What means Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?

The title of each sutra is its essence, sumarized in a few words. The title of the superb Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra made by Kumârajîva in 406 is Miao-fa-lien-hua-ching, or Myôhô-renge-kyô, according to the Japanese pronunciation. Each of the five characters forming this title has profound philosophical menaing, and Myôhô-renge-kyô itself denotes the Law of life or ultimate reality. Nichiren Daishonin prefaced this title with the word namu (generally pronounced nam when connected to Myôhô-renge-kyô). Namu comes from Sanskrit and is transliterated into two Chinese characters; it means to devote one’s life. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo thus means to devote oneself to Myôhô-renge-kyô, becoming one with the ultimate truth or cosmic life force. 

Namu of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means more than mere devotion in the conventional sense. In his commentary on the Lotus Sutra called the “Ongi Kuden” (Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings), Nichiren Daishonin explains that namu signifies a simultaneous two-way interaction: We devote ourselves to, or become one with, the universal, unchanging truth of Myôhô-renge-kyô, and at same time draw forth infinite wisdom and energy which function in response to our changing circumstances. Faith and practice constitute the actual means by which this interaction occurs.

Buddhism could not survive if it were merely a matter of doctrine or ideology. It would be like a blueprint for a hause, theory without actuality. The Lotus Sutra explains the true entity of life clearly enough, but what it teaches becomes vivid and real only with the final stroke - Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Here is a specific example. The Lotus Sutra reveals that the universe and the individual self are one and the same; that is, that our life is itself the macrocosm. Although a theoretical understanding of this doctrine is not difficult, we cannot accept it as a reality until we can actually feel our own being fused with the great universe as its energy pulses within our life. This becomes possible only when we fuse with the Law - Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - by practicing to the Gohonzon.

What, then, is the meaning of each character of Myôhô-renge-kyô? Myô (mystic) signifies "incomprehensible", and means "law". Thus Myôhô means the "Mystic Law" which is incomprehensible realm of life, beyond our ability to imagine or conceive. From another viewpoint, Myô, meaning "incomprehensible", indicates the true entity of life, and , all phenomena, which are its manifestations. In terms of the principle of ichinen sanzen, the three thousand changing aspects correspond to , and the unchanging reality (ichinen) permeating these changing aspects is Myô. All existences, at one time or another, assume physical shape, size and vital energy and, at other times, assume an incorporeal state (called in Buddhism). Phenomena () are changeable, but pervading all phenomena there lies a constant reality. This reality is called myô.

Renge means lotus flower. In Buddhism the lotus is used to symbolize the simultaneous nature of causality, because the lotus produces both flowers and seeds at the same time. In Buddhism the nine worlds correspond to "cause", and Buddhahood, to "effect". Both simultaneously exists within us. Moreover, from the standpoint of faith and practice, when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (cause), the state of Buddhahood simultaneously emerges (effect). This is represented by the lotus flower.

Our ordinary perception leads us to believe that first we perform an action, and later we may receive its effect. But the Buddhist teaching reveals that this future effect is already inherent within the act itself. The important implication here is that our future is being shaped by our present actions. Thus, everyone is responsible for his or her destiny. At present we may be suffering the effect of bad karma we created in the past, but because the innermost depth of our life - the Buddha nature - remains independent of the karma accumulated by past deeds, we can create true happiness under any circumstances, if only we manifest the Buddha nature. This truth is represented by another quality of the lotus flower. The pure blossoms spring forth from a muddy swamp, yet they are undefiled by the mud. Similarly, the innermost core of our lives reamins untainted despite whatever evil deeds we may have committed, and by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can at once bring forth our potential Buddhahood, no matter what our circumstances may be. Thus, renge also signifies the emergence of Buddhahood.

Finally, kyô means sutra, or the teachings of Buddha. The Chinese character for kyô originally meant a warp of cloth, and later came to have the additional meanings of thread of logic, reason, way or law. It was therefore also used in the sense of a teaching to be preserved. Kyô of Myôhô-renge-kyô indicates that Myôhô-renge-kyô is itself the eternal and unchanging truth.
  


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