Buddhism in Singapore
Mahayana Buddhism
Central to Mahayana ideology is the idea of the bodhisattva, one who seeks to become a Buddha. Mahayana teaches that anyone can aspire to achieve awakening (bodhicittot-pada) and thereby become a bodhisattva.
For Mahayana Buddhism, awakening consists in understanding the true nature of reality.
The bodhisattvas seek to understand this reality through wisdom (prajna) and to actualize it through compassion (karuna). They realize that since no individual has a “self,” there can be no real difference between themselves and others, and therefore their own liberation is not distinct from the liberation of all beings. They are thus “self-less,” both philosophically, in the sense of understanding the absence of self or essence in all things and persons, and ethically, since they act for all beings without discrimination.
Buddhist Beliefs about Death
Buddhists believe that when they die, they are reincarnated and are reborn in another form. They might be reborn as an animal or a human. Some branches of Buddhism also believe they can be reborn as a divine being or demigod. What they are reincarnated as is determined by their actions in life. If they lead a moral life and build up good karma they are reborn into better circumstances. This cycle is called samsara.
The Buddha taught that they should all try to reach a state of enlightenment — Nirvana — in order to escape the cycle of samsara. Being reborn as a human is a unique opportunity to work on themselves, and allows them to follow the Buddha’s Eightfold Path toward enlightenment.
Another key concept in Buddhism is accepting that nothing in life is permanent. The Buddha taught that failure to accept this fact is one cause of human suffering. Recognizing it, on the other hand, helps people on the path to understanding the Four Noble Truths. Therefore, Buddhists see death and funerals as an important reminder of impermanence.
