddhism and its teachings (Setaburr 2002, p.20). Ideally, this was the first move to what is today a requirement for a Thai president; to be a believer in Buddhism. Buddhism then continued to become firmly rooted in Thailand over the next regimes for instance the Nao Chao regime, Chang Saen regime, Lankavasma (Ceylon) regime, Sukhothai regime, Chang Mai up to the Mahayana Buddhism period (Setaburr 2002, p.41). Over time, several rituals and ceremonies were established to mark important occurrences and events in life and death (Kaufman & Morgan 2005, p.17). Basically, every occurrence of life in Thailand is marked by a specific religious ceremony. So important are the ceremonies to the Thai hence explaining the way in which they are closely followed and upheld. As identified earlier, this paper will talk about the funeral rituals. Key to the development of Buddhism in Thailand is the Theravada school of thought (Ismail 2006, p.1). On this point, it is important to note that there are several variations of Buddhism in Asia and around the world. The differences in the Buddhism are in accordance to the school of thought and belief upheld in a region. As it is with the differences in Buddhism, so are the differences in funeral rituals and rites. However, the modern Buddhism in Thailand is slowly deviating from Theravada Buddhism, a move that has seen the transformation of the way of reasoning in Thailand (Horstmann 2009, p.919). However, most of rituals and rites in Theravada Buddhism have been integrated into the modern Buddhism. According to Schedneck, modern Buddhism is associated with seven main characteristics. The characteristics are the upholding of egalitarianism with respect to the hierarchical structure, the recovery or redemption of the former teachings of Buddhism, low regard of ritual and magical elements of traditional Buddhism, advocacy for the compatibility of teachings with science, reduction / minimizing the differences between the ordained and ordinary members of Buddhism, the encouraging the benefit of the world through the teachings of Buddhism and the high regard of meditation as an important practice in Buddhism (Schedneck 2007, p.59). Death in Buddhism Life and death are two occurrences in life that are normally considered to exist on two extremes of the life cycle of humans. However, there also seems to be a close connection between the two, one which of keen interest to the anthropology of life and death (Kaufman & Morgan 2005, p.19). Death rituals in Buddhism are some of the most prominent and closely observed rituals in Thailand. Death is one of the important events in the anthropology of life and death. As indentified earlier, every life event is marked by a specific ritual. In Buddhism, death is perceived to as suffering, just as any other life event. Ideally, death is perceived to as the greatest degree of suffering (Falk 2010, p.97). However, the notion that death is a universal occurrence, hence very person living on the phase on earth has to undergo the process tends to relieve Buddhists which explains why this is a major teaching in Buddhism. The importance of death ritual in the Buddhism culture explains why monks, the most highly ranked religious leaders in Buddhism are actively involved in the ritual. Death is perceived to as a process by which a person is transformed from one world to the other. The suffering bit of life during death calls for a need to align a dying person’s soul along with the Buddhism teachings, a move that ensures that the suffering at death is reduced by substantial margin. This is termed as fixing a dying persons mind (Berhard 2007, p.1). In the fixing ritual, a person is made to recite names, phrases and syllables contained in the Holy Scriptures. These words are usually whispered in the ear of the dying person. Shortly after the death of an individual, there is wailing and screaming this is meant to alert other people about the death of a loved one. There are various ethnography aspects that link the living to the dead in the anthropology of life and death. Just as other societies around the world, the soul of the deceased, his or her corpse and funeral rites and rituals have a great bearing in the connection between the living and the dead (Kaufman & Morgan 2005, p.323). The meaning and reason of life and death have various meanings according to the religion and culture. The above section has given an insight into the meaning and reason of death in Thai Buddhism. Funeral Rituals In the anthology of life and death, it has come out clearly that every life occurrence is marked by a special occasion. The occasion is normally attached to the beliefs and values which are upheld in the specific culture or religion (Kaufman & Morgan 2005, p.19). Death is usually referred to as the end of physical life, a stage when the body and soul part ways. The occurrences after death are different according to the specific religion and culture ranging from life after death, resurrection, reincarnation among others. So as to mark this important phase in life, there are various rituals which are conducted in order to ensure that there is a smooth transition between the two phases (Sanders 2010, p.48). The following section will, discuss several rituals which are associated with the funeral rituals. Just as other funeral rites and rituals in the world which have been undergoing several changes over time, so is the Thai Buddhism rituals (Sanders 2010, p.47).The first funeral ritual associated with funeral in Buddhism is clothing. Just any other