FAQ 13-14

Question 13.

Whenever I visit my sister’s house, we enjoy ourselves talking about this blog. She started to hold memorial services for the ancestral spirits of her husband’s family line and came to remind herself of gratitude, so that her relationship with her husband was deepen and they are getting along well with each other. She says she is very happy now.

• whenever S+V　SがVする時はいつでも
• ancestral　先祖の
• come to~　〜するようになる
• remind oneself of A　Aを思い出す
• gratitude　感謝の気持ち
• relationship　人間関係
• get along well with A　Aとうまくやる

By the way, when we talk about this blog, something strange sometimes happens, like a plastic bottle starts to vibrate hard circling around or the picture frame of our deceased mother falls down abruptly. I paid no attention to those things because I thought such strange phenomena will stop sooner or later due to the practice of my holding memorial services and reminding myself of gratitude. But the other day, when we were talking about an article of this blog, a refrigerator behind me began to make a strange noise. It’s like sound from the inside of the refrigerator. My sister told me that the phenomenon occurred only when I was at her home. What kind of phenomenon do you think this is? I wondered if my ancestors wanted to say something. Did it happen because my thought energy was strong? Or my way of life has made them sad? I have no idea. Could you give me some advice?

• by the way　ところで
• vibrate　揺れる
• deceased　亡くなった
• abruptly　突然
• pay attention 　注意を払う
• phenomena　現象
• due to A　Aのために
• the other day　先日
• refrigerator　冷蔵庫
• make a noise　音を立てる
• have no idea　まったくわからない

Answer.

As your ancestral spirits feel secured, those phenomena will stop. Seeing they happen when you and your sister are in the same place, I suppose that ancestral spirits who belong to her previous family line before marriage are trying to inform you two of their existence. In addition, the passion of you two when you’re talking about this blog is so strong as to produce doppelganger. What causes poltergeist-phenomena is mainly due to girls under fifteen, and the spiritual bodies of you two are also young and full of energy. In view of your constitution, you are likely to feel depressed as if you went down into a black hole once you begin to be troubled. So it is necessary that you keep yourself positive always thinking “Thank you so much for keeping us alive.” A person like you must not hate others. If you did, your doppelganger would beat the person you hate. So be careful.

• feel secured　安心する
• previous　前の
• inform A of B　AにBを知らせる
• existence　存在
• in addition　加えて
• passion　情熱
• so … as to~　〜するくらい…
• doppelganger　生霊
• be due to A　Aが原因である
• be full of A　Aでいっぱいである
• constitution　体質
•  be likely to~　〜しそうである
• feel depressed　落ち込む
• once S+V　いったんSがVすると
• be troubled　悩む
• necessary　必要な
• positive　積極的な
• must not~　〜してはならない
• hate　憎む
• beat　やっつける

Question 14.

I’m a third-generation Korean living in Japan. I live here in Japan using a Japanese name, but I also have a Korean real name.Though I don’t use the latter so often, I feel both of them are my true name. I wrote my Japanese name on the Tanzaku（短冊）, a Japanese short strip of paper, used when I hold a memorial service for ancestors, but because the name began to be used by my grandfather three generations ago, the number of my ancestors of the name is very small. The number of my ancestors whose name is Korean is much larger. Which name should I write on the Tanzaku?

• third-generation　三世の
• the latter　後者
• number　数

Answer.

If there is at least one deceased person whose name is a Japanese one, you can write the Japanese surname you’re now using on the Tanzaku. The third incense stick you offer during the memorial service takes care of the ancestral spirits whose surname is Korean. So the function of the third incense stick is very important. Conversely, you can write your real Korean surname on it like “The Place for the Spirits of So-and-so family.” In this case, the third incense stick can take care of the deceased whose surname is your Japanese one. Or you can change the name according to circumstances. It is ideal that you hold memorial services using your favorite surname.

• at least　少なくとも
• incense stick　線香
• function　機能
• conversely　逆に
• according to circumstances　状況によって
• ideal　理想的な

FAQ 11-12

Q11.

