Haiku about Spring (21)

Today, April 28, was the 49th day after the death of those who passed away in the Great East Japan Earthquake.

I visited the cemetery for those who had died with no surviving relatives, which is in the graveyard at Shouheiji-Temple　（勝平寺） in Akita City （秋田市）.

I had Buddhist service there with cherry blossoms blooming, when it rained a little while reciting sutra.

The 49th day is called 満中陰 ( manchuuin), the time when the spirits of dead people depart for the Pure Land.

cherry blossoms

see the souls off ―

the Buddhist service

桜花浄土へ仏送りけり

sakurabana joudo he hotoke okuri keri

sutra recitation ―

cherry blossoms bloom

for the souls' repose

桜咲く満中陰の読経かな

sakura saku manchuuin no dokyou kana

―　Hidenori Hiruta