This thesis has three objectives: 1) to study the funeral ceremony in Theravada Buddhism, 2) to study the funeral ceremony in Brahmanism-Hinduism, and 3) to compare the funeral ceremony in Theravada Buddhism and Brahmanism-Hinduism. This study is of documentary type of research. The data of this study has been analyzed by descriptive analysis.

The results of the study were as follows:

Theravada Buddhism is of the view that funeral ceremony is the belief in accordance with the religious doctrines in order to dedicate merit to ones who had passed way to be born in the sphere of good existence. This ceremony is of the expression of good will and gratitude that is the belief of Buddhism related to the making of merit devoting to the dead ones in order to the soul of them will go to the heaven.

Brahmanism-Hinduism is of the view that the funeral ceremony is the recollection of death righteously and regularly, which is prescribed by the Veda. The rites are mostly performed by the family, but some rites are performed by priests. The Hindus believe that the passing away is the only abandoning of the old body to search for new one of the soul.

Both Theravada Buddhism and Brahmanism-Hinduism believe that the performance of funeral ceremony, apart from cleansing of sewage, is the ceremony concerning merit-making for sending the soul to heaven, but the different point of them was that Theravada Buddhism places emphasis on the merit-making to the Buddhist monks before dedicating that merit to the dead ones, and also on the keeping bones of the dead one for respect, but the funeral ceremony of Brahmanism-Hinduism emphasizes on the rite and place for sending the soul, that is, Ganga River, as the most important factor, they thought that this is the way to send the soul of the dead on going to the kingdom of god, and reaching the emancipation(Moksa), but, there is no keeping of bones of the dead one for respect as that of Theravada Buddhism.

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