“Please move ‘something like a grave'”… A strange and mysterious request encountered by a certain Buddhist priest [With an update]

[87] This is difficult to discuss with people I know personally, so I wanted to ask for an ear here, though I’m wondering if it’s okay to write about it. I’m an active Buddhist priest of a certain sect residing in Kyushu, and recently, I encountered something rather startling that has left me quite confused myself. If there’s any interest, I’m thinking of writing about it…

• [90]>>87 I definitely want to hear it!
• [93]>>87 Please tell us.
• [89] Go ahead.

[95] Since I received a request from 90, I’ll write it down, though it might take some time. By the way, in my sect (this might identify the sect), the premise is that so-called ghosts don’t exist, so I can’t easily talk about this with people around me. Anyway, I live in Fukuoka, and the other day, I received a rather strange request and went to a certain prefecture famous for a well-known comedian (Mr. H). The request came from someone calling for the first time, initially saying, “We’ve got a new grave, so we want you to come and move the urn (bones).” It sounded like they wanted the common “soul extraction” and “soul insertion” for the gravestone, but our sect generally doesn’t do such things, so I initially declined. Is this getting too long?

• Soul extraction / Soul insertion for gravestones: Rituals believed to remove an old soul from a gravestone and insert a new one. Practiced in some Shinto and Buddhist traditions in Japan, but not by all sects.

• [97]>>95 Not at all, please continue.
• [98]>>95 I’m reading.

[101] Is this posting length okay? I’ll continue. Then, the person said, “Even if it’s just something similar, that’s fine, we just really want you to come.” They sounded quite desperate, so even though I explained, “The service might not be what you’re hoping for,” and tried to decline several times because I couldn’t bend the teachings of my sect, they kept pleading, and their voice grew increasingly urgent. It became difficult to refuse emotionally. At that point, I replied something like, “I’ll check my schedule and call you back.” The voice on the phone sounded like a middle-aged man, and he mentioned he learned about me through someone else.

• [102]>>101 This is exciting.

[105] The next day, during my morning service (probably very early for most people), the same person called. “Have you decided on a date? We need you to come as soon as possible,” he repeated several times. Honestly, calling at this hour seemed inconsiderate, and I started suspecting something complicated was hidden behind this. I had a bad feeling, but the man’s voice (let’s call him Mr. T) sounded like he was almost crying. So, I offered him several dates from the schedule I had checked the previous night and asked for his availability.

[108] Sorry for the slow writing. As expected, he chose the earliest possible date (the next morning). I agreed and tried to ask for the address, details needed for the sutra chanting, and information about the deceased, but he said, “I’ll pick you up, and I’ll explain everything then.” My bad feeling grew stronger. However, since I had already accepted, I couldn’t back out now. Besides, Mr. T knew where I was located, so breaking the promise wasn’t an option (causing trouble would be scary in its own way).

[110] Being naturally timid, I prepared for the next day by praying longer and deeper than usual before the main altar (which isn’t really supposed to be done) and, just in case, brought a Dokkosho given to me by a friend from another sect. (We have Buddhist study groups where I learn a little about other sects, and I have friends among them). The next day, Mr. T arrived to pick me up earlier than the agreed 9:00 AM. He looked quite different from his phone persona – gentle and somewhat meek. His initial greeting was very polite and reasonable: “Thank you for coming despite the trouble we’re causing.” Dokkosho:

• Dokkosho (Vajra): A ritual object used in Esoteric Buddhism. Shaped like a weapon, it symbolizes the power to crush worldly desires and evil.

• [112]>>110 So, a polite and reasonable person was driven to such an extent… must be a real emergency.
• [113]>>112 Yeah. They must be really desperate.

[114] The people who picked me up were Mr. T, the caller, and his wife. They seemed like a very ordinary couple, and their car was a common model. Since I knew the prefecture, I had a rough idea of the travel time and told my family my destination and Mr. T’s phone number before leaving. I asked, “I understand you called me regarding the relocation of a grave today. Are you family members?” Mr. T replied, “No, we’re actually not related at all. It’s a bit complicated, so I couldn’t explain over the phone. It wouldn’t be good if others overheard.” At that moment, two thoughts crossed my mind. The first was “dangerous situation,” and the second was something related to a “mizuko” (unborn child).

• Mizuko: A term referring to a fetus that could not be born due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion. There is a custom of holding memorial services for mizuko in Japan.

[115] Then his wife spoke up, “We heard about you from Mr./Ms. D.” Mr./Ms. D was someone I had worked with in the education field years ago. If only they had told me sooner, I could have asked D about the situation beforehand, I thought. But what bothered me more was the phrase “It wouldn’t be good if others overheard.” I murmured things like “Is that so?” while that phrase kept nagging at me, and I was already starting to feel a bit scared. Who were the “others”? If “others” meant “family” in the context of the conversation, that would be one thing, but… As I was thinking this, Mr. T started talking, “Mr./Ms. D said that since you’re a kind priest, you would surely help us.”

[117] To summarize, Mr. and Mrs. T had recently moved to that prefecture for work and bought a house. (That’s how they knew D.) They built a new house, but before that, they had spent several years scouting various locations in the prefecture and decided on the current spot. It was a place with mountains, the sea, fresh water and air, and delicious food. Since they didn’t have children, they wanted a place to spend the rest of their lives peacefully. They had planned their work and savings to live comfortably for their expected remaining years. Mr. T continued, “I said it was a grave on the phone, but actually, it’s something like a grave.” Of course, I thought, “Huh?” and almost gasped. So I asked, “What do you mean by ‘something like a grave’?”

[118] This extremely odd statement came up in the middle of a normal conversation, so perhaps my voice sounded strained. Maybe because of that, Mrs. T quickly interjected before Mr. T could, “I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to deceive you or anything like that.” “No, I don’t think that at all, it’s alright. But what do you mean by ‘something like it’? Is it like a monument, or a pile of stones, something like that?” I continued questioning, feeling the heavy atmosphere in the car intensely. Mr. T said, “We can only say (describe) it as something like a grave, I’m sorry,” repeating “sorry” several times. Ah, this might be too much for me… Ritualistic incantations and prayers are forbidden, but I started thinking I should have studied such things more, just in case… Then, Mrs. T said, “But I think a priest like you will understand once you see it, I think it will be okay.” At this point, honestly, I wanted to run away. Anyway, sorry, I have evening and night services after this, so I’ll continue once those are done. Apologies for the interruption.

