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What is Practice?
Practice:
actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it
To practice:
perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency carry out or perform (a particular activity, method, or custom) habitually or regularly
The basic objective of any practice is to get better at something The purpose of a Buddhist practice is to become better in building a happy life for yourself and those around you.
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When Buddhists know that hard times, stress or difficulties are coming, they deliberately intensify their practice to obtain a greater resilience, wisdom and self-confidence to be able to see their way through. People use the practice as an additional asset available to them.
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Chanting is the act of the determination itself. It is the driving force, the engine, which supports the change we are looking for.
No set time to chant, no set period of chanting. Entirely up to the individual. The practice is immensely flexible. Shape to be fit in with the demands of the modern life. The key element is the REGULARITY. Just as we need to refuel our bodies with meals, this is regular refreshment of our spiritual resources.
While Chanting
What do we think about when we chant?
Intention is to become one with the rhythm of chanting, listen to the sound, feel the vibration, enjoy the moment, give the sound your full attention
People rarely start chanting because they want to save the planet, but for personal reasons - a better house, job, health, financial security, a happy and successful day, etc. The common experience is that the very process of chanting begins to broaden and deepen our view. Although these desires may remain, they begin to include our friends, neighbours, workplace, community, humanity.
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Study
Buddhists study wide range of things from the letters and other writings of Nichiren Daishonin itself, to commentaries of Buddhist scholars and accounts of the individual Buddhists on the way the practice has changed their lives. This is not an intellectual practice. The study is not about acquiring knowledge in the egocentric way, as an end in itself. Its about deeping ones understanding of the principals that form the practice. Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study there is no Buddhism- Nichiren
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Daimoku - Title
Lotus Sutra title in Sanskrit - Saddharmapundarikasutra = Sutra of the Wonderful Law of Lotus Flower Translated in Classic Chinese - Miao-fa Lien-hua Ching Buddhism and Sutras propagated to Japan through Korea, kept its Classic Chinese writing, was pronounced according to Japanese phonetics - Myoho Renge Kyo The word Nam added by Nichiren, which means to devote ones life to Literal translation of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo - I devote my life to the Wonderful Law of the Lotus Sutra Nichiren describes it as the Universal Law of Life that expresses the relationship between human life and the entire Universe Each character contains a Universe of thoughts, Chinese is very concise language with each pictogram carrying many meanings.
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Other Meanings
I devote myself to bring out the best of me and those who are around me I devote myself to sending the energy to:
transform darkness (Ho) into light (Myo), sickness into health, worry into joy, etc. by means of "Renge" - the Absolute Law of Cause and Effect using "Kyo" which is sound, vibration, the energy, frequency of the ultimate reality.
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NAM
Nam (shortened from Namu) comes from Sanskrit word namas commonly translated as to devote oneself to. It has very wide range of meanings, some of them:
To summon up To awaken To draw force To make great effort
Why is knowing about these different meanings helpful? They express differences in our approach or in our state of mind when we are chanting at different times. Facing the crisis, we may think of summoning up or making great effort rather then just awakening.
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MyoHo
MyoHo describes a relationship between the very essence of life and millions of physical forms in which this life force manifest. The LAW is the relation between Myo and Ho. Myo is the name given to the mystic nature of life and Ho - to its manifestations
Myo - unseen or spiritual element Ho - tangible physical manifestation that we can perceive with our senses
In Buddhism, all things, all phenomena have a Myo aspect and a Ho aspect - different but inseparable.
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Examples of MyoHo
Music: Ho - written notes and sound (vibrations), Myo - effect of music on our hearts 10 worlds: Myo - World of Buddhahood, Ho - 9 Worlds Myo - death (existence between lives), Ho - life Myo - enlightenment, Ho - fundamental darkness Myo - our mind and spiritual aspect, Ho - our physical aspect
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CHU
KE
KU
Renge
Renge means Lotus Flower. It has a particular meaning in Buddhism It is a plant with beautiful flower that grows and flourishes most strongly in muddy environments
It is taken to symbolise a great potential locked up in every human life. A promise that we can build strong, positive and flourishing lives however difficult are circumstances and environment we find ourselves
Lotus flower carries blossoms and seeds at the same time, simultaneously
Symbolise one of the fundamental and most important principles in Buddhism - simultaneity of cause and effect. It argues that every cause we make plants a balancing effects in our lives, which sooner or later will be manifested.
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Kyo
Kyo - many meanings (again) Literal translation is Sutra or teaching of the Buddha It also means - vibration or sound In Chinese Kyo originally meant the warp or thread that links all together, symbolizing the continuity of life throughout past, present and future.
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Conclusion
The practice (study, chanting and action) is necessary to keep staying on track When we do not advance, we retrocede. We cant achieve a point and stay there for all our lives. If we dont go forward, we will fall back. Nichiren said that chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is like a roar of a lion. It is a manifestation of the determination. Nichiren was in many ways a modernist and this practice was fashioned specifically for the ordinary people no matter where and when they are inhabit. It is needed in busy everyday lives in order to grab peoples attention to enable them to understand that in the very midst of life difficulties it is possible to have lives of unlimited optimism and resilience, and yes, great happiness too. It is a method of achieving a happier life for ourselves and people around us.
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