Funeral Tradition : Study of Social Cultural and Economic Appropriate Model on Buddhist Ceremony, Rat Burana District, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The purposes of the research were 1) to study the morale and history of funeral tradition of Buddhism, 2) to study the current condition of funeral tradition based on the Buddhism principles for the Buddhists, and 3) to investigate an appropriate model of funeral ceremony based on the culture of the ways of life of Buddhists, Rat Burana District, Bangkok, Thailand. The research sites were seven temples in Rat Burana District, Bangkok. They were selected by purposive sampling. Forty key informants were experts, practitioners and general informants. The research instrument was a survey form, an observation form, an interview form, a group discussion note-taking form, and guidelines for the workshop, and a recording advice. The data of the qualitative cultural research were collected from documentary studies and field studies. The accuracy of the data was examined and analyzed based on the research objectives. The descriptive analysis was employed for the research results.  

Results of the research were as follows:

1. 1. The study showed that the people understood and realized the reality of life by preparing themselves before the death without carelessness. The funeral ceremony reflected the value of life, the morale found in the funeral ceremony for the preparation of dying people and the relatives consisting of carelessness, and reality of life after the death. The treatment of the corpse was morale consisting of gratitude, understanding the trinity and praying for funeral. Regarding the morale, the treatment was to devote the charity to the death and understanding other people, funeral ordination, leading the corpse, the gratitude, and excellent property. Burning the corpse indicated the reality of life and the carelessness. Whereas, collecting the ash, making a merit to devote the death for the future best world.
2. The ritual, belief and steps of the funeral ceremony were composed of pouring water on face of the corpse, wrapping a body, praying for funeral ceremony, sacrificing, charity, circumnavigation, washing the face of the corpse, burning the corpse, transformation, collecting the ash, and feasting. However, the ceremony has not been conducted yet such as bathing the corpse, dressing the corpse before the religious ceremony.

          3. The changes of the funeral ceremony affected the ways of life of people in community. The host of the funeral ceremony always encountered the debts of the expenses for the funeral ceremony. Some families spent more money in organizing the ceremony than their incomes. The study indicated that the practical guidelines for the funeral ceremony should be appropriate based on the religious principles and the tradition in their community. The relatives should ask for useful advice from the leaders, monks and ministers in community before they performed the funeral ceremony appropriately.