It's not the prevalent social customs that is important, it is the
health of the surviving people that is important.
Herzog_Zwei,
The main intention of the original poster was to provide
guidelines for practising Buddhists and their families, on how best
to assist the deceased person reach better realms after leaving the
physical body. That you do not share these same beliefs is no
reason for you to keep harping on tangential issues.
Certainly, there are few governmental authorities in this world
who would unquestioningly accommodate religious sensitivities to
the detriment of public health, where there is clearly
a serious threat. However, having this living
will, is a good way for a Buddhist to clearly state what s/he
prefers if the surrounding circumstances can accommodate.
Not everyone dies from pathogens or infectious diseases. I
have seen at least 3 family members pass away from sheer old age
(their heart stopped beating). In such a case, the living
will that's presented above can actually be adhered to without
causing harm to anyone.
If the person were to die in a hospital, and if hospital
regulation stipulates that corpses need to be moved to the mortuary
within a certain span of time if no family members turn up for
collection, so be it. Even so, this living will can serve as
a reminder to handlers of the body to be as gentle as
possible while doing so. It's really as simple as
that.
This I surmise, is the gist of this thread.