In it, shakyamuni expounds the ultimate truth of life to which he was enlightened. Maha vairocana kunrig buddha mantra mantra of light. Mind will extend throughout the universe and inner and outer worlds become one. Once the buddha was staying at the city of royal palaces on mount grdhrakuta with a great assemblage of great bhikkhus, in all twelve thousand. The title of the lotus sutra in his writings and recorded oral teachings, nichiren daishonin comments in detail and from various perspectives on the meaning of nammyohorengekyo.
If you do recite portions of the sutra, its advisable to spend at least as much time chanting namumyohorengekyo as you spend reciting portions of the lotus sutra. May 22, 20 the lotus sutra is the king of sutras, true and correct in both word and principle. An interesting look at the first translation from chinese of the lotus sutra. The assisting practice is the recitation of both the hoben and juryo chapters, which will help reveal the deep and profound bene. Nichiren s reading of the lotus sutra, which he regarded as the quintes sence of sakyamuni.
Nam myoho renge kyo mantra lotus sutra chant for happiness. Wang argues that the explosion of art inspired by the lotus sutra, starting from the 7th and 8th centuries in china, was a confluence of text and the topography of the chinese medieval mind in which the latter dominated. When i, the king, heard the seers words, i jumped for joy. I use the timer, the log and the goal functions at least twice a day. How to chant the buddhas highest teachingthe lotus sutra. The lotus sutra of the correct law says that, if one hears this sutra and proclaims and embraces its title, one will enjoy merit beyond measure. These four phrases refers to the four principles of name, function, essence, and quality. Ji ga toku burai since i became a buddha sho kyo sho ko shu it is many hundreds of thousands mu ryo hyaku sen man of billions of trillions. The blue sutra is an extract from the lotus sutra of mahayana buddhism. Lotus sutra also served as a key element of tendai views of the precepts and. I find that the translation by itself is sometimes difficult to read in context, and the. Chanting nam myoho renge kyo and the lotus sutra religious.
It is generally accepted opinion that of the many buddhist sutras, the sutra of the lotus flower of the wonderful law saddharma. A pronunciation guide soka gakkai international sgi soka gakkai international. It was translated into chinese by kumarajiva in 406 under the title. If you do not disobey me, i will expound it for you. As a merging of the languages of east and west, nammyoho rengekyo is a. Message for the 21st century as depicted in the lotus sutra. A karaokestyle guide showing the pronunciation and rhythm of gongyo, the recitation of excerpts from the lotus sutra. Myo ho renge kyo the sutra of the lotus of the wonderful law 16th chapter. The chinese title means sutra of the lotus flower of the wonderful dharma. The sutra s key message is that buddhahood, the supreme state of life characterized by boundless compassion, wisdom and courage. Chanting lotus sutra chant nam myoho renge kyo mantra benefits. This mantra encapsulates the teachings of the lotus sutra by gautama the buddha, given towards the end of his life. Eko in an interim chant by the densu, head monk or roshi, any power or merit gained by the samadhi of the sutra chanting is offered to all beings.
Chant the odaimoku with your prayer wholeheartedly 46. In translating the chinese text into english we used the kasuga edition of kumarajivas version of the lotus sutra as the basic text, rather than the taisho edition. All the twentyeight chapters of the lotus sutra are nam. The lotus sutra is regarded by many others as a religious classic of great beauty and p. The lotus sutra was one of shakyamuni buddhas last teachings. To chant nammyohorengekyo is to bring forth the pure and fundamental energy of life, honoring the dignity and possibility of our ordinary lives. By way of prajna paramita, the bodhisattvas mind is free from hindrances. The signs now are like those of the earlier auspicious portent, this is an expedient means used by the buddhas. If one considers the power of the lotus sutra, he will find perpetual youth and eternal life before his eyes. Nov 10, 2015 the lotus sutra is one of the most important sutras in mahayana buddhism.
Its also nonscholar friendly, making it a good choice for more casual studiers of buddhism. This combination of the burton translation of the lotus sutra, and the commentaries of rev. The sutra book of hidden valley zen center and mountain. Now when the buddha emits this beam of brightness he is helping to reveal the meaning of the true entity of phenomena. Order the dharma flower sutra with commentary online. City of 10,000 buddhas the wonderful dharma lotus flower. Lotus sutra because of ones power of faith and continues because of ones power of. It has helped me to learn gongyo and to chant faster and now i can chant as fast as the other members in my district. The title of the lotus sutra soka gakkai international. This buddhist mantra is from the nichiren buddhist tradition. The lotus sutra is one of the most popular and influential mahayana sutras, and the basis on which the tiantai, tendai, cheontae, and nichiren schools of. So, i thought it was funny enough asking me to say something about it laughter, but to want to finish it in one eveningthats even funnier or should i.