I have a question about a memorial service for a Mizuko（水子）, a dead baby’s spirit. I heard ancestors and babies live in different places in the other world. Though I learned at some religious group meeting that I have to hold a memorial service for a dead baby’s spirit with love and penitence, but I haven’t been able to do that well. I think I have had my baby feel painful and lonely. What kind of words should I say to him? What is the best way to hold a memorial service for dead babies’s spirits?

• the other world　あの世
• religious　宗教の
• penitence　懺悔
• admit　認める
• painful　苦しい
• lonely　孤独な

Answer.

When you hold a memorial service for the ancestors of your husband’s family line, the third incense stick you offer takes care of your dead baby’s spirit you had before marriage, while dead babies you had after marriage can be taken care of by the first two incense sticks because they are among the ancestors of your present family line.  After offering three incense sticks for the whole ancestors, say “Thank you so much for keeping us alive,” toward your dead babies, because you are now living at the expense of their lives. It is important for you not to forget about them. If you forget, they feel jealous of your kids and are likely to have a bad influence on them. Offer gratitude saying “Thank you so much for keeping us alive.” Remember that you can lead lives because the babies sacrificed themselves. You can think that when you remember them, they are actually close to you.

• family line　家系
• incense stick　線香
• offer　捧げる
• marriage　結婚
• take care of A　Aの世話をする
• at the expense of A　Aを犠牲にして
• feel jealous　嫉妬する
• have influence on A　Aに影響を与える
• sacrifice　犠牲にする

Q12.

When I had a hard time, I came across your blog and have been able to be positive since I started to hold a memorial service for my ancestors. My surroundings were getting better and better and I came to be grateful for many things everyday, but one day a married man approached me and I had an affair because of my weakness and loneliness. I really respect him and love him so much. Since I don’t think I can stop this feeling and because of a sense of guilt for his family, I suffer great pain every time I hold a memorial service. How do you think my ancestors see me? Is it OK for me to continue holding the service despite this pain?

• come across A　Aに出くわす
• positive　積極的な
• surroundings　状況
• come to~　〜するようになる
• married man　既婚者
• approach　言い寄る
• have an affair　不倫をする
• weakness　弱さ
• loneliness　孤独
• respect　尊敬する
• sense of guilt　罪悪感
• despite A　Aにもかかわらず

Answer.

Please keep on holding memorial services as much as possible, or you won’t be able to look at the situation objectively and you’ll find yourself in a very bad condition. It is because you hold memorial services that you can feel a sense of guilt. The outcome of adultery is 100% miseries of those related. There cannot be happiness while someone is crying. So if you continue the relationship, you have to pay the price. The reason you feel pain in holding the service is because your ancestral spirits are trying to stop you from having an affair. But they can’t stop you because living human beings with a physical body are stronger than spirits in this World of Reality. The World of Reality is not only where human beings can do anything they want but also where their deeds are tried. This is something you should fear in a way. Just keep on holding memorial services for the sake of your ancestors so that you can sustain your conscience, or Inner God.

• keep on ~ing　〜し続ける
• as ~ as possible　可能な限り〜
• objectively　客観的に
• adultery　不倫
• outcome　結果
• misery　悲惨
• cry　泣く
• pay the price　代償を払う
• ancestral　先祖の
• stop A from ~ing　Aが〜するのを止めさせる
• physical　物質的な
• deed　行い
• try　試す
• fear　恐れる
• in a way　ある意味で
• for the sake of A　Aのために
• sustain　維持する
• conscience　良心
• Inner God　内在神

FAQ 9-10

Question 9.

There is a Buddhist altar at my parents’ house. When I offer some incense sticks to Buddha, how should I do?

• Buddhist altar　仏壇
• incense stick　線香

Answer.

In holding a memorial service at your house toward a Yorishiro(=a memorial tablet or a short strip of paper called Tanzaku) with the name of your husband’s family line on it, the third incense stick you offer takes care of the spirits of your parent’s family line. So when you visit your parent’s house, you should offer one incense stick as a greeting at the Buddhist altar. Offer it saying in your heart “Thank you so much for keeping us alive”

• greeting　挨拶
• keep A alive　Aを生かしておく

Question  10.

