Mindfulness and Chanting

Interesting...

Charles' description above sounds quite similar to shodaigyo, both in function and in effect.

Shodaigyo (also known as a meditation service) is practiced in Nichiren Shu.  It primarily consists of a relatively short period of silent sitting meditation, followed by a longer period of chanting Odaimoku, followed in turn by another shorter period of silent sitting meditation.  The first silent meditation period is dedicated to purifying the mind and body, and the second period of silent meditation is dedicated to deepening faith.

There are usually some opening and closing invocations and prayers, as well, but the form and function seem similar to Charles' technique.  Shodaigyo does not usually incorporate sutra recitation, but then these two services aren't the same, and don't need to be.

Namaste, Engyo

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by: Engyo @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 00:04:21 AM UTC

Meditations

Engyo,

Some questions:  Are there any particular directives about what to think about when purifying oneself before chanting daimoku?  Do you strongly prefer "Odaimoku" and should I use that more formal noun?

Do you do the Hobenpon and Jigage when doing gongyo and do you use the long form of the Hobenpon?  How many recitations (prayers) in the morning and in the evening do you do?  Do you face the East when and if you do the first prayer?

When you say you meditate to deepen your faith afterward, what does that mean to you, may I ask?  Does that not call karma to come out or challenges to occur, and if so, is that to be desired?

Thanks,
Armchair

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by: Armchair @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 19:46:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Meditations reply (long)

Hello, Armchair and all -

Are there any particular directives about what to think about when purifying oneself before chanting daimoku?

The directives we generally use (especially with new folk) are the usual ones for very simple meditation - allow thoughts to arise, acknowledge them, and then let them go; maintaining your center.  Guided meditation could be used, I suppose, but I have not experienced it.

Do you strongly prefer "Odaimoku" and should I use that more formal noun?

No, I really have no preference.  To be honest, I use that term as much because it is an instant identifier as any other reason.  Daimoku and Odaimoku, mandala and Omandala, Shonin and Daishonin are all pretty much interchangeable from my perspective.  I don't know whether there is some set of rules of formality that governs that usage in Japanese, but I am certainly unaware of one in English.

Do you do the Hobenpon and Jigage when doing gongyo and do you use the long form of the Hobenpon?  How many recitations (prayers) in the morning and in the evening do you do?  Do you face the East when and if you do the first prayer?

To answer these questions first I need to say that there are a number of different service formats used in Nichiren Shu.  All portions of theservice are done facing one's altar when at home.  Temples will have seating arrangements set up as required for particular services.

The most common daily format (whether morning, evening, or both) would consist of an opening Invocation, Verses for Opening the Sutra, then Sutra recitation.  The most common Sutra recitation selections would be the opening portion of Chapter 2 (Hoben Pon) and the verse section of Chapter 16 (Jigage), but very often other passages from the Lotus Sutra might be used instead of or along with these, including the entirety of Chapter 16.  These passages may be chanted either in shindoku (faith reading) which is the way the Bowling Club and Nichiren Shoshu chant them, or else in the practitioner's native language, or a combination of the two.

After the Sutra recitations are completed, Nichiren Shonin's Instructions (a short quote from the selection printed in the service book) are recited.  Then follows a period of chanting daimoku (mostly at a slower tempo than the BC or Nichiren shoshu usually does).  Upon completion of the daimoku comes the prayer, which is normally recited aloud.  There are several different base prayers in the service book, and individuals are encouraged to customize them as desired when doing service at home. The basic service is usually closed with a recitation of the Four Great Bodhisattva Vows.

If one is attending service at a temple, there are likely to be liturgical hymns done by the minister(s) to both begin and end the service, and quite possibly other readings or special prayers appropriate to the season, or any current holiday.

A meditation service may be done in lieu of the one described above, at the practitioner's discretion.  It is also appropriate to spend an equivalent amount of time studying the Lotus Sutra or Nichiren's writings, or practicing shakyo (copying the Odaimoku or portions of the Lotus Sutra in kanji in a meditative manner) or shabutsu (copying the image of the Buddha) using brush and inkstone, in lieu of offering service.

When you say you meditate to deepen your faith afterward, what does that mean to you, may I ask?  Does that not call karma to come out or challenges to occur, and if so, is that to be desired?

To me it is a time to absorb and ground the energy or merit generated by the chanting of the Odaimoku.  When shodaigyo is done properly there is a lot of energy.

Shodaigyo is best done in a group (even if a small one).  The usual tempo during the chanting portion starts out extremely slowly - one daimoku will take an entire deep breath - 15 to 20 seconds.  The tempo builds in a very gradual but steady way, until one is chanting as fast as one can clearly enunciate the mantra.  This may take ten or fifteen minutes to reach this rapid tempo.  The person leading decides how fast to ramp up the tempo, and how long it stays at a particular rate.  The tempo is dropped back down much more rapidly at the end, and it drops back down almost to the initial slow tempo.  The service leader controls the tempo through the use of the mokusho (wood drum).

