
Our Funeral Packages
Singapore Funeral Parlour
Caskets VS Coffins in Singapore
Funeral Service Supplies in Singapore
Types of Funeral Flowers and Their Meanings
Buddhist Funeral Services in Singapore (Part 1)
Our Funeral Packages
Buddhist Funeral Package
Our package covers all essential services including monk chanting. It is simple, neat and peaceful.
Taoist Funeral Package
Roman Catholic Funeral Package
Our funeral directors will assist in the setup and coordination between the funeral wake, funeral mass, and cremation.
Christian Funeral Package
Using only fresh flowers for the funeral setup, our packages include AV equipment such as microphones and speakers to facilitate the funeral service.
Our package covers both eastern-style and western-style non-religious funeral setups, customisable based on the deceased's preferences.
Our funeral directors will assist family members with coordinating between the Buddhist association, as well as our funeral services.
Direct Cremation Package
We offer simple and direct cremation services with no wake, with packages crafted based on the different religious requirements.
International Repatriation
Upon the passing of an expatriate, you may wish to send the deceased’s body back to their homeland. We can liaise with the relevant authorities to make the necessary arrangements on your behalf.
Singapore Funeral Parlour
Set in a spacious and serene compound, the Singapore Funeral Parlour resides in a sacerdotal location amongst a row of temples. This modern and innovative building offers comfort and privacy for bereaved families to hold the wake, according dignity and respect to the deceased.
The parlour is open 24 hours a day to serve as a convenient alternative wake venue, should families decide not to hold the funeral wake at home. Standing at eight stories tall, the building comprises 8 funeral parlour halls, 2 basement carparks, and a mini roof garden. There is also a café located on the ground level that provides light refreshments.
Every parlour contains two 26-inch monitors for multimedia display, built-in sound systems, and a family room with modern amenities to provide for an overnight stay. With carpeted flooring and full air-conditioning, the space is suitable for families to get some quiet rest.
Navigation around the building is made simple with user-friendly facilities found all around. Some examples include clear digital directional signs, as well as lift access to every parlour.
The parlour is located at No. 91 Tampines Link, Singapore 528746, just off Exit 4B of Tampines Expressway (TPE) and a few minutes away from IKEA. It is also only a couple of bus stops away from the Tampines Bus Interchange and Tampines MRT station.
Caskets VS Coffins in Singapore
1) Caskets VS Coffins
In Singapore, both the terms ‘Casket’ and ‘Coffin’ can typically be used interchangeably, with the main difference being their shapes. A casket has four corners, and has a long, rectangular shape, resembling a bed. On the other hand, a coffin has 6 corners and is shaped like a diamond. It is usually wider at the head and narrower at the feet, resembling the shape of a human body.
While it depends on personal preference, people may prefer a casket over a coffin as a casket provides additional space for burial items. This can include paper offerings or favourite clothing and belongings of the deceased.
Ultimately, both a casket and coffin have the same purpose, and can be used for both cremation and burial. For ease of reference, we’ll be using the term ‘Casket’ throughout the article.
2) Cremation vs Burial Caskets
Cremation caskets are usually made of normal grade wood, as they’ll be burned together with the body when undergoing cremation. Family members can then store the remains at a suitable location, based on religion.
Burial coffins on the other hand, are made of better material as they are used to store the body underground. It is important to note however, that in Singapore’s context, NEA’s New Burial Policy limits burial to 15 years.
After which, graves will be exhumed and the remains will be cremated or re-interred. This is dependent on one’s religious requirements.
3) Viewing Panel vs Sealed casket
Family members can opt for either half or full viewing panel, or a sealed casket. This ranges based on personal preferences.
It is important to note that embalming service must be performed if family members choose either the half or full viewing panel. This ensures that the body is well-preserved for family members and friends to pay their respects.
For more information, you can contact us here and our dedicated team will assist you with all necessary arrangements.
Funeral Service Supplies in Singapore
Besides caskets and coffins, we also provide religious essentials such as joss paper, incense supplies, and high-quality funeral attires (Shou Yi). These items are all of high quality, imported from Taiwan/ Malaysia/ China with a fine selection for your choosing.
Our team specialises in creating customised funeral setups, decorating the place with a suitable theme based on religious requirements. With different ornaments, statues and drapes available, you can be assured that the funeral setup for your loved one will be uniquely personalised, creating an everlasting memory.
