Thai perception of death

[gezginrocker]

Hello,

I'm very curious about this subject and I hope this is the right forum section for this question.

At Facebook, I'm seeing pictures of Thai people at funerals, and it's very different from western funerals. There's always sadness in the west, but at Thai funerals I see people posing for the camera smiling, just in front of the coffin.

Ok, I know according to Buddhism the deceased will reborn, so this is not an end. But still it buffles me how they can stay this calm. So for example, how does a Thai person feel when he/she loses his/her best friend? How do they cope with this?

Also, I have noticed that Thais are very comfortable about sharing pictures of corpses. For example, I was quite shocked to see that many Thais on my list shared the murder scene pictures of Koh Tao backpackers. Or just today, I saw the picture of a dead baby at my timeline. How can they be that much comfortable about the subject of death?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing them or anything. I'm just trying to think like a Thai, emphatize.

Thanks

[willyumiii]

Death = one door closes and another opens!

It is always tragic to lose someone close, but easier when you know they have a chance for a better life once they leave.

With the old, the body ( house ) gets old and broken down, the spirit just seeks a new more comfortable place to reside..again, a happy positive thing.

As far as the photos go, I agree with the OP.

I have trouble with photos of dead mangled bodies, especially those of butchered children stolen for body parts that are posted on Face Book by Thai people.

I must question Face book on this as well..

Why is it o.k. to show death gore and blood on face Book, but considered obscene and prohibited to show a woman's nipple???

Nipples do not bother me at all.

[EmptyHead]

According to Buddhism there is no reason to fear death. In fact it is birth which causes suffering. Nothing wrong with death.

Most Thais don't practice Buddhism, but they have spent their lives not really thinking about things too much and generally not caring about others.

The calmness about death i don't think is a high spirituality thing, but just that they don't care about much. And quite right too, why should we care about anything? Especially death.

Aside from that, they don't want to lose face by crying in front of everyone.

The photo sharing thing is simply moronic. Again, it's not in their culture to consider other people at all.

[AYJAYDEE]

According to Buddhism there is no reason to fear death. In fact it is birth which causes suffering. Nothing wrong with death.

Most Thais don't practice Buddhism, but they have spent their lives not really thinking about things too much and generally not caring about others.

The calmness about death i don't think is a high spirituality thing, but just that they don't care about much. And quite right too, why should we care about anything? Especially death.

Aside from that, they don't want to lose face by crying in front of everyone.

The photo sharing thing is simply moronic. Again, it's not in their culture to consider other people at all.

not caring about others?? nonsense.