Part of Funeral Procession...

Sai Gongs or Monks are “indispensable” in many Chinese funeral processions (unless… ). They are the ones that are supposed to lead the way for the departed. They are the ones to make the transition easier for the departed souls.

Someone tried to strike a conversation with a professional Sai Gong and I think it was quite interesting.

A : 你们这一行真不简单。常常要为亡魂引路。等你们自己百岁年后，对这条路应该很熟悉，自己会走，不用别人引路了吧？

SG : 还是要啦。

A : 不过你不是常常……

SG : 那也只不过是照章办事，路怎么走我也不懂。

常常为人引路的人，却不懂得路。
好一个照章办事。

Next, I remember flipping through the scriptures chanted by the Monks during a funeral procession. True enough, they are sutras. But… Sutra teaches what one should do (have to do) during our mortal existence and sometimes gives a graphic description of the other realms. It is not about what one should do (have to do) after we left this world.

『佛经』 便是记载『佛』的所有『经过』。
佛陀就是这样走来才有这一番的伟大圣业与成就。
担心后人不晓，才将心路历程聚集成典，好让后人有个依循，也不至于迷失方向。
可是 …

So, is the chanting more for the departed souls or for the friends and relatives around? Mm… But no one bothers to explain the Sutras to the friends and relatives around leh.

This entry is not meant to put SGs or Monks in a negative light. They have an rather important role to play. In the least, the friends and relatives of the departed souls can feel more at ease. They can feel more 安心 that they have done something which they think is best for their departed beloved.

I am merely using this entry as a lead for us to think about our life, our death and perhaps (if you believe… ) our life after death. I only interpret the observations at a very superficial level, I know. Much is left to your own exploration.
在下才疏学浅，也不过是想抛砖引玉而已。

~ ~ Long Road "Home" ~ ~

Meanwhile…
The Sai Gongs continue to chant..
The Monks continue to chant..
The Pastors / Fathers continue to deliver their sermons..

And please, let’s continue to think and explore…
(At a certain point in time, I think we got to be humble enough to be lead …)

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有一位圣者这么说：

凡是先从自己做起。
合抱之木，生于毫末。九层之台，起于累土。千里之行，起于足下。
基本能够稳固，宽大的发扬，才可以茂盛。

所以，第一先『克己』。『克己』才能够『复礼』。

脾气、毛病，每一个人都有，但是，气球不吹，就不会膨胀。
事事顺我时，笑口常开；稍有逆我时，气球就要破了。
不『克己』行吗？