So, the lotus sutra begins by making a connection to a real place associated with the historical buddha. Centuries later, it was the starting and ending point for all nichiren daishonins teachings, and remains the profound foundation for the practice and study of nichiren. Nbaa gongyo ceremony transcendent life condition buddhism. The concept of gongyo is also common in japanese pure land buddhist. Morning gongyo along with five prayers used in soka gakkai or sgi, nichiren buddhism. Both chapters are recited in chinese, so unless you are fluent, the meaning may be lost. For our daily practice of gongyo, we chant nammyohorengekyo and recite portions of the expedient means second and life span sixteenth chapters of the lotus sutra. The buddha possesses each and every kind of expedient means and the paramita of knowledge and insight. It is often done one or more times a day and can vary amongst the theravada, mahayana, and vajrayana sects. At that time, after finishing his meditation chanting nam myoho renge kyo, the daishonin addressed the local people, teaching them the preeminence of the lotus sutra among shakyamunis many teachings and explaining the limitations of the expedient. This is the fundamental practice of nichiren buddhism, which is performed morning and evening. It is a translation of the lotus sutra expedient means and life span chapters. Lectures on the expedient means and life span chapters kindle edition by ikeda, daisaku. Gongyo project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read.
Buddhist liturgy is a formalized service of veneration and worship performed within a buddhist sangha community in nearly every traditional denomination and sect in the buddhist world. The japanese word gongyo literally means assiduous practice. The chi of chiken means to realize with the mind, while the ken. Offering the sutra entails reciting the expedient means second and the life. The portions of the expedient means and life span chapters of the lotus sutra recited in the practice of gongyo. It is not necessary to understand every line of gongyo as we recite it. In the practice of nichiren daishonins buddhism it means reciting nammyohorengekyo, and part of the second chapter hoben and the entire sixteenth juryo chapter of the lotus sutra in. Prior to that, it was given that only the priests recited gongyo.
The expedient means of the prelotus sutra teachings expedient means means ordevise that the buddha. This has helped me to understand the lotus sutra better, as, daisaku ikeda has written about the expedient means and life span chapters, translated them and explained what they each mean and how they affect those off us who adhere to the buddhas last sutra, which was the lotus sutra. Buddha, blessed, buddhism, buddhist monk, diary book. Gongyo the practitioners of nichiren shoshu have been carrying out the practice of gongyo since the time of nichiren daishonin and nikko shonin. We recite the first part of the hoben expedient means2nd chapter and the entire juryo life span 16th chapter of the sutra and chant the daimoku nammyohorengekyo to the gohonzon. Still it better to knows the meaning what we recite twice every day. The following is excerpted from selected speeches on the basics of buddhism, pp. Explanation of the hoben chapter nst nichiren shoshu temple.
We turn the page to the number of the following day just before evening gongyo. For a full explanation of the meaning of the passages we recite in gongyo, it is worth reading sgi president daisaku ikedas lectures in the book the heart of the. This book is a favorite because it brings to life the practice of gongyo or reciting of. We recite the first part of the hoben expedient means2nd chapter and the entire juryo life span16th chapter of the sutra and chant the daimoku nammyohorengekyo to the gohonzon. Literally, gongyo means assiduous constant practice. Though it is not that important to know the meaning of gongyo for nonjapanese members. Welcome to the soka gakkai nichiren buddhism library. Chiken is the buddhist term that has been translated as knowledge and insight. The library contains the following english translations of the essential texts of nichiren buddhism. And i do believe it was president makuguchi maybe not who helped us to be able to participate in gongyo, too.
For nichiren, this moment came on 28 april 1253, when he had completed his journey to find the one supreme teaching of the buddha. The liturgy of nichiren daishonin the portions of the expedient means and life span chapters of the lotus sutra recited in the practice of gongyo. The liturgy mainly consists of chanting or reciting a sutra or passages from a sutra, a mantra. This book is a favorite because it brings to life the practice of gongyo or reciting. In nichiren buddhism, we recite the expedient means and life span chapters of the lotus sutra, chapters 2 and 16, the pages of this book. Generally speaking it means to recite buddhist sutras in front of an object of worship. Notes throughout this article, each section of the gongyo indicated with following alphabetic symbols. Any one in the world can become a votary of the lotus sutra votaries of the lotus sutra refers to those who dedicate themselves to the mission of saving all people throughout the entire world and over the 10,000 years and more of the latter day of the law. Buddhist liturgy is a formalized service of veneration and worship performed within a buddhist. Point one, regarding the expedient means chapter translators note. Sgi president ikedas speech at a kansai general meeting, held at the soka university auditorium in hachioji, tokyo, may 4, 1993. Generally speaking, gongyo refers to the practice of reciting buddhist sutras in front of an object of devotion. During gongyo, apart from chanting nam myoho renge kyo, we also recite two chapters from the lotus sutra, chapter 2 expedient means hoben and chapter 16 the life span of the thus come one juryo.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. When doing gongyo at bo lodging,the format was different. At one time the buddha was in rajagriha, staying on mount gridhrakuta. But then again, i love every book written by daisaku ikeda. Variations on this basic gongyo format, consisting of different combinations of the expedient means chapter and parts of the life span of the tathagata chapter, are also offered on certain occasions, such as at midday meetings, before chanting daimoku for extended periods, and at funerals and celebrations. The first is known as hoyu hoben, or adaptations of the law expedient means, teachings that were preached in accordance with peoples capacities and tastes.
