Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism

How to Practice it Independently

Nichiren Daishonin, 1222-1282 A.D.

Introduction

This document is designed to give those interested in Nichiren Buddhism everything they need to practice, all in one place. Both theory and actual practice are described thoroughly and concisely. The document is only 74 pages long. With what is in this document, you can practice Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism independently, without belonging to any of the sectarian organizations. Here is a summary of the information found in this document, in order of appearance:

The author’s personal testimonial.
A discussion of the benefits of practicing Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.
How Nichiren Buddhism is practiced in the United States.
Ten advantages of practicing independently.
Ichinen Sanzen (3000 Realms in a Single Moment of Life).
Reincarnation and Karma.
9 Levels of Consciousness.
Bonno Soku Bodai (Earthly Desires Transforming into Enlightenment).
Hendoku Iyaku (Poison Transforming into Medicine).
Shikishin Funi (Oneness of Body and Mind).
Esho Funi (Oneness of Self and Environment).
The mantra (repeated phrase): Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. (Includes a link to a site where you can play a sound file of the mantra).
The mandala (sacred object) – the Gohonzon.
Eye-Opening Ceremony for new Gohonzons
A download link for the Nichikan Gohonzon distributed by the SGI.
A link to a web site where you can download other Gohonzons, inscribed by Nichiren himself.
The Lotus Sutra – including an English translation of the Hoben and Juryo Chapter excerpts chanted by believers.
The Silent Prayers.
The practice for oneself (Gongyo) – including an illustration of a butsudan and an altar.
The practice for others.
A link to an online forum for independent Nichiren Buddhists.
Study – including a link to the writings of Nichiren Daishonin (Gosho).
Faith.
A link to downloadable sound files of people chanting the sutra slowly.
A complete Liturgy for doing Gongyo (morning and evening chanting).
A Glossary.

The Author’s Personal Testimonial

Gerry

Hello. My name is Gerry Aitken. I was born in 1954. I grew up in a suburb of New York City. Throughout grammar school, middle school and the first two years of high school, I was frequently bullied, including being physically manhandled. This did not stop until I took up karate in my junior year high school. I have practiced karate ever since then.

My success in defending myself in the latter years of high school gave me an animalistic world view. I felt that force was the prime motivator of life, that the strong survive, the weak perish, and that there is no room in life for compassion. I was now “strong”, and I was never going to be “weak” again.

Fortunately for me, in my first few years of college in the early seventies, the TV show “Kung Fu” with David Carradine was popular (the original version of the show). From watching this I learned that martial arts and Buddhism had a connection. Then I started reading, and I found out that Bodhidharma (Daruma) is the founder not only of Kung Fu but also of Ch’an (Zen) Buddhism. While reading up on all this, I was isolated in the suburbs of New York, at home with my parents. But I made up my mind that in September, when I returned to Baltimore to do my senior year at Johns Hopkins, I was going to find a Zen Buddhist center and learn to meditate.

However, in September, my karate instructor, Mark Spencer, told me that he was practicing Nichiren Buddhism, and he recommended I do that rather than Zen. Based on the trust I had for Mark personally, I took his advice and made the first moves in my Nichiren Buddhist practice.

Practicing Nichiren Buddhism changed my compassionless view of life. My fellow Buddhists consistently showed concern for my happiness and took good care of me, teaching me the basics of Buddhism. This inspired me to start having compassion and kindness myself. Eventually, I was transformed – from a worshipper of force to a humanistic person.

I learned to cope with my past (being bullied) by chanting a lot, studying Buddhism, and sharing Buddhism with others (I introduced several people). I also taught karate in the 1980s. Teaching it – helping others learn to defend themselves – was very therapeutic for me. I also did work in the security field, and it was likewise very therapeutic for me to work protecting people, property, and information. In the 1990s I developed a large collection of plastic toy soldiers and museum quality military miniatures. I stage rubber band gun battles with the plastic toy soldiers, a harmless way to sublimate anger.

Today the years when I was bullied are just a dim, distant memory. That experience no longer holds back my happiness.

