Hello, my name's Ms. Ramalli, and welcome to today's RE lesson on Death and Mourning in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.

Today's lesson forms part of our unit on Buddhism practises.

Okay, let's begin the lesson.

Today's lesson on death and mourning in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism takes two parts.

So we're going to start by exploring Buddhist teachings about life after death, and then move on to consider Buddhist death ceremonies and rituals.

To help guide us through today's lesson, there are four keywords.

Our keywords are Bardo state, karma, rebirth, and samsara.

Bardo state refers to a transitional period in which a deceased becomes aware of their death.

Rebirth is also determined.

Karma is a belief in cause and effect.

Rebirth refers to the belief that when a being dies, they're reborn.

And samsara is a cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.

There are many different beliefs about life after death.

Buddhism teaches a belief in rebirth.

Rebirth is the belief that all life is in a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

That cycle being known as samsara.

The cycle is something to escape from.

And when someone dies, their karmic energy passes into another form.

The Buddhist belief in rebirth differs from the Hindu belief in reincarnation.

Laura is confused.

She thought rebirth and reincarnation meant the same thing.

She speaks to Katrina, a Mahayana Buddhist.

Laura asks, "How is rebirth different to reincarnation, Katrina? Katrina responds, "The Buddhist belief in rebirth is different to reincarnation because the Buddha taught nothing is permanent, everything changes.

This means there is no permanent self or soul that is reborn into another body.

Reincarnation is a belief that living beings have a permanent soul or spirit called atman.

When a person dies, the atman is reborn into a different body.

Rebirth may be better described as a person's energy being reborn, rather than a permanent soul." True or false? Rebirth is a belief that after death, the soul is reborn into a different body.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you said that statement is false.

The Buddhist belief in rebirth is better described as a person's energy being reborn.

The Buddha taught that living beings do not have a permanent, unchanging self or soul.

Buddhists might look to a source of authority to find out more about the Buddhist teachings on rebirth.

Here we have a verse from the Dhammapada chapter five.

"Long is a cycle of birth and death to the fool who does not know the true path." What might this teaching highlight about the belief in rebirth? So with your partner, discuss the question, or you can speak to me.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to reflect on your answers.

Okay, welcome back.

So what might this teaching highlight about the belief in rebirth? Well, the Buddha taught that people have many lives.

People who are ignorant to the Dhamma will remain in samsara, the cycle of birth and death.

Those that understand the Dhamma and follow the path will escape and break free from the cycle and achieve liberation.

So here we have another quote from the Dhammapada.

The verse states, "One road leads to wealth; another road leads to Nirvana.

Let the mendicant, the disciple of Buddha, learn this and not strive for honour but seek wisdom." What might this teach bhikkhus about how to reach Nirvana? Remember, bhikkhus is a Buddhist monk.

So with your partner or you can speak to me, consider what might this first teach bhikkhus about how to reach Nirvana? Pause the video and press play when you're ready to reflect on your answers.

Okay, so what might this verse teach bhikkhus about how to reach Nirvana? Well, it could teach them that the road or path to Nirvana is through seeking wisdom, which is the Dhamma.

Okay, let's complete a check for understanding.

Fill in the missing words from the Buddhist teaching.

Long is a cycle of birth and death to the fool who does not know the.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to see the missing words.

Well done if you said the missing words were true path.

The Buddha taught his disciples not to be fearful of death or to mourn.

Buddhism teaches that when a person dies, their karmic energy leaves the body and is reborn into a new one.

Death is not the end, only a transition from one form to another.

Understanding and accepting the impermanent nature of all things reduces suffering.

So here we have another source for authority.

And remember, Buddhists might look to a source of authority, in this case, to find out more about the Buddha's teachings on mourning.

So when we're referring to the term mourning, we're referring to somebody who is grieving for the loss of a loved one.

This first is taken from the Nipata Sutra.

It states, "The world is afflicted by death and decay.

But the wises do not grieve, having realised the nature of the world." So what does this verse highlight about mourning? Pause the video here and discuss what this verse highlights about mourning.

Press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back, everybody.

Well, this verse can teach Buddhists that those that understand the impermanent nature of all things do not need to mourn or grieve.

