Buddhist Funeral Services

Buddhists believe that death is not an end, only a transition from one form to another, also known as reincarnation. In Singapore, Buddhist funeral rites are centred around this belief. The passing therefore marks the beginning of a new round of rebirth, determined by the both the quality and quantity of karma accumulated during the deceased’s lifetime. A Buddhist funeral service provides the deceased with a dignified sendoff and helps the deceased move on smoothly to his/her next life.

Preparations For The Wake

For a Buddhist wake we create a calm and peaceful atmosphere to aid the grieving process for the loved ones. An altar is set up to display the deceased’s portrait, along with offerings of candles, incense, flowers, and fruit. We’ll arrange a monk or member of the Buddhist group the deceased belongs to aid and support him/her through this passage to next life.

Buddhist tradition often calls for the body to remain undisturbed for about 4 hours after death and remain in restful state for 1-7 days before cremation.

Funeral Ceremony

Chinese Buddhist funeral ceremonies usually last 49 days with the first 7 days being the most important. To ensure the right rituals are performed, the deceased family member’s Buddhist group should be consulted before funeral arrangements are confirmed.

Cremation or Burial

Traditionally, Buddhist are cremated after death in the believe that it releases the soul from the physical form. This is usually the case in land scarce Singapore although burials are also allowed.

A monk will preside over the funeral service during the cremation to lead the chanting. This service including all logistics for the day are included in our Buddhist Funeral package.

Collection of Ashes

After cremation we will assist in booking for a time slot for the collection of ashes.