In Nichiren Shōshū, “Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō” is revered as the *daimoku*, the concentrated essence of the Lotus Sutra and the core practice for attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime. The phrase is traditionally understood as “devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra,” expressing a wholehearted dedication to the ultimate, subtle law that underlies all phenomena and leads beings to enlightenment. “Nam” (from Sanskrit *namas*) signifies devotion or taking refuge; “Myōhō” denotes the Mystic Law; “Renge,” the lotus flower, symbolizes both purity and the simultaneity of cause and effect; and “Kyō” refers to the sutra, the Buddha’s teaching, specifically the Lotus Sutra. In this single title, practitioners see the entire teaching and merit of the Lotus Sutra gathered into a living, vocal practice.

The importance of chanting this phrase lies in its role as the essential and direct practice for enlightenment in the present age. Rather than relying primarily on extensive doctrinal study, Nichiren Shōshū teaches that chanting the daimoku contains and activates the full wisdom and compassion of the Lotus Sutra. This chanting, especially when performed with faith before the Gohonzon, is regarded as a way to align one’s life with the Mystic Law, to awaken the innate Buddha nature, and to transform karma and suffering at the deepest level. It is understood as direct access to the fundamental law of the universe, available to any person regardless of background or circumstance.

Practitioners attribute both inner and outer transformation to this practice. Through steady chanting, they speak of “conspicuous” benefits—tangible improvements in areas such as health, relationships, and material conditions—as well as “inconspicuous” benefits, such as increased wisdom, courage, compassion, and resilience. These effects are seen not as mere good fortune, but as expressions of the working of the Mystic Law in daily life, purifying negative karma and bringing forth positive life conditions. In this way, the daimoku is regarded as a practical means to overcome suffering, foster personal growth, and contribute to a more harmonious society, all while moving steadily toward the realization of Buddhahood.

At a deeper level, chanting “Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō” is also understood as a living connection to Nichiren Daishonin, who is upheld in this tradition as the one who revealed this practice as the supreme method for the Latter Day of the Law. To chant as he taught, in front of the Gohonzon he inscribed, is viewed as uniting one’s life with the life of the True Buddha and the Mystic Law itself. Thus, this simple yet profound phrase functions simultaneously as devotion, invocation, and embodiment of the Lotus Sutra, making the path to enlightenment both accessible and immediate in the midst of ordinary existence.