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Nam Myoho-Renge-Kyo: The Mystic Invocation

THE MEANING OF NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO
from Basics Of Buddhism by Pat Allwright

Nichiren Daishonin first declared Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on the 28th of April 1253. He had entered the priesthood at the age of fifteen, with the devoted aim of finding the ultimate teaching of Buddhism. He attained enlightenment through his own efforts and continued his studies so that he could find a way of making this wonderful state of life available to everyone.

After sixteen years of studying the sutras, Nichiren Daishonin declared that the Lotus Sutra contains the ultimate Buddhist teaching: namely, that everyone without exception has the potential to be a Buddha and that life is eternal. Further, the essence of these teachings is contained within the sutra's title. As he says in one of his letters:

“Included within the word Japan is all that is within the country's sixty-six provinces: all of the people and animals, the rice paddies and other fields, those of high and low status, the nobles and the commoners, the seven kinds of gems and all other treasures. Similarly, included within the title, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, is the entire sutra consisting of all eight volumes, twenty-eight chapters and 69,384 characters without exception... Everything has its essential point and the heart of the Lotus Sutra is its title, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.”
The title of the Lotus Sutra in Chinese characters is Myoho-renge-kyo. Chinese characters are pictorial; they encapsulate the essence of a concept, making this the most suitable language for the concise expression of profound principles. The word nam derives from Sanskrit and means “to devote.” Literally, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo could be translated as “Devotion to the Sutra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wonderful Law.”

To Nichiren Daishonin, Myoho-renge-kyo was far more than the tide of a Buddhist text. It is the expression of the ultimate truth to which he was enlightened. It is the true entity of all phenomena, the Buddha nature inherent in all life, sentient and insentient. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enables us to fuse our lives with the ultimate law and immediately manifest enlightenment.

Myoho
Myoho means Mystic Law. It is called mystic (myo) because it is difficult to discern. Ho means all phenomena. Myoho means that all phenomena and the ultimate law are one. As stated in “On Attaining Buddhahood:”

“What then does myo signify? It is simply the mysterious nature of our lives from moment to moment, which the mind cannot comprehend nor words express. When you look into your own mind at any moment, you perceive neither color nor form to verify that it exists. Yet you still cannot say it does not exist, for many differing thoughts continually occur to you. Life is indeed an elusive reality that transcends both the words and concepts of existence and non-existence. It is neither existence nor non-existence, yet exhibits the qualities of both. It is the mystic entity of the middle way that is the reality of all things. Myo is the name given to the mystic nature of life, and ho to its manifestations.  — Major Writings, Vol. 1, p. 5
The word mystic, then, has nothing to do with otherworldly experiences. Rather, an enlightened person is able to perceive the oneness of the ultimate reality (myo) and everyday life (ho). If we live based only on ho — all phenomena, or changing circumstances — we are confused and deluded. Enlightenment is signified by myo — the perception of the true nature of universal life. However, myo and ho are inseparable. This oneness is what is meant by the middle way. There is no fundamental distinction between enlightenment (myo) and delusion (ho), it just depends on whether we are seeing the whole picture.

In the same vein, myoho also means life (ho) and death (myo); seen (ho) and unseen (myo); manifest (ho) and latent (myo). These aspects of life are two phases of the universal law. We have difficulty grasping the whole picture because of the unseen, latent phase.

Myo has three more meanings: to open, to be endowed and perfect, and to revive. Opening refers to the energy, inherent in the universe, to create life. It also means the potential to open up one's life to reveal Buddhahood, thereby overcoming illusion. To be endowed and perfect means that every element of life contains the whole within itself; myo contains all truths and encompasses all phenomena. To revive refers to the regenerative force of nature. It also indicates that anyone, however deluded, has the capacity to awaken to his or her Buddha nature.

It is possible to see from this short explanation that the meanings of myoho expand ever outwards to encompass all laws and all phenomena. This is also the case for the other characters in Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Ultimately, this phrase contains all Buddhist philosophy.

