Nam myo renge kyo

Friends or acquaintances curious about Nichiren Buddhism often ask what Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means.

The essence of Buddhism is the conviction that we have within us at each moment the ability to overcome any problem or difficulty that we may encounter in life; a capacity to transform any suffering. Our lives possess this power because they are inseparable from the fundamental law that underlies the workings of all life and the universe. Shakyamuni , first awoke to this law out of a compassionate yearning to find the means to enable all people to be free of the inevitable pains of life. The culmination of these teachings is the Lotus Sutra. Over a thousand years after Shakyamuni, amidst the turbulence of 13th-century Japan, Nichiren similarly began a quest to recover the essence of Buddhism for the sake of the suffering masses. Nichiren designated the title of the sutra as the name of the law and established the practice of reciting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a practical way for all people to focus their hearts and minds upon this law and manifest its transformative power in reality. Nam comes from the Sanskrit namas , meaning to devote or dedicate oneself.

Nam myo renge kyo

Believers claim that the purpose of chanting is to reduce suffering by eradicating negative karma along with reducing karmic punishments both from previous and present lifetimes, [6] with the goal of attaining perfect and complete awakening. The Tendai monks Saicho and Genshin are said to have originated the Daimoku , [ citation needed ] while the Buddhist priest Nichiren is known today as its greatest proponent. The mantra is an homage to the Lotus Sutra. In Nichiren's writings, he frequently quotes passages from the Lotus Sutra in which the Buddha declared it to be his highest teaching. These passages include: "I have preached various sutras and among those sutras the Lotus is the foremost! The Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren was a known advocate of this recitation, claiming it is the exclusive method to happiness and salvation suited for the Third Age of Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra is held by Nichiren Buddhists, [14] as well as practitioners of the Tiantai and corresponding Japanese Tendai schools, to be the culmination of Shakyamuni Buddha 's fifty years of teaching. Namu is used in Buddhism as a prefix expressing taking refuge in a Buddha or similar object of veneration. Among varying Nichiren sects, the phonetic use of Nam versus Namu is a linguistic but not a dogmatic issue, [15] due to common contractions and u is devoiced in many varieties of Japanese words. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools.

Only by taking action and applying our Buddhist practice to our day-to-day challenges can we demonstrate the real power of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Download as PDF Printable version.

Troubles and difficulties are an inevitable fact of life. The essence of Buddhism is the conviction that we have within us at all times the ability to surmount such suffering. This power, inherent in the depths of our lives, is the function of the fundamental Law or principle that underlies the workings of all life and the universe. Shakyamuni , the founder of Buddhism, first awakened to this law some 2, years ago, discovering that the capacity to transform suffering was innate within his own life as well as the lives of all people. The practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can also be described as a vow, an expression of our determination to embrace and bring forth our Buddha nature. At the same time, it is a vow to help others activate this law in their own lives and achieve happiness. Myoho-renge-kyo is the title of the Lotus Sutra in Japanese.

The invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was established by Nichiren Daishonin on April 28, 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. The word nam derives from Sanskrit. 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 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. 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.

Nam myo renge kyo

The essence of Buddhism is the conviction that we have within us at each moment the ability to overcome any problem or difficulty that we may encounter in life; a capacity to transform any suffering. Our lives possess this power because they are inseparable from the fundamental law that underlies the workings of all life and the universe. Shakyamuni , first awoke to this law out of a compassionate yearning to find the means to enable all people to be free of the inevitable pains of life. The culmination of these teachings is the Lotus Sutra. Over a thousand years after Shakyamuni, amidst the turbulence of 13th-century Japan, Nichiren similarly began a quest to recover the essence of Buddhism for the sake of the suffering masses. Nichiren designated the title of the sutra as the name of the law and established the practice of reciting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a practical way for all people to focus their hearts and minds upon this law and manifest its transformative power in reality. Nam comes from the Sanskrit namas , meaning to devote or dedicate oneself.

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The Week. Nichiren says that, while Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was known by Buddhist teachers of the past, they did not teach it to others or spread it widely. Renge means lotus blossom. Affiliated Organizations. When we do so, we will see clear proof of the power of the Mystic Law in our lives. Nichiren's Coffeehouse. March 16, To Nichiren, this phrase signified something far beyond being simply the title of a Buddhist text. These represent the basic reality of life. Troubles and difficulties are an inevitable fact of life. Read Edit View history. Gandhi: The man, his people and the empire 1 ed.

Troubles and difficulties are an inevitable fact of life. The essence of Buddhism is the conviction that we have within us at all times the ability to surmount such suffering. This power, inherent in the depths of our lives, is the function of the fundamental Law or principle that underlies the workings of all life and the universe.

He goes on to explain that while life is naturally filled with joy and suffering, ups and downs, there is a deeper and more enduring happiness. Hence, myoho is also the essence of life itself that is manifest while one is alive and continues in a latent state in death. Nichiren, the Buddhist prophet. Shakyamuni , first awoke to this law out of a compassionate yearning to find the means to enable all people to be free of the inevitable pains of life. In other projects. The fruit of the lotus plant, however, develops simultaneously with the flower, and when the flower opens, the fruit is there within it. Buddhist texts. Shakyamuni , the founder of Buddhism, first awakened to this law some 2, years ago, discovering that the capacity to transform suffering was innate within his own life as well as the lives of all people. Global Issues Resources. November 30,