A Comprehensive Guide to Planning a Buddhist Funeral in Singapore

Singapore is a cosmopolitan country where you can find people from various communities with different beliefs. There is a large population in Singapore that follows Buddhist culture. When it comes to funeral and memorial services, most people like to adhere strictly to their community specific rituals for paying final adieu to their loved one.

There are several funeral service companies in Singapore but if you are looking for a specific kind of funeral service like Buddhist or Catholic funeral service, a little research will go a long way in helping you find the right service. Many companies also offer a customised Buddhist funeral package that have everything covered under one cost and bring along professionals with extensive experience. Before that, you should do your own research to gain insight on the required rituals and ceremonies.

Here’s a look:

1. Location

The Buddhist funeral usually takes place in a family home, funeral home, or a Buddhist temple. There may be a monk, or even a minister or priest depending on whether the family chooses to blend the traditions with the Christian faith. There are no specific guidelines but one can expect prayer and meditation along with sermons and eulogies.

2. Funeral traditions

There are certain rituals and traditions that are specifically followed in Buddhist religion; hence, you should consider the following points while planning the funeral:

• There can be a wake ceremony during which the mourners can pay their respects to the deceased soul and express condolences to the family.
• Buddhists usually prefer cremation but embalming is also allowed. Families make the decision based on their personal preference. Thus, there are no set rules for burial or cremation.
• The funeral rites are conducted on the morning of the burial/ cremation. Monks are invited for the ceremony and versus are chanted.
• Buddhism doesn’t prohibit organ donation or autopsy. However, they prefer the examiner to wait for 3-4 days before autopsy until the soul has left the body.

3. Sympathy cards and gifts

It is appropriate to send sympathy cards to the family upon hearing about the death. White flowers may be sent to the family before the service but red flowers should be avoided at all costs. It is customary to bring flowers to the funeral and present them to the family by placing them near the altar.

4. Funeral etiquette

• The family of the deceased wears white clothes on the funeral while guests wear black. Neither bright colours nor a display of wealth is considered appropriate when choosing your attire for funeral.
• Upon arriving at the funeral, one must proceed quietly to the altar. When you reach the casket, you should bow down slightly with hands folded in a prayer position.
• After paying respect, mourners should find a seat and wait for service to begin.
• When there is chanting during the funeral, guests should join too.
• The service will last less than an hour and should not be captured by guests on any type of camera or device.

If you are a catholic and looking for funeral arrangements in Singapore, then search the web for more information and tips on finding Catholic funeral service.

Sam Jones works at an event planning firm and his company specialises in offering a well-planned and organised Catholic funeral service. He is an experienced professional and a keen blog writer.