Maine Nichiren Shu Fellowship


		We are an informal group practicing Buddhism in the tradition of Nichiren Shu. We are associated with the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Greater New England. Please Join Us. Everyone is welcome. Time & Days: Currently we are not holding meetings at the University for Summer vacation. Please check back when the fall session begins. You may also visit the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Greater New England for more information and events in the New England area. Location: - University of Southern Maine - Gorham Campus...............for directions to the campus click on Gorham Campus. Contact: Max Calderwood

Simple Explanations

For more detailed explanations of Nichiren Shu style services please visit the Nichiren Buddhist International Centers site. NBIC

Daily Service (Sutra Chanting):

During our Sutra Chanting service we chant portions of the Lotus Sutra and also chant the Odaimoku (Namu Myoho Renge Kyo). This is a version of the daily service practiced by Nichiren Shu practitioners at home. The chapters from the Lotus Sutra are read in the traditional way (Chinese Characters with Japanese pronunciation) called Shindoku and sometimes in English. Shindoku literally means faith reading and is a form of meditation in itself. It is not necessary to understand academically while chanting in Shindoku as it is a form of meditation practice. English chanting is more for academic understanding. Portions of chapters two and sixteen are most often chanted even though other sections may be added as well.

Meditation:

Meditation services in the Nichiren Shu are called Shodaigyo. "Shodai" is chanting Odaimoku and "gyo" is practice. These services are a combination of silent meditation with chanting of the Odaimoku (Namu Myoho Renge Kyo). This is a very different practice from Sutra Chanting services (Daily Service). Meditaion helps us bring ourselves back to our center and helps alleviate the stress of our hectic daily lives.

If you would like to be on the mailing list for the Greater New England Sangha newsletter please contact Max Calderwood or email / call Rev. Faulconer at / 617-314-7782 in Boston or 1-866-585-4891 outside Boston area. You may also download the current newsletter on the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Greater New England web site.
Current and past Newsletters of the Nichiren Shu headquarters in Tokyo Japan "Nichiren Shu News" and Nichiren Buddhist International Center in Hayward California "Bridge of America" are available on their site for download in pdf format. You will find many interesting articles and study material about our order in these publications.

Newsletters will require a pdf reader. If you do not have one on your computer, you can download a free reader at Adobe .

Special Events:

Obon Service will be held in July at the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Greater New England meeting space in Haverhill MA. We will also be joining the Lantern Festival held at Forest hills in Jamaica Plain MA as part of our Obon season celebration. For more information please visit the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Greater New England web site.

Links:

This page is maintained by Rev. Ryuoh Faulconer.

LAST UPDATE 06/19/2008

WEB PAGE FOR THE NICHIREN BUDDHIST INTERNATIONAL CENTER (NBIC)

nichiren-shu.org

The Nichiren Buddhist International Center is located in Hayward California and is the center for activities of the Nichiren Order outside of Japan. The center supplies reading materials and training for Nichiren Shu followers. Please visit their web site for information about our order, to buy books and supplies and to check schedules of events offered by the center.

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