800 Years: Devoting Oneself Solely to Faith in the Lotus Sūtra

How should one devote oneself solely to faith in the Lotus Sūtra? The answer to this question is in the Lotus Sūtra, namely the five practices of bodhisattvas… . Then again, according to Nichiren Shōnin, the practice most suitable for unenlightened people like us is chanting Odaimoku, reciting “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō.” “Namu” is a Chinese imitation of the sound of the Sanskrit word “namo,” which means “to believe.” “Myōhō Renge Kyō” is the title of the Lotus Sūtra as translated by Kumārajīva. Therefore, “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” is an expression of faith in the Lotus Sūtra. For Nichiren Shōnin, the act of reciting Odaimoku is the act of becoming a buddha in our present form.

History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 75-76