The Five Gohonzons

In Nichiren Shu, there are five different ways of representing the
gohonzon:

  1. A statue of the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha.
  2. A statue of the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha flanked by the four leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
  3. Paired statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and Many Treasures Tathagata flanking the Stupa of Treasures inscribed with the words “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.” This is the depiction used most often in the main halls of temples. The phrase Namu Myoho Renge Kyo is the Odaimoku or “Honored Title” of the Lotus Sutra.
  4. An inscription of the Odaimoku alone.
  5. The Great Mandala depicting the Odaimoku illuminating the Ten Worlds. Nichiren made many such mandalas; 128 of them are still extant. Among them, the Nichiren Shu has chosen the Shutei Mandala that Nichiren made in 1280 and had at his deathbed as the one that it officially bestows upon members. The Great Mandala is the most popular form of the gohonzon for enshrinement in the home.
Lotus World: An Illustrated Guide to the Gohonzon