Do I have to believe in chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for it to work?

Here’s today’s question: Do I have to believe in chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for it to work?

This is a question nearly every person who starts to chant has in the back of their mind. Unless spirituality or a chanting-like practice has already been part of your life for a while, it can feel very new and hard to believe in.

We want to approach this question from a few angles but first, to answer it directly: no, when you first start chanting, you do not have to believe in it or understand it for it to work. 

References:

• https://buddhability.org/practice/dont-know-much-about-buddhism/ 
• https://www.worldtribune.org/2023/buddhism-is-the-clear-mirror-that-reflects-our-lives/
• “On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 3