Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō[a] (南無妙法蓮華経) are
Japanese words chanted within all forms of
Nichiren Buddhism. In
English, they mean "Devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra" or "Glory to the
Dharma of the Lotus Sutra".[2][3]
The words 'Myōhō Renge Kyō' refer to the
Japanese title of the
Lotus Sūtra. The mantra is referred to as Daimoku (題目)[3] or, in honorific form, O-daimoku (お題目) meaning title and was first publicly declared by the Japanese Buddhist priest
Nichiren on 28 April 1253 atop Mount Kiyosumi, now memorialized by
Seichō-ji temple in
Kamogawa, Chiba prefecture,
Japan.[4][5]
The practice of prolonged chanting is referred to as Shōdai (唱題). Believers claim that the purpose of chanting is to reduce suffering by eradicating negative karma along with reducing karmic punishments both from previous and present lifetimes,[6] with the goal of
attaining perfect and complete awakening.[7]
Early Buddhist proponents
The
Tendai monks
Saicho and
Genshin are said to have originated the Daimoku,[citation needed] while the Buddhist priest Nichiren is known today as its greatest proponent. The mantra is an homage to the Lotus Sutra. In Nichiren's writings, he frequently quotes passages from the Lotus Sutra in which the Buddha declared it to be his highest teaching. These passages include: "I have preached various sutras and among those sutras the Lotus is the foremost!" "Among all the sutras, it holds the highest place," and "This sutra is king of the sutras."[8][9]
According to
Jacqueline Stone, the Tendai founder Saicho popularized the mantra Namu Ichijō Myōhō Renge Kyō "as a way to honor the Lotus Sutra as the One Vehicle teaching of the Buddha."[10]
Accordingly, the Tendai monk
Genshin popularized the mantra Namu
Amida, Namu
Kanzeon, Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō to honor the three jewels of Japanese Buddhism.[11] Nichiren, who himself was a Tendai monk, edited these chants down to Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō and Nichiren Buddhists are responsible for its wide popularity and usage all over the world today.
Nichiren
The Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren was a known advocate of this recitation, claiming it is the exclusive method to happiness and salvation suited for the
Third Age of Buddhism. According to varying believers, Nichiren cited the mantra in his Ongi Kuden,[12][dubious –
discuss] a transcription of his lectures about the Lotus Sutra, Namu (南無) is a transliteration into Japanese of the
Sanskritnamas, and Myōhō Renge Kyō is the
Sino-Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese title of the Lotus Sutra (hence, Daimoku, which is a Japanese word meaning 'title'), in the translation by
Kumārajīva. Nichiren gives a detailed interpretation of each character (see
Ongi kuden#The meaning of Nam(u) Myōhō Renge Kyō) in this text.[13]
The Lotus Sutra is held by Nichiren Buddhists,[14] as well as practitioners of the
Tiantai and corresponding Japanese
Tendai schools, to be the culmination of
Shakyamuni Buddha's fifty years of teaching.
However, followers of Nichiren Buddhism consider Myōhō Renge Kyō to be the name of the ultimate law permeating the universe, in unison with human life which can manifest realization, sometimes termed as "Buddha Wisdom" or "attaining Buddhahood", through select Buddhist practices.
Word-by-word translation
Namu is used in Buddhism as a prefix expressing
taking refuge in a Buddha or similar object of veneration. Among varying Nichiren sects, the phonetic use of Nam versus Namu is a linguistic but not a dogmatic issue,[15] due to common contractions and
u is devoiced in many varieties of Japanese words.[16] In this mantra, the Japanese drop the "u" sound when chanting at a fast pace, but write "Namu", seeing as it is impossible to contract the word into 'Nam' in their native script.[15]
Namu – Myōhō – Renge – Kyō consists of the following:
Namu南無 "devoted to", a transliteration of Sanskrit námas meaning: 'obeisance, reverential salutation, adoration'.[17]
1958 – Japanese film Nichiren to Mōko Daishūrai (English: Nichiren and the Great Mongol Invasion) is a 1958 Japanese film directed by Kunio Watanabe.[citation needed]
1968 – The mantra was used in the final episode of The Monkees to break Peter out of a trance.[23]
1976 – In the film Zoku Ningen Kakumei (Human Revolution) produced by the
Soka Gakkai, a fictionalized religious drama featuring the struggles of
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi who is showcased chanting the words during
World War II.[citation needed]
1979 – Nichiren is a 1979 Japanese film directed by Noboru Nakamura. Produced by Masaichi Nagata and based on Matsutarō Kawaguchi's novel. The film is known for mentioning Jinshiro Kunishige as one of the martyrs persecuted, claimed to whom the
Dai Gohonzon was inscribed by Nichiren in honor of his memory.[citation needed]
1980 – In
Louis Malle's acclaimed film
Atlantic City,
Hollis McLaren's Chrissie, the pregnant, naive hippie sister of main character Sally (
Susan Sarandon) is discovered hiding, fearful and chanting the mantra after witnessing violent events.[23]
1987 – The mantra is used by the underdog fraternity in the film Revenge of the Nerds II in the fake
Seminole temple against the Alpha Betas.[23]
1987 – In the film Innerspace, Tuck Pendleton (played by
Dennis Quaid) chants this mantra repeatedly as he encourages Jack Putter to break free from his captors and charge the door of the van he is being held in.[23]
1993 – American-born artist
Tina Turner through her autobiographical film What's Love Got To Do With It details her conversion to
Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in 1973.[24] In a film scene after an attempted suicide, Turner begins to chant this mantra and turns her life around. Turner continues to chant this mantra in public venues and numerous publications.[25] Turner recited these words again on 21 February 1997, through a televised interview with
Larry King, by which Turner credits her continuing practice to the
Soka Gakkai International.
1993 – In the December 9, 1993 episode of The Simpsons entitled "
The Last Temptation of Homer",
Homer Simpson attempts to read notes he had written on his hand to guide him during an awkward conversation with a colleague, but the notes have become smeared because of sweat. In his attempt to recite his notes, Homer unknowingly babbles the chant.[26]
2019 – Actor
Orlando Bloom appeared in a video interview for
Soka Gakkai International in January 2019, citing his practice of chanting Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō beginning in
London at the age of 16.[27]