Memorial Service for the Spirits of  the Victims of the Tohoku Pacific Coast Earthquake and the Prayer for the Quick Recovery of the Survivors and Their Communities

• Homage (Chant the O-daimoku three times)
• Meditation on the Place of the Way
• Taking Refuge in the Three Treasures
• Invocation

We put our faith in
The Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni — Great Benevolent Teacher, World-honored One;
The Tathagata Abundant Treasures, witness to the Lotus Sutra;
The emanations of the Buddha in the ten directions in the past, present, and future;
The four Great Bodhisattvas: Superior Practice, Boundless Practice, Pure Practice, and Steadfast Practice;
The Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: Manjushri, Universal Wisdom, Maitreya, and all other Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas;
Great Bodhisattva Nichiren, revered practitioner of the Lotus Sutra;
Founder Nikkyo, Great Teacher of the One Vehicle;
Cofounder Myoko, Bodhisattva of the Way of Compassion;
The guardian spirits of Rissho Kosei-kai;
And the countless heavenly spirits in the ten directions.
May you all be present among us and know our deep devotion.

We members of Rissho Kosei-kai gather together to conduct this sincere memorial service for the spirits of the victims of the Tohoku Pacific Coast Earthquake, and offer our heartfelt prayers that the survivors quickly recover and rebuild their communities.

We members, with our hearts and minds as one, all hereby offer our sincere prayers of condolence to the spirits of the many victims of this catastrophe. We pray that the injured, those who have lost their homes, and those who are still unaccounted for will be safe and sound and quickly return to normal livelihood.

We earnestly pray for guidance in all things through the merit we receive from reciting the Great Vehicle Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

(Strike the gong and chant the O-daimoku once)

• Opening Verse
• Sutra Recitation
• Universal Transfer of Merit
• Chanting of the O-daimoku
• Transfer of Merit

Having respectfully recited the Great Vehicle Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, may we transfer its merits to and thus reciprocate the boundless compassion of
The Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni — Great Benevolent Teacher, World-honored One;
The Tathagata Abundant Treasures, witness to the Lotus Sutra;
The emanations of the Buddha in the ten directions in the past, present, and future;
The four Great Bodhisattvas: Superior Practice, Boundless Practice, Pure Practice, and Steadfast Practice;
The Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: Manjushri, Universal Wisdom, Maitreya, and all other Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas;
Great Bodhisattva Nichiren, revered practitioner of the Lotus Sutra;
Founder Nikkyo, Great Teacher of the One Vehicle;
Cofounder Myoko, Bodhisattva of the Way of Compassion;
The guardian spirits of Rissho Kosei-kai;
The guardian spirits of Rissho Kosei-kai (          );
The guardian spirits of member families of Rissho Kosei-kai;
And the countless heavenly spirits in the ten directions.

(Strike the gong once)

Now, we have conducted the sincere memorial service for the spirits of the victims of the Tohoku Pacific Coast Earthquake, and we have offered our heartfelt prayers that the survivors quickly recover and rebuild their communities. We have offered our sincere prayers of condolence to the  spirits of the many victims of this catastrophe. In the presence of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, we have single-mindedly prayed that the injured, those who have lost their homes, and those who are still unaccounted for will be safe and sound and quickly return to normal livelihood.

We respectfully pray and ask that you extend your hand of compassion and sympathy through your divine communication with us, so that profound guidance and protection may be given to the people in the disaster-stricken area.

• Homage (Chant the O-daimoku three times)