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The Lotus Sutra
Sutra Chanting as a Practice of Buddhism
Zazen, in Zen Buddhism, is unique among meditations. In meditation there is a great problem with distraction. The yogis say to keep patiently bringing the mind back to the focal point. But Zazen confronts distraction more directly than conventional meditation. You step back from the mind and regard it objectively. Each thought, as it occurs, is allowed to bubble up through the water until it reaches the surface, where it is allowed to burst, ending its existence.
In Zazen, mind is no mind. Sutra chanting as a practice of Buddhism carries the approach a bit further. In chanting the sutra, ego is no ego. In the chant given on this page, sections of the Lotus Sutra, a Mahayana sutra of unknown authorship, ostensibly a teaching of the Nirmanakaya Siddartha Gautama, are chanted in medieval Japanese. The use of a dead language, a few of the words of which are known, is a time-honoured way of lending a proper aura of mystery to a spiritual practice.
Chanting the sutra is an excellent format for disciplining the mind to be an instrument of the individual higher self, rather than manifesting the ego, the look-how-smart-I-can-be false identity in which so many are imprisoned.
Your mind will respond to the same type of parent-child discipline that you received while growing up. Punishing it (not harshly) when it manifests ego, brings results. Remember, though, that you are breaking a long-standing habit -- you must be patient over a long period of time.
This particular sutra chant, which most Japanese call “Gongyo”, has the particular property of being a consistent elevator. For more than twenty years, I found that whenever a lapse into a lower level of mind-being, if I chanted this sutra in the morning and evening, using the long version, within three days I would be right back up there, on a higher level.
To obtain these results, I used the traditional formula of chanting. There are three sections of the sutra -- 1, 2, and 3. In the morning, one chants six sections, as follows:
A. 1 and 3 (followed by a short prayer of your own choosing to whatever entity you choose to pray to)
B. 1, 2, and 3 (followed by another short prayer)
C. 1 and 3 (followed by short prayer)
D. 1 and 3 (followed by short prayer)
E. 1 and 3 (followed by short prayer)
F. Japa repetition of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, or the theistic version of the same chant, Om Myoho Renge Kyo, for at least two minutes.
In the evening, one chants four sections, as follows:
A. 1, 2, and 3 (followed by short prayer)
B. 1 and 3 (followed by short prayer)
C. 1 and 3 (followed by short prayer)
D. Japa repetition of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, or the theistic version of the same chant, Om Myoho Renge Kyo, for at least two minutes.
In later years, I found that if I chanted all five sections in the morning, I would use up my potentials too quickly, so my practice became one complete repetition of the sutra in the morning, and in the evening the traditional evening formula above. However, if a level problem develops, you might use the full version in the morning as a remedy.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. We are informed on the web that Nam is devotion; Myoho is the mystic law which is the law of the universe; Renge means the lotus flower; and Kyo means sutra or scriptures. Myoho Renge Kyo is apparently a Japanese rendition of the Chinese title of the Lotus Sutra.
I am going to recommend using this mantra with a subjective mind inflection. This simply means that we attach private meanings to the words of the mantra, permissible when addressing the Godhead or one's Buddha-self in Nirvana, since both are regarding you omnisciently, and neither has a problem keeping up with you.
In Buddhism, Theistic belief is, and must remain, optional. No one should chant anything implying a belief that he is not 100% comfortable with. But if you are a Theistic believer, it is better to chant Om Myoho Renge Kyo.
The subjective interpretation that I recommend for Om Myoho Renge Kyo is as follows:
“O” is the sign, sound, and symbol of the Eternal Godhead, the only God that ever was or will be. “Mmm” is a sound we make while we are experiencing something that we love. For example, when eating ice cream, you might say, “Mmmm. This is good.” So that to chant Om properly can be to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole mind, and your whole soul, as Christ recommended.
The “m” sound then blends into the ‘m’ of Myoho. ‘Myo’ is a name that you can call your own Buddha-self in Nirvana, which is your Buddha-self and no one else’s, eternally. ‘Ho’ should be thought of as representing the hologram which is the physical universe in which we apparently exist. So that ‘Myoho’ is the articulation by your Buddha-self, of the apparent existence in the universe -- in your case, the human being.
Buddha-selves cannot actually enter the universe, since they are real, and everything in the universe is entirely imaginary.