Renge
Renge literally means lotus flower. It indicates the simultaneity of cause and effect. This is because the lotus produces seeds and flowers at the same time. The lotus was also traditionally respected throughout the east for its auspicious qualities. It appeared frequently in paintings and literature, indicating purity, longevity and fertility as well as beauty. In the same way as Myoho-renge-kyo goes far beyond just a title, renge goes far beyond being the name of a flower. It is the law of the simultaneity of cause and effect. Nichiren Daishonin wrote:

“The supreme principle was originally without a name. When the sage was observing the principle and assigning names to all things, he perceived that there is this wonderful single law (myoho) which simultaneously possesses both cause and effect (renge), and he named it myoho-renge. This single law that is myoho-renge encompasses within it all the phenomena comprising the ten states and the three thousand realms, and is lacking in none of them. Anyone who practises this law will obtain both the cause and the effect of Buddhahood simultaneously.”            —Major Writings, Vol. 7, pp. 65-66
This means that when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (cause) the state of Buddhahood (effect) immediately wells up from within us. This simultaneity of cause and effect is very important. In earlier forms of Buddhism, the effects of various practices were thought to emerge much later, even in a future lifetime. Perhaps because of these earlier Buddhist teachings, people tend to think that the law of cause and effect, karma, is fatalistic.

However, the way in which our individual karma manifests itself depends on our life-state at each moment. At each moment we determine the future. As we experience Buddhahood more and more, the entire network of causes and effects which makes up our individual karma is dramatically transformed. Those things which induced suffering in the past work to enhance our development as human beings, now based one enlightenment rather than illusion.

Another important feature of the lotus is that it blooms from muddy swamps, showing that beauty can emerge from the darkest of places. In Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, we do not remove ourselves from the difficult realities of ordinary life. On the contrary, we plunge into them as a source of nutrition for our growth, just as the swamp nourishes the lotus flower Naturally, the lotus does not reject the swamp because it is muddy. On the contrary, it thrives vigorously, “enjoying” itself. Likewise, we enjoy our relationship with our environment when we are in the state of Buddhahood.

Kyo
Kyo means sutra, or teaching; it can also be interpreted to mean sound. Nichiren Daishonin said, “Kyo means the words and speech, sound and voices of all living beings.” (Nichiren Daishonin Gosho Zenshu, p. 708) This indicates that the ultimate law to which the Buddha is enlightened is inherent in all living beings.

Kyo originally meant the warp of a length of cloth, summoning up the image of continuity. The Buddhist teachings are passed on through past, present and future. It therefore also means the eternity of life. A Buddha's enlightenment is expressed through the voice of his teachings and the truth to which he is enlightened is eternal. Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we too become enlightened to this truth. We awaken to the eternal aspect of our own lives which transcends the changes ofthe physical world and the cycle of birth and death.

Nam
Nam is the way we relate to the law of Myoho-renge-kyo. Nam is derived phonetically from Sanskrit and is a word of invocation. Nichiren Daishonin explains that it means the devotion of body and mind. When we chant, we concentrate both our bodies and minds. Action is most important. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo contains many depths of meaning that we can study and that inspire us. However it is the action of chanting which activates Buddhahood, even if we understand nothing. Nichiren Daishonin says:

“Those who chant Myoho-renge-kyo, the title of the Lotus Sutra, even without understanding its meaning, realize not only the heart of the Lotus Sutra, but also the essence of all the Buddha's teachings.”   —Major Writings, Vol. 3, p. 246
Nam is a two-way communication. When chanting, we “return” our lives to the unchanging eternal truth. We can then deal with the changing circumstances of life using the wisdom of Buddhahood. With this regular “returning” rhythm, we are able to live based on our instrinsic enlightened nature.

There is nothing in our changing circumstances which is guaranteed to bring us lasting happiness. A career and a family can just as easily be sources of suffering as sources of joy. Enlightenment means that we are united with the rhythm of the entire universe, able to live with freedom and joy, whatever the uncertainties of our daily lives.

Myoho-renge-kyo is the king of sutras, flawless in both letter and principle. Its words are the reality of life, and the reality of life is the mystic law (myoho). It is called the mystic law because it explains the mutually inclusive relationship of life and all phenomena. That is why this sutra is the wisdom of all Buddhas. (Major Writings, Vol. 1, p. 3)