Afterlife Services

Introduction to Buddhist Afterlife Services

In Buddhism, death is not the end, but a transition—a continuation of consciousness on its journey through samsara (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth). Buddhist afterlife services offer compassionate spiritual support to the deceased, helping to ease their passage through the intermediate state (bardo) and guide them towards a favorable rebirth. These rituals also provide comfort, closure, and a sense of spiritual fulfilment for grieving loved ones.
At Thekchen Choling, we offer afterlife services rooted in Tibetan Buddhist teachings. Whether your loved one was a devoted practitioner or simply a beloved family member, our compassionate Sangha is here to support their spiritual journey with reverence and care.

Temple Funeral Services (Excluding Funeral Undertaking)

When a loved one has just passed away, time is of the essence. We offer the following core services to support their transition:
  • Encoffin Blessing: Our Sangha conducts prayers to bless and protect the body before encoffining.
  • Funeral Chanting (Chinese or Tibetan): Select between Chinese or Tibetan Buddhist funeral chanting, performed at the wake to offer prayers and merit to the deceased.
  • Funeral Day Chanting: A final set of prayers offered on the day of cremation or burial.
  • Blessing at Urn/Niche Site: The Sangha can accompany the family to the columbarium or niche site to bless the urn and guide the spirit.
These sacred rites are performed with mindfulness and compassion, tailored to bring peace to both the deceased and their loved ones.

Services Within the First 49 Days of Passing

According to Buddhist teachings, the first 49 days after death are critical for the consciousness in the bardo. During this period, the following services are offered:

  • Tablet Placement with Daily Food Offerings: A tablet bearing the deceased's name is placed on the altar for up to 49 days. Daily food offerings and prayers are made to support their journey and accumulate merit.
  • Gong De Prayers (Chinese or Tibetan): These meritorious prayers may be performed on the 7th, 21st, and/or 49th day after death—key intervals believed to impact the soul's transition.

Services After 49 Days of Passing

For those continuing to honour and support their loved one’s journey:
  • Sea Scattering of Ashes: Conducted with respectful prayers, this ceremony symbolises letting go with compassion and guiding the soul toward liberation.
  • Gong De Prayers (Chinese or Tibetan): Performed on meaningful milestones such as the 100th day, death anniversaries, or the first birthday after passing, these prayers continue to generate blessings and merit.
  • Relic Hall (Ancestral) Tablets: Our temple offers dedicated ancestral tablets within the sacred Shakyamuni Buddha Relic Hall. Each tablet may be dedicated to up to four ancestors or loved ones of the same family lineage. These tablets provide a blessed, accessible space for families to:
  • Accumulate merits for the deceased
  • Pay respects during anniversaries and special occasions
  • Foster a spiritual connection to their roots in a peaceful and sacred setting
Our afterlife services provide a meaningful way to stay spiritually connected to the departed, honouring their life and easing their path forward.

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Afterlife Services For Pets

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Sacred Mirror

The Sacred Mirror represents consciousness and the element of space. Clear, pure and bright, the mirror reflects all phenomena objectively without bias, thereby reminding us to practice objectivity and to rise above our judgmental minds. On a more subtle level, it reflects the Buddha’s core teaching of emptiness – that nothing exists on its own side without a dependent arising cause.

Pinnacle of the mirror

The pinnacle of the mirror, formed by the white crescent moon, flaming red sun and an orange flame of fire, represents the completion stage of Vajrayana practice.

Light Rays

The light rays radiating from the Sacred Mirror represent the flourishing of the Buddha’s teachings, fanning out to the furthest reaches of the universe.

Full Moon Disc

The moon disc represents Bodhicitta, the aspiration to become a Buddha to benefit all sentient beings.

Blue Lotus

Divinely fragrant, blue lotuses bloomed only in the Buddha’s time. By incorporating it into the temple’s logo, it is symbolic of the ever-present Buddha in Thekchen Choling. Moreover, a lotus flower represents purity, perfection, compassion and renunciation, similar to how the beautiful lotus remains untainted even though it had arisen out from the muddy waters.

Nine Precious Jewels

These nine precious jewels represent the Guru, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, yidam or mind-seal deity, Dharma protector, the sky, earth, and the human realm.

Two Dragons

The two dragons represent continuity and harmony and create the cause for the temple to enjoy the strong support of members and benefactors for Dharma to flourish.

Golden Khata

The flowing golden khata represents the auspicious increase of all Dharma activities.

The Seven Gems of the Chakravartin or a Wheel-Turning King

1. The precious horse represented by a unicorn’s horn

2. The precious elephant represented by its tusks

3. The precious queen represented by round golden earrings

4. The precious minister represented by square golden earrings

5. The precious general represented by a pair of crossed swords

6. The precious jewel represented by the triple-eyed gem

7. The precious Dharma wheel represented by a branch of coral