‘Renge’ should suggest the word ‘reign’, as a monarch or other ruler reigns. At the same time it is the lotus flower, which, because it exists in at least three vibrational levels, the earth, the water, and the air, is a symbol of transcendence. And so, as we are inflecting the meaning, ‘renge’ will be transcendental rulership, the higher levels of the individual being ruling the lower ones.
‘Kyo’ we will use as a sign of assent to this rulership, an obeisance to the very highest level of your individual identity. You might say it is like the American “OK”, only backwards.
And the ‘o’ of ‘Kyo’ blends into the ‘O” of the next “Om”.
While chanting 'Om Myoho Renge Kyo', it is good to visualize the full moon, with the evening star, venus, nearby. The moon is a symbol of Godhead, and the evening star is a symbol of your Buddha-self in Nirvana.
‘Nam Myoho Renge Kyo’ can be used with the same subjective meanings, if you are at all uncomfortable with Theism. In this case you will be chanting to the Buddha-self without referring to the Godhead. “Nam” could be used subjectively either as devotion, or in the sense of “name”.
Below is the entire text of the Lotus Sutra chant, identified as section 1, section 2, and section 3. At the end there are links to download mp3’s of each section, and also a PDF of the text. You will also find mp3’s of both versions of the mantra chant, and there is one of the entire sutra. These mp3’s are mostly to give anyone unfamiliar with the chant an idea of how it should sound.
The Auspices of the Unist Temple
One caution. Chanting this sutra, particularly in the form that I have recommended (since it is the form that I got results from), and calling it “gongyo”, may draw the attentions of some of the cults which feature gongyo as a practice. Not all of these attentions are benign. There are cults which call themselves Buddhist, whose thrust, rather than the pursuit of the Buddha-self by the individual, is the gathering of individuals into group soul for the purpose of manifesting group-power. If one of these degenerate power systems tries to pick you up, and you do not desire those attentions, you may invoke the auspices of the Unist Temple by the following formula:
“I am chanting this gongyo under the auspices of the Unist Temple, and not under the auspices of any other temple. Anyone attending agrees by his attendance to obey those auspices, and to accept reasonable punishments for disobedience, as disobedient children are punished in his culture.”
These auspices do not bind -- after the gongyo you are free to return to any other temple auspices that you use. Any member of such cults who desires to catch a break from the power people, may invoke the Unist auspices on a temporary basis at any time. Religions should be heuristic, and not possessive. Another avenue for catching such a break is the De Facto System.
The Lotus Sutra Chant
(mp3 downloads at bottom of this page)
Section 1 (Hoben Section):
Myo ho renge kyo
Hoben-pon. Dai ni
Niji seson. Ju sanmai. Anjo ni ki. Go shari-hotsu. Sho-but chi-e. Jinjin muryo. Go chi-e mon. Nange nannyu. Issai shomon. Hyaku-shi-butsu. Sho fu no chi. Sho-i sha ga. Butsu zo shingon. Hyaku senman noku. Mushu sho butsu. Jin gyo sho-butsu. Muryo doho. Yumyo shojin. Myosho fu mon. Joju jinjin. Mi-zo-u ho. Zui gi sho setsu. Ishu nange. Shari-hotsu. Go ju jo-butsu irai. Shuju innen. Shuju hiyu. Ko en gonkyo. Mu shu hoben. Indo shujo. Ryo ri sho jaku. Sho-i sha ga. Nyorai hoben. Chi-ken hara-mitsu. Kai i gu-soku. Shari-hotsu. Nyorai chi-ken. Kodai jinnon. Muryo muge. Riki. Mu-sho-i. Zenjo. Gedas. Sanmai. Jin nyu musai. Joju issai. Mi-zo-u ho. Shari-hotsu. Nyorai no. Shuju fun-betsu. Gyo ses sho ho. Gon-ji nyunan. Ekka shushin. Shari-hotsu. Shu yo gon shi. Muryo muhen. Mi-zo-u ho. Bus shitsu joju. Shi shari-hotsu. Fu shu bu setsu. Sho-i sha ga. Bus sho joju. Dai ichi ke-u. Nange shi ho. Yui butsu yo butsu. Nai no kujin. Shoho jisso.
Sho-i shoho. Nyo ze so.
Nyo ze sho. Nyo ze tai.
Nyo ze riki. Nyo ze sa.
Nyo ze in. Nyo ze en.
Nyo ze ka. Nyo ze ho.
Nyo ze honmak kukyo to.
Sho-i shoho. Nyo ze so.
Nyo ze sho. Nyo ze tai.
Nyo ze riki. Nyo ze sa.
