Comments on: Eitaikyo: The Perpetual Memorial http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2009/04/18/eitaikyo-the-perpetual-memorial/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Sat, 11 Jun 2011 01:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Doug http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2009/04/18/eitaikyo-the-perpetual-memorial/#comment-2592 Doug Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:57:28 +0000 http://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=3731#comment-2592 Hi Stephen! Thanks for the input. That's really impressive, that sermon you mentioned, and certainly does underscore the need to develop compassion for all. What is the segaki service by the way? I think I know, but others may be curious as well. Take care! Hi Stephen! Thanks for the input. That’s really impressive, that sermon you mentioned, and certainly does underscore the need to develop compassion for all. What is the segaki service by the way? I think I know, but others may be curious as well.

Take care!

]]> By: Stephen http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2009/04/18/eitaikyo-the-perpetual-memorial/#comment-2582 Stephen Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:38:36 +0000 http://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=3731#comment-2582 In Jodo Shu in this area we give an eitaikuyo at the beginning of a Segaki service. It is a service for people which is done eternally as you noted. Say for example a couple had no children, and their family lived in a different part of Japan, there is no-one to observe the memorial days for the couple, the family makes a donation to the temple that we will eternally give a memorial for that couple. I need not mention they just add up overtime, and a temple nearby does a seperate segaki service just for Eitakuyo because it takes so much time. We have a seperate service like the one you mention where we pay thanks to all the great people that have brought the teachings to us (Shan-tao, Honen's father and mother etc) called a Chion-ko (知恩講）. Very rare though, I have only been to one. The days are up to the individual temples (segaki requires several priests so we can't do it all on the same day) I believe Jodoshinshu can't do Segaki so it would be their version. At the Chion-ko I did attend there was a very strange occurance which moved me dramtically. At the en of the service after the Dharma talk, the head monk stood up and said "for eight hundred years we have held Gyoki services for Honen Shonin in temples all over Japan, and everytime we hear the story of how Sada Akira took the life of Honen's father. Today at this Chion-ko we said 10 nembutsu for Honen's father because his dying words were the motivation for Honen becoming a monk. But if Sada Akira had not killed Kuninotokio Honen would not have become a monk, and despite being villified for 800 years surely he is in greater need of merit being tranferred , so let us say 10 nembutsu to Saka Akira and transfer the merit to him" We did, but that one speech really made me think a lot. I felt that is the true way to give thanks. Just a story of mine I thought I'd share Stephen In Jodo Shu in this area we give an eitaikuyo at the beginning of a Segaki service. It is a service for people which is done eternally as you noted. Say for example a couple had no children, and their family lived in a different part of Japan, there is no-one to observe the memorial days for the couple, the family makes a donation to the temple that we will eternally give a memorial for that couple. I need not mention they just add up overtime, and a temple nearby does a seperate segaki service just for Eitakuyo because it takes so much time.
We have a seperate service like the one you mention where we pay thanks to all the great people that have brought the teachings to us (Shan-tao, Honen’s father and mother etc) called a Chion-ko (知恩講）. Very rare though, I have only been to one. The days are up to the individual temples (segaki requires several priests so we can’t do it all on the same day)
I believe Jodoshinshu can’t do Segaki so it would be their version.
At the Chion-ko I did attend there was a very strange occurance which moved me dramtically. At the en of the service after the Dharma talk, the head monk stood up and said “for eight hundred years we have held Gyoki services for Honen Shonin in temples all over Japan, and everytime we hear the story of how Sada Akira took the life of Honen’s father. Today at this Chion-ko we said 10 nembutsu for Honen’s father because his dying words were the motivation for Honen becoming a monk. But if Sada Akira had not killed Kuninotokio Honen would not have become a monk, and despite being villified for 800 years surely he is in greater need of merit being tranferred , so let us say 10 nembutsu to Saka Akira and transfer the merit to him”
We did, but that one speech really made me think a lot. I felt that is the true way to give thanks.
Just a story of mine I thought I’d share
Stephen

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