Morning and Evening Services at Home

The most important practice at your home is morning and evening services. At the morning service, let us pray to the Buddha and Nichiren Shonin for our family’s safety and best effort on their work and school, doing good deeds following the Dharma and contributing to other people in the community. At evening service, let us show our appreciation for our family's safety on that day.

One example of home service is as follows (This is the same basic format that may be used for regular services at your local Temple):

• Invocation: (Invitation to the Buddha, Dharma and Samgha to be present at this service)
• Kaikyoge: (Verses for Opening the Sutra)
• Sutra Recitation: Lotus Sutra, Chapter 2 (Hoben-pon)
• Sutra Recitation: Lotus Sutra, Chapter 16, Juryo-hon (Jigage)
• Chanting Odaimoku: Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
• Hotoge: (the difficulty in keeping this Sutra)
• Prayer
• Four Great Vows:
  Sentient beings are innumerable; I vow to save them all.
  Our evil desires are inexhaustible; I vow to quench them all.
  The Buddha's teachings are immeasurable; I vow to study them all.
  The way of the Buddha is unexcelled; I vow to attain the path sublime.

Chapter 2 (Hoben-pon) and Chapter 16 (Jigage) are recited the most frequently; however, you may recite Chapter 12 Daibadatta-hon, the whole of Chapter 16, Chapter 21 Jinriki-hon (whole or just the gatha) or Chapter 25 (Kannon-gyo). Furthermore, it is a great practice to recite the whole Lotus Sutra from beginning to end, little by little every day. Select the chapters you wish to read.