Funeral & Bardo Services
Quiet chanting, dedicated merit, and care for the journey beyond.
FOR THE DEPARTED
When a family experiences the passing of a loved one, the temple offers traditional Buddhist funeral and bardo services in the Vajrayana tradition of the True Buddha School. Our role is to support the family through ritual chanting, the dedication of merit, and the spiritual care of the deceased.
In the Vajrayana understanding, death is not the end of consciousness but a passage through the bardo — the intermediate state between this life and the next. This journey lasts approximately forty-nine days, during which the consciousness of the departed remains accessible to the prayers and merit of the living.
This is why our care extends far beyond the moment of death. The recitation of sutras and the steady dedication of merit, day by day, gently guide the consciousness toward a favourable rebirth — and give the family's grief a form to rest within.
THE SERVICE
THE SERVICE
Recitation of sutras
The temple master, supported by the sangha, chants the appropriate sutras and invokes Amitabha Buddha or other deities suited to the deceased.
Dedication of merit
No longer constrained by the body, the departed can directly receive the merit dedicated to them through the rituals across the forty-nine-day bardo period.
Comfort for the family
Families need no prior knowledge of ritual. Staff guide each family through what is involved and offer continuity through the weeks that follow.
A COMPASSIONATE OFFERING
Walking with the bereaved
The bond with the departed is not severed at death; it becomes a relationship of continued blessing. Family members who attend the services find that grief is held within a larger context — sustained until both reach awakening.
THE FORTY-NINE DAYS
The Ksitigarbha Sutra (地藏菩薩本願功德經) teaches that during the forty-nine days after death, the family should diligently perform good deeds on behalf of the departed. By doing so, the deceased can forever depart from the lower realms and be reborn among humans or devas, experiencing supreme bliss — while the living family also receives immeasurable benefit.
Our monastic team leads volunteers in chanting sutras, guiding the departed toward rebirth in the Pure Land. Through the collective power of mantra, dharma practice, offerings, and the dedication of merit, we help purify karmic obstacles and create the conditions for a favourable rebirth.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Do we need to be Buddhist to request a service?
No. The temple welcomes families of all backgrounds. No prior knowledge of ritual is expected.
What do we need to provide?
Typically a photograph of the deceased, biographical details, and the names of close family members for inclusion in the dedication. The temple handles all ritual aspects.
WE ARE HERE
Reach the temple.
Make an offering