My Religious Experience:

Chanting Before Going to Work

I started daily morning chanting of the Lotus Sutra and Odaimoku several years ago.

The first few years, I awoke during the middle of the night. I could not sleep, so I got up and started chanting. The time of chanting was later changed to around 4 or 5 o'clock. Now I regularly chant at 6 o'clock in the morning. It takes me about a half an hour to chant Chapters 2, 12, 16, 21, 25, "Yokuryo Shu" and Odaimoku.

At the beginning, I did not know the meaning of the words and phrases of the sutra, but gradually I began to understand the meaning of some words and phrases. I originally prayed for material things. However I later began show more appreciation for what I already had.

It is very important to me to chant before I go to work. Recently I had a firm belief that any hardship at my company would be resolved quickly.

For many years of working overseas, I believe now & honestly understand the teaching that any place where one chants the sutra is the place of enlightenment which is my favorite phrase of Chapter 21 of the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren Shonin said that although Suddhi Punthaka, the most dull among all Buddha's disciples, had no wisdom or understanding of Buddha's teachings. Punthaka worked for many years a cleaning the yard and garden. It was during this time that despite his lack of knowledge he realized that his was helped him to understand the importance of what he was doing and thus he gain a better insight into Buddha's teachings and he was then attained enlightenment. I now have a strong faith in the Lotus Sutra and will continue to do the morning chant through out my life.