Monthly memorial service

There may be times when you want to hold memorial services for a stupa, open and close the eyes of a memorial tablet, or hold other types of memorial services apart from a memorial service. To meet such wishes, Shokoji Temple holds a "Monthly Memorial Service" once a month.

The "Monthly Memorial Service" is a joint memorial service, so those who wish to attend will gather together to perform the service. On the other hand, we can also accommodate those who wish to just hold the memorial service without participating.

In addition, this memorial service is not necessarily only for parishioners. We will also respond to the requests of the general public.

The various memorial services, including those held at the Monthly Memorial Service, are ceremonies aimed at facing the person being memorialized, reflecting on themselves, and chanting the Nembutsu so that the person will live a peaceful and happy life from now on, and will be welcomed into the Pure Land at the end. Therefore, it is very important to be present when a memorial service is held.

The objects of memorial services are not uniform, such as memorial services for stupas, memorial services for memorial tablets, memorial services for needles, memorial services for dolls, etc. However, there is something that is common to all objects. That is the heart (soul) of the person who cherished the object.

For example, dolls. It has been said since ancient times that dolls have souls. I don't know if they really do. However, if a doll does have a soul, I think it is not the "doll's" soul, but the heart (soul) of the person who cherishes it.

A doll contains the heart (soul) of a child who played with it in happy and sad times alike. A doll that is left at the family home when the person becomes an adult can bring back many memories and emotions from those times. Now that the person has grown up and used the doll as a source of comfort, the doll has outlived its usefulness and is memorialized. A doll memorial service does not memorialize the "doll." It memorializes one's own heart that resides in the doll. In other words, it is a declaration of one's resolve to live a peaceful and happy life through self-reflection through a doll memorial service. Many people make this declaration unconsciously in words similar to gratitude.

It would be a shame to perform such an important act unconsciously. Facing the heart of the person residing in the doll, reflecting on it to reaffirm the important things we have forgotten, and attempting to use this as nourishment for the rest of our lives will give us the strength to carve out a peaceful and prosperous future.

How romantic it would be to be able to enter the Pure Land where our beloved ancestors are at the end of our lives, after repeated introspection. That is why we chant the Nembutsu.

There may be many circumstances that make it impossible for you to be present at a memorial service, but we encourage you to be present whenever possible.