How much should I chant?

How much should I chant?

Question: I have heard that I can break through any obstacle if I chant 10 hours. Is this true? 

Answer: SGI President Ikeda addresses this point in the speech "On the Formality of Gongyo," which he gave at a Kansai general meeting held on May 4, 1993, in Tokyo. He writes:

 

So great is the benefit of chanting daimoku. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo even once produces tremendous benefit, eternal benefit. This is the essence of our faith. We should have great confidence in this point.

Basing his remarks on a passage of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren Daishonin states: "And yet we read that the blessings acquired by one who recites no more than a single word of the Lotus Sutra are the one thing [the Buddha Wisdom] cannot fathom. How, then, could ordinary people like ourselves, who have committed grave offenses, possibly understand these blessings?" (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. I, p. 68)...
 

It goes without saying, of course, that if you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo a lot, it is all to the good. However, ultimately each of us must decide for us the amount we chant based on our awareness and determination. The amount we chant is certainly not a matter of obligation or formality.
 

For instance, from time to time, I hear of people chanting eight or 10 hours in a single day. I bow my head to the intensity and earnestness of faith of these members. If, however, they neglect their responsibilities and commitments and just chant away, they cannot be said to be practicing in accord with the principle "faith manifests itself in daily life." You must not allow your daily life to fall by the wayside or cause others, including members of your family, suffering and inconvenience because of your many hours of chanting. Nor should you go around boasting of the long hours you have chanted in a day. 

 

Carrying on in such a way can easily give rise to various misunderstandings among those around you. A person who has such an attitude may be viewed by neighbours as something of a fanatic. The result may be that the person loses others' trust and degrades the Law.
 

The same is true within the organization. There are instances where an organizational unit formally conducts a "10-hour daimoku campaign" or the like. While there is nothing wrong with an activity of this kind, if it is voluntarily undertaken by two or three willing people, difficulties arise when an attempt is made to impose such a rigid regimen equally on many people. People have different daily schedules; they have different amounts of time available to them; they have different physical stamina and so on.
 

Consequently, it is possible that holding such an activity might impose unreasonable demands on any number of people. It is always necessary to exercise careful consideration. Moreover, we must never attempt to make participation in such activities compulsory. You must not goad people into attending activities by making extreme statements, such as saying, "If you fail to attend, you will not be following the way of the SGI."
 

It is important that people derive joy, peace of mind and hope from their practice of faith. We must strictly refrain from giving guidance that oppresses people or causes them suffering. In giving guidance, leaders should always take into account the circumstances and conditions of their members.

Thus, I hope that leaders will give clear direction that, while based on firm recognition of the great benefit of chanting, demonstrates wisdom and common sense, so that all may joyously advance in accord with the principle of "faith equals daily life."
 

If a leader wishes to launch a major chanting campaign and get a rhythm of more chanting going, the important thing is for that person to lead by offering deep and strong prayers (Oct. 29, 1999, World Tribune, special insert, p. C). WT (p. 2)