Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gXvHOW5BGQ

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Key Points / Summary:

1. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is the essence of Buddhism and the fundemental law that pervades the entire universe and all life.
2. Perceived by Nichiren Daishonin for resolving the suffering of all humanity.
3. Nichiren Daishonin since early days had a very high seeking spirit and made a mission to study Buddhist scripture to find the real truth and true aspect of all phenomenon.
4. He kept on researching and studying and after 20 years of extensive study, He came to the conclusion that Lotus Sutra is the supreme teaching of Gautam Buddha and the essence or benefits of Lotus Sutra can be obtained by chanting the title of Lotus Sutra.
5. He put “Nam” before the title of Lotus Sutra. Nam means devotion, respectful and that’s how the mantra “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” came into existence.
6. the law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the essential principle, or means, for attaining Buddhahood.
7. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the enlightened life state of Buddhahood, or true identity, of Nichiren Daishonin.
8. When we chant Nam myoho renge kyo with faith, we can manifest the life state of Buddhahood.
9. Nichiren Daishonin made Gohonzon for our Buddhist practice so that we ordinary people can manifest Nam myoho Renge Kyo in our lives and attain Buddhahood
10. When we believe in Gohonzon and accepting that it is inherent in our own lives, we can tap the mystic law that resides within us and manifest our inherent Buddhahood.
11. We can bring forth in our lives wonderful benefit and good fortune and triumph over hardships through our practice of the mystic law.

Meaning of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Let's look into each element of Mantra and understand its meaning.

Nam

1. Nam word as already discussed, means to devote onself, be respectful

Myoho

1. Myo is the mystic nature of life which is unseen, or latent which is beyond intellectual understanding
2. 'Myo' also corresponds to the enlightened world of Buddhahood, to open, to revive, and to be fully endowed with the qualities we need to develop our lives
3. ho refers to tangible phenomena which are concrete, manifest and visible is the manifestation of it.
4. ho' corresponds to the other nine worlds which, unless they are experienced from the perspective of Buddhahood, are a source of delusion and fundamental darkness.

Thus, combining Myo and ho i.e. Myoho, expresses both the enlightened nature of a Buddha and the deluded nature of an ordinary person, and the fact that they are essentially one.

Renge

1. Renge means lotus flower that has the unique property of blooming and seeding at the same time.
2. This bloom and seed signify the laws of cause and effect.
3. As soon as the cause is created, the effect is also seeded then and there only. Blooming i.e. Cause can be seen however seeding i.e. effects are unseen currently but rest assured that this seed will sprout sooner or later.
4. Also, Lotus also symbolises the power inherent in all human beings.
5. Just like Lotus can bloom in muddy water, similar we can bloom and be prosperous amid difficult circumstances and challenges.

Kyo

1. Kyo means Sutra, Voice or teaching of the Buddha.

So in literal sense, if I combine Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, it states that I devote my life to mystic law of cause and effect that permeates all life and throughout eternity