The Community Leader’s View on Buddhist Creative Funeral Model in Rural Community of Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

This research article aims to present the creative funeral arrangements of Buddhists in rural communities in Ubon Ratchathani province. The data were collected by questionnaires from a sample of 364 village headmen or village chiefs, selected from the population, namely 2422 village headmen or village chiefs by determining the size from the population according to the percentage criteria determining the total population in the thousands and using sample of 15 percent, making a sample of 364 people. Data were analyzed by statistics; t-test and F test, frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The results of the research were as follows: The creative funeral model, in summary from the statistical data, consisted of 4 aspects; 1) Funeral arrangements, funerals should be handled in a simple manner in accordance with tradition and mental values; 2) The funeral before cremation day, funerals should be managed according to conventional practices in Isan community, the sample has very low opinion about the funeral arrangement without allurements which lead to ruin (Apâyamukha) and the use of vegetarian food in order to avoid the other life violation (Pānātipātā); 3) The funeral on the cremation day, the main ceremonies should be carried out to be concise, such as the ceremony of laying and considering the Pangsukula fabric and announcing the history and mourning for the deceased, ordination to make merit for the deceased may not be necessary, only one Buddhist monk is enough for the ceremony; 4) The funeral on the day after cremation, merit making for the deceased can be done on the next day after cremation to save the valuable and charitable deeds to the relatives and the deceased, the meritorious action could be conducted in 3 ways of meritorious action consisting in generosity (Danamaya), observing the precepts or moral behavior (Silamaya) and  mental development (Bhavanamaya).