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Spiritualseeker
23 July 2009, 10:45 AM
Namaste,

So I purchased 3 books on Nichiren buddhism. It seems their practice is mainly reciting the Lotus Sutra a buddhist teaching. Supposedly the Lotus sutra is the highest teaching. ANyways I was just wondering according to a hindu point of view will Buddhist mantra have the same power (power as in guiding one to moksha or nirvana) as hindu mantraS?

Sherab
23 July 2009, 10:50 AM
They may, however, according to tibetan buddhism, only buddhist mantras can lead you to liberation. In any case, to get a mantra in buddhism, you need a teacher, however a few mantras are open (like how shiva and ganesha mantras are open in hinduism) such as om mani padme hung (mantra for chenrezig/avalokiteshvara, deity of compassion) om ah hung vajra guru pema saiddhi hung (Guru Rinpoche who brought buddhism to tibet) and so on.

for example, there is also a second guru rinpoche mantra that goes om ah hung benzra guru padma thotreng... and so on. In the same way that shivahas different mantras - some versions are open, some, you need a guru for.

I think buddhist mantras can indeed help you on the path, as a hindu.

namaste.

Spiritualseeker
23 July 2009, 11:07 AM
Namaste,

Yeah i sort of cheated when I sit with a tibetan group here because their teachers only come periodically (the khenpo brothers) but the group themselves allowed me to chant with them some mantras that require teachers. It is odd even in Tibetan buddhism you cannot recite Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha without a teacher (I saw some people reciting on youtube OM "DOOM" ganapateye namaha) but this tibetan guy told me that one needs empowerment for this. Whereas in hinduism youc an simply recite it. According to Dancing with Siva one should have a teacher to recite OM Namaha Sivaya he said the difference between one who recites it under transmission of a teacher and one who does not is between a person writing a check with no money in the bank and one writing a check with money in the bank.

Anyways what I wanted to know specifically here is the Japanese Mantra recitation. Such as Nam Myoho Renge Kyo which practictitioners of Nichiren buddhism says can lead you to enlightenment here and now in this lifetime. Of course Nam myoho renge kryo is the Japanese translation of the Buddhist Lotus Sutra title. But it seems the Japanese have formulated mantras (that were translated) and used them for enlightenment. I am just not sure if there really has been people who have become enlightened in Nichiren.

Sherab
23 July 2009, 11:15 AM
Namaste,

Yeah i sort of cheated when I sit with a tibetan group here because their teachers only come periodically (the khenpo brothers) but the group themselves allowed me to chant with them some mantras that require teachers. It is odd even in Tibetan buddhism you cannot recite Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha without a teacher (I saw some people reciting on youtube OM "DOOM" ganapateye namaha) but this tibetan guy told me that one needs empowerment for this. Whereas in hinduism youc an simply recite it. According to Dancing with Siva one should have a teacher to recite OM Namaha Sivaya he said the difference between one who recites it under transmission of a teacher and one who does not is between a person writing a check with no money in the bank and one writing a check with money in the bank.

Anyways what I wanted to know specifically here is the Japanese Mantra recitation. Such as Nam Myoho Renge Kyo which practictitioners of Nichiren buddhism says can lead you to enlightenment here and now in this lifetime. Of course Nam myoho renge kryo is the Japanese translation of the Buddhist Lotus Sutra title. But it seems the Japanese have formulated mantras (that were translated) and used them for enlightenment. I am just not sure if there really has been people who have become enlightened in Nichiren.
Yes, they are good teachers, and what they mean by empowerment is diksha/abhisheka. It empowers you to see yourself as the deity.

I have no idea about japanese buddhism :)