Why Do We Cremate?

[WGJKKWGJKF]

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

Can anyone tell me the reasons why we cremate?

Even though cremating to me makes sense because the body then wont rot and the body just will turn to dust instead of slowly decaying and being eat by the undergrowth spiders and insects. As our image is important to us n that wouldnt be right slowly rotting.

Also because were not allowed to worship graves- as if we had graves Sikhs maybe could of started worshipping them.

Also if im correct that a disiple of Guru Nanak (i think) was dying n he said to Guru Nanak you do what ever with my body. N Guru Nanak cremated it. N if this is true can someone confirm it by giving me the whole story.

But is there any particular reason why Sikhs cremate? Or is it something we can chose to get buried or cremated?

(Even though i aint herd any Sikh get buried)

Any Gurbani quotes?

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

[Pheena]

The attachment of the body carries a great burdon on the soul. As the body dies the attachment carries over for a quite a while with the soul. The burning of the body is a sign to the soul to move on. In hindu mat there are even further rituals where a vase is broken by the head of the dead body to given an example to the soul that the shell is broken, now you must leave, move on with your journey.

It is also a reason why you will not see that many Ghosts haunting in the Eastern societies who burn the dead as oppose to the Western who bury their deceased. Because the body is still there the attachment of the Soul remains with the body and it becomes difficult to move on. There are also reasons why occult Witchcraft practices are generally done in Graveyards as there remain great amount of souls and spirits that have not moved on that can be called upon. There remain greater amount of possibility in attaining occult powers.

The body serves no purpose (excluding organ donation) after the soul has left it. The Christians bury the dead because of their beliefs that one day Jesus will come they will rise from the dead.

[humble_kaur]

Fateh,

I read that Sikhi does not restrict us in which way we dispose of the body. We can bury it, throw it in water, cremate it, as long as it is in a respectful manner. Whichever method you choose does not help or harm the soul, because the body was just a temporary shell for the soul. Once the soul departs, any treatment to the body doesn't affect the soul. To cremate is a convenient way for Sikhs to dispose of the body.

But, unlike Sikhi, other religions and the way they dispose of the body does have a religious aspect to it and followers only dispose of the body as per what their religion says. Christians and Muslims bury their dead as it is against their religion to cremate them. Hindu's cremate their dead and dispose of the ashes in a sacred river.

So, there is really no purpose in why we cremate the body.

Bhul Chuk Maaf

[crayzy]

I disagree, I agree with Pheena

[prabjit singh khalsa]

hmmmm ya i think pheena's correct... i'll look into it right now lol :lol:

[SarabLoh]

we cremate because once the soul leaves .. the body has no value ... it is an empty shell... and burring just uses up valuable land... cremating is the easiest way to decompose the body and the ashes turn into a fertilizer and are good for the environment... also it is more sanitary ... like here in the united states ... if some one has a certain type of disease... they are cremated because the insects that eat the body if it is burried will contract it and spread the disease.

BHUUL CHUUK MAAF

[humble_kaur]

Fateh,

Once a person dies, the soul leaves, and we cremate the body. This has become a norm to cremate the body, but is not part of Sikhi. Forgive me, if I misinterpreted the following Gurbani thuks. But it clearly says that the body does not have to be cremated.

iek dJih iek dbIAih ieknw kuqy Kwih ]

Some are cremated, and some are buried; some are eaten by dogs.

ieik pwxI ivic austIAih ieik BI iPir hsix pwih ]

Some are thrown into water, while others are thrown into wells.

nwnk eyv n jwpeI ikQY jwie smwih ]2]

O Nanak, it is not known, where they go and into what they merge. ||2||

Many religions believe in cremation, while others don't, but neither way does it help the soul.

Eie ly jwry Eie ly gwfy qyrI giq duhU n pweI ]1]

The Hindus cremate their dead, while the Muslims bury theirs; neither finds Your true state, Lord. ||1||

I'm pretty sure that it does not state specifically in the Reht Maryada on how we should dispose of the body. If it was necessary to cremate it, rather than a norm, would this not have been addressed?

Bhul Chuk Maaf

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

Rehat Maryada does not restrict any form of last rites...so a Sikh can be cremated, buried, or thrown into a river (as some Sikhs have had such a last rite performed to them).

[sher_panjabi]

Useful link - "Understanding the Sikh Rehat Maryada" from Panthic Weekly

Funeral - Antam Sanskar (Part 1)

Funeral - Antam Sanskar (Part 2)

Funeral - Antam Sanskar (Part 3)