Manifesting my Buddha Nature by practicing Nichiren Buddhism has given me an uncanny affinity with animals. I have three happy cats. I have also saved eight stray cats and one stray dog – by feeding them, getting to know them, then taking them to a no-kill shelter where every one was eventually adopted.

My Buddhist practice has always given me money, job benefits, cars, insurance, housing, medical care, and other material things. I had to work for all these things, but by practicing Buddhism my efforts bore fruit consistently.

I have also been protected dramatically in two car accidents (the other party’s fault) and two self defense situations (which I was able to resolve without serious injury to either party, and with humane dialogue being the final outcome).

My physical health is very good, and always has been. I have never had any diseases, and I very seldom catch a cold. I attribute this to my Buddhist practice, as well as to a common sense lifestyle (good diet, enough sleep, exercise, annual checkups).

When I am chanting sincerely about some problem or goal, I find I become more creative. I am in the process of coding 100 Windows software programs, and when they are all done I plan to sell them on another web site. Most of the 100 programs are small. All 100 of these programs are new and unique – they’ve never been done before as application software. There are really only 19 core ideas – the other 81 programs are variations on the core ideas. Still, 19 new software ideas is quite a feat of creativity. I got the 19 ideas gradually, a few at a time, at times when I was chanting seriously about something unrelated.

One of the biggest benefits I get from being a Nichiren Buddhist is having an internal locus of control. For example, if I have a difficult boss, I know from studying Buddhism that I must change first, rather than waiting for my boss to change. By changing myself, I can eventually win over my boss or get a better boss.

Another benefit I get from practicing Nichiren Buddhism is accountability. I am taught that everything I do comes back to me, so it is in my own interest to make good causes and avoid doing bad things. Thus, I have a practical reason to try to be a good person.

Another benefit is that the fear of death is eliminated. I firmly believe in reincarnation, so when death comes (hopefully in advanced old age), I can face it with serenity.

Indeed, serenity is my biggest benefit right now, day to day. I know that I can tackle any obstacle and turn it around into an impetus for my growth, changing poison into medicine.

Why practice Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism?

Practicing Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism will make you happy, secure and prosperous. It will make you more enlightened. It will let you become one with the Universal Law.

In practical terms, what does it mean to be “one with the Universal Law”? The answer is nothing remarkable. Here is a list of hints and clues:

Enjoying life’s challenges, not only the smooth times. Turning every obstacle into an impetus for personal growth. Turning one’s sufferings into one’s mission – the mission to overcome the suffering in order to be encouraging to others faced with similar circumstances.

Achieving a balance in daily life. More appreciation. More determination. More optimism. More energy. Better relationships. Caring more about others. Respecting other people more. Respecting other life-affirming religions and their practitioners.

Being law abiding. Not needing to be a substance abuser. Being ethical - but, from enthusiasm to do the right thing, not from guilt. Standing up with integrity even in the face of workplace politics and discrepancies. At the same time, experiencing uncanny protection in one’s work environment - as well as one’s social and natural environment.

Respecting the natural environment. Respecting animals - being kind to them, and without condescension. Realizing that just because it’s a bug, it doesn’t thereby automatically deserve to die (people should nevertheless protect their homes from infestations).

Some people may express more enlightenment by becoming vegetarians. Others by eating less meat than before, and by avoiding meats where the animals are raised inhumanely.

Some people may express more enlightenment by refraining from hunting. Others may express more enlightenment by hunting more carefully - taking pains to become a good woodsman and marksman, so as to make the kill swiftly and surely. Feeling genuine gratitude for the sacrifice made by the quarry. Hunting primarily for meat to be eaten, not explicitly for trophies. Feeling sincerely good about the conservation role of hunting - thinning herds to prevent mass starvation.

(In this sect we have no Precepts or specific rules of conduct. Behavioral improvements do happen, but they arise from one’s growing inner enlightenment, and are undertaken voluntarily. That’s because we believe external codes of conduct cannot lead to lasting changes; in the long run, people must become internally persuaded to do better, of their own volition.)

