Disposing of Old Buddhist Altars
A home altar, especially one passed down from previous generations, is a precious inheritance. These altars are called butsudan in Japanese, but many in Hawaii referred to them with other names. Many local families called them as hotekesan, literally meaning the Buddhas, referring to the place for the Buddhas - including your departed loved ones - inside your home.
Your home altar is an important place, especially for life occasions, such as the death of a loved one, memorials, new babies, or times when you want to communicate something with your ancestors. It is common to report both happy and sad things to the Buddhas and ancestors at the home altar.
Of course, a home altar carries significance when a loved one passes. It becomes a place to honor that person's final days on earth with offerings of incense, food, and water to sustain them on their new spiritual journey.
Many families decide to keep their family butsudan even if when they are not practicing Buddhists. Keeping your family's butsudan at home is a way to honor parents, grandparents, and other family members according to their faith traditions. According respect to your loved one's faith does not need to take away anything from your faith traditions. In these instances, simply keep the altar clean and in a place of respect, as you would other significant items.
Your home altar is an important place, especially for life occasions, such as the death of a loved one, memorials, new babies, or times when you want to communicate something with your ancestors. It is common to report both happy and sad things to the Buddhas and ancestors at the home altar.
Of course, a home altar carries significance when a loved one passes. It becomes a place to honor that person's final days on earth with offerings of incense, food, and water to sustain them on their new spiritual journey.
Many families decide to keep their family butsudan even if when they are not practicing Buddhists. Keeping your family's butsudan at home is a way to honor parents, grandparents, and other family members according to their faith traditions. According respect to your loved one's faith does not need to take away anything from your faith traditions. In these instances, simply keep the altar clean and in a place of respect, as you would other significant items.
Sometimes, however, it is necessary to dispose of your family's home altar. This could be because of a loved one's move to a smaller location or because of termite or weather damage in Hawaii's tropical climate. If you are disposing of a home altar because there is no one able to care for it, it is best to consult with your family's temple. If you are not sure who to contact, you are welcome to contact the office at Koboji Shingon Mission.
Please carefully discuss your wishes, especially with family members who previously cared for the altar and implements. Many times, our kūpuna do have wishes about what to do.
Butsudan (Home Altar)
A butsudan is a home altar. There may be one or more principal images of worship enshrined. Many Shingon followers include Dainichi Nyorai, Kobo Daishi, and Fudo Myoo in their home worship and will have their images or statues. In Hawaii, where multiple faith traditions are common, families may have many different deities that they have inherited.
It is likely that the enshrined deities were consecrated by a minister. This ceremony is called the eye-opening ritual to imbue the spirit of the deity within the image or statue. Because of this, you should not dispose of a butsudan by yourself. A minister should first deconsecrate the butsudan. In this way, the spirits will be thanked for their protection and guidance of your family over the years. |
Deconsecrated images and butsudan will be held until the annual saito o-goma service. During this fire ceremony performed by a senior minister, old items will be used in the holy fire.
Ihai (Memorial Tablets)
An ihai is a memorial tablet for family ancestors. The wooden or laquer tablet could be dedicated for a single person, multiple persons, or all family ancestors. The tablet can be considered the spiritual home for your loved one when they return to visit this world. If you received an ihai from a temple, is has been consecrated with the spirit of your ancestors. Like the butsudan, it should be deconsecrated out of respect for the decesaed.
Because the ihai tablet can be used during hoji memorial services, you may consider a final memorial service before turning in your ihai for deconsecration. These short services can be done with your family members in attendance or by the minister alone. In this way, you offer your final prayers for your loved one's spiritual existence. |
It is customary to offer a donation to the temple (ofuse) and to the minister (orei) when turning in a butsudan, ihai, or other religious item to be deconsecrated. This donation is for the religious service that must be performed for the deconsecration and for the fire ceremony to dispose of the wooden religious items.
Updated March 2023