A spiritual link between the living and the departed
One of the unique cultural practices associated with Buddhism is the use of ancestral tablets, which play an important role in Buddhist funeral rites and ancestor worship.
An ancestral tablet is a wooden tablet inscribed with the name and other relevant information of a deceased ancestor. The tablet is believed to serve as a spiritual link between the living and the dead, allowing the living to honor and communicate with their ancestors in the afterlife.
In Buddhist tradition, it is believed that when a person dies, their spirit continues to exist and may be reborn in a new body. The ancestral tablet is therefore seen as a way to continue to show respect and gratitude to one’s ancestors, even after their physical death.
Buddhist ancestral tablets are typically placed in shrines or altars within the home or temple, where offerings such as incense, flowers, and food can be made to the ancestors. During Buddhist funeral rites, the tablets may be carried in a procession or placed on the altar as a way to honor the deceased.
Overall, the use of ancestral tablets is an important aspect of Buddhist culture and serves as a way to connect with and honor one’s ancestors, who are believed to play an ongoing role in the lives of their descendants.
Having awarded the conservative heritage site by the Singapore Government, Leong San Buddhist Temple has been the home to numerous ancestral tablets since the early 20th Century. Devotees, worshippers and their family can have a peace of mind locating their ancestral tablets in our temple.