Cherishing life is a sign of increasing oneness with the Universal Law. And being less afraid of death is an indication of increasing enlightenment. Cherishing life more and fearing death less, are two improvements that tend to develop together.

Oneness with the Universal Law also means living a natural lifestyle - living as nature intended us to. Such as rising in the morning, working all day, and sleeping at night (of course, some people have to work the night shift).

When a young couple is suddenly faced with an unexpected pregnancy and they are barely able financially to support a child, being one with the universal law means accepting the challenge to struggle to upgrade their finances, and having the child despite all difficulties. This shows respect for the sanctity of human life, which is part of being one with the universal law. On the other hand, if the couple takes the easy way out and has an abortion, that is slandering the universal law, because it is showing contempt for human life.

Other signs of being one with the Universal Law: Being self restrained when necessary. Having exuberance, being joyful, being playful - in measure, and when appropriate. Being tolerant when appropriate; being relentlessly discerning when necessary. Controlling one’s anger, refraining from unnecessary violence, yet courageously defending the innocent and the helpless when required. Exercising. Quitting smoking. Taking better care of one’s health.

Being strict yet compassionate with oneself. Always looking for self improvement, while always forgiving oneself (and others) for being less than perfect.

How Nichiren Buddhism is practiced in the United States

There are a large number of different schools of Nichiren Buddhism. Many of these are active in the United States. They agree on most of the fundamentals. Yet they differ on some particulars. Here is an explanation of who they are and what they each believe.

There are (as of 2006) about 153,846 Nichiren Buddhists in the United States. There are about 15 million across the world. In the U.S.:

Nichiren Shu has 7%, or 10,769.
Nichiren Shoshu has 8%, or 12,308.
Soka Gakkai International – USA has 65%, or 100,000. Of these, about 30,000 are active, and about 70,000 are inactive or former members who have not affiliated elsewhere.
Independents are 15%, or 23,077.
Other Nichiren Buddhists comprise 1%, or 1,538.
4% mix Nichiren Buddhist methods with practices from other Buddhist sects. These people number about 6152.

Nichiren Shu and Kempon Hokke believe that Shakyamuni is the most fundamental Buddha, “the Original Buddha”. Whereas Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu revere Nichiren as the Original Buddha, and regard Shakyamuni as a provisional Buddha.

The Nichiren Buddhist Association of America (NBAA) advocates harsh confrontation with the dominant religions of America, especially Christianity. Whereas the Soka Gakkai is less confrontational and prefers to have dialogue with people of other beliefs and to cooperate with them on secular good works.

Also, Nichiren Shu reveres all six senior priests who inherited Nichiren’s teachings. Whereas Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu believe that only Nikko Shonin, one of the six senior priests, accurately preserved Nichiren’s teachings.

Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai used to be one sect, but they split apart in 1991 and have had an ugly, often vicious rivalry ever since. Nichiren Shoshu is a group of priests and temples and they teach blind obedience to the High Priest. Soka Gakkai, on the other hand, is a laymen’s organization that teaches that lay people can manifest enlightenment on their own. At the same time, Soka Gakkai members revere Daisaku Ikeda, their President, as their mentor, and they regard themselves as Ikeda’s disciples, so they are not completely independent either.

(This was written in 2007, when Ikeda was 78. Soka Gakkai plans to maintain Ikeda as the mentor after his death by referring to the voluminous body of writings and speeches he has left behind).

For those new to Nichiren Buddhism, a special note is necessary here. The “Gohonzon” is the object of worship in Nichiren Buddhism. It is a scroll or tablet with calligraphy on it. It represents the state of enlightenment or Buddhahood.

Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai revere the Dai-Gohonzon, which is in the possession of Nichiren Shoshu at Taisekiji, Japan, as the “foremost” or “main” Gohonzon, the one and only special object of worship for all mankind. However the other Nichiren schools point out that nowhere in the Gosho (the writings of Nichiren) is the Dai-Gohonzon mentioned. The other Nichiren schools believe that Nichiren Shoshu claims the supremacy of the Dai-Gohonzon in order to put themselves in a superior position to the other Nichiren schools, which have no access to the Dai-Gohonzon. As for the SGI, they cannot repudiate the Dai-Gohonzon now, after saying it was the foremost object of worship, for so many years, prior to their 1991 split with Nichiren Shoshu.

