Jodo Shinshu Funerals and the Meaning of the Shutara

Jodo Shinshu Funerals and the Meaning of the Shutara

In Jodo Shinshu funerals, the 'shutara' worn by the priest is a red cord, a special ritual implement used only during funeral services. The priest drapes it over their left shoulder when officiating the ceremony. It is not used in daily memorial services, and its significance lies in the fact that it only appears during the most solemn occasion of a funeral.

The shutara is not an ornament to decorate the priest. It originally derives from the Sanskrit word 'sutra' (scripture) and symbolizes the Buddha Dharma itself. Therefore, the appearance of a priest wearing a shutara indicates that 'the Buddha Dharma is being spoken here and now.' The officiating priest is not conducting the funeral through their own personal power, but is fulfilling the role of reading the teachings of the Buddha on their behalf so that everyone may hear them.

For this reason, there is a custom where attendees bow to the officiating priest before offering incense, but this is not a bow directed at the 'priest as an individual.' To be precise, it is a bow to the Dharma symbolized through the shutara. It is very important to understand this point. At a funeral, while courtesy toward relatives and acquaintances is of course necessary, it is even more essential to first express a posture of 'revering the Buddha Dharma.' I would like to convey to those attending that they should 'first bow to the shutara, which represents the Dharma.'

If you actually try wearing a shutara, you will realize that, honestly, it is quite heavy. When draped over the left shoulder, your shoulder soon begins to ache. However, one should accept that weight as the 'heaviness of carrying the Dharma on one's shoulders.' It is a physical burden, but at the same time, it is a symbol that makes one realize the responsibility and resolve of being a priest. By wearing the shutara, I am strongly reminded that I am not standing there as an individual, but am standing there as a reader of the teachings, carrying the Dharma.

A funeral is an important opportunity for the bereaved to encounter the Buddha Dharma while mourning the deceased. The sight of a priest wearing a shutara serves to visualize the fact that 'the Buddha Dharma is at the center here.' Although it may appear that the priest is the one leading the funeral, the foundation of it is not the priest's personal power, but the absolute refuge that is the Buddha Dharma.

Therefore, I hope that everyone attending a funeral will cherish the mindset of bowing to the shutara before bowing to relatives or acquaintances. This is because it demonstrates a posture of revering the Dharma and looking up to the teachings of the Buddha. And the priest, too, bears that weight and performs the service with solemnity.

The shutara is not merely a cord; it is a symbol of the Dharma and a sign indicating the essence of the funeral. The center of the funeral is neither the priest nor the deceased, but ultimately 'the Buddha Dharma itself.' By returning to that, one is given support even in the midst of sorrow.