True or false? The Buddha taught his disciples to fear death.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you said that statement is false.

The Buddha taught his disciples not to fear death.

Death is not the end, but a transition from one form to another.

So now we're going to pause and complete a practise task.

You need to demonstrate your understanding of the distinction between Buddhist Dharma on rebirth and Hindu dharma on reincarnation.

So here there are four statements and you need to tick the correct box.

So the four statements are: the atman, meaning the soul or spirit, is permanent.

Secondly, there is no permanent or fixed self or soul.

Thirdly, after death, the atman is reborn into a new body.

And the last statement, after death, karmic energy passes into another form.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back.

So your table should look like this.

So the atman is permanent is a belief from Hindu Dharma.

There is no permanent or fixed self or soul is Buddhist Dharma.

After death, the atman is reborn into a new body is Hindu Dharma.

And lastly, after death, karmic energy passes into another form is Buddhist Dharma.

So now we're gonna move on to the second activity of the practise task.

Laura is explaining Buddhist beliefs about rebirth.

Laura says, "One belief about rebirth is that a person has many lives.

This is supported by the Dhammapada, which describes samsara as 'Long is a cycle of birth and death.

'" But Laura has not developed the source of authority that she has used.

You need to add to Laura's answer to explain what the source of authority teaches about rebirth in relation to the point she has given.

Good luck completing the practise task and pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back.

So you needed to add to Laura's answer to explain what the source of authority teaches about rebirth in relation to the point Laura has given.

So you may have included the following points.

One belief about rebirth is that a person has many lives.

This is supported by the Dhammapada, which describes samsara as, 'Long is a cycle of birth and death.

' This shows that to escape samsara and have no more rebirths, a Buddhist must follow the Dhamma to break free and reach Nirvana." So here you can see that the source of authority has been developed in relation to the point that Laura had previously given.

So now we're gonna move on to the second part of today's lesson on Death and Mourning in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism by considering Buddhist death ceremonies and rituals.

Laura wants to find out about Buddhist death ceremonies and rituals as she speaks to Niti, a Theravada Buddhist monk.

Laura asks, "How do Theravada Buddhists mark death, Niti?" Niti replies, "Many Theravada Buddhists will cremate the body as this follows the example of the Buddha.

At a funeral, I often see a shrine with the dead person's picture and an image of the Buddha surrounded by candles, flowers, and incense." Niti explains his role at funerals for Theravada Buddhists.

Niti tells us, "I believe that rebirth happens straight after a person has died.

Therefore, Theravada funerals usually happen soon after the person has died.

My role at a funeral is to lead the funeral service.

This involves me giving a talk about the person who has died.

I will also recite mantras which reminds the mourners of the impermanent nature of life." Niti moves on to explain the significance of funerals for Theravada Buddhists.

He says, "To assist a dead person's transfer to good rebirth, relatives will give donations to us at our monastery.

This is an important practise because it is believed to gain positive karma for the deceased, to help with a better rebirth.

One week, three months and one year after the death, I will also visit the home of the relatives and lead ceremonies to increase a dead person's positive karma." So Theravada death ceremonies and rituals often include cremation of the body, a shrine, a monk leading the service, mantra recitation, and relatives of the deceased doing charitable acts.

True or false? Theravada Buddhists donate to the monastery to transfer good karma to the deceased.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you said that statement is true.

Many Theravada Buddhists will donate to the monastery because they believe that by carrying out a good action, they can transfer good karma to the deceased.

How Mahayana Buddhists mark the death of a loved one depends on the school of Buddhism and the country they are in.

Mahayana Buddhism is practised by the majority of people in China, Tibet, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam.

In Mahayana Buddhist countries, when a person is near death, someone often whispers the name of the Buddha into their ear, ensuring it is the final sound they hear.

After the person passes away, the family washes the body and places it in a coffin, which is then surrounded by wreaths and candles.

The funeral typically occurs a few days later to allow time for the first bardo state.

Laura wants to find out what is meant by the bardo state, so she interviews Ting, a Mahayana Buddhist monk.

