| There are many aspects of the Buddhist life that call | | | | by the name of Nichiren Daishonen became |
| out to people, yet for those who are not familiar with | | | | disillusioned with the way other Buddhists were |
| Buddhism it can be a difficult journey to understand. | | | | spreading their version of the great Buddha's mantras. |
| There are many mantras, or teachings, that Buddha | | | | He believed that the Lotus Sutra chants and prayers |
| gave to the world. | | | | were what Buddha wanted his followers to learn. In |
| Different sects study different mantras and often | | | | Nichiren Buddhism, the chanting of the Lotus Sutra |
| believe that theirs is the way to enlightenment. Buddha | | | | helps a person to attain universal knowledge and find |
| taught in his life that enlightenment was attained | | | | their enlightenment. |
| through the abdication of earthly possessions but his | | | | Nichiren believed that the Buddhist teachings of others |
| later mantras were taken up by Nichiren Buddhism and | | | | were wrong. It was not about just abdicating earthly |
| this message changed. | | | | possessions. It was about reaching out to your fellow |
| Just as there are different variations of the same | | | | man to overcome trials and adversity together. His |
| religion found in the United States, i.e. the Baptist faith | | | | Buddhist studies allowed him to show that everyone, |
| versus the First Baptist etc., there are different | | | | regardless of age, gender or status, could reach |
| branches of Buddhism. What the Zen Buddhist studies | | | | enlightenment. This opened up Buddhism to many new |
| differs from what the Tibetan Buddhist studies. The | | | | people and showed them that there was a possibility |
| Buddhism Nichiren taught was based on a different set | | | | of overcoming problems to attain peace. |
| of mantras handed down from Buddha in his later | | | | You have to decide for yourself whether or not |
| years. | | | | Nichiren Buddhism is right for you. All of the Buddhist |
| These teachings were known as the Lotus Sutra. | | | | studies are open to different interpretations. That is |
| These Buddhist teachings allow for people to find their | | | | why there are so many different forms of Buddhism. |
| own way to enlightenment through following his studies | | | | You can always count on the fact that all of the |
| but Nichiren felt differently about the other branches of | | | | different branches still honor Buddha and believe that |
| Buddhism. He thought that they had become splintered | | | | the way to end human suffering is through |
| and fractured due to not following the correct path to | | | | enlightenment. You just have to decide which |
| enlightenment. | | | | philosophy you believe in. |
| Back in the 13th century, a Japanese Buddhist monk | | | | |