Do you know what "Shotsuki" means? A Shotsuki Service is a general memorial service held monthly for members and friends of our temple who passed away during the month in which it is held. For example, if a member's father passed away in the month of June, then that would be the Shotsuki month for the surviving family members. There are also memorial services at predescribed intervals, such as the 49th day, 100th day, 1st year, 3rd year, 7, 13, 17, 25, 50, and every 50 years thereafter, such as the 100 year, 50, 200, and so on. These individual "Nenki Hoyo" (yearly services) are usually held privately by the family, relatives and friends. Besides these memorial services, we have many other memorial services, such as Eitaikyo service, Hoonko service which is Shinran Shonin's Memorial, and Obon, which is a memorial for all of our ancestors.
Because of these memorial services, many people feel that the Buddhist tradition is very dark and sad. In fact, it could be said that we emphasize our death rather than our birth. However, although we deal with many memorials, the purpose of having these memorial services should not make us feel sad. Rather, they help us to appreciate our condition and to remember ancestors who have made our present life so meaningful. As we face the darkness of death, we become aware of the meaning of our birth. In that sense, only when we are able to accept death can we truly celebrate our birth. In this way, a sad occasion is transformed into a happy one.
Let us examine the Chinese characters, called "kanji," that are used to write the word Shotsuki. "Sho" means joyous. "Tsuki" means month. Therefore, the literal meaning of Shotsuki is "joyous month," not "sad month." A Shotsuki month is a joyous month for a family, because it is a time when they come together to receive the Buddha-Dharma and appreciate each member of the family. At a Shotsuki Service, we gather to honor and to pay respects to our family members and friends who have passed away before us. In addition, through this act of attending the Shotsuki Service and remembering our family members and friends, we are given the opportunity to encounter the teaching of the Buddha.
The Chinese Character or kanji for Memorial service is "Hoji," Dharma-event, or "Hoyo," Dharma-essential. This is the reason why we often say that it is as though the person who passed away has called us together and given us the opportunity to listen to the teachings of the Buddha. For example, if a family member has passed away on June 18, then that date would be the member's memorial date. In the Japanese Buddhist tradition, the word for memorial date is called "Meinichi." "Mei" means life, and "nichi" means date, so it is translated as "life date." It is not a date of death. Therefore, Meinichi is not only for those who passed away, but also for those of us left behind.
In this way, the experience of losing someone can become the beginning of a new life for us. When a person has passed away, he or she will have gained eternal life. They have eternal life as long as we keep their memories alive. And, as long as we keep their memories and wishes alive, we continue to learn from them. Therefore, the experience of losing a loved one is a renewed encounter with the Dharma. It is the chance to begin a new life with eyes open, a new life with a better understanding of ourselves and the world that we live in.
Remembering our loved ones makes us realize that the foundation upon which our life is based was actually created even before we were born. It also allows us to realize the new life that unfolds before us. When we think in this way, Shotsuki is a joyous gathering and a celebration of the life that we are able to enjoy today. This is why we call Shotsuki, "joyous month."