Remember also that the daimoku portion of shodaigyo is accompanied by the taiko; one beat of the drum for each syllable.  This really ups the energy level, especially at the higher tempos.

I have not noticed that the second silent meditation period calls karma out or invokes challenges in any specific manner.  If this is occuring, it hasn't been obviously attributable to this specific format, in my opinion.

I hope this has been helpful......

Namaste, Engyo

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by: Engyo @ Fri Nov 07, 2008 at 21:06:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Nichiren Shu services

Thank you very much, Engyo, for taking the time to explain these things to me and us.  You say:

The basic service is usually closed with a recitation of the Four Great Bodhisattva Vows.

I am not familiar with these, could you enumerate them?

You mention a "service book".  One of the advantages of my current situation as a "general member" of the BC, if I choose to continue that, is that it frees me to study other Nichiren groups' ideas and materials.  I am not at this time inclined to change my personal basic practices, and certainly would not teach anything extrinsic within the bc, as that would be unethical, and I have never done that even though I have found value elsewhere for my personal understandings. Now, as a study, a broader comprehension of the differences, and, maybe similarities, of forms of ND's Buddhism is interesting to me at this point and I wonder how to acquire this book?  

I have done a lot of philosophical studying in my life and it has broadened my perspectives and deepened my faith, my comprehension of faith, and, certainly, to me, the effectiveness of my practice to contribute to bringing peace to my life and surroundings.

Thanks again, Engyo,
Armchair

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by: Armchair @ Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 17:49:29 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

NShu Services reply.............

Armchair and all -

The Four Great Bodhisattva Vows can be enumerated in various ways.  The most common used in Nichiren Shu are as follows:

Shigu Seigan (shindoku)

Shujo muhen seigando.
Bonno mushu seigandan.
Homon mujin seiganchi.
Butsudo mujo seiganjo.

Four Great Vows (from the standard service):

Sentient beings are innumerable;
I vow to save them all.
Our evil desires are inexhaustible;
I vow to quench them all.
The Buddha's teachings are immeasurable;
I vow to study them all.
The Way of the Buddha is unexcelled;
I vow to attain the Path Sublime.

Four Great Vows (from the Shodaigyo service):

We vow to save all beings,
however countless they may be.
We vow to eliminate all desires,
however numerous they may be.
We vow to master all the Buddha's doctrines,
however limitless they may be.
We vow to enter into the Way of the Buddha,
and attain supreme Enlightenment.

Nichiren Shu service books in a couple of different formats as well as Yohon (a collection of traditionally chanted portions of the Lotus Sutra in shindoku) and CDs or DVDs of same are available here:
http://www.nichiren-shu.org/bo...
The newest-released service book, printed in fold-book style, is also available from NBIC but is not yet listed on the site.  Call and speak to Rev. Hirai if you are interested.

Namaste, Engyo

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by: Engyo @ Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 18:13:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Personal practice

Engyo,

Thank you for this elucidation.  It sparked in me a question, and, that is, to what extent do people vary from their learned Nichiren traditions? I found the Four Great Bodhisattva Vows very interesting, Engyo.  It says in one place:

Our evil desires are inexhaustible;
I vow to quench them all.

In the spirit of "Namu", which is to say, that which we devote ourselves to, we empower, would it be incorrect to say,

"Our evil desires are exhaustible;
I vow to quench them all."

Wouldn't one think that Shakyamuni, Nichiren, and probably many other saints and sages did actually extinguish at least the acting out, if not the actual existence, of improper desires?  This idea is stated later as you say:

We vow to eliminate all desires,
however numerous they may be.

However, that brings up the question of are all desires "bad"?  The desire to eat, to drink water, the desire, even to remove suffering as appropriate.  In my past, the approach to this was to "make clear your attachment to a desire" and I don't know where that concept came from.  The idea is to clearly apprehend the potential value of a desire. To be selfish, to be cruel, and so forth, we can do without.  But we need food, though not too much food, and if we think of food all the time, our attachment is an unhealthy one and should be dealt with.

So, with this in mind, I have put some thought into my personal silent prayers with the sutra and the subject interests me.

The Four Great Vows are good food for thought, Engyo and I like the pure spirit behind them.  Thank you for sharing.  I don't mean to just be the only one talking about this so if my questions are boring people, possibly Engyo and I, if he is willing, could carry on this conversation privately.  But it may be of general interest as some of you have said that you have modified your practices as your lives evolved from your root organizational beginnings.

Namaste,
Armchair

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by: Armchair @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 16:30:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Addendum

To me it seems clear, as others have mentioned, that Nichirenists converting each other is just not happening.  For some of us to endeavor to understand each other as fellow beings seems valuable to me as we continue to practice in accord with what currently resonates with our lives.

I have heard at length from Mark Rogow, and that was interesting, but not my particular take, although he was generous with his time in explaining his/their view (Hokke Shimpon [?]).

Namaste,
Armchair

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by: Armchair @ Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 18:21:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks, Engyo

I didn't realize how little I knew about the practices/services in Nichiren Shu. Thanks for the primer.

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by: beryl @ Sun Nov 09, 2008 at 18:32:32 PM UTC