In 13th century a Japanese’s Buddhist reformer named Nichiren Daishonin developed a practice accessible to all people to enable us to bring forth our Buddha nature. Nichiren taught that we all have the Buddha nature, but like a jewel hidden in a coat pocket, we never reach deep enough to pull it out. Nichiren gave us the tool for accessing this jewel by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. When we chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, we undergo a process of self-transformation called the “human revolution.” It is this personal “revolution” that allows us to change our Karma in this life and live a happier life.
Nichiren Buddhism left us a mandala he create which embodies the Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. This is called the Gohonzon and can best be described as a mirror that enables us to perceive our true nature. As President Ikeda said: “When we focus on the Gohonzon while chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, our lives and the universe merge like cogs in a great machine meshing together with perfect precession, and we begin to move in the direction of happiness and fulfillment.”
Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the central theme held by The Soka Gakkai International, also called SGI. SGI is a lay organization who’s members believe that all people possess Buddhahood and that we can directly access this Buddha nature without priests or clergy; we do this as equals encouraging each other through discussion meetings like these.
Finally, the president of the SGI, Daisaku Ikeda, serves as a great example of actualizing the limitless potential that exists within each person’s life. He has dedicated his life to spreading throughout the world a message of peace rooted in respect for the dignity of life, engaging in countless meetings with ordinary citizens as well as many leading figures. His philosophy of peace can be summed up with these worlds: “When we change the world changes. The key to all change is in our inner transformation—a change of our hearts and minds. This is the human revolution.”
~~ Buddha Bop
