Zen Buddhist Funeral Service Switzerland – In transition to new responsibility. The constant recurrence of birth and death in this life!
A Zen Buddhist funeral in Switzerland is not merely a farewell – it is a conscious transition, a ritual of transformation and rebirth. Zen Master Reding from Kloster Nigredo leads the ceremony with depth, clarity, and compassion. As a Zen Buddhist funeral celebrant, he shapes the farewell according to traditional Zen teachings and your personal wishes.
His guidance is rooted in ten years of monastic training in Zen temples in Japan and Korea, where he studied the path of awakening, the nature of consciousness, and the spiritual process of dying and rebirth.
On request, the monastic blessing is offered so the deceased may enter their new responsibility with clarity and a favourable rebirth.
Master Reding accompanies both the dying person and the grieving family—
at the bedside, during the repose of the body, throughout the vigil, the funeral ritual, and in the remembrance ceremonies afterward.
Buddhist Tradition of Memorial Days
In Buddhism, support does not end with the funeral. Love continues through ritual remembrance.
Traditionally, the following days are honoured:
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The Day of Death
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The 7th Day
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The 49th Day (completion of the Bardo period)
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The 100th Day (optional but common in East Asia)
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The 1st Anniversary
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The 3rd Anniversary
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The 5th Anniversary
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The 7th Anniversary
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The 10th Anniversary
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The 15th Anniversary
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The 20th Anniversary
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Every 50 years as major remembrance rituals (50th, 100th, 150th, etc.)
These ceremonies are expressions of love, continuity, and gratitude.
They honour the bond between worlds and help the living integrate loss with meaning.
The Zen Buddhist Understanding of Death
In Zen, death is not an ending. It is a birth into another realm of being. Between birth, death, and rebirth lies a gap, a luminous interval filled with memory, transformation, and possibility— known in Buddhism as the Bardo. The prayers and meditations of a Zen funeral address this sacred transition, supporting the deceased as they orient themselves in the new dimension.
Death in Western and Buddhist Perspectives
In the West, death is often avoided or suppressed.
In Buddhism, it is a moment of truth—
a moment stripped of illusion, revealing what is essential.
The greatest act of love is to stand with a dying person
and to speak with honesty and presence.
It is a profound offering of trust and companionship.
It is the most human and the most spiritual moment we can share.
Zen Buddhist Prayers & Meditation
Through death into life.
Through transition into new responsibility.
Through the endless rhythm of birth and dying.
Death opens a gateway into an unfamiliar realm— mysterious, weightless, and luminous.
Prayer
May the Divine Ones remember me
and lovingly guide me on the path.
Should I walk under the pull of strong attachments,
lead me onto the radiant path of innate wisdom.
May heavenly beings and warriors walk before me,
their companions protecting my back.
Stand beside me on the narrow ridge
between death and new birth.
Guide me into the Realm of Space and Light.
Last Blessing
A Zen funeral is a quiet promise:
We let go – but we do not abandon.
We grieve – and we trust.
We witness death – and we honour return.May all goodness accompany you on your final journey.
Rest in peace. And may you awaken into your new responsibility with clarity.