There are three reasons why we chant and read sutras. Shokai kanai, was my idea of making the actual sutra more readable and understandable. I devote myself to the mystic law of the lotus sutra. Lotus sutra, lotus of the good law or true doctrine sutra, one of the earlier mahayana buddhist texts venerated as the quintessence of truth by the japanese tendai chinese tientai and nichiren sects. The heart sutra 2 no ignorance or ending of ignorance, and so forth, up to no aging and death or ending of aging and death. In terms of the meaning of the lotus sutra, this brightly burning light represents the wisdom of the buddha of limitless joy. Another characteristic of the lotus is that it grows in the mud and yet is not defiled. First, the title and essence of the lotus sutra, shakyamuni buddhas highest teaching, is myohorengekyo.
No one sets out with the intention of joining a cult open minds. This translation is well done, but there is another point in addition to this pure and genuine quality. Doing both the primary and supporting practices each morning and evening gives rise to. Chapter of the lotus sutra myohorengekyo kanzeon bosatsu fumonbon ge. Shigo kingo was a samurai warrior and a devoted follower of the daishonin. According to american author jacqueline stone, the tendai founder saicho popularized the mantra namu ichijo myoho renge kyo as a way to honor the lotus sutra as the one vehicle teaching of the buddha. Before renouncing household life the buddha fathered eight princes. The blessings of the lotus sutra nichiren buddhism library. The twentysixth high priest of nichiren shoshu nichikan shonin stated. The wisdom of the lotus sutra volume iv section 6 key concepts and discussion questions 3 one day of life is more valuable than all the treasures of the major world system. Within the buddhist canon, the lotus sutra is one text that should be read. Whats being evaluated here is the translation and presentation of the work. A pronunciation guide soka gakkai international sgi.
In the lotus sutra, gautama buddha explains that he has always and will always exist to lead beings to their salvation. By chanting sutras in this way the deep link between all will be realized. Namumyohorengekyo is the only religion that teaches about life what life is. And incalculable numbers of bodhisattvas, to attain the wisdom of the buddhas. The muryogi sutra sutra of infinite meaning, which serves as an introduction to the lotus sutra, reads. The law, which is the axis for the synthetic vector combining and integrating the. The translation in this volume is based upon kumarajivas chinese work. Chanting nam myohorengekyo is the primary practice for oneself. Part one texts for sutrachanting services sotozennet. Heres the article, and heres the translation slightly revised they are talking about. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. The daimoku of the lotus sutra wnd i nichiren buddhism.
The five hundred disciples receive the prediction of their. This pdf file may be printed and distributed according to the terms of use estab lished on the. Wisdom of the lotus sutra 1 the wisdom of the lotus sutra a discussion on religion in the twentyfirst century this is the first installment of a new series in which sgi president ikeda engages in a discussion on the lotus sutra with soka gakkai study department chief katsuji saito and vice chiefs takanori endo and haruo suda. The lotus sutra translated by burton watson including rev. Discussion gosho the strategy of the lotus sutra in 1274, nichiren daishonin was pardoned and returned to kamakura from his exile on the island of sado. One who can believe this sutra and put this teaching into practice will attain foremost wisdom. The lotus sutra teaches us what is the meaning of buddhahood and how to attain buddhahood quickly. The mealtime chants are an expression of gratitude both toward the many beings whose labors make our meal possible and for the nourishment that the meal provides. October 11, 2019 october 11, 2019 by insight states editorial. Lecture on the sutra hoben and juryo chapters by josei toda. Nichiren writes, singlemindedly chant nammyohorenge kyo. Venerable sariputra was the student foremost in wisdom.
I started using chant buddy when i received my gohonzon and joined the sgi last year. Part of the lotus sutra describes bodhisattvas rising from the earth during the. The mantra is an homage to the lotus sutra which is widely credited as the king of scriptures and final word on buddhism. Jul 03, 2007 this is the lotus sutra memorized, recited, and chanted by some western buddhist monks. The sutra book of hidden valley zen center and mountain gate temple. The sutra as a whole refers to the twentyeight chapters of the lotus sutra, the essential teaching and the theoretical teaching. The buddha speaks of the infinite life sutra of adornment, purity, equality and enlightenment of the mahayana school. Nam comes from the sanskrit namas, meaning to devote or dedicate oneself renge, meaning lotus blossom, is a metaphor that offers further insight into the qualities of this mystic law. The main practice of rkk is chanting portions of the chapters of the lotus sutra in rkk we chant these in the language of our understanding in my case english as the point is to understand what you are chanting chanting helps you to focus and internalize as well as odaimoku namu myoho renge kyo basically the title of the lotus sutra. The lotus sutra is regarded as one of the worlds great religious scriptures and most influential texts. Five hundred disciples receive predictions chapter 9.