Nyo ze in. Nyo ze en.
Nyo ze ka. Nyo ze ho.
Nyo ze honmak kukyo to.
Sho-i shoho. Nyo ze so.
Nyo ze sho. Nyo ze tai.
Nyo ze riki. Nyo ze sa.
Nyo ze in. Nyo ze en.
Nyo ze ka. Nyo ze ho.
Nyo ze honmak kukyo to.
Section 2
(Juryo Section):
Myo ho renge kyo
Nyorai ju-ryo-hon. Dai ju-roku.
Niji butsu go. Sho bo-satsu gyu. Issai daishu. Sho zen-nanshi. Nyoto to shinge. Nyorai jotai shi go. Bu go dai-shu. Nyoto to shinge. Nyorai jotai shi go. U bu go. Sho dai-shu. Nyoto to shinge. Nyorai jotai shi go. Zeji bo-satsu daishu. Mi-roku i shu. Gassho byaku butsu gon. Seson. Yui gan ses-shi. Gato to shinju butsu-go. Nyo ze san bya-ku i. Bu gon. Yui gan ses-shi. Gato to shinju butsu-go. Niji seson. Chi sho bo-satsu. San sho fu shi. Ni go shi gon. Nyoto tai cho. Nyorai hi-mitsu. Jinzu shi riki. Issai seken. Tennin gyu. Ashura. Kai i kon shaka-muni-butsu. Shus-shaku-shi gu. Ko gayajo. Fu on. Za o dojo. Toku a-noku-ta-ra san-myaku sanbodai. Nenzen-nanshi. Ga jitsu jo-butsu irae. Muryo muhen. Hyaku sen man noku. Nay-uta ko. Hi nyo go hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta. Asogi. Sanzen dai sen sekai. Ke shi u nin. Matchi mijin. Ka o to-bo. Go hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta. Asogi koku. Nai ge ichi-jin. Nyo ze to gyo. Jin ze mijin. Sho zen-nanshi. O i unga. Ze sho sekai. Ka toku shiyui. Kyokei chi go. Shu fu. Mi-roku bo-sat-to. Ku byaku butsu gon seson. Ze sho sekai. Muryo muhen. Hi sanju sho chi. Yaku hi shin-riki sho. Gyu issai shomon. Hyaku-shi-butsu. I murochi. Fu no shiyui. Chi go genshu. Gato ju. A-yui-ot-chi-ji. O ze ji chu. Yaku sho fu das-seson. Nyo ze sho sekai. Muryo mu-hen. Niji butsu go. Dai bosas-shu. Sho zen-nanshi. Konto funmyo. Sengo nyoto. Ze sho sekai. Nyaku chaku mijin. Gyu fu chaku-sha. Jin ni i jin. Ichi-jin ikko. Ga jo-butsu irai. Bu ka o shi. Hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta. Asogi ko. Ji ju ze rai. Ga jo zai shi. Shaba sekai. Seppo kyoke. Yaku o yosho. Hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta. Asogi koku. Dori shujo. Sho zen-nanshi. O ze chugen. Ga setsu nen-do-but-to. U bu gon go. Nyu o nehan. Nyo ze kai i. Ho-ben fun-betsu. Sho zen-nanshi. Nyaku u shujo. Raishi ga sho. Ga i butsu-gen. Kan go shin to. Sho kon ridon. Zui sho o do. Shosho ji setsu. Myoji fudo. Nenki daisho. Ya-ku-bu gen gon. To nyu nehan. U i shuju hoben. Setsu mimyo ho. No ryo shujo. Hok-kangi shin. Sho zen-nan-shi. Nyorai ken sho shujo. Gyo o shobo. Toku hak-ku ju sha. I ze nin setsu. Ga sho shukke. Toku a-noku-ta-ra san-myaku sanbodai. Nen ga jitsu. Jo-butsu irai. Ku-on nyaku shi. Tan ni hoben. Kyoke shujo. Ryo nyu butsu-do. Sa nyo ze setsu. Sho zen-nanshi. Nyorai sho en kyoden. Kai i dodas-shujo. Waku sek-koshin. Waku set-tashin. Waku ji koshin. Waku ji tashin. Waku ji koji. Waku ji ta-ji. Sho sho gon-setsu. Kai jitsu fu ko. Sho-i sha ga. Nyo-rai nyojit chiken. Sangai shi so. Mu u shoji. Nyaku tai nyaku shutsu. Yaku mu zai-se. Gyu metsu-do sha. Hi jit-su hi ko. Hi nyo hi i. Fu nyo sangai. Ken no sangai. Nyo shi shi ji. Nyorai myo ken. Mu u shaku-myo. I