Question: After death, do animals’ consciousnesses take around eight hours to depart from their bodies, and take around 49 days to be reborn, like humans?
Answer: There are no teachings come across (so far), on how long it takes for specific kinds of animals’ consciousnesses to depart and to take rebirth. Thus, it is safe to assume there are durations similar to that of humans.
Although there is the popular practice of taking around eight hours to offer guidance (开示) and support-chanting (助念), this does not mean that the consciousnesses of all beings will definitely leave within eight hours. It is just a reasonable margin to have before handling the body, especially so in many urbanised places, for practical purposes.
As some beings might take longer to depart, it is actually better to have longer durations of guidance and support-chanting. In some rural places, depending on the country’s law too, it might even be possible to handle the body after a day or more.
Likewise, some beings might be reborn after 49 days (as wandering spirits [孤魂野鬼]) if they have strong attachment, aversion and delusion (贪嗔痴). If there is uncertainty that there is rebirth already, perhaps with continual supernatural disturbances, there should be even more sincere offering of guidance and support-chanting.
Related Article:
死亡前后与丧礼中后的诵念
What To Chant When Dying, After Death, During And After Wakes
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