Why we have a problem with making meditation a significant part of the practice by Fred Wolff

I was asked why I have an issue with making meditation a significant part of this practice. Nichiren Shonin warned many times, ""To mix other practices with this Namu Myoho Renge Kyo is a grave error." I don't have an issue with anyone who wants to meditate for reasons of health, stress-relief, etc. I practice meditation, but not as a part of this practice. 

Getting back to meditation as part of this practice...in the Gosho, "Nichinyo Gozen Gohenji," Nichiren Shonin states:

"That one is to become a Buddha by chanting 'Namu Myoho Renge Kyo' alone is most important; it must depend on the thickness or thinness of one's mind of faith. The foundation of the Buddha Dharma takes faith as the source. So in the fourth fascicle of the Shigan it says, 'The Buddha Dharma is like the great sea; only faith can enter.'"

See also the Horen Sho, which explains:

"Practicing this Sutra without faith is like entering the Mountain of Treasures without hands or planning a road (journey) of a thousand ri without having feet."

Clearly chanting the Odaimoku then must be done with the mind of faith. 

Again, I'm not going to tell anyone not to meditate or how they should structure their practice. That's not up to me. As a matter of fact, nothing is up to me except how I conduct MY practice. I'm not a priest, leader, or anything else. I'm certainly not an expert on Nichiren Buddhism nor am I a scholar. I know what I know, and I know what Nichiren Shonin taught.

If someone claims to be teacher, scholar, priest, etc. and then says to start mixing other practices with chanting Odaimoku, I will certainly speak out against them. While I do think there is merit in reading the Dhammapada, remembering the 8fold Path, or the 4 Noble Truths, those are all provisional and will not serve any purpose in Mappo. The only practice for us in Mappo is chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo with the mind of faith. 

Sorry for preaching, but I felt I needed to "set the record straight."

With Gassho,

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo

Fred