How to begin your Buddhist practice

The Gojukai Ceremony is the very first step in beginning Buddhist practice, to establish a karmic bond between your life and the Buddha’s enlightened life. Forming this connection opens up your life to be able to start manifesting your potential for Buddhahood through actual practice and experience.

Prior knowledge of Buddhism is not required to receive the Gojukai Ceremony; just the sincere desire to start the journey of changing one’s karma and developing oneself towards enlightenment.

Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the primary practice for developing our inherent potential for enlightenment. In the same way that the positive results of exercise are experienced through a regular routine, chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo consistently each day leads to the natural accumulation of wisdom and benefit in our lives. At first, you might only chant for 5 or 10 minutes at a time, but doing so steadily will enable you to see growth and change in your life that inspires you to do more. Chanting to the Gohonzon is how we can fully receive the profound positive influence of the Buddha’s enlightened life, so as you are beginning to establish your daily rhythm of chanting at home, it is invaluable to make opportunities to chant to the Gohonzon at the temple or at a fellow practitioner’s home as well.

Buddhist practice is the way we manifest the Buddha’s teachings in action. A complete Buddhist practice consists of both Gongyo and Shodai. Gongyo is the recitation of portions of the Lotus Sutra, conducted twice a day, to begin our day with the Buddha and end our day with the Buddha. Shodai is the chanting of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, for oneself and others. A daily practice of Gongyo and Shodai enables us to establish a solid life foundation, and the ability to navigate life’s joys and challenges with clarity and stability of mind. In Nichiren Shoshu you often hear the words “faith is daily life, ” meaning that we strive to live the Buddha’s teachings in our daily actions, not just study them theoretically. Through daily practice over time, our life perspective naturally shifts to recognize that even problems and suffering are a source of fortune and opportunity to develop ourselves towards enlightenment. In this way, we start manifesting the true meaning of Nichiren Daishonin’s golden words when he says:

“Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life and continue chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, no matter what happens. Then you will experience boundless joy from the Law. Strengthen your faith more than ever.”

(MW, Vol. 1, p. 161; Gosho, p. 991)

“Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life and continue chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, no matter what happens. Then you will experience boundless joy from the Law. Strengthen your faith more than ever.”

(MW, Vol. 1, p. 161; Gosho, p. 991)

When first getting started in your practice of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, it is helpful to find a quiet place without distractions in your home to chant each day. The next step to further your practice is to start setting up your Buddhist altar. Establishing a Buddhist altar in your home provides a place of focus for your practice, and prepares a respectful space in your home to be able to receive and welcome the Gohonzon in the future. Please reach out to the temple at any time for more information on how to prepare your Buddhist altar.

Once you have learned how to conduct Gongyo and have prepared an altar in your home, it is a good time to request guidance from your Chief Priest about receiving the Gohonzon. To receive and enshrine the Gohonzon is to have the great fortune of welcoming the Buddha’s enlightened life into our home. It is always with deep gratitude and honor that we humbly request to receive the Gohonzon.