By Allie Ginwala
DURHAM- There is no temple. No priests or monks dressed in long robes or colorful
garments. No lavishly adorned windows or doors greet visitors as they enter. Only a small,
multipurpose meeting room with twelve chairs placed in a circle.
On a recent Tuesday night, Sherri Santeler-Pepin, Shunsuke Sasaki, Gene Rochow and
Abby Kessler gather in front of a table draped in gold cloths; sequined, shiny and shimmering. A
small box stands on a raised platform in the center of the table; two doors open at the center
revealing a small scroll written in Japanese characters. With small, green liturgy text booklets in
their hands, they begin to chant ‘nam myoho renge kyo’.
“Chanting is used to overcome or reach a goal,” said Santeler-Pepin. “We have wisdom
already, chanting brings it out,” she said
The Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism Group is an institution based in Dover, New
Hampshire, that promotes peace through non-violence in individual lives. Nichiren Buddhism is
a sect of Japanese Buddhism that emphasizes chanting ‘nam myoho renge kyo’ or ‘salutation to
the Lotus Sutra’ to increase happiness in each individual’s life.
The group meets twice a month at member Santeler-Pepin’s house, with an additional
informational monthly meeting on the University of New Hampshire campus for new members.
The meetings consist of socializing, getting to know newcomers, a discussion and a time of
chanting. On the golden alter is the Gohonzon scroll which acts a mirror that one “polishes”
during chanting.
Nichiren Buddhism is a 700 year old Japanese sect that has gained popularity in the rest
of the world over the last 70 years. Nichiren Buddhism is practiced through independent member
groups in 192 countries worldwide, according to Soka Gakkai International, a Nichiren
Buddhism organization in Tokyo, Japan.
SGI operates an informational website and publishes magazines and pamphlets about
practicing and living Nichiren Buddhism. SGI organizations stationed around the world follow
the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism and use SGI publications, but each member organization
supports itself and runs independently.
“There are 18 gazillion kinds of Buddhism,” said Rochow, a member who travels from
Portland, Maine to attend meetings. He refers to Nichiren Buddhism as the “phenomenon of a
lay organization,” a characteristic that sets it apart from other Buddhist sects. Nichiren Buddhism
is also unique because it has no religious hierarchy.
“We don’t have to center on priests making decisions,” Rochow said. No one has a
certificate to claim their competence in teaching Nichiren Buddhism to others, just personal
experience and dedication to the practice.
“Each person has infinite potential inside for wisdom, regardless of [their] intellect,”
Rochow said.
Once newcomers are welcomed, each meeting centers on a discussion topic. Shunsuke
Sasaki is of Japanese descent and has practiced Nichiren Buddhism his entire life under the
guidance of his parents.
“Ever since I was little, I was chanting ‘nam myoho renge kyo’ even though I didn’t
exactly know what it meant or what it did,” Sasaki said. As he grew older and began to
understand the concepts better, Sasaki realized how much sense it made to him.
“It was not until I came to UNH that I really decided to truly practice Nichiren
Buddhism,” Sasaki said. The philosophies of Nichiren helped him adjust to college life and
living on his own.
“I was able to overcome all these obstacles by chanting,” he said.
Sasaki leads the discussion that night from the SGI magazine Living Buddhism. The topic
is ‘How can I use Nichiren Buddhism to improve relationships?’ The majority of the text is
centered on inward focus and self-improvement, a key philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism.
“Environment does not dictate happiness,” Santeler-Pepin said. Instead of wasting time
focusing on how other people act, she focuses on what she can do to improve herself.
Santeler-Pepin, a practicing member for 28 years, was invited to her first Buddhism
meeting by a coworker at Olympus Camera when she was 21 years old. Three months later, she
joined the practice.
“[I] found my life was moving in a positive direction,” she said. “I had been extremely
depressed and did not know why until I starting practicing Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.”
Santeler-Pepin speaks strongly on the subject of happiness, telling stories of former
coworkers and boyfriends with which she has used Nichiren philosophy.
“I realized I was not taking responsibility for my own life and was blaming others for my
unhappiness,” Santeler-Pepin said. “Only me can make me happy.”
This is one of the harder concepts of Nichiren Buddhism for new followers to grasp. It
takes time and practice to hone the correct skill. Chanting is a self-reflection, not an outlet for
anger or something to call on in times of trouble.
“Don’t over strategize, focus to overcome,” Santeler-Pepin said.
Abby Kessler, UNH student and practicing member, was not sold on the idea of Nichiren
Buddhism when she first learned about it. Her mother and aunt are practicing Buddhists, which
Kessler rejected growing up.
“I thought it was embarrassing when my friends came over to my house and my mom
was kneeling in front of her alter and mumbling ‘nam myoho renge kyo’ over and over,” she said.
As Kessler grew to understand it, the practice became more familiar and comfortable and
now she is a practicing member.
“When you give you get,” Santeler-Pepin said about Nichiren Buddhism. “You can win
or lose and losing is not an option. You never give up; you come close, but never give up,” she
said.
At the end of the meeting, the group gathers around the alter to chant. Sasaki rings a bell
and it begins. There are no instruments playing, no background music, and no accompaniment.
The sound is raw; only the tempo tying everyone together. The chanting resonates through the
room, quick and guttural.
The mixing of bass and soprano voices creates a calming, trance-like atmosphere over the
room. The bell rings again and they put their hands to their faces, palms together, fingers pointed
upward. The repetition of the same four words continues for an unknown period of time. The
collective subconscious of the group determines that the end is near and the words slow: ‘nam
myoho renge kyo’.
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Sources:
-- Sherri Santeler-Pepin, group leader: sherrisanteler@yahoo.com, 603-742-2439
-- Gene Rochow, group member: spoke with in person
-- Abby Kessler, group member: afg24@wildcats.unh.edu , spoke with in person
-- Shunsuke Sasaki, group member: sta22@wildcats.unh.edu , spoke with in person
-- Gerry Aitken, website master and practicing Buddhist: gtaitken@frontiernet.net ,
http://www.nichirendaishoninsbuddhism.com/
-- Soka Gakkai International, Nichiren Buddhism organization http://www.sgi.org/index.html
-- Religion Facts, general information:
http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/sects/nichiren.htm
-- The Litergy of Nichiran Buddhism, booklet
-- The Winning Life: An Introduction to Buddhist Practice, SGI booklet
-- Living Buddhism, SGI magazine