In Buddhism, death marks the transition from this life to the next for the deceased. Buddhists regard death as an occasion of major religious significance, both for the deceased and for the survivors. For the deceased it marks the moment when the transition begins to a new mode of existence within the round of rebirths. When a death occurs all the karmic forces that the dead person accumulated during the course of his or her lifetime become activated and set about determining the next rebirth. For the living, death is a powerful reminder of the Buddha’s teaching on impermanence; it also provides an opportunity to assist the deceased person as he or she fares on to the new existence.

During Buddhist funeral, the chanting led by monks is held in accordance with Buddhist funeral rites to help the deceased to transit smoothly into his or her afterlife journey. For Buddhist families, having a proper Buddhist wake and funeral send-off goes beyond filial piety, it is an important ritual to aid the deceased into afterlife journey.