Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today, we’re talking why SGI Nichiren Buddhists chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo every day.

To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at [email protected] 

Episodes Mentioned:

How Connecting with People Enhanced by Self Care

Mastering Your Daily Rhythm

References:

Discussions on Youth pp. 215, 218, 220-21.

We might have a laundry list of regrets but we don’t have to let them determine our lives today or tomorrow. Today’s guest, Jesse Thompson of Columbus, Indiana, shares how he used his Buddhist practice to overcome shame and create the future he’d always dreamed of.

You can also watch the video version of today's episode on our YouTube Channel. 

Resources:
The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 536, 832.
Learning From the Writings: The Hope-filled Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 107
July 11, 1997, World Tribune, p. 14

Discussions on Youth, pp. 5, 26

Buddhist practice empowers us to positively impact our environment. Amber Owens, of Anniston, Alabama, uncovered a deep sense of purpose in revitalizing her hometown’s art culture. Today we’re talking about how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helps her continuously return to her “why” when the path to her dream gets rocky.

Today’s episode is also available in video format on our YouTube Channel.
 

Resources

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition

Discussions on Youth, p. 172

In today’s Short, we talk about how to do the thing we’ve said we would do for days, months or years. Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview.

Resources:
Discussions on Youth, pp. 98, 262, 395.

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, pp. 5, 103.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol 1, p. 279.

Reach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you.

We all have narratives we tell ourselves about what is possible for our lives. Today’s guest, Jackie Alexander, of Chicago, shares how she overcame limiting beliefs about the kind of student and person she was. We discuss how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo about everything from housing, to money, to graduate school led to Jackie’s newfound self-confidence.

Today’s episode is also available in video format on our YouTube Channel.

References

You Were Born to Win, p. 5

The New Human Revolution, vol. 26, p. 46

Thank you for an incredible year! Today we’re reflecting back on Buddhability’s 2024 guests and some things we’ve learned from them. We can’t wait to show you what we have planned for 2025.

Reach out to us any time at [email protected] to get connected to a local Buddhist community or ask questions.

The journey of self-discovery can sometimes be long and winding. Ray Guida, of Columbus, Ohio, shares how he developed the compassion and courage to live as his authentic self. We discuss the ways chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helps us face all hardships with hope and what it is like to practice SGI Nichiren Buddhism as an LGBTIQA+ person.

Today’s episode is also available in video format on our YouTube Channel.

With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode is about how the Lotus Sutra and Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are practiced today.

Online Articles:
About Our Community

Living The Lotus Sutra
Engaged Buddhism

Books:
Waking The Buddha

The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Series

Reach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you.

With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode focuses on the origins of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhist philosophy and the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Online Articles:
Buddhism Reaches the Shores of Japan

The Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin

Daishonin’s Life and Legacy

Books:
The Records of the Orally Transmitted Teachings Introduction

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol.1 and vol. 2

Reach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you.

With so much to learn about Buddhist history, it can be hard to know where to start! This month, we’re doing a short series covering Buddhist history. Today’s episode covers the early history of SGI Nichiren Buddhism.

Online Articles:
The Humanism of The Lotus Sutra
Buddhist Lineage

Books:
The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras
The Living Buddha
The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Series
The Heart of The Lotus Sutra

Reach out to us at [email protected] to get connected with a Buddhability community near you.