Enchanted

It’s half past ten on a sticky Sunday morning when an assortment of men and women between the ages of 25 and 45 troop into a plush apartment in Delhi’s Friends Colony locality. The living room has been cleared of furniture and glasses of water are placed in one corner. One among these 40-odd people leads a Buddhist chant —Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—to a chorus for ten minutes. It’s followed by a short speech on the significance of the Soka Gakkai International, a global association that promotes the philosophy of the 13th century Japanese Buddhist, Nichiren Daishonin, that has found resonance in India among over 37,000 people.

The forum is then open for all gathered, people begin talking about their problems, sharing experiences about how this prayer has transformed their lives. For one and a half hours, twice a month, members of the Bharat Soka Gakkai gather on Sundays in different parts of India, (there are chapters in over 50 Delhi colonies alone), to chant, talk about life and their sorrows and to gain strength to surmount problems, together as a group.

“The philosophy advocates accepting your karma but not being bound by it. We all have the power to change our lives and bring about transformations within,” explains Ouchi. The Nichiren sect of Buddhism says the potential for enlightenment lies within us but chanting is the path to actualise and reach it.

Among the followers, there are several examples of how chanting has transformed lives. Zayed Khan, 40, till recently was a hugely successful Delhi-based garment exporter, in partnership with a friend. Business started dipping and before he knew it, Khan had accumulated Rs 40 crore in debt with creditors parked on his doorstep 24x7. His relationship with his partner deteriorated. “I didn’t want to live, I just wanted to die,” says Khan. Sheer desperation drove him to take a friend’s advice. He joined a Buddhist group and started chanting. “Of course, it’s no miracle cure,” says Khan. “But slowly, I found an inner peace. Chanting gives me strength and it has become an important ritual in my daily life.” Khan has since paid back most of his debt and is currently resurrecting his business. He remains a devoted chanter.

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