Sunday Spring Higan Service

The Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church will hold the Spring Higan Service on Sunday, March 30, at 11:30am. Unfortunately, the church was unable to send out the March-April Newsletter and the form for listing ancestors for whom prayers are to be said during the service. The form can be downloaded here and returned to the church before Sunday. If you want, you can send the names to the church via email to [email protected]. Those who use email are invited to make donations online here.

About the Higan Service
The Higan Service is a memorial service for our ancestors held during Higan week, the three days before the Equinox and the three days after — in March and in September. Higan literally means “the other shore,” and the purpose of Higan Service is to send the merit of reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting Odaimoku to the ancestors’ spirits on the other shore of enlightenment. We also practice the Buddha’s teaching in order to cross the river from this shore of illusions to the other shore of enlightenment by holding Higan Service. Typical practice is called six paramitas: 1) to give alms, 2) to keep precepts, 3) to be patient, 4) to endeavor, 5) to meditate, and 6) to see the truth.