Buddhist Funeral Services
The Buddhist funeral service is held to honor and commemorate the life and work of their beloved Buddha. Among Buddhists, death is seen as one of the most important events of major spiritual importance, both for the dead person living and for those who are left behind. For the dead, it marks the time when the transition from this world into a next life begins in earnest. For those in attendance at a Buddhist funeral service, the ceremony provides a chance to celebrate the life and legacy of the Buddha.
Some of the traditions associated with the Buddhist funeral package follow traditional norms observed by most religions. The Buddhist funeral service generally consists of a three-pronged candle ceremony. This is followed by the ringing of funeral bells and the opening of every temple bell other than that of the one used for the main ceremony. In some instances, the monks conduct the funeral services alone in front of observers dressed in simple dresses.
Another tradition observed in Buddhist funerals is that of sharing the bereaved family’s sorrow and pain with other mourners. Traditionally, two or more people will share the sorrow and pain of the family. Other traditions include the sharing of food and drink, prayers, readings, and stories during the funerals of loved ones.
Buddhist Funeral Services in Singapore and the World
During a typical Buddhist funerals, there are many customs and traditions that the family members observe. This is because the dead has been a part of the family since they were born. There are special rituals observed to honor the dead. The first is the sending of flowers to the family members. This is an etiquette that goes back to the Buddha’s teachings that says, “The body should be cremated not polished.”
There is also the custom to give gifts to the friends of the bereaved family. These gifts include poems, verses, or song lyrics from poems by Buddha. Some families also send their condolences to the next of kin, which is usually done through the Singapore branch of Buddhist funeral services. After this, the funeral services will be conducted with the proper procedure and ceremony.
After the funeral service, the mourners will have the opportunity to say their final goodbye’s to the person they had lost. They can either sing a song or recite a poem. This is known as Khmer. In some cases, the family would request that the mourners do the same thing as in the Buddhist ceremony: to throw rice into the casket. However, since the body was cremated, this is not really necessary. Just remember that when you are going to perform the Buddhist funeral services, you should always remember to respect others and refrain from talking ill about the dead.