Polishing Your Gongyo and Daimoku

Polishing Your Gongyo and Daimoku

Our daily recitation of Gongyo and offering Daimoku to the Gohonzon is our spiritual work-out for the growth of our lives. Doing Gongyo is like lifting spiritual weights that makes us strong.

This essential work-out is what makes us and our environments (our world at every moment, all the people & things and everything around us) and if done correctly, we can accomplish our goals and live really fulfilling lives.  

Gongyo and Daimoku are our laboratory - where we create the lives of our dreams! Therefore it is very important that we polish and perfect our Gongyo and Daimoku. Everything we do to enhance our practice is reflected in our lives. 

I visualize Shakyamuni Buddha meditating under the Bodhi Tree; assailed by many inner demons that worked to stop him or to throw off his practice. BUT he, undeterred by any obstacle and focused on his target finally wins/attains enlightenment.

Our daily practice of Gongyo & Daimoku is just like that. We have to fight all obstacles and keep focused/have an ichinen to do our daily gongyo and daimoku. Our concentration will surely pay off. 

Keep reminding to yourself:

I am a Buddha!     

Gongyo & Daimoku are important! Every day, twice a day!     

I must win! No matter what!

I will have Never to be defeated attitude!

Few Tips for a Powerful Gongyo that will bring great benefits - Don't just "do" Gongyo, Feel it, Experience it.

•Switch off your phones or Put them on silent mode in another room - Claim this time as YOUR OWN! 

•Relax, clear your head, clear your heart and do your Gongyo joyfully – especially your head, your mind, relax emotionally, mentally, physically. It is important to be very natural. Enjoy gongyo.

•Use your eyes and ears - when you chant, you really need to use your eyes. Focus on the Gohonzon. Then listen to your voice. Focus on the ‘myoho’ character which means ‘mystical’. You have to use your eyes. This is extremely important.

When you use your eyes, your mind stops. Clear your mind by strongly focusing your eyes. Let your thoughts rest by using your eyes. When you’re busy thinking all the time, your brain is sucking energy. This means your brain is getting stronger, which is not healthy, but your core isn’t changing because the energy isn’t being directed there.

•Pray each silent prayer with all your heart - Elevate the moment from reading to praying! 

Read each silent prayer over and over until you can actually feel the appreciation. Read the silent prayers until they sink in. You are praying in appreciation. If you don't know why Nichiren Daishonin and the three presidents deserve your praise, please ask a leader and study the history of Nichiren Buddhism and the Soka Gakkai. It took tremendous conviction and courage to bring this practice to us! During these prayers, bring forth immense gratitude for having this practice in your life.   

•Begin and end Gongyo - with no interruptions.  

Recite the silent prayers at the end of Gongyo soon after the recitation and not after finishing you’re your daimoku in the morning. This makes it easier to do a complete gongyo before you get up to do something else. You must start and complete gongyo.

Then I can do as much daimoku as I want, with gongyo done. Complete. With no interruptions. If you get interrupted in the middle of gongyo, begin again! You will see this helping you complete things in your life on a much more regular basis. 

•Do Gongyo & Daimoku every morning and evening without fail no mater what. 

I know, you've heard this phrase before. The reason I reiterate is that it WORKS WONDERS! When we do gongyo twice every day our lives get on a roll. You have to experience it to see it! No one can't tell you how it feels. I can tell you that many members finally began chanting twice a day (after refusing to do this for years) they are able to realize hidden goals, bring it to the surface, chant about it, and Chanting twice a day really WORKS! 

•Perfect Your Rhythm and Pronunciation of Gongyo

In the early days of my practice, I was fortunate to have a leader who believed that perfecting gongyo was important. Every day I used to fine-tune my rhythm and pronunciation. You can do the same, and it will energize your practice and life. 

I would suggest you finding a member, leader or guide in your Block / District who can work along with you. Learn it like a song. Teach gongyo to fellow members / beginners. It will polish yours too. Having perfect gongyo gives you great confidence and better results. 

Daimoku is the time to enrich your Buddha nature, not the time to plan your life or day.

IN MY HEAD: POSITIVE IMAGINATIONS 

IN MY HEART: DEEP PRAYER

IN MY MOUTH: CLEAR CHANTING

Thanks!

Ajay Gupta