Do You Want Your Funeral Service To Be Held in Nichiren-Shu?

November 2019

SACRED WORDS

As I Contemplate my own life, I, Nichiren, have studied Buddhism ever since I was a child. One’s life is uncertain, as exhaling one’s breath one moment does not guarantee drawing it the next; it is as transient as dew before the wind and its end occurs suddenly to everyone, the wise and the ignorant, the aged and the young. I thought I should study the matter of the last moment of life first, before studying anything else.

　Nichiren – Myoho Ama Gozen Gohenji (DHARMA, P.81)

聖語

日蓮幼少の時より仏法を学び候しが念願すらく、人の寿命は無常也。出る息は入る息を待つことなし。風の前の露、尚譬にあらず。かしこきもはかなきも、老いたるも若きも定め無き習い也。されば、まず臨終の事を習て後に他事を習べし。　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　日蓮「妙法尼御前御返事」

Do You Want Your Funeral Service

To Be Held in Nichiren-Shu?

Rev. Shokai Kanai

As you read and understand the above Sacred Word, when Nichiren Shonin was alive, one’s life was very uncertain because all kinds of natural disasters happened year after year. Besides, there were no medical doctors or hospitals.

Since I was installed as the head priest of the Nichiren Mission of Hawaii, I have held 22 funeral services already. Most of them were elderly like 90s and over 100. Therefore, the deceased and their families were ready to accept their passing for many years before their actual death.

I also noticed that the funeral services are more like celebrations to be born in the next spiritual realms. While I was in Los Angeles, I normally held a funeral service once a month. While I was in Las Vegas, I held only a few over ten years. The ages of the death are much younger or soon after their birth or sudden death such as in an accident or heart attack. The deceased and the families were not ready to accept the loved ones’ death in several cases. Their deaths were sudden and shocking to the survivors and friends.

I will conduct a funeral service for anyone by a family’s request. My position as a Nichiren Shu priest is to make the deceased attain Buddhahood and send their souls to Mount Sacred Eagle where the Eternal

Buddha and Nichiren Shonin are preaching the Lotus Sutra. So, I pray for the deceased every morning from the day I was informed until the 49th memorial day.

I am not a magician for the deceased to attain Buddhahood. If you or your loved ones wish for me to conduct a funeral service, I request that you or the loved ones to chant Odaimoku, NAMU MYOHO RENGE KYO, for the family to enshrine the Mandala Gohonzon of the Ten realms at home and to become a paid member to support this temple by means of physical and financial contribution if possible.

The reason for these requests is necessary for his or her Buddha Name to be given at the time of the funeral. The Buddha Name will be given according to what kinds of person he or she was and how much the person contributed to the temple and to society. It symbolizes not only his or her character but also how much contribution the deceased’s endeavored to help other people. After one’s death, ministers and family members chanting Lotus Sutra and Odaimoku will help the deceased to attain Buddhahood.

I would like to share a nice story about a Nichiren Shu member knew her death was imminent; dressed up and was ready to go! The following eulogy was given by her daughter: “I went to her house to give mom bath and wash her hair. I helped her set her hair because she was so tired and couldn’t do it independently. She insisted on going under the hair dryer. I helped walk her to her beauty shop where she dried her hair. I then walk her to her bedroom where she applied make-up and styled her hair with care. She was sitting at her dresser looking into the mirror. She looked absolutely gorgeous. I told her she looked beautiful. She turned, smiled at me took a deep breath and said, “Now I am ready.” I asked what she meant by saying now she is ready. Ready for what? She never answered. She stood up and started walking out of the room. Then next day, right before I was supposed to pick her up for dinner, I got a call from the home stating that mom was unresponsive. Unexpectedly, Mom passed away a short time later at the medical center.

My personal thought “Now I am ready” meant for her to go to meet her late husband, Nichiren Shonin and the Buddha at the Eternal Buddha Land, Mt. Sacred Eagle.

あなたのお葬式は日蓮宗でして欲しいですか

金井勝海

　上記の聖語で読み取れるように、日蓮大聖人が居られた鎌倉時代は、人の寿命はとても不確かなものでした。それは度重なる大自然の災害はもとより、医者も病院もない時代だったからです。

　昨年１２月に日蓮宗別院の主任に就任してから、私はすでに22件のお葬式を司りました。故人のほとんどの方はご高齢で90歳代か１００歳以上の方でした。それ故、故人と遺族は何年も前から最後の別れを覚っており、葬儀は次の世に生まれ変わるお祝いの行事とも受け取られました。ロスアンゼルス日蓮宗別院に赴任中でも平均年間で１２件前後の葬儀の数でした。ラスベガス観音寺では10年以上の間でも２・３件の葬儀しかありませんでした。亡くなられた故人の年齢も若く生まれたばかりとか事故や心臓発作で急に亡くなる等、故人も遺族も死の準備が何もできていないケースが数件ありました。その様な方の葬儀は故人にとっても遺族や友人にとっても大変ショックでした。

　私は頼まれればどなたの葬儀でも行います。日蓮宗僧侶として亡き方の霊を久遠本佛様と日蓮大聖人が今でも法華経を説いて居られて霊鷲山へ赴くように、葬儀の依頼を受けた翌日の朝から４９日忌の朝まで、読経をささげています。

　でも、私に葬儀をして欲しい方は、お題目を日頃から唱えて下さい。家庭には十界曼荼羅ご本尊を勧請する事を勧めます。そして、できればハワイ日蓮宗別院に会費を納め、ご奉仕をして下さればもっと有難いです。

　何故そんなリクエストをするかと言うと、葬儀の時に授与する法名（別名戒名）には、故人の性格やお寺や社会にどのように貢献してかを示すようにしているからです。法名を見れば、故人が生前中どのような方であったかがおおむね理解できます。

　日蓮大聖人が申された「されば、まず臨終の事を習て後に他事を習べし」のお言葉を皆さんはどのように解釈しますか？