Kaimyo

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A Kaimyō ( Japanese 戒 名 , literally: “ Sila name”) or Hōmyō ( 法名 , “ Dharma name”) is a Buddhist religious name given to Buddhist monks when they enter a monastery or other devout followers after their death.

In the latter case, the prerequisite for the naming is that the deceased have previously lived according to the five Buddhist rules ( Five Silas ). They are not allowed to "kill, steal, lie, commit adultery or drink alcohol". This name for the afterlife is only given on the day of the burial and is written on a plaque . Nowadays the relatives of the deceased buy the kaimyō (for around 10,000 yen ). It represents a part of the funeral service and is more of a commercial purpose today, which is why the choice of the individual Kaimyō plays an elementary role.

Because everyone is the same after death, the kaimyō generally only consists of two characters.