There are three basics in applying Nichiren Buddhism to your
daily life: faith, practice and study. They are the primary ingredients in the
recipe for developing our innate enlightened condition, or Buddhahood. All
three are essential. With this recipe, we will experience actual proof of our
transformation in the forms of both conspicuous and inconspicuous benefit. The
recipe is universal. These basics are the same in every country where this
Buddhism is practiced.
Faith
In Buddhism, faith is based on experience. Nichiren Daishonin's
Buddhism emphasizes obtaining "actual proof" of the teaching's power.
Faith begins as an expectation or hope that something will happen. At the start
of our journey, if we are willing to try the practice and anticipate some
result, we will then develop our faith brick by brick as examples of actual
proof accrue.
Practice
To develop faith, we must take action. We strengthen our wisdom
and vital life force by actualizing our Buddhahood each day in a very concrete
way. Practice in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism consists of two parts: practice
for ourselves and practice for others. Practice for ourselves is to chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo each morning and evening along with reciting Gongyo (two
chapters of the Lotus Sutra). Practice for others consists of action based on
compassion to help give others the means to make fundamental improvements in
their lives.
Study
To
gain confidence that this practice is valid, and to understand why your efforts
will bring about a result, it is essential to study the tenets of this
Buddhism. The basis of study comes from the founder himself, Nichiren
Daishonin. More than 700 years ago, he instructed followers in the correct way
to practice; and his writings, which have been preserved and translated into
English, give us valuable insight into how this practice will benefit us today.
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