The National Radio NZ interviewed FGS on Death and burial -24th January

FGS temple received a visit on the 24th January from Radio NZ National, where Lynda Chanwi-Earle hosted an interview with Venerable Man Wang, exploring the inter-faith rituals around death and burial within the pan-ethnic communities in New Zealand. The interview will be broadcast on a weekly basis, from the 9th to the 30th of March 2012, on Fridays. The communities are Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu and Muslim.

The Buddhist perspective on death and burial regards the consciousness leaving the body, its time frame, Karma force, how funerals are hosted and preferred ways of burial.

In a normal situation, the consciousness will try to leave the physical body within 8 hours and thereafter the karma force (good or bad) will determine the consciousness to the 6 realms (heaven, human, Asura, animal, hungry ghost and hell) within 49 days. Hence, it is important for the family members to do chanting for the dead and hope to change its course for better. Cremation is always a preferred choice of burial and the ashes will be stored in an urn, so that the family members are able to commemorate them.

The ultimate choice for lay-Buddhists to is practice with good thoughts, good action and good words, and live our life to the fullest.