Death comes to every living human being inevitably. Human beings rely on religion as a means of overcoming limitations of life due to death. When they embrace religion and regard death as a process of beginning a new life, instead of an end to living, they can overcome death.
Buddhism has exerted significant influence on people's life and death. The core idea of Buddhism is samsara, upon which life and death ritual of Buddhism are based. Life and death ritual of Buddhism are processes that help people facing death, guide them to a new life(chondo), and assist with the bereaved family's condolences so that they can return to a normal life. Dying rituals of Buddhism include a ritual of death, sedarim and rituals at funeral parlor, dabi(ritual of cremation), 49 days service for Buddhist death ritual, and a ritual of chondo.
The Buddhist view of life and death and its funeral rituals are an important process that provides a clear understanding of truthful meaning of death to the deceased and their remaining family. By giving a proper understanding of death, these rituals provide an opportunity to advance a view on life and death. Buddhist rituals of life and death include a period of bardo. Death ritual conducted right before and after the timing of death, as well as forty-nine days of mourning-conducted during the bardo period that covers sedarim and afterlife-are very important rituals. It is one of characteristics of Buddhism that these rituals continue even after one's death.
Death is the last and unavoidable ritual among many rites of passage in life, and death and death rituals are no longer in the realm of taboo. Interest in death has been growing recently, and yet, Buddhism has been slow in adapting to changes in culture of funeral rituals. The Buddhist system for rituals of life and death seems weak in terms of how to understand and accept death, and how to commemorate and honor the deceased. Possibly for this reason, there are many cases where old Buddhists nearing death convert to another religion half willingly and half reluctantly.
It is important to establish appropriate rituals of life and death, and provide systematic education on Buddhist philosophy of life and death to believers so that they would not convert to other religions. If Buddhists that help at a person's deathbed chant a prayer in Korean during the death ritual and sedarim, it would help an easy passage to eternity.
This study examined the origin and role of Buddhist death ritual and sedarim in terms of accommodating reflections on life and meaning of death more actively at a time when the number of Buddhists is declining. It also investigated the current state of Buddhist prayer for death and dying, ritual of sedarim, and practicing of prayer to identify problems of current Buddhist rituals of life and death. Based on the analysis of these problems, the following suggestions are made to promote Buddhist rituals of life and death.
First, Buddhist doctrine needs to be broadly evangelize through communication of its rituals. Second, efforts are needed to conduct these rituals in Korean language for better understanding of Buddhists. Third, a group of public service of Buddhist prayer needs to be organized and managed across the country. Fourth, an integrated guide to Buddhist rituals needs to be compiled to unify the rituals.