Since I’m a housewife, when I hold a memorial service, I make it a rule to remind myself of gratitude to four family lines: my husband’s parents’ family lines and my parents’ ones. Can this be a memorial service for the whole ancestors ?

• since S+V　SはVするので
• housewife　主婦
• make it a rule to~　〜することにしている
• remind oneself of A　Aを想起する
• the whole　全体の

Answer.

Though your husband’s surname has to be written on the Yorishiro（寄り代）, or an object where spirits can stay temporarily, such as a a Tanzaku or a memorial tablet,  you don’t have to say the name of either family in your heart. By saying “all of the ancestors,” not specifying them,  you can cover all the spirits who need help. If you specify a family line, you cannot help the other spirits you’re related to who need your help. As a result of it, your mind might not be stable. It is important to hold the memorial service continuously for the whole ancestors.

• though S+V　SはVするけれども
• surname　姓
• specify　特定する
• be related to A　Aに関係している
• stable　安定した
• continuously　継続的に

FAQ 6-7

Q7.

How many times should I hold a memorial service with incense sticks for myself?

• incense stick　線香

Answer.

As long as you hate yourself, you can do it once a day. In holding it with Yorishiro（=a memorial tablet or Tanzaku etc)   , after the incense sticks stop burning, you can do it again so that your spiritual body will be consoled. First, call your own full name , remembering yourself at the time you had a hard time, and then offer a burning incense stick. And next, say to the old you something like “It’s all right now.” It can be said spiritually that you are living together with the old you in parallel in this world. When the old you remains in anguish, you are affected by it subconsciously, which can lead to some misfortune or misery in this present time. If you were depressed or in the habit of harming yourself,  holding a memorial service for yourself could make you improve.

• as long as S+V　SがVする間
• memorial tablet　位牌
• burn　燃える
• so that S+V　SがVするように
• console　癒やす
• in parallel　平行して
• in anguish　苦悶して
• subconsciously　無意識的に
• lead to A　Aをもたらす
• misfortune　不運
• misery　不幸
• depressed　鬱の
• harm oneself　自傷する
• improve　改善する

Q8.

It has been a few weeks since I started to hold a memorial service with incense sticks, but my son’s behavior is a little bit strange these days. Sometimes he bursts into tears and sometimes says mysterious things or something children wouldn’t say. He sometimes comes and cling to me saying “I’m lonely” without any reason. There’s no trouble in school. Is this due to invisible beings? Even if it is so, I think I should keep on holding memorial services. Am I right?

• behavior　振る舞い
• these days　近頃
• burst into tears　突然泣き出す
• cling to A　Aにしがみつく
• lonely　孤独な
• be due to A　Aが原因である
• invisible　目に見えない
• keep on ~ing　〜し続ける

Answer.

First of all, you had better not hold the memorial service for you ancestors in the presence of your child. While he’s at home, keep the Tanzaku out of his sight. A Mizuko, （水子, a dead baby’s spirit), is insisting on his existence through your son. If you had not started to hold the memorial service, the Mizuko would have stayed in your son and had bad effects on his life. The Mizuko was made to appear by the memorial service. So keep on doing it at your own pace, and your son’s strange behavior will cease gradually. Also, in offering the third incense stick, say in your heart “Thank you so much for keeping us alive” with a thankful heart to dead babies in your family line, for it can be said that we descendants can live now at the expense of those babies’ lives.

• first of all　まず第一に
• had better not~ ~しないほうがよい
• in the presence of A　Aのいるところで
• out of one’s sight　〜の見えないところに
• insist on A　Aを主張する
• existence　存在
• effect　影響
• cease　止まる
• gradually　徐々に
• descendant　子孫
• at the expense of A　Aの犠牲を払って

FAQ 5-6

Q5.

I wanna ask you a question. I’m out of job now and I’m living lazy lives. Seeing my present life, are my ancestors worried about me? I think I can get a job soon, but my life is unstable now, so when I hold a memorial service for them, I feel a little bit sorry wondering if I might be bothering them. While my life is unstable, is it better not to hold one?

