Why do we hold funerals? To ensure that the deceased is watching over us, to live our future lives to the fullest with that knowledge as our foundation, and to chant the Nembutsu so that we will be welcomed into the same Pure Land at the end.
The deceased are watching over us who were related to them. They absolutely will. What they rely on is the many memories we have of the deceased.
At modern funerals, portraits of the deceased are displayed in the ceremony hall. However, whether there is a photograph or not, we can see the face of the deceased right before our eyes. And we can hear the words that come out of their mouth. To be precise, we can reconstruct them. This is based on memory.
The word for wake is "through the night." Why do we stay through the night? It's to talk about the events of the deceased's life. Why do we talk about the deceased? It's to recall memories of the deceased that we cannot remember on our own. It's to increase the number of memories we have by hearing about the deceased from others that we did not know. By talking about the deceased at the wake, we can feel the deceased watching over us more strongly. That's why we talk about the deceased at the wake.
We just have to live our lives to the fullest, relying on the knowledge that our deceased loved ones are watching over us. And one day we will die. We will definitely die. What happens when we die? We go to the Pure Land. What is the Pure Land? It is written in the sutras.
However, it is not a big deal for us how it is written in the scriptures, because no matter how hard we try to read the scriptures, we will not be able to understand them.
What is important is that the Pure Land is definitely located far to the west, that it is a wonderful place, that our precious ancestors are watching over us there in good health, and that we too will be welcomed into the same Pure Land at the end. That's it. There is no need for it to be more than that, and it would be a problem if it was less than that.
This is no longer logic. It's romance. We are fortunate to have the ability to think this way. It will help us live our lives to the fullest from now on. It's fine if you say it's convenient to think that way.
Ultimately, we humans are born, live our lives to the fullest, and then die. That's all there is to it. Our current state is one in which we are wavering in our efforts to live our lives to the fullest.
In order to improve the current chaotic situation even just a little, it is important to face the Buddha and the deceased, engage in introspection (self-reflection), and continue to walk toward a better life.
At the funeral,
1. Pray for the repose of the deceased's soul
2. Look inward and make a decision to live your life to the fullest.
3. Pray that you will be welcomed into the same Pure Land at the end.
We chant the Nembutsu for the above three reasons. Why do we chant the Nembutsu? It goes without saying that it satisfies the above three requirements, but the most important reason is that it is a ticket to go to the Pure Land.
You need a ticket to ride a train or a plane. What is the ticket to go to the Pure Land? It is to chant the Nembutsu. That is why we chant the Nembutsu.
If we understand the value of chanting the Nembutsu, all problems will be solved. One of the important occasions to understand this is the funeral.
For funeral enquiries, please contact us by phone or email.
TEL:03-3901-2017
MAIL:houji@sk-j.or.jp
There are three main types of giving. The first is material giving, which is an act aimed at letting go of attachments. The second is giving of the Law. At Shokoji, this is done through introspection and chanting of the Nembutsu, with the aim of facing one's ancestors and Buddha, looking inward and living the rest of one's life peacefully, and ultimately being reborn in the Pure Land. The third is fearless giving, which is done to remove anxiety and fear, and at Shokoji, this is also done through introspection and chanting the Nembutsu.
On that basis, giving is a feeling of gratitude, "Thank you." A donation is when the person who gives the donation can say "Thank you." For the person who receives the donation, it is not the donation itself that makes them say "Thank you," but the fact that it allows them to contribute to society. Therefore, donations are not something that you receive, but something that you hold.
Giving is neither more nor less than that. However, as imperfect human beings, we want to feel that our giving is helping society. To a certain extent, this is inevitable. As long as it doesn't go too far, I think it's fine.
It's not necessarily a bad thing to know that your donations are helping society, because then you can truly say, "Thank you for putting my donation to good use."
At Shokoji Temple, the donations we receive are used to improve the environment for introspection and nembutsu, and for related activities to encourage introspection and nembutsu. Through these activities, those who receive donations from Shokoji Temple circulate the donations back into society.
● Funeral donations (guideline) ●
Parishioners: 600,000 yen (those who have protected the temple and their ancestors for generations)
Joen: 500,000 yen (we pay a lot of maintenance fees)
Permanent grave: 300,000 yen (for those who do not require a large cemetery)
Columbarium: 400,000 yen (for those not seeking a cemetery)
General: 300,000 yen (for those without burial facilities)
*There are no fees such as fees for sutras, posthumous names, or other fees. Please understand that this is the total amount to be paid for the funeral and other ceremonies. As a rule, we do not give temple names, so please contact us if you need one. Other decorations and other items are also available.
English 
Japanese