• [119]>>118 Wow, I’m intrigued! I’ll be waiting, please focus on your services.
• [120] Oh, this sounds exciting.

[121] >>119 Thank you. I’m back for a bit, but my family is using the previous PC, so I’m writing from a PC in a separate building. My ID might have changed, but I’m the priest who was ID:tjAHjknz0. I have some time, so I’ll write as much as I can.

[122] So, the car ride continued under a heavy atmosphere towards our destination. We weren’t heading towards the central area I had expected, but rather towards a region in that prefecture quite far from the main roads, a place one wouldn’t normally go. The bright, sunny scenery outside contrasted sharply with the gloom inside the car, somehow amplifying my fear. During the drive, I asked Mr. T a few questions. “Before calling me, did you ask any local priests for help?” Mr. T: “Of course, we did, but…” “But?”

[123] Mr. T: “We were turned down… The neighboring village priest said no, the next region, even the next town, we searched, but no luck.” “Um… what reasons did they give for declining?” Mr. T: “Various reasons. Some, like you, said their sect was different, others said we weren’t temple members (danka).” Mrs. T: “That’s why we’re truly grateful that you agreed to help.” Hmm? Was he dodging the question somehow? “Um… about moving this ‘grave-like thing,’ are we relocating it? Or is chanting sutras there sufficient?” Mr. T: “If possible, we’d like you to move it.” Oh no… this is really bad. Despite being an active priest, I shamefully thought this, becoming even more scared.

[126] Continuing. While we were talking (he kept giving evasive answers to my questions), we arrived near the destination. Indeed, there were mountains and the sea, and the clear weather made nature look even more beautiful. It was my first time here, but I recognized it as a region I’d heard was famous for seafood (oysters and nori). The parking lot at a roadside station we passed was full of tour buses and cars, making me wonder if perhaps my bad feeling was mistaken. Mr. T’s house was located quite a way up the mountain from the town’s main area. It was a beautiful, modern Japanese-Western style house.

[127] The area felt similar to some regions in my hometown, nothing particularly unusual, I thought, until I realized something. From the town’s main street up to this point, although rural, there had been houses scattered here and there. But approaching this location, the houses suddenly disappeared. The nearest house was likely several tens of minutes away even by car. Yet, it wasn’t deep in a forest or mountains; it was open land surrounded by rice paddies and fields. The land was relatively flat, too. It felt unnatural that there were no other houses around besides Mr. T’s.

[128] I was invited inside and first led to the living room. “If you have a Buddhist altar here, I’d like to pay my respects first,” I asked. “We don’t have an altar in our house,” they replied. Mrs. T brought me some tea. I could taste the tea, which made me realize I had calmed down considerably compared to the car ride. While I was drinking tea, Mr. T spoke again. “It’s such a relief that you came, Reverend. Just having you arrive at the house, just bringing you here, has made us feel much safer.” Mrs. T added, “Just the fact that you were able to come here brings us immense relief.” Their expressions, though not smiling, showed genuine relief, quite different from before. “Um, you mentioned you don’t have children, so are the two of you living here alone?” Mr. T and Mrs. T replied almost simultaneously, “Yes.” Huh? Then what did he mean by “if others overheard”? There were no other houses nearby… Was something really, really wrong here? I gripped the prayer beads in my sleeve tightly, visualized the main deity, and repeatedly prayed not to encounter anything frightening.

[129] “Um, well then, could I hear the detailed story now?” Mr. T: “Yes, of course, sorry. Reverend, do you know what kind of land this is?” “No, only that oysters and nori are famous products…” Mr. T: “Yes, the seafood is famous. Also, in this region, pigs, chickens, and other livestock are local products.” “I see…” Mr. T: “There’s a slaughterhouse here. And it’s been here for a very long time.” “I see…” Mr. T: “We had absolutely no idea.” “I see… huh?” Mr. T: “We bought this place without knowing… without being told about such things.” …Hmm? Was this heading towards a memorial service for livestock or something similar? At that moment, I started thinking along those lines, and my fear began to subside slightly. Mr. T: “Reverend, I didn’t mean to lie. When I first mentioned a ‘grave,’ instead of ‘something like a grave,’ it was because everyone else refused when I mentioned this ‘grave-like thing’ from the start. I’m sorry.” Mrs. T: “We’re truly sorry, Reverend, but we felt we had no other choice.” Ah, so that connects to why the nearby priests refused, I thought.

[130] Sorry, I need to step away again for a bit. Apologies for the repeated interruptions.

• [131]>>130 Don’t worry about it. I’ll check back later.

[132] I’m back. This is getting quite long, and I want to finish it quickly, but I also want you to know the facts and hear your thoughts, so please bear with the long text. Right then, while we were talking, around noon, broad daylight, with the weather bright outside the window showing beautiful nature, the living room where we sat… The layout was entrance -> entryway -> hallway -> living room -> kitchen. There were also two rooms off the hallway, and stairs leading to the second floor were visible, suggesting rooms upstairs too. Suddenly, the wooden floor of the living room made a loud “BANG!” sound, as if someone had slammed their palm down hard, and I felt the vibration through my feet. As a priest, I’ll honestly admit I’ve seen or heard things like rapping sounds, human-like voices in empty places, or faint shadows before, but this was the first time I experienced such a clear (and loud) sound and vibration. I couldn’t help but let out a “Whoa!” Mr. T remained silent, I think, but his wife screamed, “Eek!” Immediately after, the window in the back of the kitchen started rattling violently. It was directly in front of the sofa where I sat, so I saw it clearly. As I thought “Whoa!” again, the rattling grew louder, far beyond any possibility of misinterpretation; it looked like someone outside was forcefully grabbing and shaking it. Even writing this now gives me chills and goosebumps.

[133] “What was that?” I shamefully blurted out. Mr. T averted his eyes and said, “That’s one of the things.” “Huh? One of them?” Mr. T: “Reverend, I’m sorry, but that’s not all. Please help us.” “Eh?” Mrs. T: “We really need your help, please.” “Eh?” Eventually, the window stopped rattling. I was completely terrified, but even more than that, my thoughts shifted to whether such clearly strange phenomena could actually occur. It sounds foolish, but I even considered if it was some kind of prank for a TV show. “Mr. T, Mrs. T, please tell me everything you know. I don’t know what I can do, but in this state, I can’t understand anything at all.” Mr. T: “You’re right, I’m sorry. Construction on this house started the year before last, it was completed last spring, and until late last summer, nothing like this ever happened.”

