On Friday, my wife and I drove Rev. Igarashi to the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery for a military burial service for Thomas Hamilton Murray, who died in June 2020. “T” to his friends, Mr. Murray had been a member of the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church for several years. His wife, Deardra, asked Rev. Igarashi to perform a Buddhist burial service following the military rites. The U.S. Marine honor guard presented the ceremonial flag to Mr. Murray’s wife, taps was played and a three gun salute fired.
After the military honors, Rev. Igarashi performed a full kito purification ceremony for Mr. Murray’s ashes. After the kito blessing, Rev. Igarashi recited the Invocation in English, and the Jiga Ge from Chapter 16 in Shindoku. He then chanted Daimoku and invited those attending the service to offer incense. At the end of Daimoku chanting he recited Hōtōge, the Difficulty of Retaining the Sutra verses from the conclusion of Chapter 11. He closed the service with Buso, the prayer sung in Shindoku to say farewell to the venerable spirits who attended the service.

Each Nichiren Shu priest has his own take on these services. Rev. Igarashi, having accomplished the 100-day aragyo ascetic training five times, is uniquely qualified to perform purification services in America. Only one other priest in the continental United States, Rev. Shoda Kanai in Las Vegas, is qualified, having twice completed the 100-day aragyo ascetic training.