Religious Care by Zen Buddhist Monks: A Response to Criticism of "Funeral Buddhism"

This study suggests that Buddhist priests' sutra chanting can heal troubled and bereaved people. Sutra chanting can include home visits with teatime chats, and memorial services to console the spirits of the departed. Japanese "Funeral Buddhism" has been criticized for its lack of social engagement, but home visits and memorial services may partly counter such criticisms. This study presents four cases collected through chain sampling of Zen monks using semistructured interviews in December 2012. Respondents were asked to reflect on helping laypeople along with their usual activities. Their temples are in suburban areas of cities affected by the 3.11 earthquake-tsunami disaster.