sho shujo. U shuju sho. Shuju yoku. Shuju gyo. Shuju oku-so. Fun-bek-ko. Yoku ryo sho sho zengon. I nyakkan innen. Hiyu gonji. Shuju seppo. Shosa butsu-ji. Mi zo zan pai. Nyo ze. Ga jo-butsu irai. Jindai ku-on. Jumyo muryo. Asogi ko. Joju fu-metsu. Sho zen-nanshi. Ga hon gyo bo-satsu do. Sho jo jumyo. Kon yu mi jin. Bu bai jo shu. Nen kon hi jitsu metsu-do. Ni ben sho gon. To shu metsu-do. Nyo-rai i ze hoben. Kyoke shujo. Sho-i sha ga. Nyaku buk-ku-ju o se. Haku-toku shi nin. Fu shu zengon. Bingu gesen. Ton-jaku go-yoku. Nyu o oku-so. Moken mo chu. Nyak-ken nyorai. Jo zai fu-metsu. Ben ki kyoshi. Ni e endai. Fu no sho o. Nanzo shi so. Kugyo shi shin. Ze ko nyorai. I hoben setsu. Bi-ku to chi. Sho-bus-shus-se. Nan ka chi-gu. Sho-i sha ga. Sho haku-toku nin. Ka muryo. Hyaku sen man nok-ko. Waku u ken butsu. Waku fu ken sha. I shiji ko. Ga sa ze gon. Sho bi-ku. Nyorai nan ka tokken. Shi shujo to. Mon nyo ze go. Hit-to sho o. Nanzo shi so. Shin ne renbo. Katsu-go o butsu. Ben shu zengon. Ze ko nyorai. Sui fu jitsu metsu. Ni gon metsu-do. U zen-nan-shi. Sho-butsu nyorai. Ho kai nyo ze. I do shujo. Kai jitsu fu ko. Hi nyo ro-i. Chi-e so-datsu. Myo ren ho-yaku. Zen ji shubyo. Go nin ta sho shi-soku. Nyaku ju niju. Nai-shi hyaku-shu. I u ji-en. On shi yo-koku. Sho shi o go. On ta doku-yaku. Yaku hotsu monran. Enden u ji. Zeji go bu. Gen rai ki ke. Sho shi on doku. Waku shitsu honshin. Waku fu shis-sha. Yo ken go bu. Kai dai kangi. Haiki monjin. Zen nan non ki. Gato guchi. Go buku doku-yaku. Gan ken kuryo. Kyo shi jumyo. Bu ken shi to. Kuno nyo ze. E sho kyobo. Gu ko yaku-so. Shiki ko mimi. Kai shit-su gu-soku. Toshi wago. Yo shi ryo buku. Ni sa ze gon. Shi dai ro-yaku. Shiki ko mimi. Kai shitsu gu-soku. Nyoto ka buku. Soku jo kuno. Mu bu shugen. Go sho shi chu. Fu shis-shin ja. Ken shi ro-yaku. Shiki ko gu ko. Soku-ben buku shi. Byo jin jo yu. Yo shis-shin ja. Ken go bu rai. Sui yak kangi monjin gu-shaku ji byo. Nen yo go yaku. Ni fu ko buku. Sho-i sha ga. Dokke jinnyu. Ship-ponshin ko. O shi ko shiki ko yaku. Ni i fu mi. Bu sa ze nen. Shi shi ka min. I doku sho chu. Shin kai tendo. Sui ken ga ki. Gushak-kuryo. Nyo ze ko yaku. Ni fu ko buku. Ga kon to setsu hoben. Ryo buku shi yaku. Soku sa ze gon. Nyoto to chi. Ga kon sui ro. Shi ji i shi. Ze ko ro-yaku. Kon ru zai shi. Nyo ka shu buku. Mot-tsu fu sai. Sa ze kyo i. Bu shi ta-koku. Ken shi gen go. Nyo bu i shi. Zeji sho shi. Mon bu haiso. Shin dai uno. Ni sa ze nen. Nyaku bu zai sha. Jimin gato. No ken kugo. Konja sha ga. On so ta-koku. Ji yui koro. Mu bu ji ko. Jo e hikan. Shin zui sho-go. Nai chi shi yaku. Shiki ko mimi. Soku shu buku shi. Doku byo kai yu. Go bu mon shi. Shit-chi toku sai. Jin ben rai ki. Gen shi ken shi. Sho zen-nanshi. O i unga. Ha u nin no. Sesshi ro-i. Komo zai fu. Hot-cha. Seson. Butsu gon. Ga yaku nyo ze. Jo-butsu irai. Muryo muhen. Hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta. Asogi ko. I shujo ko. I ho-ben-riki. Gon to metsu-do. Yaku mu u no. Nyo ho setsu ga. Komo ka sha. Niji seson. Yoku ju sen shigi. Ni setsu ge gon.
