ABSTRACT
This chapter provides some basic information on Buddhist teaching and the mortuary practices of the various schools of Buddhism, to enable caregivers to be sensitive to the needs of both the dying and the living. The most common deathbed practices are 'taking refuge' and 'making merit', reading sacred texts and listening to them being chanted, reciting prayers and mantras, and meditating on death. The content of these practices will vary according to the dying person's tradition of Buddhism. The basic elements of a Buddhist funeral are care of the body, reading or chanting a sacred text, and dedicating the merit to the benefit of the deceased. The definition of the moment of death varies between Buddhist traditions. Traditionally Buddhism is divided into three 'streams': Theravada (the Way of the Elders), Mahayana and Vajrayana (the Thunderbolt Vehicle). If the dying person wishes to donate organs, this must be clarified beforehand with family and friends to avoid causing distress to the survivors.
