The Core
仏名 (Butsumyo) is a liturgical practice in Zen Buddhist Tanbutsu rituals where the names of various Buddhas are recited to honor their virtues. It involves chanting the names of Buddhas across sectarian boundaries to manifest a world of enlightenment within the space. While commonly regarded as "an act of worship to praise the Buddha's greatness and seek divine protection," this dictionary defines it as "not merely a ritual of reading aloud the names of Buddhas, but an active practice of actualization, in which the practitioner chants these names to harmonize the vibrations of their voice with the world, thereby manifesting a realm of wisdom and compassion in the here and now."
Q&A
- Q: Why do you chant the names of Buddhas respected by various sects, even though you are in the Zen sect?
- A: Because, in the first place, boundaries such as "sects" do not exist in Buddhism. The current sectarian system is merely the "branches and leaves" for focusing on specific teachings, while its fundamental root lies in the shared purpose of "liberating oneself from suffering and awakening to the truth."