religion and cultural practice in the world, clothing plays a very important role in the funeral ritual. Clothing is meant to show the somber mood associated with death, the remorse and love for the deceased and also to show solidarity with the family and friends who are bereaved. The clothing associated with Buddhist funeral rituals in Thailand are white or black in colour or a combination of both. Generally, bright colors are avoided since they give an illusion of merry making while in fact the situation involved calls for mourning (Barrow 2011, p.1). Bathing Rite Key to the funeral rituals in Thailand is the time frame. Ideally, the mourning period may range from a week to a year depending on one’s connection to the deceased. Special funeral and mourning activities are spread along the entire mourning period (Barrow 2011, p1). The bathing rite is the first ritual that is performed on the body of deceased. It is usually done on the first evening. The aim of this rite is to cleanse the deceased off the evils in the world and also to prepare the body for the final ritual; cremation. This rite also prepares the soul of the deceased for the afterlife (Williams & Ladwid 2012., p.15). During the rite, the body of the deceased is laid on table and covered with a cloth. However, the head and the right hand are left uncovered. The rite is performed by pouring scented water on the uncovered right hand (Barrow 2011, p.1). The pouring is done in turns by the people who have attended the bathing rite. During this time, people may seek for forgiveness if they had wronged the deceased or spell a blessing over him or her. The ankles and wrists of the deceased are normally tied with a sacred white string known and the Sai sin. The hands tare then held together in gesture emulating prayer whilst a lotus flower and incense sticks are attached to them. After this, the body is put inside a coffin which is then placed on an elevated table. The coffin is then surrounded with lotus flowers and a portrait of the deceased displayed prominently against it (Barrow 2011, p.1). Chanting The other main ritual associated with Buddhist funeral rituals is chanting. Chanting is a religious intercessory with God on behalf of the deceased. Chanting is normally done by monks who are Buddhist religious leaders. The exercise is done daily at specific times where the members of the public, friends and relatives of the deceased join the monks in the prayers. Normally, four chants are done daily with breaks dividing them (Barrow 2011, p.1). The main chanting process is done before the actual day of the funeral’ when the body is cremated. However, chanting continues shortly after the cremation has taken place so as to ensure that the soul of the deceased rests in peace in addition to seeking comfort and consolation for the bereaved families. The chanting is done by four monks on a daily basis. The normal chanting period is seven days that may be shorter according to the day in which cremation is to be done (Barrow 2011, p.1). Cremation The cremation ritual normally takes place after the chanting is over. On the actual cremation day, further chanting is done in order to ensure that the final ritual goes on smoothly after which the monks who are to preside over the cremation ritual are offered food. After eating, the coffin is moved to the crematorium by the use of an ornate cart. The funeral procession then moves systematically to the crematorium (Barrow 2011, p.1). First in the procession are family members to the deceased who carry his or her portrait. Immediately after the family members, the monks follow who hold onto a white thread that is normally attached to the coffin. Other mourners then follow the procession behind the coffin. The procession then moves in an anticlockwise direction around the temple after which the coffin is placed on in front of the doors of the crematorium on a high table. The crematorium is a very important place in the Buddhism funeral, just as any other burial grounds in other societies (Sanders 2010. p.53). Beautiful flowers and black & white cloths are used to decorate the crematorium. Honored guests in the cremation occasion are given a chance to attach pedestals on the coffin. The monk then says a prayer after which he receives a robe on behalf of the departed. The eulogy of the deceased is then given after which a traditional dance is performed. After this, the people who have attended the ceremony place wood shaving flowers below the coffin according the order of closeness to the deceased and the seniority in the Thai and religious setting. Before placing the flower below the coffin, t is normal for people to tap the side of the coffin whereby they say a short prayer for the deceased and also forgive him or her for any wrongs he may have done to them during his or her lifetime. The fire is then lit and the body and coffin of the deceased is consumed by the flames. The ashes are then collected and placed in an urn where they may be mixed with sweet smelling ashes (Berhard 2007, p. 22). The ashes are then taken to the temple where chanting and prayers are offered. The family or friends of the deceased may take the ashes home with them or either spill them on water which is a ritual which has been adopted from the Hinduism. Before placing the ashes on water, the mourners first pay respect to the god of the ocean, the goddess of the water and the boat’s guardian spirit. After this, the mourners ask the gods and the sprits to take care of the deceased person after which the white cloth