Attended the Kaji Kito service today at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church.
No problem, he said. He has a friend in Japan who can get one for me. He’s going to Japan in May and can bring it back, he added. All he needs is the names and the dates my parents died.
Too cool, I thought. “How much will it cost?” I asked.
He wouldn’t answer. I tried rephrasing the question. He wouldn’t say. He just kept repeating that he has a friend in Japan and he can pick it up in May when he is in Japan and bring it back.
I got the same treatment when I became a member of the church and Ven. Igarashi performed the eye-opening ceremony for my altar statuary and gave me a Gohonzon. Price, donation, expectation – nothing was mentioned. I knew from reading the newsletter what people were donating as annual dues, so I gave that. The same is true for the memorial service that will be held next weekend. Something is given in recognition of the priest’s prayers for specific ancestors but never requested.
It all reminds me of Chapter 25 in the Lotus Sutra, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.
[Sakyamuni says]
“Endless-Intent! This World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva does these meritorious deeds. He takes various shapes, walks about many worlds, and saves the living beings [of those worlds]. Make offerings to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva with all your hearts! This World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva-mahasattva gives fearlessness [to those who are] in fearful emergencies. Therefore, he is called the ‘Giver of Fearlessness’ in this Saha-World.”
The Endless-Intent Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One! Now I will make an offering to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.” From around his neck, he took a necklace of many gems worth hundreds of thousands of ryo of gold, and offered it [to the Bodhisattva], saying, “Man of Virtue! Receive this necklace of wonderful treasures! I offer this to you according to the Dharma!”
World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva did not consent to receive it. Endless-Intent said to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva again, “Man of Virtue! Receive this necklace out of your compassion towards us!”
Thereupon the Buddha said to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva:
“Receive it out of your compassion towards this Endless-Intent Bodhisattva, towards the four kinds of devotees, and towards the other living beings including gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, men and nonhuman beings!”
Thereupon World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva received the necklace out of his compassion towards the four kinds of devotees, and towards the other living beings including gods, dragons, men and nonhuman beings. He divided [the necklace] into two parts, and offered one part of it to Sakyamuni Buddha and the other to the stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha.
Next week I’ll give Ven. Igarashi the names of my parents and the dates of their death and check that I hope covers his expense plus provides a suitable contribution.