Many people say that sudden death like heart attack is an ideal way to die because the dying person does not suffer at all. It may be so for a dying person. But the family of the dead person especially a spouse will suffer from the shock of the sudden death for a long time. The spouse is not ready for living alone. He or she must be very lonesome.
When someone says that he or she wishes to die instantly like heart attack, I always tell him or her that it is not all right unless the dying person and his or her family have been prepared for the death. What do you do when you wake up in the morning, you found out that you are standing on a complete unfamiliar place like a middle of desert in Arabia or a middle of the jungle near the Amazon River. You will be very shock to be alone at the strange place. When you go to an unfamiliar place, you need a map or information from someone who knows there.
It is the same with a trip to the spiritual world. If you have some knowledge about the place to go after your death, it is all right to die suddenly; however, if you do not know that, then, I recommend you to die gradually with illness or advanced age. In that case, the dying person and his or her family accept the death as natural phenomenon.
The Late Mr. ...(name withheld)... died suddenly while he was working in a someone's
garden in the afternoon on March 11. There was nothing wrong with him in the morning. But in the afternoon when his coworker found him, he was already dead. The shock of his death must be great for the family and all of you who knew him.
The last time when we, Nichiren members, saw him was at the time of the general meeting on Feb. 18^th. He looked nothing wrong. All of you were surprised to hear his death. It was shock for all of us.
Although he died suddenly, he prepared for his own death more than five years ago. During a Buddhist funeral service, an officiator gives a Buddhist name to the dead. A Buddhist name is like a Christian name given when a person is baptized. In Buddhism, when a person is ordained, his or her master gives a Buddhist name so called Kai-myo. All priests have their own Kaimyo while they are alive. But in the case of lay men or women, the Buddhist names are given at funerals.
Mr. Tsugio Kato was the president of this temple for two terms since 1989 for four years. When he was the president, Rev. Yoshinori Fujiwara, a former head minister of this temple, gave him a Buddhist name. It was January 1, 1991. Tonight during his funeral service, his Buddhist name was read and reminded him that his Buddhist name is "Honmyoin Daiho Nichiji Koji." You see the white paper in the casket. His Buddhist name is in it.
The Late Mr. Kato has already prepared his trip to the spiritual world five years ago. I believed that he knew about the spiritual world after his death.
Nichiren Daishonin, the founder of Nichiren Buddhism, says, "Learn about your own deathbed first, then do other things." The Late Mr. ...(name withheld)... practiced what the founder said to his disciples. Mr. ...(name withheld)... is on the way to see Nichiren Daishonin in the spiritual realm now.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo - Namu Myoho Renge Kyo - Namu Myoho Renge Kyo

Thank you...

With Gassho,

Kanai Shonin