Download What Is Our Buddhist Practice

What Is Our Buddhist Practice?
The workings of the universe are an expression of a single principle or Law, expressed as Nammyoho-renge-kyo.
Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enables all people to perceive this Law in their own lives and to
come into rhythm with it. By putting their lives in harmony with this Law, people can unlock their
hidden potential and achieve harmony with the environment.
This is the ultimate expression of individual empowerment — that each person can transform the
inevitable sufferings of life into sources of growth and fulfillment and become a positive influence
in their family and community.
There are three basics in applying Buddhism to our daily lives: faith, practice and study. They are
the primary ingredients in the recipe for revealing our innate enlightened condition, or
Buddhahood. Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, studying Buddhist philosophy and taking
action daily for the well-being of others, we can establish a state of profound happiness and
wisdom, as well as contribute to society.
About Buddhism
Shakyamuni
The origins of the SGI-USA worldview can be traced to the teachings of the historical Buddha
Shakyamuni, who lived some 2,500 years ago in what is modern-day Nepal. Born Gautama
Siddhartha, he abandoned his sheltered, princely life and sought instead to understand the
inescapable sufferings of every human being — birth, aging, sickness and death — and the
means by which these sufferings could be overcome.
Following his enlightenment at age 30, he traveled throughout India for some 50 years, sharing
the wisdom he had discovered. The term Buddha, or “enlightened one,” is applied to any human
being who realizes the eternity of life and the operation of cause and effect throughout the three
existences of past, present and future.
The Lotus Sutra
Throughout Shakyamuni Buddha’s life, he expounded many sutras, or teachings, the highest and
most comprehensive being the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni stated that all of his teachings prior to
the Lotus Sutra should be regarded as provisional; these teachings strove to awaken people to
the impermanence of all phenomena in order to free them from the sufferings that arise from
egoistic attachment to things that the passage of time will destroy or render meaningless.
As his essential teaching, revealed in the last eight years of his life, the Lotus Sutra teaches the
existence of an innate and universal truth known as the Buddha nature, the manifestation of
which enables one to enjoy absolute happiness and to act with boundless compassion. Rather
than stressing impermanence and the consequent need to eliminate earthly desires and
attachments, the Lotus Sutra asserts the ultimate reality of the Buddha nature inherent in all life. It
is therefore a teaching which profoundly affirms the realities of daily life, and which naturally
encourages an active engagement with others and with the whole of human society.
The Lotus Sutra is also unique among the teachings of Shakyamuni in that it makes the
attainment of enlightenment a possibility open to all people –
without distinction based on gender, race, social standing or education.
Nichiren Daishonin
After Shakyamuni’s passing, his teachings became splintered and increasingly misunderstood as
they spread throughout Asia and beyond. In the 13th century, a Japanese Buddhist reformer,
Nichiren Daishonin, declared the Lotus Sutra, taught during the final eight years of Shakyamuni’s
life, to be the highest and ultimate teaching of Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra most clearly shows
Buddhism as a powerful, life-affirming, egalitarian and humanistic teaching.
Born the son of a fisherman in a time of social unrest and natural catastrophe, Nichiren became a
religious acolyte and after a period of intensive study came to realize that the Lotus Sutra
constitutes the heart of Buddhist teachings. His great gift to humanity was in giving concrete
expression to this life-affirming philosophy by creating a simple yet profound daily practice
accessible to all people. Nichiren first chanted the title of the Lotus Sutra Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
on April 28, 1253, and later inscribed the mandala of the Gohonzon (the physical object of
devotion for all humanity). It is the philosophy taught by Nichiren that forms the foundation of the
SGI.
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
Nichiren taught that all the benefits of the wisdom contained in the Lotus Sutra can be realized by
chanting its title [Nam] Myoho-renge-kyo. The universal law of life is expressed as Nam-myohorenge-kyo; reciting this allows each individual to tap into the wisdom of their life to reveal their
Buddha nature. Chanting these words and excerpts from the Lotus Sutra is the core of this
Buddhist practice, supported by study and helping others reveal their own Buddhahood. Faith,
practice and study are the basics of Buddhist practice, pursuing activities for oneself and activities
for the sake of others.
The Gohonzon
The Gohonzon, a scroll practitioners chant to, was inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin and is
depicted in Chinese characters embodying the law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the life of Nichiren,
as well as protective functions of the universe. The fundamental object of respect, the Gohonzon
represents the enlightened life of each individual. Down the center are the characters Nammyoho-renge-kyo and Nichiren's signature. This indicates the oneness of person and Mystic Law
— that the condition of Buddhahood is a potential within and can be manifested by all people.
