Lotus flower meditation wheel poster

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo mantra Literal meaning of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is "I devote myself to the Lotus Sutra the teaching of the lotus flower of the wonderful law taught by Buddha, known as Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha In the 13th Century, a Japanese priest called Nichiren declared that all of the benefits of the wisdom contained in the Lotus Sutra can be realized by chanting this title NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO regularly as a means of improving their health, happiness, wisdom and compassion. The goal of chanting NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO is to manifest the enlightenment of the Buddha in our own lives. Nam Nam derives from the Sanskrit word namu, meaning "to devote oneself." It refers to the correct action and attitude needed to attain Buddhahood. Myoho Myoho literally means the Mystic Law. The underlying truth governing the universe and our life from moment to moment. Myo refers to the very essence of life, "invisible" and beyond intellectual understanding. This essence expresses itself in a tangible form (ho) apprehended by the senses. Phenomena (ho) are changeable, but pervading all such phenomena is a constant reality known as myo. Renge Renge means lotus flower. The lotus blooms and produces seeds at the same time, representing the simultaneity of cause and effect. The circumstances and quality of our individual lives are determined by the causes and effects, both good and bad, that we accumulate through our thoughts, words and actions at each moment. This is called our "karma." The law of cause and effect affirms that we each have personal responsibility for our own destiny. We create our destiny and we have the power to change it. The lotus flower grows and blooms in a muddy pond, and yet remains pristine and free from any defilement, symbolizing the emergence of Buddhahood from within the life of an ordinary person in the midst of the struggles of day-to-day existence. Kyo Kyo literally means sutra, the voice or teaching of a Buddha. In this sense, it also means sound, rhythm or vibration. In a broad sense, kyo conveys the concept that all things in the universe are a manifestation of the Mystic Law.