仏教用語・信行用語
Ekou
回向
Ekou means the transfer to others of the religious merits which have been accumulated through Buddhist practices and religious activities.
Generally, Ekou is considered only as holding memorial services for the deceased, but this is merely one of the aspects of Ekou. The original meaning of Ekou is transferring one’s merits which have been accumulated through religious activities to others in various ways. In HBS, chanting the Odaimoku and converting and guiding others are the most important Ekou.
Nissen Shonin stated in his writings,
‘The first thing to keep in mind as your daily religious practices is to transfer your merits to others. Chanting the Odaimoku, listening to sermons and guiding others are all important Ekou’ (Sanzen 14 – 56)
Nissen Shonin’s Gokyoka
Tomurawaru sotoba kokoro shirunaraba
Charapon yorimo NamuMyohoRengeKyo
When you want to transfer the merits for the soul of the deceased by displaying ‘sotoba’ (a memorial tablet), chanting the Odaimoku is the most wonderful gift to the soul, rather than performing various rituals using ‘charapon’ (a musical instrument) which other sects do.
Generally, Ekou is considered only as holding memorial services for the deceased, but this is merely one of the aspects of Ekou. The original meaning of Ekou is transferring one’s merits which have been accumulated through religious activities to others in various ways. In HBS, chanting the Odaimoku and converting and guiding others are the most important Ekou.
Nissen Shonin stated in his writings,
‘The first thing to keep in mind as your daily religious practices is to transfer your merits to others. Chanting the Odaimoku, listening to sermons and guiding others are all important Ekou’ (Sanzen 14 – 56)
Nissen Shonin’s Gokyoka
Tomurawaru sotoba kokoro shirunaraba
Charapon yorimo NamuMyohoRengeKyo
When you want to transfer the merits for the soul of the deceased by displaying ‘sotoba’ (a memorial tablet), chanting the Odaimoku is the most wonderful gift to the soul, rather than performing various rituals using ‘charapon’ (a musical instrument) which other sects do.
Hogo
法号
Hogo is a Buddhist name, the name or appellation that that one is given on entering the Buddhist priesthood or taking the precepts. Nowadays, it means a posthumous Buddhist name given to a lay follower immediately after his or her death.
Hogo is also called ‘Kaimyo’.
Sotoba (Toba)
卒塔婆（塔婆）
Sotoba is a stupa which was phonetically translated into Chinese characters as Sotoba. Originally, it meant the pagoda in which the sacred relics of the Buddha were enshrined. Later, it came to refer to a tower set up as a grave post for the deceased. A sotoba is made of various materials, such as wood or stone.
In HBS, NamuMyohoRengeKyo or Myoho are written in the upper part of a sotoba, then below the Odaimoku, the posthumous Buddhist name or the deceased person’s name is written, being followed by the charcters ‘Tsuifuku sazen shodaibodai’ or its abbreviation ‘Tsuizenbodai’ which means doing meritorious acts to send holy merits to the soul of the deceased. On both sides of these characters, the mourner’s name (choshu) and the death date of the deceased (meinichi) are written.