Buddhist Funeral Services Rituals
佛教葬禮儀式
Public Visitation (Vigil Ceremony )
Upon Sangha members entering into the hall of service, all attendants please rise and face towards the central aisle, in Gassho position by placing the hands, palms together, in the “prayer” or “praying hands” pose to respect the arrival of the Venerable Masters.
Venerable Masters lead the incense offering, follow by the eldest son, to the Three Jewels (Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha) and the deceased.
After the Venerable Masters take their seat, family of the deceased and all other attendants are to be seated. The chanting session shall commence now.
守夜儀式
恭請師父們到達儀式：
倆邊大眾一齊起立，面向中間通道， 合掌恭迎師父們。
師父先上香，請大兒子跟師父上香給佛菩薩和先人。
師父座下後，大家請座。師父們開始誦經.。
Reciting the “Incense Praise”
Purpose: In Buddhist recitations, in order to express praise to the Buddha and Bodhisattva and the extraordinary teachings of the Buddha, traditional ceremonies will start off with "Incense Praise" to express respect.
唱誦爐香讚
爐香乍熱。法界蒙薰。諸佛海會悉遙聞。
隨處結祥雲。誠意方殷。諸佛現全身。
南無香雲蓋菩薩摩訶薩。
爐香讚意義：在佛門課誦中，為了表達讚誦佛菩薩及佛陀教法之殊勝等，傳統儀式中會先用「香讚」來表達敬意。
Reciting the Diamond Sutra
Purpose: By reciting of the Sutra and the Buddha's name, the merit will guide and persuade the ancestors to let go of all conditions (such as love, hatred, happiness, unhappiness, etc.) from his previous life, according to what the Buddha taught in Sutra, and reborn in the Pure Land.
誦金鋼經
要意：認先人聞得經文，佛號， 依佛所說萬緣放下， 往生西方極樂世界。
Each family member pays respect to the deceased by offering an incense stick. Note: Family members can represent other absent relatives to offer incense also.
After offering incense, the vigil ceremony is completed. Please follow and accompany the Venerable Master to exit the hall in Gassho position.
誦金鋼經完畢
大家一起跟師父們誦迴向功德給先人。
意義：願以所持誦之經文，經咒， 佛號，迴向給亡者， 消除業障，離苦得樂， 同生西方極樂國。
家人各持一支香向先人敬香。注：家人亦可以待表其他沒有出席的親人敬香。
守夜儀式完畢，恭送師父離開。
Memorial Service
Upon arrival of Sangha members into the gathering hall, all attendants please rise and face towards the central aisle, Gassho position by placing the hands, palms together, in the “prayer” or “praying hands” pose to respect the arrival of the Venerable Masters.
Family of the deceased are to join the Venerable Master on the central aisle with the Purification ritual. In order to purify the environment, Venerable Masters and family members with their palms joined, chanted the Great Compassion Mantra, while circulating the hall in clockwise direction for three rounds.
After the completion of Purification ceremony, family of deceased and all other attendants are to be seated. Masters began to recite the Amitabha Sutra.
After reciting the Amitabha Sutra, the family and the masters circumambulate the Buddha, chanting Amitabha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva of Great Power and Bodhisattvas in the Quiet Sea
After the circumambulation, the family offered incense to the deceased. Then everyone follows the Venerable Master in dedicating the merits to the deceased.
Purpose: By dedicating the merits of recitation of sutras, mantras, verses and Buddha’s names to the deceased, we pray that our ancestor will let go of all attachments and seek rebirth in the Pure Land.
All family members kneel down (represent the deceased to pay respect to the Three Jewels) and listen to the master’s speech to the deceased.
Family member(s) of the deceased deliver(s) a speech.
The master led the family members to pay homage to the deceased and cover the deceased’s body with layers of Child and Grandchild Quilt. Starting from the youngest child, each one pulls the corner of the lowest layer of guilt over the shoulder of the deceased. The eldest son is the last one to pull the top Amitabha Quilt.
After closing the casket, pallbearers carry the casket from hall to hearse. Other family members follow and recite the Buddha's name to the hearse with the Venerable Master. Until the casket is placed, the hearse door is closed. The master and the deceased family go back to the auditorium to pack everything after the ceremony.
