Buddhist Burial
The ceremony begins in the family home, where the coffin has been placed in castrum doloris for up to a week. On 20 December, Witul Choetchu and his son Pongphaya sit opposite each other as the town’s monks arrive and begin the prayers for the deceased.
According to belief, the soul must leave the home and be guided towards the temple, and a few hours later, the coffin is placed in the back of a vehicle and driven through the town in a procession led by the monks.
Behind them follow family and friends, in order of their relation to the deceased, all holding a thin white thread in their hands, which symbolically binds the procession together and helps guide the spirit towards Wat Phumiban temple.
Later the same day, Witul stands at the ceremonial grounds by the temple, which also serves as a crematorium.
In one hand he carries a photo of his late wife, in the other a bouquet of sandalwood flowers, an important part of the ceremony, whose fragrance is believed to guide the spirit to heaven.
The couple have been together for 41 years and have known each other since their youth. The day is marked by grief, but also by deep love and respect.
Pongphaya stands before the open coffin in his early days as a Buddhist monk, with his mother lying before him.
In his hands he holds a coconut. In Thai Buddhist belief, coconut water is considered the purest water, and it is used to wash the face of the deceased, a ritual cleansing intended to remove bad karma and ensure a peaceful transition to the next life.
The funeral spans several days. The next morning, Witul stands alone by his wife’s ashes. In his hand he holds a bag containing half of her bones, which later are cast into the Songkhram River behind the temple. The other half is buried after a final prayer.
According to Buddhist belief, life continues in a new form, and through the ceremonies, one hopes to ensure a good rebirth.
Before the farewell, 32 coins are laid on the ground, one for each part of the body, as a symbol that the soul is to be reborn as a whole and healthy human being.
Afterwards, the family walks three times around the ashes, the bones, and the coins, to symbolically confuse the spirit and prevent it from finding its way back home. For now, it belongs to the temple and, if all goes well, to the next life.
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