Chanting occupies a central and indispensable place in Nichiren Buddhism, functioning as the primary religious practice through which faith in the Lotus Sutra is concretely expressed. The core chant, *Nam‑myōhō‑renge‑kyō*, often called the daimoku, is regarded as the distilled essence of the Lotus Sutra itself, so that to chant it is to embrace and practice the sutra in its entirety. Through this vocal devotion, practitioners give form to their trust in the teaching that all beings possess Buddha‑nature, and in doing so, they continually deepen and reinforce that faith. In this sense, chanting is not a supplementary ritual but the chief embodiment of commitment to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra.

At the same time, chanting is understood as the practical means for directly accessing and manifesting inherent Buddhahood. Rather than relying on long ascetic disciplines or extended periods of study, Nichiren Buddhism holds that, especially in the present age, chanting *Nam‑myōhō‑renge‑kyō* is the most appropriate and effective method for realizing enlightenment. This practice is believed to activate the latent qualities of wisdom, courage, and compassion, transforming suffering and delusion into insight and benefit. Liberation is thus framed not as a distant goal in another realm or lifetime, but as a transformation of one’s life‑condition here and now.

Chanting also plays a pivotal role in the transformation of karma and the reorientation of daily life. Persistent practice is said to revolutionize deep‑seated tendencies and negative patterns, changing both one’s inner state and the concrete circumstances that arise from it. In this way, chanting is seen as a cause for altering personal karma and, by extension, contributing to a broader transformation of the collective life of society. Because the daimoku is considered accessible to anyone regardless of background or education, this path of karmic transformation is presented as universally open, without the need for special qualifications.

In regular morning and evening practice, chanting is often performed while facing the Gohonzon, a mandala inscribed with *Nam‑myōhō‑renge‑kyō* and the ten worlds, which symbolizes the enlightened reality of life. This setting focuses the mind on the Mystic Law and the mutual possession of all life‑states, allowing practitioners to align their own lives with what is regarded as the fundamental rhythm of the universe. Through such disciplined, rhythmic engagement, chanting becomes a way of integrating the principles of the Lotus Sutra into thought, word, and action, for the benefit of oneself and others.