Should Dead Children Be Buried Rather Than Cremated

[prakhonchai nick]

A good Thai friend who lost her son a few years ago has now been told by the local monks that she should have buried her son and not had his body cremated. As a result her own life could be in danger -the remedy being to visit 7 Wats and make merit in each.

Can anyone advise on this or is it just another money making hoax?

[GrahamR]

My wife has only heard of unborn foetuses being buried.

Why did it take years to tell the family this, why did a Temple agree to the cremation originally?

Sounds strange.

I can talk to a monk on Monday.

Graham

[prakhonchai nick]

Thanks Graham

My wife has since confirmed to me that it is normal out here in Isaan for children to be buried. It seems the Mother who lost her son was advised at the time by the wat and Monks to bury, but ignored this advice.

I am told that the last Wat of 7 is being visited today!

[GrahamR]

Thanks Graham

My wife has since confirmed to me that it is normal out here in Isaan for children to be buried. It seems the Mother who lost her son was advised at the time by the wat and Monks to bury, but ignored this advice.

I am told that the last Wat of 7 is being visited today!

Ok thanks for the update, different customs across Thailand!

Graham

[IMA_FARANG]

Yeah, my Thai wife's mother died last year,

I was told that I shouldn't go to the cremation ceremony because many years ago I hurt my leg in an accident, and there is still a discolored patch there on my leg from that accident.

Appears it would be very dangerous for me to go to the Wat during a cremation because of my "disfigured" leg.

Apparently it's alright at other times.

Whatever.

[Theo007]

Cannot really see that it makes any difference. Just remember that until not so many years ago the Catholic Church was against cremation because they claimed that it was believed that people who had been cremated would not be resurrected upon Christ's return.

[rizla]

Thanks Graham

My wife has since confirmed to me that it is normal out here in Isaan for children to be buried. It seems the Mother who lost her son was advised at the time by the wat and Monks to bury, but ignored this advice.

I am told that the last Wat of 7 is being visited today!

I`ve been told that still born, young children and young children (who died unnaturally ) should not be cremated ...but the age limit seems to vary on who you ask...

Also monks have to attend the scene of unnatural deaths to release the spirit.....i`ve seen them do this at RTA sites, and this covers all ages....

[cardholder]

Thanks Graham

My wife has since confirmed to me that it is normal out here in Isaan for children to be buried. It seems the Mother who lost her son was advised at the time by the wat and Monks to bury, but ignored this advice.

I am told that the last Wat of 7 is being visited today!

I`ve been told that still born, young children and young children (who died unnaturally ) should not be cremated ...but the age limit seems to vary on who you ask...

Also monks have to attend the scene of unnatural deaths to release the spirit.....i`ve seen them do this at RTA sites, and this covers all ages....

Thanks rizla - can't sleep ?

buddhanet.net actually states that burial or cremation is a personal choice and there is no Buddhist requirement. I suspect that the burial of infants is a local (Isaan) or even Thai local practice.

[fabianfred]

If bodies are cremated there is no chance of them becoming Phii Dib (vampires)...as LP Jaran had to deal with once.. but it is unlikely that children would create the necessary causes in the first place.

[Potosi]

Exorcise the monks. They're good for nothing.

[cardholder]

Exorcise the monks. They're good for nothing.

That is perhaps, a separate issue.

There is no doubt that visits to seven temples will have been a lucrative exercise for the monks.

[prakhonchai nick]

Thanks to everyone for their input. There would appear to be no clear answer to this matter. It is simply a matter of tradition and custom, which perhaps operates in some parts of Thailand and not in others.

The 7 temples/wats have now been visited by my friend and merit has been made by probably making inappropriately large donations to each, However, she is now at peace with herself, and the Monks will no doubt have some extra Christmas cheer!

[khaowong1]

If bodies are cremated there is no chance of them becoming Phii Dib (vampires)...as LP Jaran had to deal with once.. but it is unlikely that children would create the necessary causes in the first place.

I would love to spend some time with LP Jaran, but now he's too old to be bothered and I would instead have to put up with some other monk there. Any suggestions?

Phra Bill

[Jawnie]

Never read or heard that one form of dealing with a dead body is preferable or recommended over another. Therefore, it would seem that the method is purely personal and/or cultural. Along with burial and cremation, Tibetans use 'sky burial' where the body is taken into the mountains, ritually cut into large sections, and fed to vultures. This is considered an offering and a way of giving to beings, the vultures, as a last embodied, albeit dead, act. My ex-wife's grandfather's body was handled this way about 10 years ago.

For cremated bodies, sometimes the ashes are placed inside stupas or relics. I've even heard of the ashes being mixed with clay and the clay then used to make offering sculptures....these are all Tibetan customs.

A much more important aspect of dealing with dead people is how everyone near the body behaves for the first few days following the stoppage of breathing and of the pulse. The consciousness has not yet completely departed the body and is very sensitive to whatever is going on in close proximity to the body.....so say the Tibetans.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Jawnie