Benefits of Chanting Daimoku

Benefits of Chanting Daimoku

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo 

The chandelier in this room is very beautiful. It's possible to see the beautiful light from this chandelier because we have been able to manifest the law of electricity in the form of elecricity. Electricity, although it exists in the atmosphere in which we live, is not visible. It is an international law. However, it took a man by the name of Edison to invent the light bulb, enabling us to manifest electricity in the manner in which we are using it now.

We also have the phenomenon of electromagnetic waves which exist in the air. These too are invisble, just like the law of electricity; and a man named Bell invented an apparatus called the telephone, which allows us to utilize electromagnetic waves.

Similarly, as with the law of electricity and the phenomenon of electromagnetic waves, there exists another law in our environment and our universe, what we call the law of life. The Gohonzon is actually a crystallization or embodiment of this law of life that exists throughout the universe. Just as Edison manifested the law of electricity in the light bulb, Nichiren Daishonin found or was enlightened to the existence of the law of life in the universe, and he embodied it in the form of the Gohonzon.

Although you may see it manifested in the light bulb and the telephone, the law of electricity does not enable you to overcome disease, it will not give you the solution to a problem. But, if you know the law of life, or if you have something that embodies the law of life, you will be able to overcome disease and you will be able to overcome your karma.

Although it is true that Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the law of life which enables people to solve many kinds of problems, people have not really understood why Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is even more important than having light bulbs in their homes. Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is actually like the sun which sheds light upon the entire world , cherishing every single living thing on the planet. Chanting to the Gohonzon is like turning on the switch to that sunshine. The way to switch it on is by chanting to the Gohonzon, and, when you're not chanting, you are switching it off.

It is as though Gohonzon were the visible form of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and you yourself are the invisible form of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo: You can't see it in yourself, but you can see it embodied in the Gohonzon. You can communicate with the Gohonzon like two people on cellular 'phones: In other words, you can become one with the Gohonzon.

How you should chant:

You should chant as if you are with your boyfriend or girlfriend, because you really seek that person, you really want to be with them. When you chant with that kind of emotion, that attitude, you get a much stronger effect. That is what is meant by the phrase 'yearning to see the Buddha'. When you chant to the Gohonzon, do it so you'll be able to bring forth that profound state of life from within you. Let each daimoku you are chanting circulate throughout your entire body, even through your bones and bone marrow.

You should chant in the same manner in which you wash your face, in other words wash it as clean as possible. When you chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, it is just like cleansing yourself, cleansing every single part of your body.

When you chant, it's just like a fire engine trying to extinguish wahtever problems you are suffering or encountering. Faith is like water, right? When you are really chanting and happy many fire engines will come, but when you are just chanting along, not really happy, only one will show up.

In the Gosho it states that we are children of the Buddha. It states that our bodies are equivalent to Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Our head is Myo, throat ho, chest Ren, stomach ge, hands and feet Kyo. The most essential thing is to understand that our bodies are actually the environment of Myoho-Renge-Kyo, and contain its power. So by circulating Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo throughout your body, you will be able to overcome any problem you have within your body.

You should chant to the Gohonzon to be able to accumulate good fortune and overcome problems for the sake of kosen-rufu. You should chant that you become a very fortunate person because you would like to dedicate yourself to the cause of kosen-rufu. When you do that, you will see that the Gohonzon answers your prayers.

If you just try to force yourself to chant when you don't really feel like chanting, you are the loser. You lose the many benfits you can receive when you chant with joy. If you chant as though the Gohonzon were God, and you ask it for something, you will not get as much benefit as you can. You have to remember that you are not actually the Gohonzon, the Gohonzon's wisdom is immense, boundless, and immeasurable but through our practice, we are able to receive the immense benefit which is embodied in the Gohonzon.

People throughout the world began to use electricity through the invention of the light bulb. In the same way, through the introduction of the law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo on this earth, we are trying to propagate this law throughout the world in order to achieve and realize world peace while avoiding the use of nuclear and biological weapons. This is our mission. This is the mission that every member has throughout the world, to try to propagate Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism so that we can see, in every nation, the end of war.

The first step is to bring forth Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo in our lives by chanting and circulating Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo in our bodies, so that it cleanses us right down to our blood. By doing so, we can develop strong faith- in other words, make nuclear explosions of faith within us. It is not enough to have small explosions happening in a large number of people. What is important is to have large explosions happening in even a handful of people. We need a corps of people with unshakeable faith. I hope you strongly deepen your faith and receive as many benefits as possible and advance toward kosen-rufu in your countries.

Source: Paraphrased from a guidance given by Soka Gakkai Vice-President Takehisa Tsuji.