Traditions of mourning: Different cultures and religions find ways to deal with death

In the silence that follows death, a family burns incense while the sensei chants and gives a Dharma talk. He presents a Buddhist name for the deceased whose body lies before him. The soul of the dead person has started its journey to a new state of existence.

Buddhists have held makuragyo, or "pillow sutra," following a person's death for centuries. Immediately after the passing of a loved one, the family would call the sensei, who is invited to the home of the deceased. He holds the service at the pillow where the body lies.

"Our traditions have been established over hundreds of years to help us get through this difficult time," said the Rev. Jerry Hirano.

The Rev. Hirano has been with the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple for 16 years. He said some Buddhist traditions date back to the time of Shakyamuni Buddha about 2,500 years ago. But, in modern society, people generally don't die in their homes, and the makuragyo is now held amidst the hustle and bustle of a hospital or nursing home.

"The funeral is a personal experience," The Rev. Hirano said. "However, in many ways, it is very public."

For many cultures, funeral traditions are a public display of personal despair. Yet over time, the public has changed. And these sacred traditions, observed in order to honor and respect those who have passed, have evolved.

In Utah, several cultural and religious communities originated in other countries. In the event of a death, some families look to their roots and may find traditions that they did not know about or choose not to practice.

In an unpublished article he called "Generation to Generation," The Rev. Hirano wrote about the difficulties of remembering traditions as they seem to die a bit with the passing of each generation.

He wrote, "Now that we sensei are beginning to have to plan the funerals of our parents, I find that many of us are at a loss as to what is necessary."

He said the Buddhist temple in Salt Lake was established in 1912. But since then, the community has changed.

"Death," the Rev. Hirano said, "whether in Japan or the United States, is still the same. We go through the same emotions."