[134] Mr. T: “It started around last summer or early autumn. We had a barbecue in the garden, and I decided to compost the biodegradable garbage. When I started digging in the spot planned for a vegetable patch…” “Is that when things like what just happened started?” Mr. T: “Yes, well, first, when I tried digging the planned garden spot, a huge amount of oyster shells came out. Troubled, I started digging a slightly different spot, and then small animal, or maybe bird, bones emerged. So, I decided to dig deeper in the original oyster shell spot to bury them there, and that’s when I found a large quantity of medium-sized animal bones… well, yes, pig bones.” “Was this, as you mentioned earlier, a burial site for carcasses from the slaughterhouse?” Mr. T: “That’s what I thought at first too, so I rushed to the local government office. But they insisted there were no such records. So I took photos and brought them in. They finally agreed to at least come and see, but… oh, here are the photos.” “Whoa…” An immense amount of bones, an unbelievable quantity. Just as Mr. T said, oyster shells were mixed in. The bones varied in size, and the photos seemed to show a mix of relatively new and old ones. “This is terrible. They took action, right?” Mr. T: “Well… I want you to believe me since I have these photos, Reverend, but all these bones, which were definitely there, completely vanished on the day the official from the government office came…” “What?” Mr. T: “I know you’re thinking ‘What?’. But they were all gone. So the office said they couldn’t do anything.” “What about these photographic evidence?” Mr. T: “They didn’t believe me. After all, the official couldn’t see them… And then, a few days later, it started.” “Could it be harassment from the townspeople?” Mr. T: “We considered that too, but the sound and the rattling just now, you saw it, Reverend? Did that seem like someone playing a prank?” “…No, but the photos…”

[135] Mr. T: “Even with photos, it’s no use if the actual things aren’t there… And the day after the official came, they were back again.” “What? The bones?” Mr. T: “Yes. I think they’re there today too. I’d like you to see them, please.” I took my phone, and along with Mr. and Mrs. T, headed to the garden. If the bones were there, I intended to photograph them with my phone. While putting on outdoor shoes at the entrance, we heard another “BANG!” and the sound of a window rattling somewhere. Mrs. T: “We’re not fools, we recorded these sounds too, but they say there’s no connection to the bones, and they ask us what this is, leaving us helpless.” I hurriedly tried to record a video, but the phenomenon had already stopped. The three of us went out into the garden. Walking clockwise from the entrance, we reached a pleasant garden area with a view of the sea. In what seemed to be the farthest corner of the property, an out-of-place blue tarp was spread out. I no longer felt like a priest. Strange things were apparently happening, and I had definitely heard the sound and felt the vibration. Despite being timid, my curiosity about these undeniably bizarre phenomena grew stronger.

[136] As we approached the blue tarp, I noticed the grass around it was slightly withered and discolored. The atmosphere was more than suggestive. Even before Mr. T lifted the tarp, I was gripping my prayer beads and silently chanting sutras. When the tarp was pulled back, just as Mr. T had said, there was an unsettlingly large amount of bones, oyster shells, and other things. Mr. T: “See, they’re here, just like this, Reverend, can you see them? This, here, this.” Hmm? While looking at this unpleasant sight, I felt another strange sense of discrepancy. There was no smell… “Mr. T, despite all these bones, garbage, or rather, various things, there’s no smell, is there?” Mr. T: “Maybe because they were buried in the soil for so long? More importantly, Reverend, you can see them, right?” “Yes, I can see them. May I take a picture with my phone?” Mr. T: “Yes, please, go ahead.” Could this be the common trope where they can’t be photographed? I wondered as I pressed the shutter button. Click. It took the picture without issue. “Mr. T, may I touch them slightly?” Mr. T: “Of course, please do.” I didn’t want to touch them with my bare hands, obviously, so I used a small trowel nearby to touch the bone closest to me. Clink. There was a sensation. It was a real object. I then touched other bones, and again, felt the sensation. Just then, Mrs. T let out a small gasp, “Ah!” I looked towards the sound and saw her pointing at one of the house windows (later confirmed to be the kitchen window), gesturing for me to look, “There, there!”

• [142]>>136 I’m dying to know what happens next. Hope it updates soon.
• [137] Watching. Please continue.
• [138] Reading seriously.

[154] When I looked where Mrs. T was pointing, I was literally dumbfounded. Seeing it didn’t make me gasp or cry out in surprise. There was a man in gray work clothes, seemingly gripping the window frame of Mr. T’s house with both arms and shaking it. From the context and atmosphere, I understood well enough that this was not of this world, but it was like seeing a UFO (I believe in them) in broad daylight over a major city, visible in perfect detail. It was so clear that I couldn’t even feel surprised. I think I just froze for several seconds. While I was frozen, Mr. T spoke to me, urgently but quietly, “Reverend, that’s him, the man in the shirt, that’s also part of it.” “Huh? Shirt?” I could clearly see a man in gray work clothes, but Mr. T said “the man in the shirt.” “Mr. T, a man in a shirt?” “What? Reverend, can’t you see him? That’s him.” “No, I can see the man,” “Eh?” “But he’s not wearing a shirt, it’s gray work clothes.” “What? Isn’t it a dirty T-shirt… covered in mud?”

[155] It had been about four hours since leaving my home, and so many strange things had happened in such a short time, one after another. Moreover, I had never before seen something, presumably not of this world, so clearly. I could see the wrinkles on the work clothes, even the dirt on the back of the hands gripping the window frame. But Mr. T said it was a dirty T-shirt… With so much happening at once, my mind couldn’t process it properly. As I mentioned earlier, our doctrine strictly forbids incantations, spells, and the like. I certainly couldn’t act like an exorcist from a manga… I instantly sensed that Mr. T and his wife were probably hoping for something like that. What should I do… Just then, I remembered the Dokkosho. I hastily pulled it out from my sleeve, held it together with my prayer beads (which isn’t proper) towards the man in work clothes, chanted the sacred name (Myogo), and additionally recited the Sino-Japanese reading of the main deity’s Sanskrit character (Bonji). (This is not a correct ritual; it was a desperate, improvised act.) Please go to the Pure Land… I prayed desperately.

