Funeral sects and future memorial services

Imae-sama

It depends on the cause and effect of the Buddha relationship, but it depends on the person's past life and previous life, and it also depends on the intentions and ideological beliefs of the bereaved family (especially the mourner who performs the funeral), so that doesn't mean which one is correct, and if the Buddha relationship going around contributes to the deceased's good intentions, then I think it's something I'm really thankful for.

Recently, there are many cases where even Buddhist funerals cannot be performed due to the mourner's intention apart from the person's own intention.

Of course, since there are various circumstances, it is impossible to force it or make it an obligation, so it is a place where each intention should be respected, but for those involved in the Buddhist relationship, I would still be grateful if they could create some kind of Buddhist relationship.

Therefore, it would be good for the Buddha relationship you received to be respected as a Buddhist connection, and after all, for the deceased, if they think that a different Buddhist connection might be better, it would be good to take procedures such as converting to the sect and receiving the Dharma name again.

It's not about which is the correct answer, and I hope you can think that it is mostly due to relationships.

Please also refer to the following brief discussion.

“On the significance of funerals and memorial services”
Heisei 29/8 Obonse Gaki Memorial Ceremony handouts
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/hidetoshi-k/e/d2c3793b56451efdff407f7090851dc1

Kawaguchi Hidetoshi Gassho

Hello Imae-san. Thank you for writing. I'm sorry to hear that your father passed away at the beginning of this month.

I will respond as a Jodo Shinshu monk.

Imae-san is worried that her father will not be able to properly attain Buddhism because the funeral was held with a different purpose.

Funeral denominations are different, so there's no such thing as not attaining Buddhism. It's a superstition.

At the funeral of the Jodo Shinshu sect, the person who died by doing the funeral does not become a Buddha. The funeral of the Jodo Shinshu sect is where we encounter Buddhism by connecting with the deceased.

I think those who have passed away are still at a loss. Was this good or bad? We always worry, don't we? That's the case for me. However, we think that people who have died are at a loss, and although various people say various things, what is true is that we ourselves are at a loss as to what to do, we don't know what is right, and whether it's about the deceased.

I think it was Imae-san's father's funeral that taught me that kind of thing. The one who tells you that you're lost is called a Buddha. There, I think there is something I look up to when the deceased was not a lost person; rather, there is something I look up to as a person or Buddha who tells me that I was lost.

I've written a lot of bossy things, but this time I'm going to present the simplest solution. The chief priest of the Jodo Shinshu temple who asked for the funeral was such a pleasant person from Imae-san's point of view that he would like to ask for it in the future, right? If that's the case, ask the chief priest what he thinks, who is worried about this. So, if you can trust it, you can ask that temple, and if it doesn't work, I think it's okay to return it, but why not?

I will answer about denominations, and in particular the Nichiren sect.
First of all, I would like to pray for your father's peace of mind.

Now, it can be said that there are no few such patterns.
This time, it seems that the main reason is that funeral expenses are high, but of course, both the temple, father, and everyone had a weak relationship with the temple, so maybe they didn't know much about the chief priest of that temple.

Of course, even 49 days ago, there are people who changed denominations, apart from the pros and cons, so why are they worried now?
I dare say I'm a monk of the Nichiren sect, but since I'm talking about attaining Buddhism in a different dimension, I won't ask any questions here.

It seems tough, but the biggest cause is the sad father himself. Why didn't I tell everyone when I died during my lifetime?
More on that now, I wonder what the bereaved families left behind, and Mr. Imae think. Naturally, the head family and relatives probably attended the funeral, and they will probably have a decent relationship in the future, so if the reason is that they didn't like the doctrines of the Nichiren sect or the chief priest of the temple and held the funeral even if they changed to another sect, that is unavoidable, but if not, it may be necessary to consider it once.

It's a funeral, now it's time for a funeral. It's very important, and more than that, it's also a matter of faith during life. Taking this opportunity to touch on Buddhism and faith even a little bit may be a message from your father.

Hello. I offer my condolences.

Even though your father's parents' house and siblings are members of the same temple of the Nichiren sect, you're worried that only your father had a funeral in a different sect.

If your father is the heir to the temple at your parents' house, it's a problem to have a funeral at another temple or sect without informing the family temple, but since your house is a separate family, there is absolutely no need to adjust to your parents' temple or sect. Even in my parishioners' homes, there are many houses where siblings have different family temples and denominations. There's nothing to worry about.
The fact that the family temple of your house became a Jodo Shinshu temple is probably due to something. I'm glad to hear that he was also a pleasant chief priest. I am also grateful to the funeral director who introduced me to it.
Your brother is a parishioner of a temple of the Nichiren sect, so you may be confused about how to do the memorial service, etc., but while listening closely to the stories of the Jodo Shinshu temples, and of course you value the faith of your father's siblings, your home has become associated with believing in the Jodo Shinshu sect, so I would like you to cherish those teachings by all means. There is absolutely no such thing as either one being superior and the other being inferior, so I think it would be good if you could continue to follow the teachings of Jodo Shinshu with peace of mind.