BUDDHISM

Recite

Not only reading the Sutra with your eyes but reciting it with a loud voice is another practice. We usually recite Chapter 2 (Hoben-pon) and Chapter 16 (Jigage) at temple services and at our daily family service in our homes. The reason why these two chapters are recited most often is the two chapters expound the most important teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Chapter 2 expounds that everyone is able to become a Buddha, and Chapter 16 expounds that Sakyamuni Buddha's life is eternal. But even if you recite other chapters of the Sutra besides Chapters 2 and 16, it is also great reciting practice because every single letter of the Lotus Sutra is as valuable as the Buddha himself.

Explain

Next, when you achieve understanding of the Sutra, do not keep the merit in yourself only but try to transfer what you learn from the Sutra to your family, friends and people around you. It is said in the Lotus Sutra that by being transferred, one after another, the merit that the fiftieth person receives is as great as the first one receives.

Copy

And there is a practice of copying the Sutra. You may copy the Lotus Sutra in Kanji characters or in English. Nichiren Shu is promoting a practice of copying Odaimoku.

The Buddhist Practice for Our Time

Our founder, Nichiren Shonin aimed to save people living in this defiled time of Mappo, the Declining Latter Age of the Dharma. He appealed to them to take a good medicine, Odaimoku, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. Odaimoku was left by the Eternal Buddha for people of the Mappo and was revealed by Nichiren Shonin from the bottom of the scriptures of the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren Shonin wrote in “Kanjin Honzon Sho,”

“All the good deeds and virtues of the Buddha Sakyamuni are manifested in the title of the Lotus Sutra, that is, in the five letters: ‘Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo.’ However sinful we may be, we shall be naturally endowed with all the deeds and virtues of the Buddha if we adhere to these five letters.”

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