ntm1836@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil (Ken Burch) (12/21/90)
------------------------------------------------------------------------ >From the article, "Nichiren Soshen Buddhism", parts I & II: > In other words, the great life of the ninth consciousness, the ultimate > reality, exists absolutely within the lives of us who believe in the > Mystic Law and devote ourselves to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. > Moreover, the Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo which the Daishonin > inscribed is itself the concrete embodiment of the ultimate reality of > the ninth consciousness, as this passage clearly indicates. > > By believing in and embracing the Gohonzon - the embodiment of the ninth > consciousness, the unchanging reality which reigns over all life's > functions- and by chanting daimoku to it, we can manifest the great life > of the ninth consciousness from within ourselves, and in this way freely > use the workings of the first eight consciousnesses to further our > enlightenment. > [5] Nam-myoho-renge-kyo > > The core of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings, the expression of the > fundamental law of the universe. It is often translated, "devotion or > correct relationship to the mystic law of cause and effect through > sound or vibration." The Daishonin stated emphatically that the > recitation of this phrase enabled one to manifest his enlightened > nature without fail. Overall, I thought this 2-part article was very good. I still fail to see, however, the special significance of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The notions set forth in this article would lose nothing, in my opinion, by omitting the bit about chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. It doesn't fit in, and seems an unnecessary add-on, in my opinion. It is presented as if there is some magical quality to the phrase itself -- Nam-myoho-renge-kyo -- as if it is some magical spell or incantation capable of inducing Enlightenment. What does it matter _what_ words or sounds we chant, or whether we chant at all? How is chanting Nam-myoho- renge-kyo better than chanting OM, for example, or just concentrating on the breath? Chanting is just chanting, no matter what words or sounds we chant, and no matter what we believe about what we are chanting, it would seem to me. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means nothing to me -- I may just as well be chanting Scooby-dooby-dooby-doo. Even knowing that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is translated in my own language as "devotion-or-correct-relationship-to- the-mystic-law-of-cause-and-effect-through-sound-or-vibration", seems to be of little benefit in actually chanting the phrase Nam-myoho-renge-kyo itself. If I were going to chant it, I may as well be chanting "devotion- or-correct-relation-ship-to-the-mystic-law-of-cause-and-effect-through- sound-or-vibration". In other words, I just don't get it. Hopefully someone will point out where I err. Of course Nam-myoho-renge-kyo may be "the expression of the fundamental law of the universe", but so isn't every thing? Me sitting here scratching my head may also be considered to be "the expression of the fundamental law of the universe", may it not? Somebody help me out here. Ken Burch
tilley@ssd.Kodak.Com (David Tilley) (12/22/90)
In article <1990Dec21.072748.7002@nas.nasa.gov> ntm1836@dsacg3.dsac.dla.mil (Ken Burch) writes: >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >>From the article, "Nichiren Soshen Buddhism", parts I & II: > >> In other words, the great life of the ninth consciousness, the ultimate >> reality, exists absolutely within the lives of us who believe in the >> Mystic Law and devote ourselves to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. >> Moreover, the Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo which the Daishonin >> inscribed is itself the concrete embodiment of the ultimate reality of >> the ninth consciousness, as this passage clearly indicates. >> >> By believing in and embracing the Gohonzon - the embodiment of the ninth >> consciousness, the unchanging reality which reigns over all life's >> functions- and by chanting daimoku to it, we can manifest the great life >> of the ninth consciousness from within ourselves, and in this way freely >> use the workings of the first eight consciousnesses to further our >> enlightenment. > > >> [5] Nam-myoho-renge-kyo >> >> The core of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings, the expression of the >> fundamental law of the universe. It is often translated, "devotion or >> correct relationship to the mystic law of cause and effect through >> sound or vibration." The Daishonin stated emphatically that the >> recitation of this phrase enabled one to manifest his enlightened >> nature without fail. > > >Overall, I thought this 2-part article was very good. I still fail to >see, however, the special significance of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. >The notions set forth in this article would lose nothing, in my opinion, >by omitting the bit about chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. It doesn't fit >in, and seems an unnecessary add-on, in my opinion. > >It is presented as if there is some magical quality to the phrase itself >-- Nam-myoho-renge-kyo -- as if it is some magical spell or incantation >capable of inducing Enlightenment. What does it matter _what_ words or >sounds we chant, or whether we chant at all? How is chanting Nam-myoho- >renge-kyo better than chanting OM, for example, or just concentrating on >the breath? Chanting is just chanting, no matter what words or sounds we >chant, and no matter what we believe about what we are chanting, it would >seem to me. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means nothing to me -- I may just as well >be chanting Scooby-dooby-dooby-doo. Even knowing that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo >is translated in my own language as "devotion-or-correct-relationship-to- >the-mystic-law-of-cause-and-effect-through-sound-or-vibration", seems to >be of little benefit in actually chanting the phrase Nam-myoho-renge-kyo >itself. If I were going to chant it, I may as well be chanting "devotion- >or-correct-relation-ship-to-the-mystic-law-of-cause-and-effect-through- >sound-or-vibration". > >In other words, I just don't get it. Hopefully someone will point out >where I err. Of course Nam-myoho-renge-kyo may be "the expression of >the fundamental law of the universe", but so isn't every thing? >Me sitting here scratching my head may also be considered to be >"the expression of the fundamental law of the universe", may it not? >Somebody help me out here. > > >Ken Burch I have had the same problem (if it is oa problem) with the chanting myself. That is, I have found very little in chanting this phrase that has to do with the Lotus Sutra and what it has to say. However, many forms of Buddhism use these "Dharanis" or magic spell chanting. Chanting "Namu Abida" or "Om" or whatever. And as I have no problem with these others, I have no problem with "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo". As you say, chanting is chanting. It seems to me a way of developing one pointedness. By the way the Nicheren way also involves chanting actual parts of the text. But "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" is given prime time. I have re-read the text since this discussion started. It find more in it every time. Try it you will like it. Also try the Avatamsaka. They are both long but good. I myself chant the "Heart Sutra" once a day. Does not take very long and it tends to remind me of who *I* am. I do chant it in english. It promotes a mantra as well Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha! My translation is Gone. Gone. Gone to the other shore. Everything thus gone. Enlightenment Awake! In Summery: I think Mantras are fine. I think Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is fine. Having read the Lotus Sutra would probably help one who chants "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo". I know several who chant this and have not read the Sutra. Chanting this in order to obtain a raise at work or drugs or a car or whatever seems to be an exorcise in grasping and greed. dave