Study Material with a South Asian flair 

1. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo: The ultimate Law permeating all phenomena in the universe. Myoho-renge-kyo is the title and essence of the Lotus Sutra, the highest of Shakyamuni's teachings, as translated from Sanskrit into ancient Chinese characters. Myoho means mystic law, renge — cause and effect, (also lotus flower), kyo — sound. Nichiren Daishonin placed "Nam," a Sanskrit word meaning 'devotion', in front of these characters; so that in simple terms ‘Nam-myoho-renge-kyo’ means devotion to the mystic Law of cause and effect thru sound.  

2. Nichiren: The founder of Buddhism upon which the SGI bases its activities. He inscribed the Gohonzon, and established the invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.  

3. Nichiren Daishonin's personal seal (Zai gohan). 

4. Protection from the North — Dai Bishamon-tenno — Great Heavenly King Vaishravana (Skt.): Translates as the great heavenly king of knowledge and wealth.  

5. Good Fortune — (U kuyo sha fuku ka jugo): Those who make offerings will gain good fortune. Making offerings means to respect and praise.  

6. Happiness — (Namu Anryugyo Bosatsu) Bodhisattva Firmly Established Practices — (Skt. Supratishthitacharitra): One of the four bodhisattvas who leads in the direction of peace and happiness. He has all the powers of the element "Earth": nourishing and peace abiding. He represents the unshakable state of life filled with joy. 

7. Purity — (Namu Jyogyo Bosatsu) — Bodhisattva Pure Practices (Skt. Vishuddhacharitra): One of the four Bodhisattvas who represents purity; the pure state of life that is never swayed by circumstances. He has the powers of the element "Water" to wash away filth and reveal that which is real. 

8. Gautam (Shakyamuni) Buddha (Namu Shakamuni-butsu): The first recorded Buddha and founder of Buddhism, born about 2,500 years ago.  He indicates the subjective wisdom of life.  

9. Taho Buddha — (Namu Taho Nyorai) — Many Treasures Thus Come One (Skt. Prabhutaratna Tathagata): Buddha who appears, seated within the Treasure Tower, at the Ceremony in the Air to bear witness to the truth of Shakyamuni's teachings in the Lotus Sutra.  Taho indicates the objective reality of life. In the Gohonzon Taho is seated across from and facing Shakyamuni Buddha and together they represent the fusion of subjective wisdom and objective reality. 

10.  True Self — (Namu Jogyo Bosatsu) — Bodhisattva Superior Practices (Skt. Vishishtacharitra): He is the original Buddha of Kuan Ganjo who appeared in latter day of the law. He represents the element of "Fire," because like fire he is always rising above the median and has all powers of fire including illumination.  

11. Eternity — (Namu Muhengyo Bosatsu) — Bodhisattva Boundless Practices (Skt. Anantacharitra): One of the four bodhisattvas who lead the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Muhengyo literally means no boundary and represents eternity. He has all the power of the element "Wind” and blows away impurities. 

12. Misfortune — (Nyaku noran sha zu ha shichibun) — Those who slander (vex and trouble) [the practitioners of the Law] will have their heads split into seven pieces.  

13. Protection from the East — (Dai Jikoku-tenno) — Great Heavenly King Upholder of the Nation (Skt. Dhritarashtra): He teaches us to be responsible and dutiful. He reminds us to seek the middle way and represents harmony in life.  

14. Earthly desires are enlightenment — (Aizen-myo'o) — Wisdom King Craving Filled (Skt. Ragaraja): A Buddhist deity who is said to purify people's earthly desires and free them from illusions and the sufferings accruing from earthly desires. His name is inscribed in Siddham, a medieval Sanskrit orthography, it signifies the principle that "earthly desires are enlightenment." We use the energy of single minded desire to reveal our enlightenment. 

15. Stars — (Dai Myojo-tenno) — Great Heavenly King Stars, or the god of stars.  

16. Moon — (Dai Gattenno) — Great Heavenly King Moon, or the God of the moon. The god of the moon is the vedic god of the moon. It represents the universal purity of the Buddha nature which cools the passions and removes the three poisons.  

17. Indra/Shakra — (Taishaku-tenno) — Heavenly King Shakra (also known as Heavenly King Indra) is the God of thunder and lighting, the bringer of rain, the most powerful of the gods in the realm of desire, and the leader in the fight against fighting demons. Indra is also well known for his net. The Net of Indra is said to cover the universe and contains jewels in each of its interstices which reflect on one another. This is the model for the interdependent nature of all phenomena according to the Buddha’s teachings. 

