And the “Life Span” chapter contains the Buddha’s realization that the original and eternal identity of each person is that of a Buddha.īy reciting gongyo, we are affirming the infinite potential of all living beings and praising our inherent Buddha nature. In the “Expedient Means” chapter, Shakyamuni Buddha explains that all people equally possess the Buddha nature. The “Expedient Means” chapter contains the core message of the Lotus Sutra’s theoretical teaching (the sutra’s first 14 chapters), while the “Life Span” chapter is the crux of the sutra’s essential teaching (the latter 14 chapters). (“‘Expedient Means’ and ‘Life Span’ Chapters,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. Though no chapter of the Lotus Sutra is negligible, among the entire twenty-eight chapters, the “Expedient Means” chapter and the “Life Span” chapter are particularly outstanding. Chanting this phrase once is equivalent in terms of benefit to reciting the entire 28-chapter Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren Daishonin, however, clarified that the essential principles expounded in the Lotus Sutra are contained in chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The practice was therefore limited to priests. While reciting Buddhist sutras was considered an important practice in Japan, they were long and written in classical Chinese characters, which many people could not read.

Doing gongyo is our declaration to the universe that we are Buddhas, endowed with limitless courage, wisdom and compassion. Gongyo is the secondary practice, which consists of reciting portions of the Lotus Sutra’s “Expedient Means” and “Life Span of the Thus Come One” chapters, coupled with chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

It activates the power inherent in ourselves and all phenomena. A: Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the primary practice of Nichiren Buddhism.

Gongayo china gongyo