• [157]>>155 Scary… but I want to know more! I know you’re busy, but please update soon.

[163] During that time, I focused my gaze firmly on the man in work clothes. His head appeared to have white hair, or perhaps dried mud, looking grayish-white. I could perceive his arms and neck area as somewhat tanned. I can still recall these details. However, I couldn’t see his face clearly. Although I was at a distance and position where normally moving slightly, even half a step, should have revealed at least his profile, for some reason, his face remained obscured. Even though I could see the wrinkles on his work clothes. Somehow, I felt I should pray more intensely, so I closed my eyes for just a moment and focused more strongly than before on chanting the sacred name. This also lasted only a few seconds. Then, I heard Mr. T’s voice, “He vanished.” I also heard Mrs. T’s sigh, “Ah…” When I opened my eyes, the man in work clothes was gone. As I lowered my outstretched hands, Mr. and Mrs. T showered me with “Thank you.” I had no idea what had worked, but for the moment, the man gripping the window frame had disappeared from the scene. At that moment, inappropriately, I thought, “Ah, I should have taken a picture or video with my phone.” I asked Mr. and Mrs. T, but as expected, they hadn’t filmed anything. I approached the window frame the man had been gripping. I thought perhaps there might be traces left from his grasp. Of course, there was nothing. Despite him gripping it with such muddy arms. This meant he wasn’t a physical entity after all. That realization suddenly made me scared again. How could I handle this properly? I desperately tried to think. Sorry, I need to step away for a bit.

• [164]>>163 Exciting (*°▽°).
• [168] Priest, hope you update soon. Curious about the rest.

[171] I’m back. As I was thinking about what to do, I suddenly became curious about what was under the blue tarp. Since the man in work clothes had vanished, perhaps the bones had disappeared too? I suggested this to Mr. T, and he lifted the tarp again… The bones were still there. So, was there no connection to the man in work clothes? I was confused again. Prompted by Mrs. T as well, we decided to return to the living room for the time being. I carefully put my hands together in prayer (gassho) at the spot before heading back inside. Mr. T and Mrs. T seemed to have greatly misinterpreted the earlier coincidence, and I could strongly feel their expectation, viewing me like some kind of manga exorcist. I honestly told them that I wasn’t a priest capable of such things and that what happened earlier was just a coincidence. However, perhaps due to their accumulated stress, they seemed to interpret it as “but you just did it right in front of us.” We had some tea, and I suggested we try to organize the situation again. First, the bones were found last summer or autumn, and since then, the strange noises, shaking windows, and the appearance of the man earlier had begun. Moreover, the bones could be photographed and touched as physical objects, yet they disappeared only when the government official came. “Is there anything else?” Mr. T: “Um… sometimes we hear human voices from empty places.” “What do they sound like? Can you understand what they’re saying?” Mr. T: “Like ‘Ahhh’ or ‘Ummm,’ something like that, a male voice, right?” he sought agreement from his wife. Mrs. T: “I’ve never heard anything like a clear human conversation, but it’s different from animal cries. Like my husband said, it sounds like a person, like a human voice.” “Regarding the incident in the garden just now, it looked like he was wearing work clothes to me. Or rather, I clearly saw gray work clothes.” Mr. T: “What I’ve seen so far, as I said earlier, he’s always wearing a dirty T-shirt, right?”

[172] Mrs. T: “Yes, for me too, the man is the one wearing the dirty T-shirt.” Why did we see different things? Come to think of it, when I first saw the window rattling in this room, I didn’t see anything behind the glass. That’s also contradictory… If he was gripping it like I saw in the garden, he should have been clearly visible from here… But to think that the window shaking like a person was shaking it was actually being shaken by a ghost… “What kind of land was this originally?” Mr. T: “I got curious and looked into it, but as far as records go, it was originally farmland. It seems it was converted to residential land around the bubble economy era. The previous owner said they might have built a shed-like structure for paperwork purposes, but a proper building like ours is the first. There doesn’t seem to be any history of incidents, grudges, or anything like that.” “But there are few other houses around here, right?”

[174] Mr. T: “That was actually part of the appeal, so we didn’t mind it at all until now.” “Have you asked the neighbors, though it’s strange to call them that, anyone living nearby?” I felt more like a detective or police officer than a priest at this point. Mr. T: “Yes, we didn’t want strange rumors spreading, especially in a rural area like this, and being ‘outsiders,’ we could only ask indirectly, but we did ask. However, we haven’t heard anything that could be the cause of this.” Mrs. T: “Originally, we felt the people here weren’t very friendly, but until these things started happening after we moved in, we really liked the beautiful nature and scenery and didn’t mind. As my husband said, we figured it was just how things were for ‘outsiders’ moving to the countryside. Since they didn’t interfere with us, we didn’t actively try to mingle either… That’s why we initially thought the nearby temples and shrines turned us down.”

[180] “Um, then, regarding the man in work clothes I saw, do you have any recollection, any inkling of who he might be…?” Mr. T: “As I mentioned in the car earlier, we believe he’s someone unrelated to us, someone we don’t know.” “I tried to see the man’s face but couldn’t make it out until the end. Mr. T, Mrs. T, have you ever seen his face?” Mr. T: “You couldn’t see it either, Reverend? We can definitely tell it’s a man, but we’ve never seen his face either… But I don’t think he ever wore work clothes.” Mrs. T: “Yes, he’s always in a T-shirt.” I noticed a slightly concerning point in their conversation, but right now, more than that, I just wanted to take some measures as quickly as possible, settle whatever could be settled, complete the relocation if needed, and go home soon. As I thought about it, an unpleasant idea occurred to me. Despite being timid, I have an interest in strange stories, scary tales, UFOs, and UMAs. The fact that Mr. and Mrs. T and I saw the man’s clothing differently, yet none of us could see his face clearly… Could it be that the bones in the pit under the blue tarp included human remains? Were they seeking a proper memorial service, causing these phenomena to communicate that? Perhaps performing a standard memorial service would resolve everything? That was the line of reasoning I developed. But, if my reasoning was correct and there were human bones, it would become a police matter, a potential crime scene, I also thought.

