Our Strong, Vibrant Prayers Move the Universe

PASSAGE

The neighing of the white horses is the sound of our voices chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. When Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, the four heavenly kings, and the others hear this sound, how could they fail to take on a healthy color and shine with a brilliant light? How could they fail to guard and protect us? We should be firmly convinced of this!

—“King Rinda,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 989–90

THE AWESOME POWER OF CHANTING NAM-MYOHORENGE-KYO

Seeing all the world’s troubles today can easily make us lose hope. The problems seem so big, complex and intractable. What can one person do, after all?

A lot, actually. Nichiren Buddhism teaches that we share deep connections with the people and environment around us. So, as we change, we transform all conflict and suffering into the catalyst for creating peace, hope and prosperity.

Nichiren Daishonin and the Japanese nation also faced looming issues. For instance, around 1279, a possible second invasion by the powerful Mongols racked society with fear and anxiety. In his letters at the time, Nichiren sought to strike fear from his disciples’ hearts. In “King Rinda,” he writes the above passage. He refers to the parable of King Rinda to convey to his disciple Soya Doso the revitalizing and protective power of Nammyoho-renge-kyo.

The parable goes something like this:1

Long ago, there lived a great ruler named King Rinda, who loved his white horses. Hearing them neigh energized him, and his country, in turn, flourished. But the horses only neighed when they saw white swans. One day, all the swans disappeared, the horses stopped neighing, and the king’s life force waned. The kingdom declined, and foreign nations invaded. Non-Buddhist teachers prayed to bring the swans back but to no avail. Then, Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha came along and prayed to all the Buddhas in the ten directions. Suddenly, swans reappeared, and the horses, filled with joy, began to neigh again. The king’s strength came back a hundred, a thousand

times greater than before, the people rejoiced, and the land became peaceful and thrived.

Nichiren goes on to recount how Japan flourished for a time. Erroneous teachings spread, and the land declined as the rulers and people allowed the three poisons of greed, anger and foolishness to warp their minds.

But now, he says, because he and his disciples are chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the protective forces will take on “a healthy color” and “shine with a brilliant light” to protect the land.

In the parable, the neighing of the horses represents our chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. When we chant, we call forth the highest life state of Buddhahood within us, those around us and our surroundings. Ikeda Sensei says:

Our practice of gongyo and chanting Nammyoho-renge-kyo represents a sublime ceremony in which we bring the microcosm of our lives into harmony with the fundamental rhythm of the macrocosm, the universe. … How awesome is the power of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! All of the protective functions become our allies. That is why we have the ability and mission to guide humanity to happiness.2

ALIGNED WITH THE MYSTIC LAW, WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR

Related to the neighing horses representing our voices chanting, Sensei says, “We should always try to chant resoundingly, with a vibrant and vigorous rhythm like that of a galloping horse.”3

As Nichiren says in the passage we’re studying, we rouse protection from Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, the four heavenly kings and others through our prayers. These heavenly deities symbolize the support we get from the people around us and society and the protective functions in our environment.

King Rinda’s story speaks to the profound interconnectedness of all things. As Sensei says:

Through earnest prayer, we can transform anyone and everything around us into positive functions that will definitely support and protect us. The wise and courageous champions of Soka who strive for kosen-rufu aligned with the Mystic Law have nothing to fear. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the driving force for making the impossible possible.4

When facing troubles in our lives and the world, the most important thing we can do is chant to strengthen our life force and that of others and continue sharing our empowering Buddhist practice with those around us.

—Prepared by the SGI-USA Study Department

Notes:

1. See the comic on p. 63.

2. The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, p. 304.

3. On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime: SGI President Ikeda’s Lecture Series, p. 21.

4. June 30, 2016, Seikyo Shimbun.