First 2020 Sunday Service and Shotsuki-Hoyo Memorial Is Jan. 5

This Sunday marks not only the first Sunday service of January, but the first Shotsuki-Hoyo memorial service of the year.

What is Shotsuki-Hoyo? This monthly memorial service is a hallmark of our Jodo Shinshu or Shin Buddhist tradition. Each month the first Sunday service usually includes this memorial.

In the Shotsuki-Hoyo monthly memorial we honor loved ones who passed away in that month. So this January monthly memorial may see Sangha members remembering loved ones whose passing was last year, or five years ago, or fifty year ago, in January.

As part of the observance, Kenji Sensei will read the names of deceased Temple members who died in January. Family or friends of the honoree will come forward to pay their respects by offering incense, putting their hands together in the position shown right, and bow. In this way we honor the memory and allow ourselves to appreciate how much we are indebted to these loved ones for their love and friendship in years past.

Kenji Sensei will also invite others who have lost loved ones in January to come forward and offer incense in their memoy.

What is gassho? The hand position shown, common across all Buddhist traditions, is called gassho. While this prayerful hand position will be seen across most of the world’s religions, in Buddhism it is our way of relating to the Buddha. The left hand is us as we are, and the right hand is the Buddha. So gassho allows us to become one with Buddha, joining our limited selves to infinite wisdom and compassion. That same connection reminds us of our connection to family and friends who helped make us who we are.

As Kenji Sensei reminds us, an important part of Shin Buddhism is to appreciate what we have received, as tied to the Buddha’s identification of interdependence of all living things.

The Jan. 5 Sunday service starts at 10 a.m.