• out of job　失業中の
• lazy　怠惰な
• present　現在の
• ancestor　先祖
• worried　心配した
• unstable　不安定な
• bother　悩ます

Answer.

You don’t have to do it against your will. When you feel like holding it, you can do it. Parents would feel happy when their child always says “thank you” and makes them a tea sometimes, even if they just want allowance, right? So, when you can, you have only to offer your gratitude and incense sticks to your ancestors in a matter-of-fact way. However hard you try to hide your present situations, your ancestral spirits are watching over them. Those who can care about invisible beings can also take care of the people in society who work for them where they can’t see them. By so doing, they can create good karma which will help themselves.

• against one’s will　意思に反して
• allowance　お小遣い
• offer　捧げる
• gratitude　感謝の気持ち
• incense stick　線香
• steadly　着実に
• in a matter-of-fact way　淡々と
• hide　隠す
• ancecstral　先祖の
• invisible　見えない
• being　存在
• create　創る

Q6.

Your words “Human beings are fragile. You can make a mistake” made me feel relieved somehow. My grandmother passed away last October. You say a man goes to the other world in the state of the moment of death. She had senile dementia when she died. Can she rest in peace?

• fragile　弱い
• relieved　ほっとした
• somehow　なんだか
• pass away　亡くなる
• the other world　あの世
• state　状態
• senile dementia　老人性痴呆症
• rest in peace　成仏する

Answer.

No worries. She’s back to normal. To have dementia might be the grace of God for those who have had hard times not to be scared unnecessarily. On leaving the World of Reality, people recover their senses. And for 49 days after death, they look back on their lives. And they themselves decide which way to go convinced. People who lived their lives against their conscience will suffer after death. As long as you live, you have to live honest with your conscience.

• be back to normal　正気に戻っている
• the grace of God　神の恩寵
• be scared　怖がる
• unnecessarily　不必要に
• recover　取り戻す
• sense　感覚
• look back on A　Aを振り返る
• which way to go　どちらに行くべきか
• convinced　納得して
• conscience　良心
• suffer　苦しむ
• honest　正直な

FAQ 3-4

Q3.

How long does it take for spiritual dirt to disappear? If I experience spiritual healing just once, does it become a sin which never disappears?

• dirt　垢
• disappear　消える
• sin　罪

Answer.

As long as you hold memorial services for your ancestors with gratitude, remind yourself of gratitude in everyday lives, and keep away from any spiritual business, there’s no problem. You are in charge of  your inner god, too. Develop your conscience, and you’re OK. Also, to take a cup of tepid water with a tiny amount of sea salt in it many times a day would advance the purification of your physical body and spiritual one. You can change yourself mentally and physically as long as you live. This is a privilege of the World of Reality. In the other worlds, your state of the moment you die remains fixed.

• memorial service　供養
• ancestor　先祖
• gratitude　感謝の気持ち
• remind oneself of A　Aを想起する
• keep away from A　Aに近づかないでおく
• inner god　内在神
• conscience　良心
• tepid　ぬるい
• purification　浄化
• advance　進む
• mentally　精神的に
• physically　肉体的に
• privilage　特権
• state　状態
• fixed　固定した

Q4.

I decided to continue practicing memorial services for my ancestors even if I didn’t understand the reason well. It’s been a month since I started it. And I’m gonna carry it on. I had had gratitude for my ancestors before I started it, but the ritual with incense sticks doesn’t feel right somehow, and I always wonder if this is a right thing to do, or if I can truly make myself understood by the spirits. I cannot help feeling a little uneasy.

• continue　続ける
• even if S+V　たとえSがVするとしても
• ritual　儀式
• incense stick　線香
• wonder if S+V　SはVするのかしらと思う
• make oneself understood　自分のことを理解してもらう
• cannot help ~ing　〜せざるをえない
• a little uneasy　一抹の不安

Answer.

