The second of the three assemblies described in the Lotus Sutra, in which the entire gathering is suspended in space above the ground. The two other assemblies take place on Eagle Peak. The Ceremony in the Air is depicted from the latter half of the "Treasure Tower" (eleventh) chapter through the "Entrustment" (twentysecond) chapter of the sutra. In the "Treasure Tower" chapter, the treasure tower of the Buddha Many Treasures emerges from beneath the earth and is suspended in mid-air. Shakyamuni, after summoning the Buddhas who are his emanations from the ten directions, stations himself in mid-air, opens the treasure tower, and enters it, taking a seat beside the Buddha Many Treasures. Then, using his transcendental powers, he lifts the entire assembly into space so that they are at the same level. This begins the Ceremony in the Air. The "Treasure Tower" chapter ends with Shakyamuni urging the audience to propagate the sutra in the evil age after his death. In the "Encouraging Devotion" (thirteenth) chapter, the innumerable bodhisattvas attending vow to fulfill the Buddha's will even if they must endure persecution by the so-called three powerful enemies.

In the "Emerging from the Earth" (fifteenth) chapter, the bodhisattvas of the other worlds make the same vow, but the Buddha refuses to entrust the mission to them. At that moment the Bodhisattvas of the Earth make their appearance; this marks the beginning of the essential teaching of the sutra. In the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter, Shakyamuni reveals his original enlightenment - the enlightenment that he attained numberless major world system dust particle kalpas in the past. In the "Supernatural Powers" (twenty-first) chapter, Shakyamuni transfers the essence of the sutra specifically to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth led by Bodhisattva Superior Practices, entrusting them with its propagation in the Latter Day of the Law. In the "Entrustment" chapter, he transfers the sutra to all the bodhisattvas present. Then Shakyamuni's emanations return to their lands, the treasure tower reverts to its former position, and the Ceremony in the Air comes to an end. The heart of this ceremony consists of the revelation of Shakyamuni Buddha's original enlightenment and the transfer of the essence of the sutra to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.

Nichiren (1222-1282) states that the object of devotion he revealed as the Gohonzon is the perfect embodiment of the Law, which is the essence of the Lotus Sutra, and that it is also a representation of the Ceremony in the Air. The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon reads, "This Gohonzon was revealed... in eight chapters [of the Lotus Sutra], from the 'Emerging from the Earth' chapter through the 'Entrustment' chapter" (831).
It also reads, "Without exception, all these Buddhas, bodhisattvas, great sages [attending the Ceremony in the Air]... dwell in this Gohonzon" (832).

Visualizing The Ceremony in the Air

Given the above, then for me when I chant Daimoku to my Gohonzon, I am able to use active creative visualization, so no only does my Gohonzon shimmer, but it is a might and tall gohonzon many metres tall (a very dai-gohonzon) - still with my eyes open (easier tho when closed). Also good when traveling an empty hotel wall could easily be my shrine, and my daimoku could push through walls to the neighbourhood beyond.
My story of how I met the practice

So one way of looking at the Ceremony in the Air is that it takes place in the Cloud and that Transcends the framework of time and space people chant all over the world in different times zones as one, its morning gongyo for each of them just that time is shifted.
Then specifically the Bodhisattvas of the Earth are united, though many in body yet one of mind. What this means is, when we chant we are not alone, we to ascend into the air with all the other Bodhisattvas of the Earth chanting at that moment led by Bodhisattva Superior Practices.

So in my mind, if there was an app that, could show people actively chanting around the world like in a virtual butsuma that would be something. If you could synchronised the timing of when they stopped and started, so one can hand over to another regardless of where they were in the world, that would be something special.
What that would mean is we have transformed the probability question of Somebody somewhere in the world could be chanting right now to actual proof that Somebody somewhere in the world really is chanting right now and thus this now allows you a continuous wave of daimoku. We now have a tool (cfod) that makes this possible.

This Project was sparked by the question Tim Duncan postulated to me some years back, and so I proclaimed my vow to Sensei in 18th November 2013 on a Mens Division that I would create such an app for our members to show them winning towards 18th November 2030.

Sansho Shima and The Three Obstacles and Four Devils

As with any great cause its a 'bad luck magnate', such resistance is characterized as "obstacles" and "devilish functions".
My actual proof was I chanted for a job where money would not be a problem and I would have opportunity to gain the skills required to write a mobile app.
As I have been working on this since 2013, I had learnt how to create and deploy a Mobile app using a platform that costs over £2000/year in subscriptions fees, I deployed it and that APK worked like a charm.
But I linked this determination to my daimoku and my practice, which meant that platform got cancelled and no longer supported, the job I had that enabled me to afford to buy these tools, the server, the software licenses also disappeared. Jobless, I had plenty of time I could work on it if getting a new job was not an issue. As anyone would know being jobless and having large financial commitments is stressful, then add bereavements, bullying and undermining by your co-workers, but "devilish functions" can come from members as well which was unexpected.

My actual proof, came in the form of chanting for a Kosen-Rufu job, where not only would money not be a problem but there would be ample surplus to fund this project, I needed to work from home, with the occasional 'outing' to the office, and the office needed to be in my town. I needed all the software tools to enable me to create CFOD App. I attended NDC London and SDD London to ensure I have the latest techniques for this project.
The result is that I have a job with a Wellbeing Company, where I work from home, with visits to the office means taking the bus that stops outside my house and stops outside my fav coffee-shop next door to me office. I love my job at the Wellbeing Company, as it has a focus making the place of work a happy and health place and outside of work to.
So if its well paid job, why ask for money for show adverts, surely it should be for free - and yet you paid for your gongyo book. When I show-cased this project to a Sikh businessman, he laughed and said "But Buddhists dont have any money!". This is how Nichiren Buddhists differ from other Tibetan Buddhism which I studied as a teenager. We contribute to the Kosen-Rufu Fund with the expectation of benefit from cause and effect, same to with this project and Paying the Rent. Why should I deny you the opportunity to gain benefit? This project is run on a Not for Profit basis, I just need to pay the rent to keep it all going, any surplus, allow me to pay more of my salary into the Kosen-Rufu Fund, as only members can contribute to that. It depends how you feel about supporting the Kosen-Rufu cause, and if a campaign like CFOD matters.

Transcending the framework of time and space

The fact that the ceremony takes place in the air signifies that it transcends the framework of time and space. “Three thousand realms in a single moment of life” is a Buddhist teaching that reveals how ordinary people can attain Buddhahood. Studying this teaching deepens understanding of the way in which Nichiren Buddhism makes it possible for all people to attain enlightenment. What are these three thousand realms in a single moment of life? One aspect is Past, Present and Future - so when you chant you are chanting for your past, present and future. So what If you chanted your future self into existence, what would that look like? What If you chanted for your past self, would that be like a feedback loop. If you are chanting now, that means that you have found this practice before in a previous lifetime, so you are chanting for your future self to find this practice again - but quicker this time. It seems like Time Travel, but it's not, it's just the way the universe works.

Related

• Sansho Shima
• Nichiren Library
• Campaigns
• Paying the Rent