BUDDHA
One who perceives the true nature of all life and who leads others to attain the same enlightenment.
The Buddha nature is inherent in all beings, and is characterised by the qualities of wisdom, courage, compassion and life force.

ESHO FUNI
This is an illustration of the Buddhist principle of the oneness of life and environment (Jap. <1>esho funi). Esho is a contraction of the words eho (environment) and shoho (self). Funi is an abbreviation of nini-funi (two but not two) and funi-nini (not two but two). What this actually means in practice is, fortunately, less complicated than the literal translation suggests.

GOHONZON
The scroll or mandala to which practitioners of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism chant. Honzon means "object of fundamental respect" while Go means "worthy of honour". Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon as an embodiment of his own enlightenment. Most often Gohonzons take the form of a paper scroll inscribed with Chinese and Sanskrit characters in black sumi ink. Down the centre of the Gohonzon in bold characters are the words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Nichiren representing the state of Buddhahood while the other smaller characters represent the various facets which comprise life as a whole.

The intent of our practise of chanting to the Gohonzon is to reveal the state of Buddhahood which exists in each person and which Nichiren Daishonin taught could be revealed by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon and teaching others to do likewise.
The Gohonzon which members enshrine in their homes are transcriptions of the Dai-Gohonzon (Great Gohonzon) inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin on 12th October 1279 and which is enshrined at Taiseki-ji, at the foot of Mt Fuji in Japan.

GONGYO
Literally means "assiduous (constant) practice". According to the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, gongyo means to recite the Hoben (second) chapter and Juryo (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in front of the Gohonzon. Gongyo is performed each morning and evening and is the fundamental practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.

GOSHO
Literally 'writing worthy of great respect'; the writings of Nichiren Daishonin mostly written in the form of letters of encouragement to his disciples. Many of these are extant in their original form.

HUMAN REVOLUTION
The concept that a profound change in the depths of an individual's life effects a change in the social and natural environment.

KARMA
The accumulation of causes one makes and their effects, lying deep within one's life, which exerts an often unseen influence over one's present and future. Although often interpreted to mean destiny, the original Sanskrit word means action and followers of Nichiren Daishonin believe that it is possible to overcome the constraints of karma in this life by making the positive causes of harmonising their lives with universal life.

KOSEN RUFU
Literally, to widely declare and spread' (Buddhism). To secure lasting peace and happiness for all humankind through the propagation of the Great Pure Law of Buddhism.

LOTUS SUTRA
The highest teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha, in which he taught his enlightenment directly and declared that his former teachings should be discarded as preparatory.

NAM-MYOHO-RENGE-KYO
The ultimate Law or true essence of life permeating everything in the universe.
NAM: from the Sanskrit word Namus meaning devotion. Nam is the act of summoning Myoho-renge-kyo from within us and putting it into action in our lives and environment.
MYOHO: Literally Mystic Law. It is the power of revitalisation, the emergence of the highest state of life - the Buddha state - from within us.
RENGE: Literally Lotus Flower. It symbolises the principle of cause and effect and the emergence of our Buddhahood in terms of benefit, happiness and fulfilment.
KYO: Literally means teaching. Kyo is the thread or link of life, connecting everything through sound and vibration; specifically the sound of the Buddha state, which is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

NICHIREN DAISHONIN
NICHIREN DAISHONIN (1222- 1282), The Buddha of the True Cause.
Founder of the Buddhism or the True Cause, who first declared Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on 28th April 1253.

SHAKYAMUNI
Also known as Siddhartha Guatama. The first historically recorded Buddha and the founder of Buddhism.

SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL (SGI)
Literally "Society for the Creation of Value"; the name of the international lay organization of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.

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