The Segaki ceremony is a memorial service that is generally held between May and August. At Shokoji Temple, the 17th of each month is a special day, and the Segaki ceremony is held on July 17th every year.
Hungry ghosts are sentient beings who live in the realm of hungry ghosts, and the realm of hungry ghosts is one of the six realms of Buddhism (all living beings are reborn into six different realms depending on their actions in life). If you end your life being greedy and not caring about those around you, you will be reborn into the realm of hungry ghosts.
One day, when Mokuren, a disciple of the Buddha, was searching for his dead mother using his supernatural powers, he found her in the world of hungry ghosts. Mothers sometimes act for the sake of their children without fear of sin. Mokuren's mother's strong desire for her child caused her to fall into the world of hungry ghosts.
When Mokuren asked the Buddha if there was a way to save his mother, the Buddha replied, "Make offerings to monks who have completed their training. Your merit will allow your mother to be reborn in heaven." Mokuren made offerings to the monks as the Buddha instructed, and Mokuren's mother was able to be reborn in heaven.
This anecdote is the basis of the current Segaki-e ceremony. The Segaki-e ceremony is a Buddhist ceremony in which food is offered to the suffering living beings in the hungry ghost realm, but at Shokoji Temple, the Buddhist chant is recited to offer prayers to the hungry ghosts, and the merit of this is used to offer prayers to ancestors.
This will be the first Segaki ceremony to which we have invited parishioners since the COVID-19 outbreak. Normally, we would have a meal for the Buddha followed by a half-ceremonial offering, but in light of the current social situation, we will only have a sermon and a memorial service.
The sermon this time will be given by Shoji Gunshima, the head priest of the Futatsugiyama Jyogyoin Temple. Please invite your friends and family and come along.
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