The designated drivers for the masters and the family should go to pick up their cars and line up behind the hearse. The vehicles of the masters should be the immediate vehicles behind the hearse and the vehicles of the family should follow the master’s vehicles. The vehicles in order will then follow the lead car by the funeral director from funeral home to cemetery or crematorium.
出殯儀式
恭請師父們到達儀式:
倆邊大眾一齊起立，面向中間通道， 合掌恭迎師父們。
家人全體跟師父一起站出來，開始灑淨儀式：家人合掌跟師父繞場三圈，灑淨禮堂。
灑淨完畢，師父座下後， 大家請座，開始誦彌陀經。
誦彌陀經完畢，家人跟師父們繞佛， 念阿彌陀佛， 觀世音菩薩，大勢至菩薩，清靜大海眾菩薩。
繞佛完畢，家人向先人上香。
大家一起跟師父們誦迴向功德給先人。
意義：願以所持誦之經文，經咒， 佛號，迴向給亡者， 消除業障，離苦得樂， 同生西方極樂國。
家人跪下（代表先人和對往生的父/母親盡孝）聽師父開示。
之後死者的家庭成員發表講話。
完畢，師父帶領家人瞻仰遺容和蓋子孫被：由最小的子女開始，順序至最後大兒子蓋彌陀被。
蓋棺，六或八人扶靈出禮堂。其他家人跟隨和師父們一起念佛號至靈車。直至棺木放好，車門關好。跟隨師父指示，儀式完畢才回去禮堂收拾一切。負責駕駛的家人取車開至大門前讓其他家人上車。
全部上好車後跟靈車離開上山舉行下葬儀式。車隊依次序是殯儀靈車及其他工作人員車，師父車，家屬車、親友車。
Burial ceremony
Venerable Master offers incense first, follow by the eldest son to the Three Jewels (Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha) and the deceased. The rest of the family members follow to offer incense.
Remove filial: By take out the filial flower or ribbon from your clothes; pin it on the flower provided to each family member and then place the flower on to the top surface of the casket.
下葬儀式
家人跟隨師父指示向先人上香。
除孝：家人把孝帶或孝花抧在鮮花上。然後放在棺木上。
Memorial Plaque
After vegetarian lunch, the family will go to Cham Shan Temple for setting the memorial plaque for the deceased in Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s Hall. The eldest grandson holds the picture of the deceased and enters the hall first. After the picture holder (represents the deceased) bows to Buddha 3 times, then place the picture next to the memorial plaque.
Every family member pay respect to the deceased by offering incense and bowing 3 times to the deceased as well as heartily recite the name of the deceased.
安靈儀式
食完解穢餐開車到湛山地藏殿，大孫抱著先人相片鞠躬，代表先人拜佛 。先人相片安放蓮位旁。
之後全部家人上香，三鞠躬，心裡叫著先人名字。
Note: The rundown above is based on a deceased parent with kids/grandkids and for reference only. It may subject to change due to special request from family, the actual number of family members attended, environment, time available, weather, gathering hall layout and arrangement by the funeral director.
It is our temple's intention to guide the families of the deceased and all attendees in the funeral service to understand and respect Buddhist funeral rituals and its principles behind. Through the participation in a solemn Buddhist funeral ceremony, we are expressing our gratitude, respect and loving kindness towards the deceased.
注意：上面的摘要基於已故父/母是兒孫滿堂的，僅供參考。可能會因家庭的特殊要求，參加家庭的實際人數，環境，可用時間，天氣，儀館禮堂的佈置和儀館禮儀師的安排而有所變化。寺廟希望幫助亡者家屬和其他出席者在儀式前和其間了解、尊重佛教殯葬程序及要義。讓各人以恭敬、慈悲心幫助亡者莊嚴、圓滿地完成佛教殯葬儀式的心願。
To book a Buddhist Memorial Service, please contact the temple reception
phone: (905) 886-6481 or
email: info@thebuddhistgarden.com
要安排佛教往生服務，請聯繫寺廟接待處
電話:（905）886-6481或
發送電子郵件至：info@thebuddhistgarden.com