Guidance on Prayers in Buddhism
“Prayer is the foundation. But at the same time, if we fail to make concrete efforts, no matter how much daimoku we chant, our prayers will not be answered. Buddhism is reason. If we just chant and pray without doing efforts, we cannot succeed” (My Dear Friends in America, page 428)
In his discussion on “The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra”, SGI President Ikeda said the following with regards to one’s attitude when offering prayers:
“The Gohonzon doesn’t respond to indulgent, abstract prayer. When we pray to the Gohonzon with our entire life, there is no way that a path forward will not be opened.” http://nichirendaishoningosho.blogspot.com/2011/04/
“Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. It is the way to banish sorrow, the way to light a torch of hope. It is the revolution that rewrites the scenario of our destiny. (Ikeda quotes)
“Prayer entails an intense challenge to believe in yourself and stop diminishing yourself.
To belittle yourself is to disparage Buddhism and the Buddha within your life”. (Ikeda quotes)
In Nichiren Buddhism, it is said that no prayer goes unanswered. But this is very different from having every wish instantly gratified, as if by magic. If you chant to win the lottery tomorrow, or to score 100 percent on a test without having studied, the odds are small that it will happen.
Nevertheless, viewed from a deeper long term perspective, all your prayers serve to propel you in the direction of happiness. Sometimes, our immediate prayers are realised, and sometimes they aren’t. When we look back later, however, we can say with absolute conviction that everything turned out for the best”. (Discussion On Youth, p. 300)
“Prayer is the courage to persevere. It is the struggle to overcome our own weaknesses and lack of confidence in ourselves. It is the act of impressing in the very depths of our being the conviction that we can change the situation without fail. Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. It is the way to banish sorrow, light the torch of hope. It is the revolution that rewrites the scenario of our destiny”. (Ikeda quotes)
“It is natural for prayers to centre on your desires and dreams. There is no need to pretend that you are praying for something lofty when you are not. You are only fooling yourself if you pretend. By chanting naturally - without affection or reservation - for what you seek most of all, you’ll gradually come to develop a higher, more expansive life-condition”. (P. Ikeda, Discussion On Youth 2 Ch.20)
“Being human, its natural for our minds to wander, for all sorts of thoughts and memories to surface during prayer. You can share all these thoughts with the Gohonzon. There is no set form or pattern for how we should pray. Buddhism emphasises being natural. Therefore, simply chant earnestly without pretense, just as you are. In time, as faith develops, you will find it easier to focus your mind when you chant” . (Discussion on Youth, Faith into Action pp 153-4).
“Buddhism is reason. Our faith is reflected in our daily lives, in our circumstances. Our prayers cannot be answered if we fail to make efforts appropriate to our situation”. (DiscussionOnYouth 2/ 20)
“And when you chant, you should do so sincerely and honestly, following the feelings in your heart without restraint, just as a baby instinctively seeks its mother’s milk.
There is no need to be stoically formal when you chant; there is no need for pretense. If you are suffering, then take that suffering to the Gohonzon; if you feel sad, then take your sadness to the Gohonzon.
It is also best to chant with clear determination, having a concrete goal in mind about how you want to grow or change or what you want to accomplish.
It’s also important to chant for those people whom you may not like, or find hard to deal with, or feel resentful toward. It may be difficult and perhaps even impossible for you to do so at first. But if you challenge yourself and chant for them, the wheels of change will definitely be set into motion.
Either you will change or the other person will. Either way, you will be able to open a path leading in a positive direction. Many people have experienced this firsthand.
Most importantly, your own transformation into a person able to chant for even those you harbor negative feelings toward - will become your greatest fortune”. (D. Ikeda, Thoughts on Friendship)