[181] I shared this amateur deduction with the couple. Mr. T: “If, as you say, Reverend, human bones are found, it would be a crime, right…” Mrs. T: “Huh? Like a murder case or something?” “No, it’s not decided, and I don’t think it’s murder, but it felt like the phenomenon might be the will of someone who hasn’t been properly mourned…” Mr. T: “With that many bones, it’s certainly possible we wouldn’t know.” Mrs. T: “Huh?” Mr. T: “Reverend, what specifically should we do?” “Well, I’m not certain, and honestly, I don’t know what will happen, but first, why don’t we try digging up everything from under the blue tarp?” Mrs. T: “What do we do if we find them? If they’re really human bones…” Mr. T: “But if we don’t do this, nothing will change. We might have to.” Since I was wearing my priestly robes, I apologized for not being able to help directly, but the task began: digging up everything under the blue tarp and sorting the findings by size and type.

[182] During that time, I stood nearby, continuously chanting sutras with my hands together. The couple dug relentlessly for about an hour, I think. Eventually, an area roughly the size of four tatami mats (about 6.6 square meters) was densely packed with the excavated items. It’s an inappropriate thing to say, but if a skull had emerged, it would have been conclusive. However, no skull-like objects appeared, and not being a doctor despite dealing with matters of life and death, I couldn’t tell which were human bones, or if there were any human bones at all, just by looking at the excavated pile. So, I said to the couple, “Honestly, I can’t tell if there are human bones among these. But finding this many bones is definitely not normal. ‘Therefore, how about we gather all these bones, hold a memorial service for them today, and perhaps rebury them carefully somewhere on the edge of the property, showing them care?'” I suggested. Mr. T: “I never expected this many would come out, but strangely, even seeing all this, I don’t feel like moving away from here, I don’t have the urge to move. Of course, we don’t have the money to move either, and somehow, seeing all this, I’ve started to feel sorry for them… Apart from the oyster shells, the animal bones, as you say, I feel they need a proper burial.” Mrs. T: “It’s strange for me too, but the aversion I felt so strongly has somehow turned into the same feeling as my husband’s, a sudden feeling of pity… not pity, but compassion.”

[183] I felt the unpleasant atmosphere from before gradually shifting towards resolution. Mr. T walked to the edge of the property, near a broadleaf tree (sorry, I don’t know its name), and asked me, “Is this spot okay?” “I think it’s fine. The tree can serve as a grave marker.” Mr. T and Mrs. T carefully carried the bones, sorted by size, and then gathered all the oyster shells as well. Then, they began digging anew under the tree. I felt a sense of relief and let my guard down. It was then that Mr. T, who was digging the hole, let out a rather loud cry, “Ah!” “What’s wrong?” As I started towards Mr. T, Mrs. T, who was behind me carrying soil from the digging, also cried out loudly, “Ah!” Huh? What? What happened? I looked in both directions, momentarily unsure where to go, and froze again. Apologies, I need to step away again briefly.

• [184]>>183 Whoa, right at a cliffhanger!
• [185] Waiting, Priest. Reading this is my biggest enjoyment right now.
• [187] I predicted it was harassment from neighbors, but guess I was wrong.
• [188] By the way, what was the “something like a grave”?
• [189]>>188 Doesn’t it mean the place where the bones were buried?
• [191]>>189 Hmm, I see.

[190] My apologies. I have a request to assist at another place tomorrow, so I’ll write as much as I can, and if I don’t finish, the rest will be tomorrow night. Continuing. “Reverend, over here, over here!” Saying this, Mr. T jumped out of the hole he was digging (deep enough to hide his lower body). I reacted instinctively and headed towards him. Mr. T: “Reverend, the hole, the hole!” Mr. T pointed into the hole. But there was nothing there. Just the ordinary space that had been dug. “What happened?” Mr. T: “Huh? What? He’s not here? Just now, that man was praying towards me. From inside the hole I dug, from near my feet, he was praying towards me. He appeared suddenly, so naturally, I was startled.” “Ah, Mrs. T!” I quickly turned back to check on Mrs. T. Her gaze was directed upwards, towards the top of the tree. I approached her and asked, “Mrs. T, are you alright?” Mrs. T: “Yes, I’m fine. Sorry for shouting. Um… just moments ago, that man was up in that tree, which surprised me and made me cry out. He was on the tree, looking like he was watching my husband. But when you approached, Reverend, he faded away… Did you see him, Reverend?” “No, I didn’t see him this time.” Mrs. T: “Um… did he go to heaven?” “Well, heaven isn’t quite our terminology, but the Pure Land (Jodo), yes. Have you heard of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (Gokuraku Jodo)? Well, it’s like that. Regardless of the word, it would be good if that happened. Once the burial is complete, shall we hold a proper memorial service again?” Saying this, I looked up at the tree again, but there was nothing unusual.

[192] Since we don’t originally have procedures for situations like this, I chanted the sutras I felt were appropriate and conducted the memorial in my own way. I had thoughtfully brought powdered incense (makkō) beforehand (stick incense somehow felt out of place), and high-quality (though that’s not the right word) sandalwood at that. I lit it, gave Mr. and Mrs. T copies of the sutra book, and together, in unison, we prayed for the enlightenment and passage to the Pure Land for all beings presumably buried in that hole – human, animal, everything. It wasn’t evening yet, and I thought I’d be able to get home while it was still light. We returned to the living room again. I advised them that, although it might be futile, they should probably mention the possibility of human bones being mixed in to the local authorities, while of course not speaking carelessly about the strange phenomena. If the officials didn’t take it seriously, that was fine, and they could contact me if anything came up. As we were talking, Mrs. T spoke. Mrs. T: “Regarding the garden matter, we were truly saved thanks to you, Reverend. Thank you.” “No, encounters like this are certainly rare, but I’m glad if I could be of help.” Mr. T: “Thank you so much.” “Not at all, not at all.” Mrs. T: “And then… about the ‘something like a grave’ my husband mentioned initially…” …Huh?