18. Brahma — (Dai Bontenno) — Great Heavenly King Brahma: In Indian mythology, he was regarded as the personification of the fundamental universal principle (Brahman). Great King  Brahma is believed to be the eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, and the creator of the world. He is the first member of the trimurti, which represents the three modes of material nature: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.  

19. Devadatta — (Dai Rokuten no Mao) — Devil King of the Sixth Heaven: He is a symbol of lust for power. He works to obstruct Buddhist practice and delights in sapping the life force. He represents the world of enlightenment in the world of hell. The devil king of the sixth heaven refers to those things in life which tempt us to forget about Buddhist practice and live only for worldly goals and aspirations. He personifies all those people, situations, obstacles and inner impulses which attempt or threaten us to forsake Buddhism. 

20. The Sun — (Dai Nittenno) — Great Heavenly King Sun, or the God of the Sun: Vedic God of the Sun represents bodhicitta, the aspiration to attain enlightenment for all sentient beings. 

21. Achala — (Fudo-myo'o) — Wisdom King Immovable (Skt. Achala): A Buddhist deity who serves practitioners by defeating the obstacles and evils that hinder Buddhist practice. It is said that he enters into a flame-emitting meditation in which he exudes flames that destroy all karmic hindrances.  
Note: 14 and 21 are the only characters written in the sound language of sidham, and together they make the sound Ho + Ham = ‘Oam, which is a sacred sound encompassing all other sounds.  

22. Non-Human Beings — (Hachi Dairyuo) — Eight Great Dragon Kings: Kings of the dragons said to live at the bottom of the sea. the Great Dragon King (Skt. Sagara). This represents his 8-year-old daughter as well. She proves that women can also attain enlightenment. She also represents the concept of attaining enlightenment in one's present form (as you are). 

23. Dengyo — (Dengyo Daishi) — Great Teacher Dengyo: The founder of the Tendai sect in Japan. Gyo at the end of his name means activity or practice. It is the same gyo used in gongyo. 

24. Ten Demon Daughters — (Jurasetsunyo) — (Skt. Rakshasi): The ten daughters of the female demon Kishimojin (Skt. Hariti) are also called the ten Goddesses. They are the protectors of mothers and children. They vowed to protect the votaries of the lotus sutra.  

25. Kishimojin — Mother of Demon Children (Skt. Hariti):  A female demon, said to have been a daughter of a yaksha demon in Rajagriha, India. The mother of ten demons or goddesses. She bestows blessings on children and is the goddess of easy childbirth. 

26. T'ien-t'ai — (Tendai Daishi): The founder of the Chinese T'ien-t'ai school, he is commonly referred to as the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai. 

27. Protection from the South — (Dai Zojo-tenno) — Great Heavenly King Increase and Growth (Skt. Virudhaka): He can increase people’s wisdom.  

28. Hachiman — (Hachiman Dai Bosatsu) — Great Bodhisattva Hachiman: One of the main deities in Japanese mythology, along with Tensho Daijin (Sun Goddess). He promotes abundant crops with the establishment of the true law. 

29. I respectfully transcribed this — (Kore o shosha shi tatematsuru): "I respectfully transcribed this." I generally refers to the high priest who transcribed the Gohonzon.  

30. Nichikan, personal seal — Signature of the high priest who transcribed this Gohonzon, in this case, 26th high priest Nichikan, consisting of his name and personal seal.  

31. Sun Goddess — (Tensho-daijin): Nichiren Daishonin views Tensho Daijin as a protector of the prosperity of those people who have faith in the Law.  

32. This Mandala never before appeared — (Butsumetsugo ni-sen ni-hyaku san-ju yo nen no aida ichienbudai no uchi mizou no dai-mandara nari): Never in 2,230-some years since the passing of the Buddha has this great mandala appeared in the world.  

33. Protection from the West — (Dai Komoku-tenno) — Great Heavenly King Wide-Eyed (Skt. Virupaksha): He protects the western continent. With his divine eyesight, he is said to discern evil and punish those who do evil deeds. He symbolizes being flexible and wise enough to deal with life. His special eyesight enables him to accurately perceive the nature of the world. 

34. June 13, 1720, cyclical sign kanoe-ne — Kyoho go-ren roku-gatsu jusan-nichi: The date the original Gohonzon was transcribed by Nichikan Shonin.  

*The four elements-earth, water, fire and wind — represent the fundamental forces that comprise the Universe. They make up both our external world, or our environment, and the internal world of our bodies. Earth is mountains, rocks, stones and sand; in our bodies it is skin, hair, nails, teeth and bones. Water is the rivers and seas — our blood and other bodily fluids. Fire is the tremendous heat generated beneath the earth’s surface which causes volcanoes to erupt; in our bodies it is temperature and digestion. Wind is the fluidity of the air; our respiration and metabolism. 
 

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