Practical Applications of Funeral and Memorial Rituals in True Buddha Tantric Practice
[LSCT Temple, Seattle News]

On November 26, Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple in Seattle held a funeral and memorial rites seminar at its library. The temple invited Mr. Huang Zheng-Wu, a professional Funeral Director and Funeral Ritual Specialist, to give a lecture entitled “Practical Applications of Funeral and Memorial Rites.”
 
The Abbot, Master Lian Yin, introduced to the audience that while many may not be familiar with Dharma Brother Director Huang’s real name, his pen name “Wu Zi Zai” is well known. He has devoted many years to the funeral and ceremonial service industry and has accumulated an excellent professional reputation. He was specially invited to share his practical experiences on how True Buddha Tantric Dharma practices can be applied in funeral and memorial rites.
 
Amidst warm applause, Director Huang Zheng-Wu took the stage and generously shared his valuable experience and insights with the attending Masters, Reverends, and fellow disciples. By combining theory with real-life cases, the presentation was both inspiring and highly beneficial.
 
Huang Zheng-Wu first emphasized that the core objective of funeral rites is to fulfill the compassionate mission of “peace for the deceased and comfort for the living” through professional True Buddha ceremonial practices.
 
Six Major Stages of True Buddha Funeral Practice
The First Stage involves assisting the family in completing the basic information of the deceased. Immediately after, practitioners invoke Root Guru Living Buddha Lian Sheng to guide the spirit of the deceased and establish a clear communication channel with the family.
 
The Second Stage focuses on safeguarding the “golden eight hours” for the elevation of the deceased’s consciousness. According to the Grandmaster’s teachings, practitioners recite the Buddha’s name and mantras, guiding the departed to release attachments and merge into the great radiance of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. During this stage, not only do practitioners guide the spirit, but family members are also taught how to personally comfort and guide the deceased. When addressing the departed elder, family members should first express gratitude for their kindness, then repent for personal shortcomings to dissolve karmic grievances, express filial devotion, and finally encourage the deceased to let go of all attachments and be reborn in the Buddha Land.
 
The Third Stage includes the preparation of the spirit hall and guiding the family. This stage involves the seven “Qi” ceremonies (“Doing the Seven”), which are conducted over seven cycles. Family members often ask, “Master, what can I do?” This becomes an important moment to propagate True Buddha Tantric teachings and explain the principles of cultivation.
 
The Fourth Stage is the preparation of the body and the establishment of the sacred boundary (enclosure). The coffin is purified before the body is placed inside. Items such as a Refuge Certificate, spirit money, lotus flowers, rebirth blanket, and vajra sand may also be placed in the coffin, followed by the ritual of establishing the boundary.
 
The Fifth Stage is the memorial ceremony, which includes sealing the coffin, circumambulating the coffin, and the funeral procession.
 
The Sixth Stage is the cremation of the body. Practitioners focus on chanting the Buddha’s name and mantras with single-minded concentration, visualizing the Buddha’s light illuminating the deceased and guiding them to rebirth in the Pure Land. After cremation, the remains are collected, sealed in an urn, and placed in the pagoda.
 
At the conclusion of the lecture, Huang Zheng-Wu stressed that funeral rites must be conducted successfully in one complete process, as there is no opportunity for repetition. Understanding the family’s wish to have no regrets, every detail must be handled with the highest level of professionalism and perfection.


***** Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple Video *****
This lecture has been recorded on video.
Please click the link below to watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6VAjNHxqAQ