[194] “Wait a moment… wasn’t that what we just dealt with in the garden?” Mr. T: “I’m sorry, actually, that was just one part of it.” “Eh? But the bones, and that man…” Mr. T: “Yes, but that wasn’t the ‘something like a grave,’ was it… It was more like a bone disposal site…” “What? So, it’s separate?” Mrs. T: “Yes, I apologize. The ‘something like a grave’ is on the second floor.” Whaaaat? Seriously? What was all that just now then… I’ve had quite the strange experience, and even though I’m timid and no exorcist, I put in considerable effort… Me… Whoa… Can I even get home safely… My state of mind must have been written all over my face. Mr. T bowed almost to the point of prostrating himself and said, “Please. We were saved thanks to you just now. So I think it will be alright.” “No… this is really a bit much… um… as I said earlier, that was also just luck…” Can things like this actually happen in reality…? Maybe this is all a dream… My thoughts started drifting towards escapism.

[195] Come to think of it, he did say “one part” when talking about the garden bones… “Um… I’d like you to tell me honestly, besides the bones earlier and this second-floor matter, is there anything else?” Mr. T: “No, the rest, or rather, what we truly wanted to ask for help with was the second-floor issue. That’s all that’s left. Since you arrived, Reverend, and the incident with the man happened first, we didn’t have a chance to talk about the second floor. We’re truly sorry.” “But, according to what you said earlier, various things started happening after the bones appeared in the garden last year…” Mrs. T: “Yes, that’s right. The thing on the second floor also started around then…” “In that case, maybe it has already subsided?” Mr. T: “Yes, we hope so too, but just in case, we’d like you to come upstairs with us.” “Hold on, please. I haven’t yet heard about the symptoms or phenomena related to the second floor.” Mr. T: “Ah, right…” “Also… and this might sound truly rude, but with all this going on, it’s amazing you haven’t moved out. I’m a priest, technically, but I’m quite scared. Seriously, shouldn’t you consider moving?” Mr. T: “…” Mrs. T: “I’m sorry…” “Ah, sorry, I went too far… My apologies.” I could tell I was getting mentally worn down. I felt an irritation I don’t usually experience.

[197] “Mr. T, there was something that bothered me about what you said in the car.” Mr. T: “Yes, what is it?” “Um… you live here just the two of you, no children, no houses nearby, yet you said, ‘if others overheard.’ Is that related to the second floor?” Mr. T: “…Yes.” “Mrs. T, there was also something in our conversation about the garden incident earlier that bothered me.” Mrs. T: “…Yes.” “When discussing the T-shirt, you said, ‘the man is…'” Mrs. T: “…Yes.” “Which implies that besides the man from earlier, there are other human-like entities, primarily on that second floor.” Mrs. T: “…Yes. Though it’s not strictly limited to the second floor anymore… but mostly yes. I’m sorry.” Hmm, can this really be resolved…? While thinking this, on the other hand, I started feeling strangely indignant, filled with a peculiar motivation, a misguided sense of mission.

[198] I intended to write more, but I have preparations for tomorrow, so I truly apologize for stopping at such an awkward point each time. Today, I’ll end here. If I can write at this pace, I think I can finish tomorrow. I sincerely apologize for continuing this long, rambling text. Gassho.

• [199]>>198 Thank you for your hard work. Looking forward to the continuation.
• [201] Finally caught up. >>198 This is really enjoyable! But it’s ending tonight…? That’s a shame. If you have other stories, I’d love to hear them.

[202] Good evening. I’ll try to write quickly today so I can finish. Please forgive me if I have to step away again partway through. “Um, I’d like to hear specifically about what happened, what is happening on the second floor, and what troubles you both…” Mr. T: “Yes… sorry… It started around the time after the garden barbecue I mentioned. Initially, we sleep in the room off the hallway now, but before, we slept in the second-floor room with the sea view. The view was wonderful… But after that incident, suddenly, it wasn’t just a sense of presence, but that ‘something like a grave’ appeared in the room. In the second-floor bedroom, it suddenly appeared, floating.” “Floating?” Mr. T: “Yes… I think it’s best if you see it, but it’s hard to explain. Like in a sci-fi movie, maybe CGI? Something like that, a faint ‘grave-like thing’ was floating in the room. We were just stunned. And then sounds and voice-like things started coming from it.” Mrs. T: “It’s not just sounds and voices. From the thing my husband mentioned, human-like things also emerge. Emerge, or rather, like this (thrusting both hands forward) they fuzzily appear, float, and sometimes come down.” Mr. T: “It’s not a lie.” “Yes, after all this, of course, I don’t doubt you in the slightest, please rest assured. So, about how big is it, and what shape?”

[203] “If possible, could you draw it on paper or something?” Mrs. T brought paper and a pen, and Mr. T drew it. Mr. T: “It looks like this, right?” Mrs. T: “Yes, like this, and the size is, let’s see… about this big (making a square shape with both hands).” On the paper, something that indeed looked like a gravestone, composed of combined rectangles and squares, was drawn. The size seemed to be roughly 30-40 cm square… “And, are there any unpleasant things caused by its presence, like…” Mr. T: “Its very existence. Having something like that in the room, no, floating there, constantly, with sounds, voices, and human-like things coming out of it… that’s incredibly unpleasant.” “Physically, I mean, do you feel pain or suffering, anything like that?” Mr. T: “Now that you mention it, no, nothing like that, but the stress is severe. We’re being tormented mentally.” Mrs. T: “That’s why we haven’t gone upstairs for nearly half a year. It’s just too scary.” “Understood. Well, I don’t really understand, but let’s go up to the second floor. However, please understand that I truly don’t know if I can resolve this. Also, have you told anyone else about this?” Mr. T: “No, some people know about the bones, but you’re the first person we’ve told this much to, Reverend.” The three of us headed towards the stairs leading to the second floor.

[204] Perhaps because of the situation? As I’ve written many times, I’m fundamentally timid, so unpleasant memories surface. The moment we reached the bottom of the stairs, I recalled an image from an old paranormal TV show: a woman in a hazy white dress descending the stairs, but her upper body from the chest up was never visible, yet she was definitely coming down (a woman with an abnormally long torso). Realizing I was still scared made me feel somewhat ridiculous. “Okay, let’s go up.” Mr. T led the way up the stairs. I had decided one thing: if anything happened, I would immediately do what I did in the garden.

