Buddhist Funeral Rites

佛教的丧葬仪式

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

真正佛教的丧葬仪式，是简单而庄严的宗教服务。

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.

在很多信仰佛教的国家里，一个真正的佛教的丧葬仪式，是一种简单而庄严的宗教服务。不幸的，一些人将那些不必要，无关的仪式，乃至迷信的风俗习惯也掺染到佛教丧葬仪式中。这些无关的和迷信的仪式是根据传统和风俗习惯而来的。古代人们举行这些传统的仪式，是因为不了解生命的真正本质、死的本质、以及死后的本质是什么？当这些观念掺染到佛教丧葬仪式中，人们就开始谴责佛教丧葬仪式的铺张和浪费。当大家接近佛教传统，接受佛法，并对佛法有一定的了解，或向大德高僧学习后，才能真的对佛教丧葬仪式有所了解。最不幸的是，人们对佛教的丧葬仪式已经形成了一种不好的印象，以为佛教鼓励把金钱浪费在不必要的仪式。我们要清楚的识别佛教的丧葬仪式和那些低等的仪式是完全不相干的。

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.

佛教并不特别在意土葬或火葬。在许多佛教国家，火葬是一种传统，为了卫生和经济，火葬是明智的。今天，世界人口激增，假如我们继续推行土葬，宝贵的土地将被死人占领，活人反而无处可以维生了。

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.

很多人反对火葬，他们认为这是违反「神」的旨意。他们以同样的方式，反对过很多的事。对这些人来说，他们需要花很多的时间，才能真的了解到火葬比土葬来得适当和更有效率。

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.

以佛教的观点，火葬和土葬并没有差别。佛教徒并不相信，有一天会有人把坟墓中的骨骸唤醒，并决定他们是上天堂或下地狱。

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.

人一旦死后，意识和心理能力就与身体、骨骸、骨灰分离。很多人相信，假如没有给死者适当的安葬，或为死者的坟墓安立墓碑，死者的灵魂将四处飘荡，无助的哭泣与悲叹，有时候，还会找家属的麻烦。这种信仰，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，一个人死后，将依据他所做的善业或恶业而往生。只要一个人眷恋、执着于生命，他必定会重生。唯有阿拉汉对生不再执着，死后不再轮回，他们已证悟最终的涅槃。