Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a restful holiday season and a good start to the new year.
Since ending the season of “giving” just last month, I have found myself reflecting on how this idea is interpreted in the Buddhist context. In Buddhism, this concept is known as ofuse, commonly translated as “religious offerings.” Many people today associate ofuse primarily with money, in particular, donations to a temple or offerings made in connection with funerals and other special services. While monetary offerings can be part of ofuse, they represent only one aspect of its meaning. I feel that our understanding of ofuse has greatly changed since I first became a minister several decades ago. In recent years, something essential about it has been lost or misunderstood.
To better understand ofuse, it is helpful to look back to the time of Nichiren Shonin in the 13th century. Nichiren Shonin devoted his life to propagating the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, initially as a fiery street preacher in Kamakura, the political and cultural capital of Japan at the time. However, he was also known as a devoted and prolific letter writer, spreading the teachings through correspondence with his followers. These letters were often read aloud within households and communities, allowing propagation through personal relationships rather than formal institutions.
In return, his followers supported him and his practice through ofuse, which could take many forms, including food, clothing, money, time, or acts of care. In this sense, ofuse was not payment for services rendered; it was an expression of gratitude from those who had received the teachings, and a sincere wish that their offering would help sustain both their own practice and continued propagation of the Lotus Sutra. It arose naturally from the hearts of the followers, not from any request or demand made by Nichiren Shonin.
In his writings, Nichiren Shonin frequently expressed deep gratitude for the ofuse he received. He compared this relationship to an oil lamp: the priest is the flame, but without the oil, the support of his followers, the light cannot continue to burn. Material offerings sustained him physically, but more importantly, ofuse enabled him to continue praying and propagating the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. After he settled down in Mt. Minobu, it would support not only him, but the training of his disciples.
I came to understand this meaning of ofuse during my very first 100-day aragyo practice. During this training, we live with very little food, no heating or light, and minimal sleep. Wearing only a thin hemp robe and no socks, the cold is constant and severe. However, what sustained me during that time was the warmth of a simple cotton under-robe worn beneath my hemp robe. My mother had sewn it for me as her way of supporting my practice. That garment represented her time, effort, care, and concern for my well-being. Through this experience, I realized that this was the true spirit of ofuse – to feel the intention and compassion of the person offering it.
Unfortunately, in recent years, I feel that this understanding of ofuse has been increasingly overshadowed. In some cases, religious practice across various Buddhist sects has come to resemble a business, with some ministers and temples setting fixed fees and issuing detailed bills for funerals and other services. When I heard of this, I could not help but feel concerned about the future of Buddhism. This is not the ofuse Nichiren Shonin described in his letters. He did not place prices on the propagation of the Lotus Sutra, nor did he demand offerings from those he taught. Ofuse was always about what the donor felt was appropriate, offered freely and sincerely. At the same time, it is also true, as Nichiren Shonin acknowledged, that without ofuse, the institution or temple and the people who propagate the Lotus Sutra cannot survive or continue their work.
As we begin this new year, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on what ofuse means to you. It is not about the amount or expectations, but about the intention behind an offering. Whether it takes the form of material support, time, sincere practice, ofuse is an expression of gratitude for the teachings we receive and the connections that sustain us. It is my hope that by returning to this understanding, we can continue to nurture an environment rooted in mutual care, humility, and appreciation, just as Nichiren Shonin envisioned.
Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
January / February, 2026