SGI members enshrine a replica of the Gohonzon in their homes as a focal point for their daily
practice. The Gohonzon's strength comes from the practitioner's faith — the Gohonzon functions
as a spiritual mirror. Sitting in front of the Gohonzon and chanting enables a person to recognize
and reveal his or her own Buddha nature, the unlimited potential and happiness of their life.
Gongyo
The Japanese word gongyo literally means "assiduous practice." The practice of Nichiren
Daishonin's Buddhism is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and recite portions of both the second
(Expedient Means) and the sixteenth (Life Span) chapters of the Lotus Sutra in front of the
Gohonzon. This is the fundamental practice of Nichiren Buddhism, performed morning and
evening.
The Founding Presidents of the Soka Gakkai
Who is Nichiren Dishonin?
SGI members follow the teachings of Nichiren, a Buddhist monk who lived in thirteenth-century
Japan. Nichiren's teachings provide a way for anybody to readily draw out the enlightened
wisdom and energy of Buddhahood from within their lives, regardless of their individual
circumstances. Each person has the power to overcome all of life's challenges, to live a life of
value and become a positive influence in their community, society and the world.
In Search of the Solution to Human Suffering
Nichiren was born in 1222 in Japan, a time rife with social unrest and natural disasters. The
common people, especially, suffered enormously. Nichiren wondered why the Buddhist teachings
had lost their power to enable people to lead happy, empowered lives. While a young priest, he
set out to find an answer to the suffering and chaos that surrounded him. His intensive study of
the Buddhist sutras convinced him that the Lotus Sutra contained the essence of the Buddha's
enlightenment and that it held the key to transforming people's suffering and enabling society to
flourish.
The Essence of Buddhism
The Lotus Sutra affirms that all people, regardless of gender, capacity or social standing,
inherently possess the qualities of a Buddha, and are therefore equally worthy of the utmost
respect.
Based on his study of the sutra Nichiren established the invocation (chant) of Nam-myoho-rengekyo as a universal practice to enable people to manifest the Buddhahood inherent in their lives
and gain the strength and wisdom to challenge and overcome any adverse circumstances.
Nichiren saw the Lotus Sutra as a vehicle for people's empowerment--stressing that everyone
can attain enlightenment and enjoy happiness while they are alive.
Persecution
Nichiren was critical of the established schools of Buddhism that relied on state patronage and
merely served the interests of the powerful while encouraging passivity in the suffering masses.
He called the feudal authorities to task, insisting that the leaders bear responsibility for the
suffering of the population and act to remedy it. His stance, that the state exists for the sake of
the people, was revolutionary for its time.
Nichiren's claims invited an onslaught of often-violent persecutions from the military government
and the established Buddhist schools. Throughout, he refused to compromise his principles to
appease those in authority.
Nichiren's legacy lies in his unrelenting struggle for people's happiness and the desire to
transform society into one which respects the dignity and potential of each individual
The invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was established by Nichiren Daishonin 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-myohorenge-kyo; the effect of Buddhahood is simultaneously created in the depths of our life and will
definitely manifest in time.
The lotus flower grows and blooms in a muddy pond, and yet remains pristine and free from any
defilement, symbolizing the emergence of Buddhahood from within the life of an ordinary person.
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.
Primary Practice
Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo--also known as "Daimoku"--is the primary practice of SGI
members. Through this practice, one is able to reveal the state of Buddhahood in one's life,
experienced as the natural development of joy, increased vitality, courage, wisdom and
compassion.
The secret is that there is no secret!
Buddhism teaches that a universal Law (dharma) underlies everything in the universe. This is the
very essence of life. One could also think of it as the fundamental rhythm of life and the universe.
Nichiren identified this Law or essence as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. He taught that by correctly
carrying out the practice of Buddhism everyone is able to bring their individual life into harmony
with the greater life of the universe. The result of this is that one is able to experience greater
wisdom, courage, life force and compassion (the qualities of this life-essence). This, practically, is
what it means to manifest Buddhahood, or an enlightened life condition.
SGI members are encouraged to employ their Buddhist practice to squarely confront and
overcome the specific challenges of their daily lives. Through this process, one is able to
appreciate and manifest the profound potential of one's life. Buddhist practice also means to
realize and unfold one's unique life purpose. SGI members believe that this process of inner
spiritual transformation or "human revolution" not only leads to individual empowerment and
constructive action but is the surest way to direct humankind's energies toward creating a
peaceful and prosperous world.
Based on the teachings and philosophy of Nichiren Daishonin, the Soka Gakkai
International (SGI), a lay Buddhist organization, seeks to promote the values of peace,
culture and education. The practice of Buddhism exists for the happiness of each
individual and the fostering of world peace. To learn more about the SGI or to attend a
meeting, please contact the Community Center near you.