containing the ashes of the deceased is dropped carefully into the water. After the cremation ritual, a young family member to the deceased is ordained as a novice monk. This is done with an aim of making merit to the deceased. This ritual is normally done shortly after the cremation ritual or any other time that the family deems appropriate. Normally, a full ordination involves the shaving of the eyebrows and hair of the young family member (Barrow 2011, p.1). From the above discussion, it can be appreciated that the funeral process is a cultural and religious practice in Thailand (Sanders 2010, p.65) Monooraa Rongkruu The other main ritual in Thailand Buddhism is Monooraa Rongkruu. This ritual makes it possible for the living to connect with the dead via communication. According to the anthropology of life and death, there exists close relationships between the living and the dead (Kaufman & Morgan 2005, p.323). Just like Thai Buddhism, Monooraa Rongkruu has undergone transformation over time, leading to the development of new ritual cycles and art genres. In Monooraa Rongkruu, performance arts play an important role in creating a space in which the living is able to connect with the dead (Horstmann 2009, p.918.). The performance of the ritual aims at reaching a specific spirit medium that may even lead to the possession of the spirits from the dead. Monooraa Rongkruu is associated with cosmological elements. The ritual is normally associated with southern Thailand, a home of people who feel that they belong to an imagined community. The ritual is dependent on specific time conditions and has a major bearing on power constellations of precise local settings. Key to the performances of Monooraa Rongkruu is costumes, movement and offerings. As pointed out earlier, Monooraa Rongkruu is an art that means that it is performed. For any performance to take place there is a need to have a specific costume which goes along with the performance and body movement which is meant to bring out the art. However, rituals in Monooraa Rongkruu have slowly been transformed in line with the changing modernist Buddhism that has low regard for magic and rituals. Monooraa Rongkruu is sometimes used today as a healing ritual and is known to have remedies for nervous disorders, depression, stress, clashes in the family units and personal problems. However, Monooraa Rongkruu remains an important ritual in which the living are able to communicate with the ancestors; a process which ensures that there is continuity of existence between the two mediums of life (Horstmann 2009, p.928). Conclusion In conclusion, it can be seen from this essay that the funeral ritual is a very important ritual in Thai Buddhism. The essay has identified that Buddhism have specific rituals that are associated with important life events and death is one of such events. From the essay, it has been seen that death is perceived to as suffering, hence the sober and sorrowful feeling associated with it. The essay has also given an insight into Buddhism in Thailand. It has been seen that Buddhism is undergoing transformation leading to the modernism Buddhism that has several differences as compared to traditional Theravada Buddhism. The essay has given a list of seven key elements associated with modern Buddhism. The essay has given a discussion of several funeral rituals performed in Thailand. The clothing ritual restricts people to wearing white and black clothes. The ritual is meant to express sorrow in addition to showing solidarity with the bereaved. The bathing rite is meant to cleanse the deceased off evil spirits and also prepare him or her for the life after death. Chanting is meant to offer intercessory on behalf of the deceased to the gods. Cremation is the main ritual where the deceased’s body is consumed in flames after which the ashes are stored in an urn or dropped in water. The last ritual is the ordaining of the novice monk, a ritual meant to make merit on behalf of the deceased. The essay has also discussed about Monooraa Rongkruu, which is a performance aimed at enabling the living to connect with the dead. From this essay, it can be concluded that the funeral rituals are very important in Thai Buddhism. References Barrow, R., 2011. What to expect in a Buddhist funeral. Buddhism in Thailand. (Online). Available at: http://www.thaibuddhist.com/what-to-expect-if-you-are-invited-to-a-thai-funeral/. Accessed on 10-06-2013. Berhard, K., 2007. A Guide To A Proper Buddhist Funeral, The World Buddhist University, Sea Park Falk, M., 2010. Recovery and Buddhist practices in the aftermath of the Tsunami in Southern Thailand. Religion, 40(2): pp. 96-103. Horstmann, A 2009. The Revitalization and Reflexive Transformation of the Manooraa Rongkruu Performance and Ritual in Southern Thailand: Articulations with Modernity. Asian Journal of Social Science. , 37(6): pp.918-934. Ismail, M., 2006. Buddhism In A Muslim State: Theravada Practices And Religious Life In Kelantan, Journal E- Bangi, 1(1); pp.1-20 Kaufman, S., & Morgan, L., 2005. The anthropology of the Beginnings and Ends of Life, Annual Review Anthropology, 34 (3); pp. 17 - 41 Sanders, G.,2010. The Dismal Trade As Culture Industry, Poetics, 38 (1), pp. 47 - 68 Schedneck, B., 2007. Buddhist Life Stories. Contemporary Buddhism, 8(1): pp. 57-68. Setaburr, A., 2002. Buddhism in Thailand, The World Buddhist University, Sea Park Williams, P., & Ladwid, P., 2012. Buddhist Funeral Cultures Of Southeast Asia And China, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Read More