Why Are There So Many Black Buddhists? - Tricycle: The Buddhist Review
That was not what I had anticipated, and the racial diversity was not the only surprise. Because I was unfamiliar with the SGI at the time, I expected to be guided through a meditative practice. Instead, a leader walked to the front of the room and rang a bell next to a large scroll covered in Japanese characters. Suddenly the room was filled with the sound of dozens of people chanting the words "nam-myoho-renge-kyo" in unison. The mantra comprises the title of the Lotus Sutra, in which the Buddha gives the fundamental teaching that all living beings inherently possess buddhanature—meaning that they all equally have the potential to attain enlightenment. Chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo morning and evening, along with studying Buddhist texts, forms the core of Nichiren practice.
