Cambodians Buddhists do not view death as the end of one's life but rather as the end of a life cycle. It is a passage from one stage of the cycle to the next.
Funeral rituals have to be performed in the proper Buddhist tradition otherwise, it is believed, the deceased will not be able to move onto the next stage of the cycle, rebirth.
Care of the body is undertaken by family it is brought home, washed, dressed, and placed into a coffin. The body is not to be dissected and organs are not to be removed because it is believed that would affect one's rebirth. Traditionally, the body is kept in...