Hi Everybody,
It's been a sad week. Paris. It touches all of us. Enough words have been said and written about this explosion of meaningless violence against ordinary people going about their ordinary daily lives. I just offer this blog about Buddhist practice as a tiny token of shared sadness.
OK so were diving into a bit more detail about the practice and we look at three key dimensions starting with chanting. The basic practice is chanting. Chanting the phrase or the mantra nam myoho renge kyo, which we'll explain in greater detail in a later episode. The chanting is out loud, rather than repeating a mantra in our heads as in meditation. The key point is that it is clearly a physical action and it has clear physiological effects.For one thing it involves moving considerable volumes of air in and out of the lungs for example, and it raises body temperature and makes the skin tingle. It's been said to be very good for the complexion!
But above all it is a wonderfully joyful and uplifting sound, and it is absolutely central to this practice. As Daisaku Ikeda explains,
'It would be no exaggeration to say that the practice of chanting daimoku in Nichiren Buddhism is what gave rise to a ' Buddhism of the people.' This practice of chanting is indeed the supreme practice Buddhist practice, making it possible for us to fundamentally transform our lives.'
Thus it is seen as the driving force, the engine that powers the process of change, because it is an essential part of the process of refreshing and energising the spirit, and raising the life force. We simply feel better after a period of chanting. Normally the chanting is carried out twice a day. In the morning to launch you into the day with a wholly positive, up-beat frame of mind. In the evening basically in the spirit of gratitude for the day that we've had, good, bad or indifferent. If it's been good there's lots to be grateful for. If it's been bad then you may need to regain the energy and the determination to tackle the challenges that have arisen. Both morning and evening the chantingis accompanied by the recitation of two brief passages from the Lotus Sutra that are concerned with the universality of Buddhahood and the eternity of life.
There's no set time to chant, nor any set period of chanting. As with most of the elements of Buddhist practice, that's entirely up to the individual. It's your life. You can chant for as little time as you can spare before you have to catch the 8.10 commuter train to the office, or for as long as you feel the need. The practice is above all flexible, shaped to fit in with the demands of modern life. Buddhism remember is daily life. As with so many other activities, the key thing is regularity. Better ten minutes twice a day, than an hour every Friday. Just as we need to refuel our bodies with something to eat two or three times a day, so Buddhism argues, we need this regular, daily refreshment of our spiritual resources.
OK enough for today.
Back on Sunday with another episode.
Best wishes,
William
PS The Case for Buddhism is available from Amazon or on Kindle. And many thanks to all those people whom have said such generous things about it.
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