[205] As we reached the top of the stairs, Mr. T exclaimed, “Oh, it’s changed!” “Huh? What’s changed?” Mr. T: “It looks clearer than before. Hey,” he called to his wife. Mrs. T also said, “Really, I don’t think it looked this clear before. It was much fuzzier…” I followed them into the room. And there, instead of the gravestone-like object drawn earlier, something resembling a butterfly or moth chrysalis was genuinely floating. “The shape has changed quite a bit from what you drew earlier, hasn’t it…” Mr. T and Mrs. T, almost simultaneously: “Huh?” “Eh?” Mr. T: “No, it looks the same, right? Doesn’t it look like a grave to you, Reverend?” “Eh?” Why was this happening? “Um, to me, it looks like a butterfly or moth chrysalis with patterns on it.” Mr. T, Mrs. T: “Huh?” It was the same phenomenon as with the work clothes in the garden.

[206] I figured reasoning about it was likely pointless at this stage, so I said, “Let me try taking a picture,” and attempted to photograph it with my phone. (I forgot to mention, I still use a feature phone, a 2014 model). I thought this might surely not be captured, but surprisingly, the shutter clicked easily. At that instant, the chrysalis began to vibrate, as if trembling. Mr. T: “Whoa!” Mrs. T: “Eek!” It seemed they too could see that its state had changed from before. I quickly put away my phone, and just like in the garden, I held my prayer beads, put my hands together, pressed the Dokkosho with both thumbs, chanted the sacred name, and recited the Sino-Japanese reading of the Bonji. Then, a loud “BANG!” and vibration, similar to what I first experienced in this house, occurred, followed by a sudden, incredibly foul odor filling the air. “It stinks…” I thought, continuing the chanting. Mr. T said, “Reverend, something smells really bad, an awful stench has started.” I became convinced that what I was doing now, whether right or wrong, was eliciting a response.

[207] “It stinks,” “Foul,” Mr. T and Mrs. T repeatedly uttered, but they didn’t try to flee. All the while, the loud “BANG!” and vibrations continued. Not knowing the correct approach, I kept chanting. It felt like about five minutes, though it was probably shorter in reality, but the duration felt long. As I repeated the chants absorbedly, just like in the garden, I closed my eyes, strongly visualized the main deity, and focused not on exorcising the unpleasant thing, but on praying for its enlightenment. Within my closed eyes, unseen, I felt the space somehow “warp” with a ‘gna’ sensation. “Ah! It vanished! Reverend, it vanished!” Mr. T exclaimed loudly. Relieved, I opened my eyes to see Mr. and Mrs. T holding hands and hopping slightly up and down. Mrs. T said, “Ah, the smell has changed to something very nice…” Mr. T: “It’s true… amazing.” It was likely… the scent of the sandalwood I had burned in the garden. Mrs. T started opening the windows in the room, saying, “Sorry about the nice scent, but we’ve kept it closed for nearly half a year.” “Reverend, thank you so much, this is… amazing,” Mr. T said, offering a handshake. “No, really, as I told you, it’s just luck, pure coincidence. Please don’t misunderstand. I don’t possess any special skills or powers.” Mr. T: “But, you undeniably resolved the issues in the garden and this room, and saved us.” “Um… perhaps… ‘exorcising bad things’ isn’t really part of our teachings. So, both in the garden and here, I just prayed for them to reach the Pure Land. Simply put, maybe that was what was needed… So could you both join me in wishing for that too?” Saying this, we performed a similar memorial service as we did in the garden.

[208] A senior priest from my school once said, “Strange phenomena (Kai) can be categorized into four types: false strangeness (Gikai), mistaken strangeness (Gokai), temporary strangeness (Kari kai), and true strangeness (Shin kai).” I started wondering which category my experience here fell into. I also thought maybe it couldn’t be explained anyway, but something didn’t sit right. This wasn’t a novel, drama, or movie, so perhaps reality is just like this, unresolved, but I couldn’t accept that feeling of dissatisfaction. Mr. and Mrs. T thanked me profusely, even offering to treat me to dinner and let me stay the night. However, I had plans for the next day, so I politely declined, stating my wish to return home today. It felt like an incredibly long day… and, is it really over? I had various thoughts, so I honestly shared these concerns with the couple before heading back. Mr. and Mrs. T drove me back, and we talked about various things in the car. By the time we left their house, the sun was still up, and I looked around the area again, this time with a different perspective than on the way there. After a while, the first house, in a sense, their neighbor’s house, came into view. “Ah…” I gasped. “Huh?” Mr. T slammed on the brakes, stopping the car. Mr. T: “Reverend, what’s wrong? Did something happen?” “Look at the roof of that house.” Mrs. T: “Eek!” On the roof of that house, an unbelievable number of crows were perched? (gathered). It was truly a number I had never seen before, an astonishing sight. The scene was so overwhelming that I took out my phone to take a picture. But as I rolled down the window to shoot, most of the crows took flight for some reason. Even though I hadn’t made any noise. Mr. T: “Is that somehow related?” “I don’t know… but they flew away, and it’s not your house, Mr. T, so I think it’s okay.”

• [209] Did they go to that house, or did it reflect some curse from the people in that house, or is it totally unrelated? I wonder.
• [210]>>208 >>209 I thought so too. Maybe the neighbors who disliked outsiders were sending something like living spirits…?

[211] The moment I said that, I yelped, “Wah!” Both Mr. T and Mrs. T exclaimed loudly, “What’s wrong!” “Sorry, my phone suddenly rang (the silent vibe suddenly went off), startling me. Sorry, I’m really jumpy.” Mr. T and Mrs. T both laughed. It wasn’t just to lighten the mood; emails suddenly started arriving. “Voicemail notification” messages kept pouring in. Regular emails too… Why hadn’t they arrived at Mr. T’s house? Finding it genuinely strange, I asked, “Um, is the area around your house outside of mobile reception range?” Mr. T replied, “Huh? No way (laughs). How else could I have called you, Reverend? (laughs)” “Haha, you’re right. My apologies.” Listening to voicemails in the car seemed inappropriate, so I checked the emails. They were from my family. Since I had only given them a rough timeframe, the Buddhist service was taking much longer than usual, and they couldn’t reach me by phone, so they were worried. I replied, “I came out to a place near the edge of the prefecture, so it took time. I’m on my way back now.” I didn’t want to cause unnecessary worry, so I had no intention of mentioning the strange events. Anyway, it was a day filled with minor oddities. I arrived home safely. Mr. and Mrs. T thanked me repeatedly and politely before leaving. As they left, I did say, “Please contact me if anything else happens,” but I hoped nothing would. Naturally, I was exhausted that day, tired enough to fall asleep in the bath.