All you have to do is to offer incense sticks toward the Tanzaku（短冊, a kind of strip of paper）with gratitude in mind and leave the place. When you do it, you should use three incense sticks from the beginning. Your mind to try to help your ancestors, reversing at your subconsciousness, will help yourself after all. If you can continue the practice, it means your heart reaches your ancestral spirits. If not, you are sure to stop doing it. Believe what you’re doing.

• All you have to do is ~　あなたは〜しさえすればよい
• offer　捧げる
• from the begining　始めから
• reverse　反転する
• subconsciousness　無意識
• after all　結局は
• mean　意味する
• reach　届く
• ancestral　先祖の
• be sure to~　必ず〜する

FAQ 1-2

Q1.

Was it planned a long, long time ago that in the hierarchy ranging from the World of Hell to the World of Gods, all the other worlds such as the World of the Dead and the World of Hell would be abolished and projected onto the World of Reality by a big change to come? Or was it decided during the past hundred years that because human beings couldn’t mend their ways, they’d have to pay the price? Or is God going to correct the system he himself created and reform it? In any case, I think I have to prepare myself for accepting the future.

• hierarchy　ヒエラルキー
• range　範囲に及ぶ
• abolish　廃止する
• project　映す
• mend one’s way　生き方を変える
• pay the price　代償を払う
• correct　正す
• reform　改革する
• in any case　いずれにせよ
• prepare　準備させる
• accept　受け入れる

Answer.

It is not that God interferes one-sidedly and makes a judgement. Whether you tread the path to self-destruction, or whether you try to improve yourself mentally – the selection of human beings is under way automatically. In other words, automatic sorting to pick out souls who have aspiration and kindness has already been put in operation. The present time is the last stage of reincarnation, so it seems that a lot of chances have been given to each soul, which was decided many ages ago. This blog, Ise-hakusan Dou（伊勢白山道）is the very last warning and proclamation of it. Now that we’re living in the last stage, the problem is whether or not you can accept the warning genuinely and turn your mind to Inner God even 0.5 or 1 %.  In this period of time it is not need to be discussed whether you can believe it or not, because what I say is easily understandable to the souls who are ready for it.

• interfere　干渉する
• one-sidedly　一方的に
• judgement　判断
• tread the path　道を歩む
• self-destruction　自滅
• improve　改善する
• selection　選別
• automatically　自動的に
• pick out A  Aを選び出す
• aspiration　向上心
• put A in operation　稼働させる
• reincarnation　輪廻
• many ages ago　はるか昔
• warning　警告
• proclametion　布告
• now that S+V　SがVする今
• genuinely　素直に
• argue　議論する
• understandable　理解可能な
• ready  準備ができている

Q2.

You said that spiritual beings whose attitude are similar to that of ours would come close and we living human beings are going to live with spirits or holy ones toward the world of Miroku（弥勒の世）. Can we perceive the moment when those spirits come close to me? Like I have some mysterious experience or suddenly I find myself having a different way of thinking. Would I feel something is unusual? I cannot help but think that having found this blog itself is a kind of spiritual advance for me.

• attitude　考え方
• similar　似ている
• perceive　知覚する
• mysterious　神秘的な
• experience　経験
• unusual　普通の
• cannot help but~　〜せざるを得ない
• advance　進歩

Answer.

The higher the level of a spiritual being, the more natural its assimilation, called a state of Kannagara（カンナガラ）, or being with God. Righteous spirits don’t make you feel anything strange, while lower-level spirits make you feel something strange from the beginning. Many of you seem to be concerned about what spirits you’re possessed with. If you are so, just look at your usual way of thinking or favorites objectively. You may think that you’re possessed with a spirit whose way of thinking is similar to yours. You don’t have to worry about it, because once you do, it never ends. You’re OK as long as you can hold memorial services for the sake of your ancestors with gratitude in mind. If you do so, then spiritual beings who want to help others like you will come close to you, and you will be helped, too.

• naturally　自然に
• assimilation　同化
• state　状態
• trighteous　正しい
• concerned　心配して
• possess　憑依する
• favotrite　お気に入り
• objectively　客観的に
• as long as S+V　SがVする限り
• memorial service　供養
• for the sake of A　Aのために
• ancector　先祖
• gratitude　感謝の気持ち