"What is the bardo state, Ting?" Ting replies, "The bardo state is a transitional period in which the deceased becomes aware of their death and their next rebirth is determined.

I believe the process of rebirth can take up to 49 days after death." In Tibet, as a person is dying and for the 49 days following their death, passages from a sacred text are read aloud to guide them through the after-death experience.

For some Tibetan Buddhists, this text is the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

During this time, the deceased is believed to pass through a series of bardo states, during which they remain susceptible to external influence.

Tibetan Buddhists might look to a source of authority to find out about teachings on death.

And here we have a quote from the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

It states, "Death holds up an all-seeing mirror, the mirror of past actions, to our eyes, in which the consequences of all our negative and positive actions are clearly seen." Okay, so let's consider an answer to this question.

What might this verse highlight about teachings on death into Tibetan Buddhism? Pause the video here and with your partner, discuss the question.

Press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back.

So what might this verse highlight about teachings on death in Tibetan Buddhism? Well, upon death, individuals are confronted with a clear reflection of their deeds, both good and bad, and the impact those actions have had.

True or false? Bardo state refers to the belief that when a person dies, they are reborn.

Pause the video.

Press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you selected false.

The bardo state refers to a transitional period in which the deceased becomes aware of their death and their next rebirth is determined.

Okay, let's complete another check for understanding.

In Tibet, which sacred text is read aloud to guide individuals through the after-death experience? A, The Heart Sutra? B, The Tibetan Book of the Dead? Or C, "The Dhammapada?" Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Well done if you selected B as the correct answer, the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

So Tibet is very mountainous, meaning it would not be easy to bury a corpse.

Therefore, in Tibet, the body is either cremated or broken up and fed to vultures.

This is called a sky burial and it's performed by monks or specialists who do this job.

The practise of sky burials are important because it can be understood as a lesson in impermanence for the dead person in the bardo state as well as for the relatives.

It's also an important last act of generosity because the dead person helps feed the vultures.

The vultures are also believed to help the process of rebirth in the cycle of samsara.

In Mahayana traditions in Japan, after a body is cremated, the relatives carefully collect the bones from ashes and place the ashes into a burial urn.

This ceremony may be referred to as bone picking.

Collecting the bone starts with the feet to ensure the remains are not positioned upside down, and then the urn is often buried in a family grave or temple.

Let's complete a check for understanding.

Select the country where a sky burial may take place.

A, Tibet.

B, Japan.

Or C, Thailand.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you selected A.

Tibet is a country where a sky burial may take place.

Time to complete our second and final practise task.

Explain two different Buddhist rituals associated with death and mourning.

So here is some guidance that you might find helpful to follow when answering the question.

So first of all, make a point to give one Buddhist ritual associated with death and mourning, and then develop that by explaining with examples to develop your points.

So the question asked for two different Buddhist rituals, so you need to give a second ritual associated with death and mourning, and then explain that with examples to develop that point.

Good luck completing the practise task.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back.

So you answer the question, explain two different Buddhist rituals associated with death and mourning, so your answer may include these points.

One Buddhist ritual for Mahayana Buddhists is when relatives give donations to the monks and nuns at the monastery.

This practise is believed to gain positive karma for the deceased.

Another Buddhist ritual is the Tibetan sky burial.

This ritual allows Buddhists to offer their dead bodies as a gift to the vultures, which is seen as a generous and practical act.

Well done on all of your hard work completing today's practise tasks.

So that brings us to the end of today's lesson on Death and Mourning in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.

Here is a summary of our key learning points.

In Buddhism, when someone dies, their karmic energy passes into another form in the cycle of samsara.

Buddhist ceremonies reflect the Buddhist teachings on impermanence, anicca, and no fixed self, anatta.

In Theravada traditions, to assist the deceased into a good rebirth, relatives may give donations to the vihara to transfer good karma.

Some Buddhists believe in a bardo state, a transitional period in which a deceased becomes aware of their death and their next rebirth is determined In Tibetan Buddhism, the sky burial is a reminder of impermanence.

And in Japan, Buddhists may pick bones of loved ones to place in an urn.

Thank you very much for joining me for today's RE lesson.

Goodbye.