Page 7 - Perceptions papers
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BUDDHISM
Rev. Irene Matsumoto
For the Buddhists, life after death is Amida Buddha's Pureland where there are no sufferings,
but beauty, tranquility, and peace and everlasting light and everlasting life. We say, Namu Amida
Butsu, that we put our trust in Amida Buddha who had made a vow to save all mankind and to
care for us after our death. In our Tendai denomination, we believe that the soul is with us for 49
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days after death. From the time of death each 7 day, a special prayer is chanted until the 49 th
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day. On each 7 day a Buddha or a Bodhisattvajudges the deceased's karma. On that special day,
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the family pray for the deceased until the 49 day.
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My personal experience with the 49 day began when I was a teacher at Jefferson
Elementary School. For many years, I did the Japanese quail experiment as a comprehensive unit
lesson plan for the students. My husband asked me to bring home two female quails as he
enjoyed their eggs. As soon as they were able to lay eggs, we had two quail eggs each day. After
they stopped laying eggs, one of the quails began to drag its leg. I took it into the house to care
for it, but it did not survive. The other quail began to show its illness. In 1995, my husband was
hospitalized with pneumonia and myeloma of the bone marrow. My daughter came from
Connecticut to help me care for him. She went to the backyard and saw the old quail, and she
asked me, "Why are you keeping that old quail?" And I replied, "Daddy loved the quail eggs so I
will care for it until it dies."’
After my husband's funeral, I remembered about the soul being with us for 49 days. At the
end of my morning prayer, I prayed, "If you are here with us, Richard, please show us by some
physical means." That morning, my son asked me to make the chive egg omelet. I went to the
backyard to get the chives and also looked into the quail's cage. To my surprise the quail had laid
a white egg.
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