Sunday, 9 December 2012

Buddhist Funerals Singapore Customs

By Maicel Ryan


We all believe that our time on earth is temporary. Death is a fact of life. How to cope with it, though, is up to us. Singapore Buddhists also believe that death is inevitable, but they also believe that it is only the termination of the body that we use while our soul will live on and depart to our next existence. Approximately 40% of Singaporean adults view themselves Buddhists, with the majority of them Chinese and some Thai and Sinhalese Buddhists. And like some religions, Buddhists also have their own traditions and practices in burying the deceased.

The Buddhists believe that the deceased can see and hear their surrounding before they leave for their next life. The funeral ceremony is to free them from holding on to this world, urging them to let go of any residual attachment to their immediately departed existence so they can be liberate to go to their next existence. It is also meant to liberate the dead's loved ones of their suffering and sorrow, as well as help them understand the death.

There are varying practices of Buddhist funerals. Pure Buddhist funerals, though, are a bit infrequent these days. Compared to contemporary traditions, these funerals are simpler and more modest. Monks officiate the rites and deliver sermons, and recite chants. Since the burning of paper money is more of a cultural practice than a religious one, it isn't custom in pure Buddhist funerals. Simple and inexpensive caskets are also suggested.

Modern Buddhist funeral Singapore customs, meanwhile, have more freedom on how to hold their funeral service. They usually reflect the culture the departed had followed. And in Singapore where most Buddhists are Chinese, they follow Chinese Buddhist funeral customs. Some of these customs include the burning of joss papers or paper money, which is thought to provide money for the deceased to spend in the the hereafter. Most funerals are held in the multipurpose hall or the void deck of HDB flats. The family of the deceased may also ask monks to chant during the funeral service, but a lot of families also employ funeral bands to produce a grand atmosphere. And since it's a more complicated event, they typically hire a funeral director Singapore planner.

Funerals are mostly a solemn event that lets the friends and family of the deceased to let out their heartache and honour their loved one for the final time. Buddhist funerals are no different, though how they are practiced varies from one culture to another.




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