The lotus sutra is widely considered to be the most sacred teaching of the buddha. Mw7, 104105 just as a baby is nourished and grows naturally of its own by drinking milk, if you earnestly chant the mystic law with faith in the gohonzon, your life. Saddharmapuarikasutra scripture of the white lotus of the marvelous law into chinese in 406 c. The lotus sutra is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential sutras, or sacred scriptures, of buddhism. The topic of the heart sutra is one of the most extraordinarily complex and profound topics. Myoshinji is dedicated to the establishment of peace, harmony, and the enlightenment of society by helping guide people to the correct buddhist practice in order to understand the true nature of life, purify and transform our lives, and establish an unshakable happiness based on wisdom and. Buddha is about to expound the sutra of the great vehicle mahayana called the lotus flower of the wonderful dharma. If you are able to uphold the lotus sutra, it means you are able to uphold the body of a buddha. Prajna paramita hridaya heart of perfect wisdom the bodhisattva of. I know it is very popular amongst chinese buddhists to chant the whole lotus sutra, but not specifically the lotus dharani. The lotus sutra is the king of sutras, true and correct in both word and principle. During gongyo, apart from chanting nam myoho renge kyo, we also recite two chapters from the lotus sutra, chapter 2 expedient means hoben and chapter 16 the life span of the thus come one juryo.
The hokekyo lotus sutra not merely represents all the teachings of shakyamuni which were revealed for the period of fifty years since he had attained enlightenment. The message of this mantra is that we all carry the state of buddhahood within our own hearts. The lotus sutra is a buddhist scripture that seeks to expose both the. Nichiren daishonin specified recitation of certain portions of the lotus sutra as a vital supporting practice for oneself.
Letter of instruction on debating the doctrine nichiren buddhism. Access to nichirens writings, the lotus sutra and the sgi website is. This is what the sutra refers to when it says, a fire suddenly broke out on all sides, spreading through the rooms of the house chapter three, simile and parable. Surely, subhuti, in the future, in the final epoch, in the final period, in the final five hundred years of the dharmaending age, there will be fearless bodhisattvas who are capable, virtuous, and wise who give birth to a perception of. To his followers he stressed that by chanting the daimoku of the lotus sutra. At that time a seer came forth and spoke to the king, saying, i have a great vehicle scripture by the name of the wonderful dharma lotus flower sutra. With very few exceptions the readings in these two editions are almost. Overall, burton watsons translation is a good, nonoffensive goto edition pretty easily found in print.
A guide to the threefold lotus sutra rissho koseikai. But reading this and other sutras in translation, we are confronted with many. Additionally, this potent rendition is what is known as daimoku. The proper attitude gongyo should be performed with an. Both chapters are recited in chinese, so unless you are fluent, the meaning may be lost. The record of the orally transmitted teachings says. Its a seminal work in the development of buddhism throughout east asia and, by extension. A list of lyrics, artists and songs that contain the term lotus sutra from the lyrics. A very nice, personal essay of why the lotus sutra is important to michael wenger, of the san francisco zen center pdf.
Chapter 16 of the lotus sutra, the lifespan of the eternal buddha, elucidated that shakamuni. The lotus sutra, wherein the buddha honestly discarded expedient means, says that one can gain entrance through faith alone. And the supplemented lotus sutra of the wonderful law says that one who accepts and upholds the name of the lotus sutra will enjoy immeasurable good fortune. Kimi kotani, were the original masters who extracted this portion of the sutra for practice and realization by laypeople. Daimoku is the constant repetition of the sacred mantra for a period of time. The meaning of nam myoho renge kyo mantra lotus sutra chant for happiness. We call this the assisting practice and daimoku, chanting nammyohorengekyo, the primary practice.
Having perceived that the title holds the essence of the lotus sutra, nichiren promulgated the chanting of the title to bring forth our buddhahood inside of us. Motifs from the lotus sutra figure prominently in the dunhuang caves built in the sui era. Chanting this mantra opens us to our supreme and innate buddha nature. The lotus sutra, which illustrates the infinite potential of life through parables and descriptions of spectacular events such as the ceremony in the air, might well be called the culmination, or the apex, of shakyamunis teachings. There might be a few more that could make it to the list but i cant think of right now. Listen on insightstate, more soothing mantras like buddhist money mantra. Its words are the ultimate reality, and this reality is the mystic law myoho. Gongyo liturgy the key to bring out our kindness and. The lotus sutra not only makes us keenly aware of these facts but also serves as an always dependable guide to the new way of living necessary for us now and in the future.
Having seen the great sage renounce household life, they also followed him and practiced the pure path of discipline and integrity. Oct 11, 2019 as nichiren explained this buddhist mantra in his ongi kuden orally transmitted buddhist teachings, a transcription of his lectures about the lotus sutra, namu is a transliteration into japanese of the sanskrit namas, and myoho renge kyo is the japanese pronunciation of the chinese title of the lotus sutra, in the translation by. This pdf file may be printed and distributed according to the terms of. Myoshinji temple is a nichiren shoshu temple located in the san francisco bay area in pinole, california. The proper understanding of the opening up and merging effected by this phrase, the true aspect of all phenomena, is simply to uphold the lotus sutra, chant. A modern interpretation of the threefold lotus sutra. This aspect of buddha is the dharmakaya, which may be considered the most sublime or truest reality in the universe. The sutras key message is that buddhahood, the supreme state of life characterized by boundless compassion, wisdom and courage, is. A guide to hbs part ii the teachings and practices of honmon. There is no suffering, no cause, no extinction, no path.
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