Buddhist Funeral Rites

　　佛教的喪葬儀式

　　A real Buddhist funeral is a simple, solemn and dignified religious service.

　　真正佛教的喪葬儀式，是簡單而莊嚴的宗教服務。

　　Religious Day

　　As practised in many Buddhist countries, a real Buddhist funeral is a simple, solemn and dignified ceremony. Unfortunately, some people have included many unnecessary, extraneous items and superstitious practices into the funeral rites. The extraneous items and practices vary according to the traditions and customs of the people. They were introduced in olden days by people who probably could not understand the nature of life, nature of death, and what life would be after death. When such ideas were incorporated into Buddhist practices, people tended to blame Buddhism for expensive funeral rites. If only the Buddhist public would approach proper persons who have studied the real Teachings of the Buddha and Buddhist tradition, they could receive advice on how to perform Buddhist funeral rites. It is most unfortunate that a bad impression has been created that Buddhism encourages people to waste their money and time on unnecessary practices. It must be clearly understood that Buddhism has nothing to do with such debased practices.

　　在很多信仰佛教的國家裏，一個真正的佛教的喪葬儀式，是一種簡單而莊嚴的宗教服務。不幸的，一些人將那些不必要，無關的儀式，乃至迷信的風俗習慣也摻染到佛教喪葬儀式中。這些無關的和迷信的儀式是根據傳統和風俗習慣而來的。古代人們舉行這些傳統的儀式，是因爲不了解生命的真正本質、死的本質、以及死後的本質是什麼？當這些觀念摻染到佛教喪葬儀式中，人們就開始譴責佛教喪葬儀式的鋪張和浪費。當大家接近佛教傳統，接受佛法，並對佛法有一定的了解，或向大德高僧學習後，才能真的對佛教喪葬儀式有所了解。最不幸的是，人們對佛教的喪葬儀式已經形成了一種不好的印象，以爲佛教鼓勵把金錢浪費在不必要的儀式。我們要清楚的識別佛教的喪葬儀式和那些低等的儀式是完全不相幹的。

　　Buddhists are not very particular regarding the burial or cremation of a dead body. In many Buddhist countries, cremation is customary. For hygienic and economic reasons, it is advisable to cremate. Today, the population in the world is increasing and if we continue to have dead bodies occupying valuable land, then one day all remaining available land will be occupied by the dead and the living will have no place to live.

　　佛教並不特別在意土葬或火葬。在許多佛教國家，火葬是一種傳統，爲了衛生和經濟，火葬是明智的。今天，世界人口激增，假如我們繼續推行土葬，寶貴的土地將被死人占領，活人反而無處可以維生了。

　　There are still some people who object to the cremation of dead bodies. They say that cremation is against god”s law, in the same way they have objected to many other things in the past. It will take some time for such people to understand that cremation is much more appropriate and effective than burial.

　　很多人反對火葬，他們認爲這是違反「神」的旨意。他們以同樣的方式，反對過很多的事。對這些人來說，他們需要花很多的時間，才能真的了解到火葬比土葬來得適當和更有效率。

　　On the other hand Buddhists do not believe that one day someone will come and awaken the departed persons spirits from their graveyards or the ashes from their urns and decide who should go to heaven and who should go to hell.

　　以佛教的觀點，火葬和土葬並沒有差別。佛教徒並不相信，有一天會有人把墳墓中的骨骸喚醒，並決定他們是上天堂或下地獄。

　　The consciousness or mental energy of the departed person has no connection with the body left behind or his skeleton or his ashes. Many people believe that if the deceased is not given a proper burial or if a sanctified tombstone is not placed on the grave, then the soul of the deceased will wander to the four corners of the world and weep and wail and sometimes even return to disturb the relatives. Such a belief cannot be found anywhere in Buddhism.

　　人一旦死後，意識和心理能力就與身體、骨骸、骨灰分離。很多人相信，假如沒有給死者適當的安葬，或爲死者的墳墓安立墓碑，死者的靈魂將四處飄蕩，無助的哭泣與悲歎，有時候，還會找家屬的麻煩。這種信仰，在佛教中是不存在的。

　　Buddhists believe that when a person dies, rebirth will take place somewhere else according to his good or bad actions. As long as the person possesses the craving for existence, he must experience rebirth. Only the Arahants, who have gone beyond all passions will have no more rebirths and so after their death, they will attain their final goal Nibbana.

　　佛教相信，一個人死後，將依據他所做的善業或惡業而往生。只要一個人眷戀、執著于生命，他必定會重生。唯有阿拉漢對生不再執著，死後不再輪回，他們已證悟最終的涅槃。