The Three Great Secret Laws of Nichiren Buddhism are the Object of Worship (the Gohonzon), the Daimoku (Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, the mantra we chant), and the High Sanctuary (the place where the Gohonzon is enshrined). Since Nichiren Shoshu holds that the Dai-Gohonzon is the foremost Gohonzon, they naturally hold that the High Sanctuary is specifically Taisekiji, where the Dai-Gohonzon is enshrined. But other schools of Nichiren Buddhism do not agree that the High Sanctuary is Taisekiji.

Also, in this web site there is a download link for the Gohonzon transcribed by Nichikan, currently the Gohonzon the SGI gives to its members. Anyone can download this image from my web site, print it and trim it, then frame it and mount it above their altar. Also in my web site there is a link to a download site where the reader can obtain other Gohonzons inscribed by Nichiren himself. Now, the Soka Gakkai vehemently opposes the transmission of the Gohonzon via the internet. The author believes the reason for the Soka Gakkai’s opposition is that the Soka Gakkai would like to be the sole source of Gohonzons for its members, to increase its control over its membership. When people can obtain the Gohonzon independently, that reduces the Soka Gakkai’s power.

Likewise Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Shu, etc, state that a priest must perform an “Eye Opening Ceremony” over a Gohonzon before it can be empowered. This is actually designed to preserve and enhance the power of priests over their lay parishioners, a ploy similar to the SGI’s. The author believes that all human beings equally possess the Buddha nature, and so, anyone who lives with integrity can perform the eye opening ceremony. An Eye Opening Ceremony for lay believers, adapted from Nichiren Shu, is available on this web page.

Nichiren Shu believes that the valid object of worship is not only the Gohonzon, but also, an inscription of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo alone, or, a statue of Shakyamuni, or a statue of Shakyamuni flanked by the Four Bodhisattvas, or, a statue of Taho Buddha (a mythological Buddha who appeared in the Lotus Sutra to attest to its veracity). Whereas Nichiren Shoshu and SGI believe that the Gohonzon alone is the object of worship.

Here is what Gerald Aitken, the author of this web site, believes. His beliefs are implicit and explicit throughout this web site:

Nichiren Daishonin is the Original Buddha and the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law (today). Shakyamuni is a Provisional Buddha, valid as the object of worship only in the Former and Middle Day of the Law (now far in the past).

It is better to cooperate with people of other faiths on secular good works than to confront them about religious doctrine.

Only Nikko, and then Nichimoku, inherited Nichiren’s teachings. The other senior priests betrayed Nichiren after he died.

The Dai-Gohonzon is not the foremost object of worship for all mankind. It is not special. All Gohonzons are equally the object of worship. And the Gohonzon alone is the object of worship, not other objects.

The High Sanctuary is not Taisekiji. The High Sanctuary is wherever an ordinary Gohonzon is enshrined, in a box or frame, with a Buddhist altar, and where one or more believers chant to it on a regular basis.

It is OK to use a downloaded Gohonzon.

A lay believer can perform an eye opening ceremony on a Gohonzon just as well as a priest can.

Those who disagree with some of the author’s beliefs (for example, those who believe Shakyamuni is the Original Buddha) may nevertheless find some of the other information in my web site useful and informative. Everyone is welcome to use my web site. You do not have to agree with me about everything.

I believe the main thing that creates good or bad karma is intention, and, for example, even though Nichiren Shu Buddhists believe Shakyamuni Buddha is the Original Buddha, they have sincere intention, and so, they manage to create good karma through their practice. As another example, when Christians worship Christ or God, through their intention they are metaphorically worshipping the Universal Law, even though they do not realize it, and so they are creating good karma indirectly.

Each of the world’s major religions gives people a reason to be good and compassionate, by making them accountable through some mechanism of cause and effect; and alleviates the fear of death, by promising some form of positive afterlife for those who have been good. Looking at it this way, all the world’s major religions are equal.