Comparison and Analyzation of Orthodox Greek and Japanese Mahayana Buddhist Death Rituals

Compare:  Both cultures find that prayer and the afterlife are important to their ceremonies.  They allow loved ones to view the body and pay their respects to the deceased. They also carry out a period of mourning for over a month (30 days).

Contrast:  Buddhists do not believe in a need to keep the body intact and they cremate the deceased whereas an Orthodox Greek does not believe in mutilating the body in any manner.  Also Buddhists require a financial fee to be paid to the family, Orthodox Greeks do not require any payment from attendees.

What does this tell me? Analyzation:
For the Mahayana Buddhist Funeral Ceremony that religion and the practices associated with religion are normal parts of the culture.  The culture values the spirit or soul of the deceased one and not their body as they burn the bodies of their dead.  The culture also values support from the community as the community assist the family financially.  They value family as well with the family being the ones who must wait at the crematorium for the ashes.  The ceremony gives me insight on Japanese Buddhist beliefs or worldview as well:  they value reincarnation and the idea that the soul lives on even at the end of life in the body they had.  The body is not the important vessel when carrying the soul.

For the Orthodox Greek Funeral Ceremony, religion is another important part of everyday life.  A norm would be to not have the body tainted in any way--considering the view of transplants and organ donations I wonder if they even allow ear piercings and body art.  It is also normal to wear black, and potentially other colors for other ceremonies or events in life, to signify the loss of a loved one.  Another norm includes the consumption of brandy, and the consumption of coffee before and/or after meals as well as the involvement of the congregation in the family's life and business matters.  The culture values the food and drink as they consistently have meals after the death and before the funeral, after the funeral, and after Trisagions.  They value their congregation's involvement in their mourning and they value their bodies.  Their belief or worldview follows the idea that the body must remain intact and the soul must be prepared for eternal life.  They believe in God and that life after death can be great should the soul qualify as a good and righteous.  The family continues to pray for the soul after life in the hopes that their requests for forgiveness will help the soul reach an eternal life of peace and happiness.

Death Ritual: Orthodox Greek

Picture 1, Funeral Services for the Rev. Constantine N. Dombalis at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church on Nov. 20, 2012, Accessed 29 April 2014.  http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/latest-news/funeral-services-held-for-longtime-greek-orthodox-leader/article_1a64de02-3343-11e2-b52a-001a4bcf6878.html

Immediately upon the death of an individual, the Trisagion is spoken in the presence of the deceased.  This is a prayer spoken by the priest.  After the funeral, the Trisagion is spoken again at a church or chapel of a funeral home.  Others can see the body during the Trisagion as well.

The Orthodox Greek believes in eternal life and believes that the integrity of the body in addition to the eternal life of the soul are very important.  This means that most Orthodox Greeks do not donate their organs.  Some churches are becoming more open to donating organs but this is not typical.  They also do not believe in cremation--they see it as a failure to keep the body as it is suppose to be upon death.  Small personal items of the deceased's may be placed in the coffin with them.

The church designates 40 days after the death as a period of mourning.  During this time (and beyond) the Trisagion is repeated at important days after the deceased's death:  the third day, ninth day, fortieth day, six months, and one year after the death at church or at the graveside.  During the period of mourning--before and after the funeral--relatives and friends provide the family with food and drinks.  The immediate family wears black during this period of mourning.  They do not participate in entertainment during this time--they do not dance or listen to music or attend social events.  Sometimes, individuals may continue this mourning for a year and widows may continue to wear black for the rest of their lives.

Some Orthodox Greeks prefer Greek funeral homes to prepare the funeral and they prefer the funeral to occur in a church.  Funerals are held on weekdays, rarely on Saturdays, and never on Sundays.  After the ceremony, the attendants bow to the open casket and kiss an object laid on the deceased's chest.  At the graveside, a prayer ceremony occurs where a prayer is said and people may lay a flower on the casket before it is lowered into the grave.

The family usually hosts a wake after the funeral although this is not a traditional part of the religious ceremony.  The meal depends on the families homeland but they always offer guests brandy upon entrance and coffee before and/or after the meal.

Mnimosyno is a memorial service held on the day close to the 40th day of the deceased's death.  At this service, the priests pray for forgiveness of the deceased.  Family sits in the front row and they provide kollyva-boiled wheat with sugar, spices, etc. Kollyva represents eternal life and the soul.  After the service, the family invites the congregation to a meal with them--similar to the wake meal after the funeral.

http://www.greekcare.org.au/advice-and-information/greek-culture-and-tradition/death-and-mourning/

Death Ritual: Mahayana Buddhism in Japan

With the Buddhist religion and culture there are two different types of prevalent Buddhism:  Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.  The Mahayana Buddhist religion is common in the Japanese Culture.  The Death ritual involves a pre-funeral event called "Otsuya".  This ritual is similar to a wake:  loved ones come and pay their respects with more happy stories than sad ones.

The actual funeral is called "ososhiki".  Funeral attendees first pay a fee to the family before entering t the funeral location.  The funeral entails an altar with the deceased's photograph surrounded by flowers placed in front of the deceased's casket.

Picture 4, Death and Funeral Customs:  Buddhism Post, Funerals and Flowers In Loving Memory Website, Accessed 29 April 2014.  http://www.funerals-and-flowers.com/death-and-funeral-customs.html

Priests chant up until the point when the body is shown to the public for the last time.  This point in the funeral is called "Nobe no Okuri".

After the funeral ceremony, the Japanese Mahayana Buddhists then have the body cremated.  Loved ones wait at the crematorium for the body cremation to be complete.  When the body is returned the family members place the bones in an urn with ceremonial chopsticks and someone who works for the crematorium crushes the bones until they are ash.  The family is then given the ashes and a certificate of cremation.

Although the ceremony lasts for a short period, the Japanese Mahayana Buddhists are not finished.  The 49th day of one's death is an important stage in the Buddhist reincarnation cycle.  The 49th day means that the deceased has made it to their next stage of reincarnation:  they are at their next destination.

http://www.buddhanet.net/d_cermon.htm