For your convenience, we also provide mourning attires for family members, with white coloured t-shirts also available for other types of funeral services. As dedicated professionals, we believe in going the extra mile to provide the support that you and your family require.
Please feel free to contact us here should you have any queries, and you may leave the rest to our experienced funeral directors.
Types of Funeral Flowers and Their Meanings
Lilies:
Lilies are the usually most popular choice for funeral flowers, as they represent the restoration of innocence to the departed soul. This also brings a sense of peace and serenity to the funeral.
Roses:
The various colours of roses represent different meanings, and white roses are the most appropriate of the group, signifying reverence, innocence, and youthfulness. Red, pink and yellow flowers express feelings of respect, love, and friendship respectively.
While these flowers can be used for funeral setups as well, it depends on the family’s preferences and traditions. Visitors seeking to bring flowers to a funeral should stick to bringing white roses or white flowers in general.
Orchids:
Orchids symbolise sympathy and everlasting love for the dearly departed. Potted orchid plants can make for a unique funeral setup, with both pink and white variations being suitable.
Chrysanthemums:
Especially in the Asian context, Chrysanthemum flowers are commonly used in funeral floral arrangements to say goodbye. White Chrysanthemums in particular are symbolic of bidding farewell, while celebrating a life well-lived by the dearly departed.
Carnations:
Both pink and white carnations are used for funeral floral setups, to express sympathy and remembrance for the dearly departed. White carnations are especially symbolic of grief and a deep sense of sorrow, with everlasting love and loyalty. As carnations are long-lasting, they are often a popular choice for setups spanning over several days.
Should you require any further information or assistance for a funeral setup, do feel free to contact our professional team of funeral directors here.
Buddhist Funeral Services in Singapore (Part 1)
In this section (part 1), we will elaborate on Buddhist funeral setups, Buddhist funeral chants, as well as Buddhist funeral offerings.
Buddhist Funeral Setup
Buddhist funeral setups are often simple in nature, as most Buddhist monks advocate cutting down on unnecessary funeral expenses. Many will also prefer a more environmentally friendly approach as well.
Yellow or Beige drapery are commonly used as the standard theme for Buddhist funerals. To Buddhists, yellow symbolises holiness and enlightenment, while beige is associated with purity and rest, which conveys hope for the departed to move on peacefully.
Very often, there will also be a display of Buddhist scriptures to give peace and consolation to the bereaved families. These scriptures serve as a reminder to all that life on earth is impermanent, and only upon achieving enlightenment, will one be relieved from all suffering.
Buddhist Funeral Chanting
With a strong influence from Chinese culture, Buddhist Mahayana monks may conduct certain rituals based on the appropriate Chinese customaries. However, the essence of such rites remain — which is to create merits to be transferred to the deceased and bereaved families.
The more commonly chanted sutras (scriptures) at Buddhist funerals are:
1) Amitabha Sutra
The Amitabha Sutra uses imagery to describe the western paradise and the methods to be reborn there. This is the most commonly chanted sutra in Buddhist funerals.
2) 3 Combined Sutra (Lotus Sutra - The Universal Gate Chapter, The Diamond Sutra & The Great Confession & Repentance before the 88 Buddhas)
This combination of sutras gathers the 3 most popular sutras chanted in the Mahayana lineage. With compassion of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva aka Guan Yin, the wisdom of emptiness, and the powerful merits of confessing one’s past deeds, this combination is often preferred by the general Buddhist.
3) The Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra
The Ksitigarbha aka Di Zang Wang Pu Sa, made great vows to relieve one from suffering and also gave clear directions on how one can create great merits to benefit the dearly departed. This sutra consists of 3 volumes, and monks will normally require more than 2 hours to complete reading it.
Buddhist Food and Flower Offerings
Vegetarian food is normally the preferred choice of meal at Buddhist funerals, as it reminds one to be compassionate to all beings. That being said, there are also sects with no dietary restrictions.
A standard meal offered to the deceased consists of: 1 bowl of rice, 6 types of vegetarian dishes, 3 types of fruits, and 2 types of pastries/ buns. Additionally, there will be 5 different types of fruits offered before the Buddha’s statue or image.
Fresh flowers are also preferred at Buddhist funeral wakes, as a blooming flower symbolises the impermanence of life. Thus, it is a reminder that one must open their heart like a blooming flower to others, similar to how flowers open themselves up for bees to collect nectar freely.
To find out more about our Buddhist Funeral Packages and services provided, click here:
