Buddhist "send Off" For Farang

[DeDanan]

Hi All,

Recently, I had a conversation with my mother, in which she told me the arrangements she wanted after her death. I.e. traditional Irish wake in her home, (definitely NOT in funeral home or to be left overnight in a church), where she wanted to be buried etc…. It got me thinking about my own demise, and what my wishes would be should that day arrive (prematurely).

I now consider myself Buddhist but live in a rural area of a “Christian” Ireland, I think my family / friends while they are aware of my Buddhist beliefs would not know how to lay me to rest (dispose of) other than a Christian burial.

So far: To my sister I have said that I wish to be cremated and half my ashes to be sprinkled to the forest from the walls of Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai and the other half they can do what they like with.

Any suggestions, for a Buddhist “send off” in a predominately Catholic country?

Thanking you in advance,

Have a Happy…..

DeDanan.

[Abandon]

You can contact the a monastery in Ireland - there are a few - and make arrangement there.

For a Buddhist funeral one way might be to arrange with realtives to go and 'tam boon' (make offerings) at a temple sometime after your death as the transference of merit does not have to be immediate - can be a week, a month or a year afterwards.

In Mahayana it is common to do this every 7 days after passing away for 7 weeks. By then the consciousness will have passed on to a new rebirth. In Theravada the rebirth is supposed to happen immediately.