Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
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Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Welcome to Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Chanting the Lotus Sutra
All The Wonderful Benefits of the Lotus Sutra can be realized By chanting the six syllables as follow
You experienced the natural development of joy, increased vitality, courage, wisdom and compassion. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
THE LOTUS SUTRA
The invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was established by Nichiren on April 28, 1253. Having studied widely among all the Buddhist sutras, he had concluded that the Lotus Sutra contains the ultimate truth of Buddhism: that everyone without exception has the potential to attain Buddhahood. The title of the Lotus Sutra in its Japanese translation is Myoho-renge-kyo. But to Nichiren, Myoho-renge-kyo was far more than the title of a Buddhist text, it was the expression, in words, of the Law of life which all Buddhist teachings in one way or another seek to clarify. What follows is a brief and unavoidably limited explanation of some of the key concepts expressed by this phrase. NAM
The word nam derives from Sanskrit. A close translation of its meaning is "to devote oneself." Nichiren established the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a means to enable all people to put their lives in harmony or rhythm with the law of life, or Dharma. In the original Sanskrit, nam indicates the elements of action and attitude, and refers therefore to the correct action one needs to take and the attitude one needs to develop in order to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.
MYOHO
Myoho literally means the Mystic Law, and expresses the relationship between the life inherent in the universe and the many different ways this life expresses itself. Myo refers to the very essence of life, which is "invisible" and beyond intellectual understanding. This essence always expresses itself in a tangible form (ho) that can be apprehended by the senses. Phenomena (ho) are changeable, but pervading all such phenomena is a constant reality known as myo. RENGE Renge means lotus flower. The lotus blooms and produces seeds at the same time, and thus represents the simultaneity of cause and effect. The circumstances and quality of our individual lives are determined by the causes and effects, both good and bad, that we accumulate (through our thoughts, words and actions) at each moment. This is called our "karma." The law of cause and effect explains that we each have personal responsibility for our own destiny. We create our destiny and we can change it. The most powerful cause we can make is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; the effect of Buddhahood is simultaneously created in the depths of our life and will definitely manifest in time. KYO
Kyo literally means sutra, the voice or teaching of a Buddha. In this sense, it also means sound, rhythm or vibration. Also, the Chinese character for kyo originally meant the warp in a piece of woven cloth, symbolizing the continuity of life throughout past, present and future. In a broad sense, kyo conveys the concept that all things in the universe are a manifestation of the Mystic Law.
CHANTING NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO
"When deluded, one is called an ordinary being, but when enlightened, one is called a Buddha. This is similar to a tarnished mirror that will shine like a jewel when polished. A mind now clouded by the illusions of the innate darkness of life is like a tarnished mirror, but when polished, it is sure to become like a clear mirror, reflecting the essential nature of phenomena and the true aspect of reality. Arouse deep faith, and diligently polish your mirror day and night. How should you polish it? Only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo." --Nichiren, On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime
The Lotus SutraThe Buddhist teaching which explains that everyone has the same potential as the Buddha is the Lotus Sutra ('sutra' means 'teaching'). The Lotus Sutra was originally recorded in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit, entitled Saddharma-Pundarika-Sutra. As the teachings of Buddhism spread they were translated into the languages of the cultures they travelled to. The Lotus Sutra was translated into Chinese, and when it reached Japan it was known as Myoho-Renge-Kyo. The title of a sutra was considered to encapsulate the teaching it contained. It was also the practice to place the Sanskrit word Nam (or, 'devotion') before the names of Buddhist teachings or characters in order to praise them. Nichiren Daishonin taught that the act of praising the Lotus Sutra would enable the qualities of the Buddha, the reservoir, inherent in our lives to emerge. Therefore he placed the word 'Nam' in front of the title of the Lotus Sutra, Myoho-renge-kyo. This appears very simple; but the practice itself is very profound. The Law of lifeAs we consider each of the constituent parts of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we start to sense its profundity. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is referred to as the 'Law of life'. Although it is just six syllables, each signifies profound truths that go to the heart of the universe, the issue of life and death, and the law of cause and effect. Nam'Nam' is an action word. The act of praising our potential will make it emerge. 'Nam' is the word that turns this principle from a theory into a reality. The Lotus Sutra, although profound, is merely a teaching. But Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a practice that will have actual results. The literal meaning of the word 'Nam' is 'respect' or 'dedication' - so the whole phrase has the simple meaning of 'devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra'. Myoho'Myoho' explains at least two major principles of life: the relationship between life and death, and the relationship between our most enlightened, or Buddha, state and all our other nine conditions or states of life. The 'ten states of life' or 'ten worlds' will be covered in a future part of this series. How do the teachings of Buddhism view the relationship between life and death? We all have a birthday. That is, quite simply, the day when we emerged into the world as a baby. We also have some idea of what was happening to us in the nine or so months before we emerged from the womb. Before that, however, other than the knowledge that a sperm and an egg came together at a particular moment, things are not so clear. Biologists cannot give definitive answers as to where or what our consciousness was before conception and philosophers have also struggled to explain this. Buddhism teaches that all our constituent parts, not just physical ones, but mental and spiritual as well, existed in a state of latency, waiting for the right conditions to emerge before we could start the process of being born after conception. Before conception, we are latent, or 'myo'. This means that our life energy is waiting for the necessary circumstances before it can take on a physical form. 'Ho', which means law, or phenomena, describes the manifest state and particularly the emergence of the new-born baby into the world. We remain alive - manifest - until the point when, for whatever reason, our bodies can no longer support our lives. The body dies, and the constituent parts separate. At this point we cease to be 'ho' and return once more to the latent state of 'myo'. Buddhism teaches that life is a cycle. We emerge from 'myo', become 'ho' and return to 'myo' again. This rhythm continues forever. The cycle of the seasons echoes this process. We see new growth in spring, maturity in summer, harvest and decline in autumn before a period of apparently bleak withdrawal in winter. But winter never fails to turn into spring once more, and the cycle starts again. We feel our Buddhahood at work because our chanting has caused it to appear according to another fundamental life principle: 'renge', which is about how the effect exists simultaneously with the cause. RengeThis literally means lotus flower. The lotus flower rests on the surface of the pond, its roots going deep into the water and drawing on the nutrients it finds in the mud at the bottom. This image of the lotus flower also means that the Buddha is not a perfect being, detached from the realities of life, either in a monastery or in some other, unearthly realm. Rather, the Buddha is an aspect of our own lives which we can draw upon. It is because of the trials and tribulations of real, everyday life in this world that the Buddha's qualities can be revealed. 'Renge' signifies the process of cause and effect at work deep within the life of each person. (The topic of cause and effect will be covered in a future part of this series.) KyoThe word 'kyo' literally means 'sutra', or teaching. It is the vibration of our voice which is so important in our Buddhist practice. It is said the voice does the Buddha's work (2). This is why we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo aloud, rather than performing a silent meditation. 'Kyo' is the interconnectedness of all phenomena; and how our prayer or the sound of our chanting can affect people and situations out of our immediate sphere.
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What is NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO?The phrase NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO is taken from the title of the greatest teaching of the first historically recorded Buddha, known as Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha, who lived in India around 500 years before Christ was born. This particular teaching, called the Lotus Sutra, declares that all living beings, regardless of gender or intelligence (that means everyone - including you and me!), have the potential to attain Buddhahood. In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha teaches that inside each one of us a universal truth known as the Buddha nature. Basing our lives on this Buddha nature enables us to enjoy absolute happiness and to act with boundless compassion. Such a state of happiness is called enlightenment. It's simply waking up to the true nature of life, realising that all things are connected, and that there is such a close relationship between each of us and our surroundings that when we change ourselves, we change the world.