Section 3 (Juryo Verse Section):
(when chanting only 1 and 3, “Myo ho renge kyo. Nyorai ju-ryo-hon. Dai ju-roku.” Is chanted here.
Ji ga toku bur rai.
Sho kyo sho kosshu.
Muryo hyaku sen man.
Oku sai asogi.
Jo seppo kyoke.
Mushu oku shujo.
Ryo nyu o butsu-do.
Nirai muryo ko.
I do shujo ko.
Hoben gen nehan.
Ni jitsu fu metsu-do.
Jo ju shi seppo.
Ga jo ju o shi.
I sho jin-zu-riki.
Ryo tendo shujo.
Sui gon ni fu ken.
Shu ken ga metsu-do.
Ko kuyo shari.
Gen kai e renbo.
Ni sho katsu-go shin.
Shujo ki shin-buku.
Shichi-jiki i nyunan.
Isshin yok ken butsu.
Fu ji shaku shinmyo.
Ji ga gyu shuso.
Ku shutsu ryojusen.
Ga ji go shujo.
Jo zai shi fu-metsu.
I ho-ben-rik ko.
Gen u metsu fu-metsu
Yo-koku u shujo.
Kugyo shingyo sha.
Ga bu o hi chu.
I setsu mujo ho.
Nyoto fu mon shi.
Tan ni ga metsu-do.
Ga ken sho shujo.
Motsu-zai o kukai.
Ko fu i gen shin.
Ryo go sho katsu-go.
In go shin renbo.
Nai shutsu I seppo.
Jin-zu-riki nyo ze.
O asogi ko.
Jo zai ryojusen.
Gyu yo sho jusho.
Shujo ken ko jin.
Dai ka sho sho ji.
Ga shi do annon.
Tennin jo juman.
Onrin sho do-kaku.
Shuju ho shogon.
Hoju ta keka.
Shujo sho yu-raku.
Shoten gyaku tenku.
Jo sas shu gi-gaku.
U mandara ke.
San butsu gyu daishu.
Ga jodo fu ki.
Ni shu ken sho jin.
Ufu sho kuno.
Nyo ze shitsu juman.
Ze sho zai shujo.
I aku-go innen.
Ka asogi ko.
Fu mon sanbo myo.
Sho u shu ku-doku.
Nyuwa shichi-jiki sha.
Sokkai ken gashin.
Zai shi ni seppo.
Waku-ji shi shu.
Setsu butsu-ju muryo.
Ku nai ken bussha.
I setsu butsu nan chi.
Ga chi-riki nyo ze.
Eko sho muryo.
Jumyo mushu ko.
Ku shugo sho toku.
Nyoto u chi sha.
Mot to shi sho gi.
To dan ryo yo jin.
Butsu-go jip puko.
Nyo i zen hoben.
I ji o shi ko.
Jitsu zai ni gon shi.
Mu no sek komo.
Ga yaku i se bu.
Ku sho kugen sha.
I bonbu tendo.
Jitsu zai ni gon metsu.
I joken ga ko.
Ni sho kyoshi shin.
Ho-itsu jaku go-yoku.
Da o aku-do chu.
Ga jo chi shujo.
Gyo do fu gyo do.
Zui o sho ka do.
I ses shuju ho.
Mai ji sa ze nen.
I ga ryo shujo.
Toku nyu mu-jo do.
Soku joju busshin.
______________________________________________________________________________
Chant for at least two minutes, either:
Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo
or:
Om-Myoho-Renge-Kyo
__________________________________________________________________
MP3 Downloads:
When you click on the blue line, the console below appears.
The mp3 begins to play, and the arrow at the lower left becomes two vertical bars. Click the bars to stop the play. To download the mp3, select the three vertical dots at the lower right, and choose "download". For PDF's, the file will open, and you select the download arrow at upper right, or three dots and choose "download", depending on your device.
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