In Nichiren Shōshū, Gongyō is the formal daily liturgy performed facing the Gohonzon, the enshrined object of devotion. Practitioners typically sit or kneel in a respectful posture, hands in gasshō when not holding the sutra book, and may offer incense and other simple offerings before beginning. The atmosphere is one of reverence and concentration, with the practitioner directing body, speech, and mind toward the Gohonzon. A bell is often used to mark the opening and closing of the service, reinforcing its solemn, ritual character.

The core of Gongyō consists of reciting specific portions of the Lotus Sutra in Japanese, in a rhythmic, chant-like style. These passages come from the “Expedient Means” (second) chapter and the “Life Span of the Tathāgata” (sixteenth) chapter, recited in prescribed sections rather than in their entirety. Morning Gongyō is longer and includes the full set of designated portions from these chapters, while evening Gongyō is shorter and centers on a reduced recitation. The text and intonation are standardized within the tradition, so that both temple and home practice share a common liturgical form.

After the sutra recitation, practitioners chant the daimoku, “Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō,” for a period that can vary according to individual circumstances. This chanting is not merely a vocal exercise but is undertaken with the intention of awakening and manifesting the Buddha nature that Nichiren Shōshū teaches to be inherent in all life. Within the structure of Gongyō, silent prayers are also offered at designated points, directed to the Gohonzon and aligned with the protection and propagation of the correct teaching, as well as the happiness and peace of oneself and others. The entire practice, performed morning and evening, is regarded as an essential discipline that steadily shapes the practitioner’s inner life through consistent, focused engagement with the Lotus Sutra and the daimoku.