Suggestions Required

coolbluewater SG

My friend's mother passed away suddenly, and they've decided to use buddhist ritual to conduct the funeral.

As she's very closed to her mother, and wanted her mother to "have" nice vegetarian food before she leave for the crematorium on tuesday.

As she wanted her mother to sample different food at every meal, she asked me to help plan the menu, but store/restaurant must be near Yishun, or MRTs not too far from Yishun/Katib.

Any suggestions from you guys? I'm at wit ends cos I'm not familiar with that area and all the good place I know is in Geylang which is too far.

Thanks in advance.

An Eternal Now SG

Hi, I suggest you create a new topic maybe at http://food.sgforums.com and the topic title should be very clear, i.e "Are there vegetarian restaurants at Yishun?" so that sgForummers who know will reply immediately.

Isis SG

Hi, i think there is a few vegetarian stores in the kopi shop nearby khatib mrt cos i used to live there.. mmm sorry, i really don't know any nice vegetarian restuarants in there vinicity..

coolbluewater SG

Thanks AEN! Anyway, i've also posted in other forums as well, and got immediate reply from forumners from MyCarforum. Anyway, have forwarded all the infos I've collated to my friend, hopefully it will help them.

I did remind them (as mentioned by one of the forumners) that maybe they could focus on chanting in the name of Buddha and dedicate the merit to the deceased, and not dwell on what food to give which will causes the deceased to have attachments. Well, let's just say that advise not well taken.

An Eternal Now SG

Oh yes forgot to say your last few lines... wanted to say but just forgot.

Yes, all these things are actually a form of folk tradition. This practise does not help the deceased... but rather we should put all our effort in getting the deceased be reborn in Pure Land or at least in higher realms. This is by dedicating merits to the deceased, chanting (the deceased might chant along as well if everyone chants around him), if best have a venerable speak to the dharma to the deceased.

Things like food, or giving whatsoever to him, will only cause more attachments and for a deceased person it would be best that we should let him go detached from all worldly things, tell him that everything will be taken care of, and it is time for him to leave. If one becomes too attached to worldly things, it will impede his rebirth and may in turn become a ghost.