ENLIGHTENMENT CEREMONY FOR SOULS OF DEARLY DEPARTED DURING GHOST FESTIVAL

There was an enlightenment ceremony at the Paradise Memorial Park last weekend.  This is the place that the ashes of both my late parents are interned.  

The Enlightenment Ceremony is held during the period to exempt the souls of ancestors from suffering and pain.The praying ceremony is meant to free the souls from suffering in the Six Direction of reinc arnation to reach the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The prayers are for all the living to obtain happiness and longevity, for souls of ancestors to reincarnate, and prayers to avoid debts.

The three day ceremony began on Friday, the 16th of August at the Garden of Remembrance.  On the first day, it started with the arrival of the High Priest and family members of the dearly departed.  There was a lighting up of temple altars and tables, followed by chanting of prayers by the High Priest accompanied by family members and friends.  When I was there on the second day, it was chanting of prayers on the second day.  On the final day, the chanting was from 10.00 a.m. until 2.30 p.m.  The second session was the chanting of prayers followed by the placement of tablets into the paper ships which would later be burnt.

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 This is the paper tablet done for my late parents.  I paid RM188 for the canvas seating for them.  It included vegetarian food, rice, fruit, Chinese tea and Fatt Kueh.

 Chanting of prayers by Taoist priestesses.

 This is what is known as the golden seating where there is a large individual table for the items.  It is priced at a whopping RM8,888.  Yeah!  Really.  There is one termed as silver seating which is priced at RM888.