Recite the expedient means chapter excerpt pages 15. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the heart of the lotus sutra. Or, its a slander to put a gongyo book on the floor. This is the supporting practice of all nichiren buddhists and is performed together with the chanting of nammyohorengekyo. Rajagriha was a city on the site of presentday rajgir, in northeastern india, and gridhrakuta, or vultures peak, is nearby. I hope you will do the kind of satisfying gongyo that leaves you refreshed and revitalized in both body and mind. Independent gongyo book by a lovatt paperback lulu. A karaokestyle guide showing the pronunciation and rhythm of gongyo, the recitation of excerpts from the lotus sutra. The memorial book has 31 numbered pagesone page for each day of the month. Gongyo liturgy the key to bring out our kindness and. In the practice of nichiren buddhism it means reciting nammyohorengekyo, and portions of the second chapter expedient means and the sixteenth life. Recite the expedient means chapter excerpt pages 1 5. We were also told that criticizing a priest constituted inexcusable slander, and that even. I have written out the prose section of the expedient means chapter for you.
Translation of gongyo, the liturgy of nichiren daishonin two and a half thousand years ago, towards the end of his life, the buddha shakyamuni expounded the lotus sutra. Recite the excerpt from the verse section of the life span of the thus come onechapter pages 617. They stress the truth of impermanence and the severing of. In the sgi, our assiduous practice consists of chanting nammyohorengekyo and reciting portions of expedient means the 2nd chapter of. This book is for those who just follow the daishonins teachings and perform daily gongyo and daimoku.
More important is the rhythm and chanting in unity with those around us. Excerpted from lectures on the hoben expedient means and juryo life span of the thus come one chapters of the lotus sutra sgiusa, 1996. Samadhi, or meditative concentration, means to focus ones mind on one point so that it becomes perfectly tranquil and still like a clear mirror and thereby enter a. In nichirens 12221282 teaching, gongyo means to chant the daimoku of nammyohorengekyo and recite portions of the expedient. Many indy buddhists use versions from an existing organisation. Of course it was always a given that people chant the title to the lotus sutra, therefore the same as reading the entire book i. The writings of nichiren daishonin, volumes 1 and 2 wnd1 and wnd2, the lotus sutra and its opening and closing sutras lsoc, and the lotus sutra commentary the record of the orally transmitted teachings ott. When completed, sound the bell as you begin chanting nammyohorengekyo.
Ricky, following your reading of the of the four depths of faith and five stages of practice would mean that you should have stopped reading that text when you got to, they mean that one should embrace the daimoku, or title, of the sutra exclusively and not mix it with. In nichiren daishonins buddhism, gongyo means to recite the expedient means or hoben 2nd chapter and the life span of the thus come one or juryo 16th chapter of the lotus sutra in front of the gohonzon. Lectures on the expedient means and life span chapters. In this book, significant events in the daishonins life and the names of the successive high priests appear on the day of the event or the individuals death. In the practice of nichiren buddhism it means reciting nammyohorengekyo, and portions of the second chapter expedient means and the sixteenth life span chapters of the lotus sutra in front of the gohonzon. According to words and phrases, there are three types of hoben, or expedient means. Recite the excerpt from the verse section of the life span of the thus come one chapter pages 6 17. Great book for for anyone interested in buddhism to read. In this book, the titles of the expedient means and life span chapters are preceded by myoho renge kyo. The content and method of gongyo differ according to the school of buddhism. It contains the text and prayer for evening and morning gongyo. Gongyo translated the expedient means chapter the search. Shakyamuni, however, has not yet in the sutra revealed his eternal buddhahood. It provides a line by line explanation of these 2 amazing sutras and a great way to really deepen your understanding of buddhism.
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