Please take a look at this photo on this page. The ashes of the deceased are packed in seven to eight rice bags and carelessly heaped in a pile. Black trash bags are layered over the pile. In addition, most of the bags are damp and wet and in some instances, what appears to be human bones protrude from the bags. This picture was taken at the charnel basement at Taiseki-ji.
Estimated ashes of 100,000 deceased were left there covered in dust and trash. When examined closely, a dead pigeon was found at the opening of the air vent and in other cases the urns that fell from the shelves were left broken and ignored on the floor. Unidentifiable remains were abandoned in the passage.
The graphic photo of reality that tells the miserable state in which Taiseki-ji handled the safe-keeping of the ashes is beyond words to describe the shock, grief and outrage of the people. Buddhism has long ago lost the spirit of giving comfort to people and have become the Buddhism for funerals. Among the dealer of this Buddhism for funerals, the Nikken sect of the Taiseki-ji temple is the most contemptible.
However, the charnel house which is a virtual dump at Taiseki-ji is not all inclusive of the sloppy mismanagement of ashes. To be thrown away in the charnel house would be the better alternative. There is a startling testimony that many of the rice bags with the human remains were secretly buried to avoid detection at the nearby cedar forest totally unrelated to the charnel house or grave sites.
The bereaved families have denounced the Nikken sect for its sloppy administration of ashes and their faithless action, however, Nikken has yet to apologize nor explain to the people.
“I can't stop my tears since my knowledge of the cruel handling of the ashes”. “As it stands, I pity my deceased daughter”. “My regret is that my parents” lives have been disgraced. Nikken does not heed their grievous cries.