SGI UofT Buddhist Club
Chanting, or reciting the title of the Lotus Sutra, is the essential daily practice in Nichiren Buddhism. It is to repeatedly recite the phrase " Nam Myoho Renge Kyo", which literally means "Devotion to the mystic law of Lotus Sutra".
When we are facing daunting challenges, we can overcome our worries or anxieties through chanting. Chanting can elevate our life conditions, tune the inner tenants of our lives in harmony with the vast universe, and thus activate the inherent potential within our lives. With strong life force and wisdom, we can courageously tackle problems with wise, concrete actions. Through regular practice of chanting, we can refine our characters, cultivate immense wisdom and compassions, and accumulate fortunes inherent to our lives.
Welcome to join us in exploring the inner realm our spirituality through chanting.
Quotes:
"When deluded, one is called an ordinary being, but when enlightened, one is called a Buddha. This is similar
to a tarnished mirror that will shine like a jewel when polished. A mind now clouded by the illusions of the
innate darkness of life is like a tarnished mirror, but when polished. it is sure to become like a clear
mirror, reflecting the essential nature of phenomena and the true aspect of reality. Arouse deep faith, and
diligently polish your mirror day and night. How should you polish it? Only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
- From "
On Attaining Buddhahood in this Lifetime",
Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Supplementary Information:
"Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, the phrase we chant, is the Japanese pronounciation of seven Chinese characters, which
literally means "Devotion to the Mystic Law of Lotus Sutra". Lotus Sutra is the teaching of
Shakyamuni in his final years, and is the zenith of buddhist teachings. It reveals that every
human beings without exception has the potential to achieve the highest level of life condition,
a term called "Buddhahood".
Nichrien Daishonin
further teaches that the way to achieve this
condition is through chanting of the "title of the Lotus Sutra (daimoku)", which contains the
essence of the entire sutra and is a practice that every people, regardless of races, ages, genders
are all capable to perform, and this is in accord with the spirit of equality that is at the core
of the Lotus Sutra, and Buddhism in general.
Chanting can also be considered as an active form of meditation, a ceremony in which we tune our
inner spirituality in harmony with the ultimate law of the universe. We utilize most of our senses, as we chant
aloud with eyes open and observe our own voices, thus situating ourselves fully within
the external environment, while exercising self-control in elevating our spirituality. As
we immerse into chanting, our deeper levels of consciosuness are invoked, and thus fully
realizing the "oneness of our minds and the environment", as elucidated in Buddhist teachings.
Through this practice, we can distill our lives, elevate our life conditions and project our
spirtiual strengths into day-to-day matters of external realities, thus realizing our full
potential and fullfilling our missions to the benefits of ourselves and other people.
Buddhist Chanting
Experience a spiritual practice that can tangibly advance our lives