The Virtue of Memorial Services

Rev. Shokai Kanai

Buddhists, especially Japanese Buddhists have many services in remembrance of their ancestors and loved ones such as:

In addition to these, many families observe several individual yearly services for their ancestors and deceased loved ones.

These services generally are held to show our appreciation to them, for without them we would not exist today. We also pray that they will level up themselves spiritually by listening to our chanting.

Mahayana Buddhists especially Nichiren Buddhists pray for salvation in attaining Enlightenment for the people in this life as well as for the souls of the deceased. Many individuals go to a temple, chant the sutra and listen to the sermon. However, some people do not understand or practice the teachings of Nichiren. Although some may attain Enlightenment during the chanting or listening to the sermon, they may still go back to being ordinary people once they step out of the temple. These individuals may not attain Buddhahood, the liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Therefore, it is necessary for individuals to chant the sutra, study Buddhism, and help others in order to reach a higher level of Enlightenment for the individual and the souls of their deceased loved ones. Then there will be less suffering for them and increase the protecting power from our ancestors.

According to the Lotus Sutra, those not faithful to teachings of the sutra will fall into the three lowest realms of existence: Rage, Devouring, and Stupidity. The Nichiren Sect, in those cases, we offer segaki memorial service, especially for the hungry or evil spirits. Other times, we offer toba. The name of the deceased under the Odaimoku is written on the front of it and a Buddhist scripture and donor's name is on the back. We can send messages from the Lotus Sutra to the dead and save them in order to free them from the lower realms. Of course the toba offering is not limited for the souls in the lowest realms, but it is a message of the scripture to a soul of the dead.

When a memorial service is held, it is important for the living members of the family (the grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren and others) to attend this service. The names and information of some of the deceased may not be familiar to some of the family members; however, with the passage of time they can learn about their ancestors. They will learn about their roots and the importance of the family in terms of who and what they are today.

Thus the memorial services are important practice not only for Buddhists but for everyone.