Meditation and Chanting
Both practices of meditation and chanting aim for the same goal: revealing one’s Buddhanature. Benefits acquired through meditation are undeniably valuable. In the same time, widely proven also are the benefits acquired through the practice of chanting. In fact, there are some limitations in the practice of meditation, which chanting can successfully override.
Nichiren practiced meditation during the 20 years of his study in various Buddhist temples (13th century Japan) after which he arrived to the conclusion that the practice of chanting the Dharma of the Lotus Sutra, considered as the final teaching of the Buddha, is a straightforward and more efficient way in the process of revealing one’s Buddha nature.
The Cause for revealing the Buddhanature
The Buddha nature (or the state of Buddhahood) emerges in one’s life as the result of the fusion of one’s life with the Dharma (which is the Buddha’s enlightenment to the law of reality of life). In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha revealed the Dharma as the “Wonderful law of the Lotus”, or “Myoho-Renge-Kyo”. In this perspective, the Boddhanature emerges through one’s state of devotion (Namu) to the Dharma (Myoho-Renge-Kyo).
Chanting the mantra (Namu-Myohe-Renge-Kyo) - which embodies the essence of Buddhahood - is a cause for activating the life state of Buddha in the life of practitioner.
Buddhist understanding of the word “cause” extends to the three realms of thought, speech and action. The practice of chanting integrates the three dimensions of “cause”: thoughts (occurring during chanting), and the verbal invocation of the Dharma, and also through the action of engaging the bodily senses - with sight and hearing active during chanting. Chanting - integrating the three causes - expresses also the Oneness of Body and Mind, as the physical aspect of voice and senses is inseparably employed with the mental aspect of feelings and thoughts in the practice of chanting.
According to the Mahayana concept of ‘Nine Consciousnesses’, the individual’s mind possesses several fields - starting from the five bodily senses and thinking, the field of consciousness (Mano), the field of subconsciousness (Alaya), and the ultimately pure enlightened mind (Amala, the Buddhanature, identified with Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo). Through focused chanting, the conscious mind opens up becoming fused with the Buddhanature, and as a result, the state of one’s highest life force, wisdom and compassion is experienced.
(It is to be noted, however, that: whether revealed through chanting or through meditation, one’s Buddhanature is expressed only through one’s behaviour in the reality of daily life. Neither chanting nor meditation is a final goal in themselves, but a practice leading to enlightenment which empowers the individual for further action in society based on wisdom, compassion and courage ).
Exclusiveness of meditation
The practice of meditation is exclusive: silent meditation excludes voice invocation. Chanting, on the other hand, is flexible and inclusive, as it does not exclude meditation. In fact, chanting is a form of meditation, however, not restricted by any specific technique or control of the body and the senses. Meditation can be performed during focused chanting.
Excluding voice from spiritual practice raises serious questions. Voice is the most natural activity of all people. History of humanity provides records of religious practices based on hymn-chanting since the dawn of spirituality. Rhythmic invocation (which were performed by groups of worshipers) of praise for the powers of life - provided also the medium for uniting the group performing the chanting and enhancing the perception of interconnectedness.
Meditation’s primary focus is on the mental aspect of the individual’s mind. On the other hand, the essence of chanting is based on the oneness of both mental and physical aspects. Nichiren explains the mantra Myoho-Renge-Kyo expresses the reality of the ‘Middle Way’, in which both aspects emerge :
“What then does ‘Myo’ signify? It is simply the mysterious nature of our life from moment to moment, which the mind cannot comprehend or words express. The mind cannot be considered either to exist or not to exist. Life is indeed an elusive reality that transcends both the words and concepts of existence and nonexistence.
It is neither existence nor nonexistence, yet exhibits the qualities of both. It is the mystic entity of the Middle Way that is the ultimate reality.
Myo is the name given to the mystic nature of life, and Ho, to its manifestations.
Renge, which means lotus flower, is used to symbolize the wonder of this Law.
If we understand that our life at this moment is Myo,
then we will also understand that our life at other moments is the Mystic Law.
