extravagant afterlife

went to the columbarium to commemorate dad's 3rd anniversary today. and after that, we decided to drop by the nirvana columbarium place. there had been quite a bit of publicity previously and we thought we should take a peek.

we were certainly awed the moment we stepped in. fully air-conditioned, lots of crystals, chandeliers, electronically tagged niches located within rooms called "suites", golden buddha figurines in every suite, sofa areas for people to rest, piped music/ sutras, etc. it was really a very high-end resting place for the dead. it felt really really hotel-like. and there were a lot of sales personnel trying to sell niche to people! i half suspect there were more sales personnel than visitors! as we walked from suite to suite, we were constantly greeted by golden buddha figurines, sculptures of boddisatvas, paintings, etc. very extravagant! and of cos, what was key in our heads were - how very expensive the niches must have cost! and true enough, i overheard a sales staff tell a group as they walked pass us that the niche in a particular suite cost about s$10,000... and that niche was not even located in a high end suite!

frankly, after seeing all the niceties, we walked out feeling rather disturbed. having just visited my dad's niche in a government-run columbarium, the contrast was super great! personally, i felt that the government-run columbarium was a lot more simpler and peaceful, and certainly a lot more respectful and dignified, for the dead, that is. with so many sales staff touting their niches, it certainly felt like a market. and the result was that the place, supposedly built for the dead to rest, ended up feeling superbly commercialized.

to me, there is no need for any opulence when it comes to the dead. when we are alive, many try to outdo each other by showing off their wealth, but when we are dead, we are all the same - a pile of bones. what need do we have for anything showy other than a quiet niche to rest? frankly, i cannot appreciate the need for the dead/ ashes and all to be placed in air-con niches with the environment all stacked with crystals and chandeliers etc. if it is to show filial piety, why do it for the dead, we should do it when they were alive. and if by having expensive niches, one will get the blessings of the buddhas and boddhisatvas for future generations, are we then saying that buddhas and boddhisatvas are mecenarious and will not bless people who cannot afford expensive niches? harlow! it was so clear to me that these are to feed the greed of many (especially the businessmen behind this columbarium), the greed for money, the greed to get blessings (by the many ignorant people who purchase the niches!), etc... blessed are those whose hearts are pure, who are compassionate, who spreads the truth... not those who keeps their dead in expensive niches! also, for many moments when i was there, it felt like people were simply trying to show off when they purchase a niche there... well, then again it might be unfair of me to make that comment/ have that thought.

still...