How do you chant NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO How do you chant? It is simple. Find somewhere where you woould not be disturbed or have to worry about disturbing others. Sit on an upright chair, facing a blank spot on a wall - so there are no distractions.. Keep your eyes open, and your back as straight as you can.. Hold your hands together, so as to keep them still - as in prayer . Set yourself a time for how long you wish chant, and stick to it. Remember, it does not really matter whether it's 2 minutes, 10 or twenty. The point is to set a time and stick to it. Just be determined to keep chanting till the time is up. Initailly, you may find that this takes quite a lot of determination! Repeat the phrase NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO over and over rythmically, until the time limit you have set is up. When you first begin to chant you will probably want to chant quite slowly but this will naturally speed up as you become more familiar with it. What should you think about when you chant? There is no special recommendation - just whatever comes. Just keep steadily chanting, try not to get so lost in your thoughts that you stop! Before you begin to chant, you might like to take a moment to fix a thought in your mind - something you want to change or achieve. This can be anything you like, from the smallest to the biggest thing you can imagine. Often, when people start to chant, they want to set a specific goal, and see if chanting helps them achieve it - "I want to buy a new car by next Tuesday" - for example! Don't be afraid to test the practice in this way - nothing says that your aims have to be "spiritual" or noble - just chant for whatever is important to you - to improve your material circumstances, your relationships, whatever. Don't expect miracles overnight - a situation that's taken years to build up might take a while to change. However, be prepared to be surprised by how quickly you can make a difference to some things! The whole point is to be guided by your own wisdom - right now you may not believe you have any, but chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo will help you realise that you do, and that you can trust the decisions you come to when chanting. To sum up: a number of possible subjects might act as the focus for your thoughts whilst chanting - a particular problem to be resolved; a difficult decision to make; or the best course of action to follow in a given situation. Likewise, you could be focused on emotional situations, and look for ways of coping with them; or thinking of the well- being of another individual. Or your thoughts might be on personal wishes and wants, goals or determinations. How long you should chant for? This is up to each person but as a guide people are often recommended to chant for about 15 minutes morning or evening (though of course you are free to chant less or more as you wish). It is however a good idea to try to get into a regular rhythm of chanting a little in the morning and evening rather than chanting a lot one day and none the next. Once again, it doesn't really matter whether it's 2 minutes, 10 or twenty, the point is to set a time limit and stick to it. Just keep on chanting till the time is up. When to chant NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO When should you chant? Basically, whenever you can, want to, or need to, and as often or as little as suits you. One way of looking at the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is that it helps to put your life into rhythm with the life of the universe - and as one of the most basic rhythms of the universe is sunrise and sunset, mornings and evenings can be really good times to chant. Many people find it's convenient to chant just before or just after their breakfast. At the other end of the day, early evening is a good time - most people find that chanting is quite invigorating, so if you chant late you might find yourself feeling wide awake at a time when you want to sleep. It can be helpful to make regular times, as that will get you into good habits of making a positive start to your days and evenings. However, if this approach doesn't fit with your lifestyle, then just chant whenever you can, wherever you can. Just find a little bit of space in your life, and do it. Many people find that they like to chant while driving, especially on longer journeys - and for many of us, this may be the only time we have to ourselves. Whenever you feel stressed, or feel you need a little extra help - chant Where to chant NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO Where should you do your chanting? If you can, try to find somewhere where you won't be disturbed for a little while, or have to worry about disturbing others. Maybe a corner of your bedroom. Some people find that it helps them focus on the daily ritual of practice to create a small area or shrine with perhaps a candle and some incense to burn...but if that's not for you, don't worry. Just chant in a place where you feel safe and comfortable if you can - even if that's the car, the garage or the cupboard under the stairs! All you need is enough space to sit. You don't really need anything else at all Tina Turner on Chanting The Lotus Sutra
Tina Turner ChantingNam Myoho Renge Kyo Runtime: 5:13
Chanting The Lotus Sutra
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