Nam-myo-ho-renge-kyo is the Law of the life of the universe. This is the law of life which is present in all things. ChantingNam-myoho-renge-kyo also is the practice for attaining Enlightenment
Nichiren Daishonin, the founder of this branch of Buddhism, established the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. It was to enable each person to put his or her life in rhythm with the Dharma, or the law of Life. By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, each person has the potential to achieve Buddhahood in this lifetime.
Nam – means devotion or fusion of your life with the Law
Myoho – refers to the Mystic Law. It is mnystic because we don’t understand how the law works. It expresses how the life force, inherent in all things, manifests itself in the world of phenomena.
- Myo – the spiritual essence of life itself, which cannot be apprehended by the senses and is also beyond intellectual understanding.
- Ho- the physical world
All these forms change, are born, live and die. Within all of them, exists myo.
Renge – represents the Lotus Flower. The lotus flower is unique in the plant world because it seeds and roots at the same time. Like that, with every thought, word or action we make we set a seed, a cause in our lives That cause will manifest as an effect when the time is right in the future. This is called our ”karma.”
The law of cause and effect indicates that we each have responsibility for our own destiny. Since we created it, we have the power to change it through our Buddhist practice.
When you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, you have created a powerful cause for Buddhahood to manifest in your life. As the lotus flower remains pure even though rooted in a muddy pond, so Buddhahood remains free from defilement in the life of an ordinary person.
Kyo – Through sound. also awakening to the true understanding of the Law.
When you do the primary practice, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo over and over, also known as “daimoku,” you can manifest the life state of Buddhahood and will experience increased life force, wisdom, compassion and courage as well as establish a state of unshakeable happiness.