This realization is the mystic Kyo, or sutra. The Lotus Sutra is the direct path to enlightenment, for it explains that the entity of our life, which manifests either good or evil at each moment, is in fact the entity of the Mystic Law.
If you chant myoho-renge-kyo with deep faith in this principle, you are certain to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime”. WND1 p 3
Words conveyed by voice (physical aspect), and their meaning or essence (mental aspect) - are inseparable - and, obviously, words can trigger mental phenomena. For example: through words of encouragement, the spirit of empowerment, hope and happiness is summoned up in the life of listener. Words can move the heart and mind of people. This is a proof of the inseparability of the physical realm of voice vibrations and the mental realm of the mind.
To view chanting, however, as a mere physical phenomenon of voice - without its mental content, this view is based on a dualistic understanding of phenomena (which separates between the physical expression and the mental nature of phenomena). The acoustical vibrations, which carry profound meaning (and also the acoustical vibrations which carry - for example - the wonderful impact of music) are - necessarily - inseparable part from their mental effect, taking place within one’s consciousness.
Observing the Mind
Both chanting and meditation are processes for observing the contents of the mind. For example, one Zen source states that: “Zen meditation, also known as zazen, is the process of sitting for periods of time observing your thoughts”.
As in meditation, the process of chanting leads one to observe the content of thoughts: “The observation of the mind means to observe one’s own mind and to find the Ten Worlds within it”. WND 1 p 356
Nichiren’s statement on “finding the Ten Worlds” - including Buddhahood - in our mind, practically means understanding the truth of our thoughts and their potential for benefiting our life.
Limitations of the practice of meditation
For many centuries, the practice of Buddhism was confined to temples and retreats. Buddhist practice did not spread widely in the daily life of ordinary people - mainly because of the difficult and slow practice of meditation (as well as the strict discipline involved). While dedicated monks and nuns were able to practice silent meditation for any period of time in temples, this was not practical for ordinary people - especially with family responsibilities, or with a difficult and busy work and life style. On the other hand, the practice of chanting can be carried out by any person in any situation in daily life, and it consequently gained a wide acceptance among ordinary people of all ages and gender.
Another difference between chanting and meditation concerns the approach towards the bodily senses. Silent meditation is focused on the mind and its process involves a certain degree of control over the bodily senses (sight and hearing). Chanting, on the other hand, makes use of these bodily senses: the eyes are open, the sound is heard. With the senses open for perception, chanting enables direct connection with one’s surrounding, especially with the people around in group chanting. The effect of a common harmonious sound vibration of group chanting is very empowering and integrates self and surrounding environment. Engagement of body’s senses during chanting expresses the importance of the body and mind for seeking enlightenment (in one’s current form).
One of the first masters, who introduced Zen to the West, Dr. D.T. Suzuki, viewed meditation as unnatural to human beings:
“To meditate, one has to fix his thought on something; for instance, on the oneness of God, or his infinite love, or on the impermanence of things. But this is the very thing Zen desires to avoid. Meditation is something artificially put on; it does not belong to the native activity of the mind…Who wants to be arrested in the daily manifestations of his life-activity by such meditations… “ (An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, p.41)
A combined practice of meditation and chanting can preserve the benefits of both, however, the primary practice of chanting has proven its validity and practicality - in particular in the modern environment of daily life .
Chanting and the fusion of “Subjective and Objective” aspects of existence
The main focus of meditation is centred on the subjective mind, while chanting expresses the fusion of the subjective mind (Chi) and objective reality (Kyo).
The mantra of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo represents the fusion of the “subjective and objective”, because ‘Nam’ represents the subjective aspect of person’s determination and conscious devotion - while ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’ is the objective reality of life (or the Dharma).
As Ikeda explained in his interview with Tricycle magazine:the phrase of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo conveys the power of life which exists within us as well as in all living beings and environment:
“Nichiren’s practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo leads us to discover a power and wisdom that exists within us and at the same time transcends us”.
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