[213] I forgot to write this earlier, but upon returning home, the very first thing I did was express extra gratitude to the main deity. After my bath, I skipped dinner and went straight to sleep. The next day, still dragging from fatigue while performing my duties, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. What kind of people were Mr. and Mrs. T, really? Was there something I hadn’t heard that might be the cause? I decided to ask Mr./Ms. D. I hadn’t seen D in over three years, and I also wanted to ask directly why they had recommended me. I called D’s mobile number, but it just rang and rang, no answer. I tried again a few hours later, same result. The next day, same thing. Thinking this was definitely strange, I decided that if they didn’t pick up after trying again the day after next, I would call their company. That day too, I tried several times, and finally got a response around noon. “Hello, Mr./Ms. D? This is [Priest’s Name]. It’s been a while.” “Huh? Um, you have the wrong number,” a woman’s voice replied. “Eh? Isn’t this Mr./Ms. D’s mobile?” “No, it’s not.” “My deepest apologies.” Did I dial wrong? I tried calling again. Then, the same woman’s voice… Hmm? Why? “I’ve had this number for two years, so the previous owner must have changed their number.” I see… so that’s it (laughs). Influenced by the recent events, I felt embarrassed for connecting everything to the supernatural. I apologized to the woman, hung up, and searched for the business card D had given me previously. I called the main company number and said, “This is [Priest’s Name], may I speak to Mr./Ms. D?” The response came in a somewhat suspicious tone, “D? Um, excuse me, which Mr./Ms. [Priest’s Name] are you?”

[214] “Um, I worked together with D on the □□ project several years ago…” “Ah, from back then,” the voice suddenly returned to normal. “I’m his wife. It’s been a while.” “Ah, Mrs. D? It has been a while. Could I speak with Mr. D, please?” “Um… I’m very sorry, but D passed away about three years ago.” “!” “Hello?” “Ah, I’m sorry, he passed away? I had no idea, please accept my deepest apologies. I’m so sorry.” “Oh, no. Didn’t you receive the notice?” D had died of heart failure three years ago. A chill went down my spine. Then, when did Mr. T get recommended to me? What was going on? I became even more confused. So, I decided to call Mr. T and ask when D had introduced him to me. I called him right away.

• [216]>>214 What…

[215] “Hello, Mr. T, this is the priest.” Mr. T: “Ah, thank you so much for the other day. The atmosphere in the house has completely changed since then, it’s been a real lifesaver. Nothing strange has happened at all since then. In fact, it’s more like, you know, the scent, the smell of the sandalwood you burned, Reverend, seems to linger, and the house feels bright again like it used to. My wife is incredibly grateful too.” “Ah, that’s wonderful, I’m glad I could be of help. But please don’t mention me to others, okay? I really don’t have any ability to resolve these things.” Mr. T: “Of course, we promised that day, and besides, we can’t just go around telling people about something like this, so please rest assured. We’ll keep our promise, and you are the one who saved us, Reverend. We are nothing but grateful.” “Um, there’s something I’d like to ask, if you don’t mind?” Mr. T: “Yes, what is it?” “Um… when did Mr./Ms. D introduce you to me?” Mr. T: “…” “Hello?” Mr. T: “Yes.” “Um, around when and how did you hear about me from Mr./Ms. D?” Mr. T: “Reverend…” “Yes?” Mr. T: “It’s all resolved now, let’s just leave it at that.” “Huh?” Mr. T: “You helped us, Reverend. Isn’t that enough? Let’s just end it here.” “Eh?…” Mr. T: “Well then, goodbye.”

• [217] What was that…

[219] “Um…” The call was disconnected. Why? What is this? Amidst growing confusion, on June 14th, when I started writing this story, I returned home from an outing to find my family telling me, “There was a call asking about Buddhist services during the day. They asked for you specifically, saying they were introduced by Mr./Ms. D.” To this day, that confusion hasn’t subsided. Two days have passed, and I still haven’t been able to call back regarding that inquiry. My family keeps telling me every day, “You should call back soon, it’s rude not to,” but I’m too scared to do it. Also, regarding the three photos I took with my feature phone, they were indeed saved, but the first two – the bones and the floating object – only show up as completely black screens. The photo of the house with crows on the roof is fine. I tried transferring them to my PC and adjusting the contrast with image editing software, but they remained completely black. Since I have no proof, and as I wrote initially, due to my position as a priest, I can’t talk about this with people close to me. This is the first time I’ve ever encountered events so strange and bizarre. Since this isn’t a work of fiction, there’s no real conclusion or punchline, but I decided to write this clumsy account hoping that those who read it might share some of their thoughts or impressions. I apologize for the length. Thank you very much to everyone who read this far. I would be grateful for any opinions or insights you might have. Gassho.

• [221]>>219 Thank you for your hard work! I was really looking forward to this! FYI, I’m a believer in spiritual phenomena. The ending isn’t clear-cut, but could there be someone unscrupulous using D’s name…?
• 220 …
• [222] Unresolved… or rather (((( ;Д))))
• [223] Whaaaat! An unresolved ending is terrible, terrible! Can’t be helped, but it leaves me hanging!
• [225] Maybe D appeared at Mr. and Mrs. T’s bedside and said, “Only Rev. [Priest’s Name] can solve this mystery”? But if it were something like that, you’d think Mr. T would have told the priest when asked about D… Anyway, thank you for your efforts.
• [226] It’s a mystery. I don’t understand Mr. T’s reason for not wanting to talk. There must have been some kind of contact for him to speak with D, so you’d think he’d mention it, even if it was strange. I don’t get it.
• [234] What if Mr. and Mrs. T were actually spirits who hadn’t found peace, consulted D in the afterlife(?), and the priest resolved it? Then the priest gained a reputation in the afterlife(?). Another spirit who couldn’t find peace consults D. And another request for the priest comes… That would be romantic.
• [237] Forgive me for saying so, but this priest’s story was interesting and easy to read. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction doesn’t really matter at this point. Depending on what happens with the June 14th inquiry, I’d be interested in a sequel. But for now, thank you for the long story. Recalling such a bizarre experience in detail must have been taxing, I sympathize with your distress. May peaceful days come to the priest. Apologies for the long comment.