Gohonzon

The Gohonzon is more like an object for one to focus the chanting on, however this 'object' contains all  different aspects of our life, and the life of the universe (from a professor on cosmology: we and all things of the universe incl stars and planets are composed of the same elements: metal, wood, water, fire and wind).  we are not worshipping anything, if at all, we are  RESPECTING  our own life, and lives of other people because LIFE IS PRECIOUS.

 

when we are looking at the gohonzon chanting, its like when we are looking into a mirror, therein we can see our life more clearly:  ie reasons for our misfortune, why we are not happy, etc.  as we chant, our spiritual being is elevated and we are looking from atop, with a much clearer vision.

 

afterall buddhism says all reasons for our unhappiness and suffering lie within ourselves, but most of the time we dont realize it, and keep making the same mistakes over and over again, this is what we call 'karma'.  by seeing things more clearly, we are able to change our thinking and  behavioral pattern, reacting differently to situations and thereby help changing our karma.