SHODAI
by the Chief Priest of Shosetsuji Temple, Hamamatsu City, Japan
Shodai, chanting of Daimoku to the Gohonzon, is the essential practise of Nichiren Shoshu. However, most people do the practise of prayer whilst thinking about what they want or need, instead of concentrating on offering Daimoku to the Gohonzon. There is confusion about the difference between Shodai and prayer. When one chants Daimoku to fulfill one's own desires, that person believes this to be Shodai. However, this is nothing but the practise of prayer.
When you face the Honmon-no-Gohonzon of the
Three Great Secret Laws with faith in the Gohonzon and chant......this is called Honmon-no-Daimoku. The important thing is this precise moment of Ichinen.
The Daishonin states in the Gosho "Questions and Answers on Embracing the Lotus Sutra" (MW Vol.5) : "Moreover as life does not go beyond this point...." Life is the accumulation of moment to moment. Whenever you do Shodai, for whatever length of time, each single moment of Shodai is extremely important. Your ichinen must be the ichinen of faith.
There are three credences which comprise the Ichinen of faith:
1. Place credence in the fact that the Gohonzon is the Buddha of Limitless Joy and the Original Buddha of the
Three Properties. The Gohonzon is the True Buddha Nichiren Daishonin. In fact, if you look carefully at the Gohonzon you will notice that down the centre of Gohonzon is written, not only Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, but "Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo-Nichiren". This has great significance.
2. Place credence in the fact that the Gohonzon is the realization of the Daishonin's Enlightenment.
3. Place credence in the fact that the Gohonzon is the only path to Enlightenment for us common mortals.
When we common mortals, living in the illusion of the Six Lower Worlds, chant only to have our desires fulfilled, we are engaging in the practise of prayer. The ichinen of prayer and the ichinen of faith are totally different, like night and day. The original purpose of chanting Daimoku to the Gohonzon is
Kyochi-Myogo with the Gohonzon which activates one's Buddha nature. This is what is meant by the Daishonin when He refers to 'Kanjin-no-Honzon' (the Object of Worship to observe one's heart and mind). However, it must be emphasized that it is not wrong to pray about your problems or for what you want or need. Ultimately these explanations regarding the differences between the practise of prayer and the practise of faith are guidelines, to help us have a correct spirit and concentrate to the fullest when we chant Daimoku or recite the Sutra to the Gohonzon. The Daishonin states in the "Letter to Gijo-bo" (MW Vol2): "The Jigage, the verse section of the Juryo Chapter (in the Lotus Sutra) states:"....singlemindedly yearning to see the Buddha I do not begrudge my life. I, Nichiren, have called forth the Buddhahood from within my life by living this sentence".
The 65th HIgh Priest Nichijun Shonin commented on the above Gosho passage as follows: "The Daishonin's fundamental inner state of life was 'singlemindedly yearning to see the Buddha I do not begrudge my life'. This inner core itself is the Buddha of Limitless Joy and the Original Buddha of the Three Properties. Moment by moment our behaviour must solely be 'Singlemindedly yearning to see the Buddha I do not begrudge my life'.
This clarifies the direct path to grasp the Buddha nature as a common mortal. The correct ichinen of Shodai is 'Singlemindedly yearning to see the Buddha I do not begrudge my life'. In the "True Object of Worship" (MW Vol.1) Nichiren Daishonin said: "Kanjin means to observe one's heart and mind and to find the Ten Worlds within'......to observe one's own mind."
The 26th High Priest Nichikan Shonin explains about this passage as follows:"To observe one's heart and mind means to place credence in the Gohonzon. To find the Ten Worlds within means chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. When you place credence in the Gohonzon and chant Daimoku, the Ten Worlds within the Gohonzon become the Ten Worlds within'....to observe one's own  mind."
Shin-gyo-gusoku means Faith and Practise are mutually inclusive. Faith is contained in  Practise...and Practise is contained in Faith. This is called Honmon-no-Daimoku. This kind of Daimoku brings you "Kyochi-myogo" with the Gohonzon.
When one is chanting Daimoku verbally and one's ichinen is only to fulfill one's own desires, (to the point that one cannot concentrate during his offering of Daimoku to the Gohonzon) then one is deeply embedded in the illusion of the Six Lower Worlds. This is totally different from "yearning to see the Buddha". When you chant solely with the ichinen of prayer to the point that you cannot concentrate on your Daimoku, or even see the Gohonzon, then your ichinen of faith is diminished. Therefore, when your ichinen at that precise moment is to fulfill your desires, you can not have Kyochi-myogo with the Gohonzon. Thus in this manner, the practise of prayer cannot become the the practise of Honmon-no-Daimoku.
The Daishonin never stated in any Gosho that we should engage solely in the practise of prayer. Howver the Daishonin didn't deny prayer either. He states in the Gosho "On Prayer" (MW Vol7): "When you pray with the Lotus Sutra your prayers will never fail to be answered." When the Daishonin talks about prayer He always declares the subject of His intentions. The following examples make this clear.
1."My only worry is that she may die young. Therefore I am praying with all my might for the
Gods to protect her." (Reply to Kyo'o MW Vol1)
2."I am praying that no matter how troubled the times may become, the Lotus Sutra and the
Ten Demon Daughters will  protect all of you, praying as earnestly as though to produce fire from damp wood, or to obtain water from parched ground." ("Rebuking Slander of the Law and Eradicating Sins" MW Vol6)
3."If you pray earnestly to benefit others, how could your prayers go unanswered?" (Gosho Zenshu)
4."Under the circumstances I feel great pity for a person such as you, and also for others, but there is little I can do to help. Nevertheless, I pray day and night to the Lotus Sutra. You too must spare no effort in offering up prayers with firm faith." ("The Story of Ohashi Taro" MW Vol6)
These quotes indicate the difference between shodai and prayer. In Nichiren Shoshu, traditionally as a general rule, you offer personal prayers in the Fourth Silent Prayer during morning Gongyo each day. Day by day, month after month, we need to deepen our faith and our understanding of this practise. The most important thing is to chant as sincerely and with as much Daimoku as possible to the point that you feel satisfied. In this way you will enjoy your practise, receive infinite benefits and joy from the Gohonzon, and receive protection from the
Shoten Zenjin.

TAKAISIN LUENTOIHIN
BACK TO LECTURES
GLOSSARY FOR SHODAI
NEXT LECTURE