Will not fulfilling all of a deceased relative’s final wishes necessarily affect the family?

It will not necessarily affect the family. Where we can follow a deceased relative’s wishes, we should try to respect them. However, one unfulfilled final wish is not enough to conclude that the family is bound to suffer difficulties. We still need to consider the actual situation.

From the perspective of religious energy, if the deceased had a strong intention but the funeral arrangements differed from that wish, there may indeed be something they cannot let go of. At the same time, I have also said that even when a deceased person has attachments, they may not have the strength to affect relatives in the living world. The extent of any influence also depends on the energetic conditions of those involved. We cannot assume it is the same for everyone.

I have encountered cases in which someone wanted burial rather than cremation, but the family could not afford it and had to choose cremation. It is certainly regrettable that the wish could not be fulfilled. But if we ask whether this must lead to something bad, the answer remains that it does not necessarily do so. When practical circumstances make a wish impossible, those conditions need to be considered too. There is no need to begin by assuming that the family will inevitably be affected.

Spiritual practice also involves learning to let go. If we cultivate our hearts better and are no longer attached to these details when we eventually leave, there will be less to draw our descendants into those attachments. Holding ceremonies for relatives also aims to help the deceased release attachments and fear. With guidance from deities and Buddhas, we hope that both the deceased and the surviving family can gradually find peace.