Hi Diana, I love the cadence of the chanting in that video. Assuming that mandala that shows up at the start is the same one being shown throughout, that is the Kito Mandala Gohonzon. Kito means prayer, though it is sometimes called the Medicine Gohonzon because of the additional inscriptions on it that are quotes from the Lotus Sutra where it says that this Sutra is the medicine that can cure the ills of the world. There is quite a lot dedicated to it on Don Ross' website Nichiren's Coffeehouse, as a matter of fact, I think that image may have come from Don's site as well. You can find it here (including a complete translation): _http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/GohonzonShu/037.html_ (http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/GohonzonShu/037.html) This Mandala Gohonzon is a genuine Nichiren autograph and helped launch the Independent Movement into existence. Don can provide the juicy details (and some of it is really very interesting!) regarding its arrival from Japan to the US. En la Ley MÃstica, Ernesto Borges Torres
_Mystic Lotus_ (http://mysticlotus.blogspot.com/) progressive... outspoken... empowered... In a message dated 4/7/2010 04:47:05 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Hi Everybody, I need a bit of help. Please go to this Youtube address: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pjp2ZKJb8Q. If this is too long, you can just search: daimoku nel presente. It'll take you to the same place. You'll see an image of the planet Mars and the words: Zingari de Marte (this means "Gypsies of Mars" in Italian). You'll start hearing daimoku chanting and then you'll see the image of a mandala gohonzon. The chanting will continue for ten minutes. Do any of you know this mandala? Can you guess or find out its origin? Last night, when I was super tired and beyond beat, I found myself chanting with the group while looking at that mandala. I enjoyed the rhythm and musical quality, and felt so much better at the end of the ten minutes. No, I don't intend to use that mandala as my Gohonzon. I'm set with mine for life. I'd just like to know if any of you can help me with some information. BTW, I think the chanting may have been done by professional musicians. Even though it was "just chanting," it made my heart sing. I don't expect it to do the same for you: we each dance to our own rhythm. Well, Rob, Don, Luigi, Ernesto? Anybody? Any ideas? Thank you in advance for your help. I know you'll come up with something. Diana
