‘The Buddhist & The Jew’

Back in 1997, Tina Turner was in the middle of the gigantic Wildest Dreams World Tour and of course promoting the tour and the album of the same name massively. Appearing on every major US shows, she gave one her best interview on the set of the Larry King show on CNN. Evoking her life in Europe, her boyfriend Erwin Bach and her faith in buddhism, the Queen of Rock is even asked to do a “chant variation” from her favorite mantra Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. The result: a red faced and speechless Larry King and one of the most memorable moment of American TV, bringing the mantra to a broader audience.

Now, fans knows the interview by heart, it’s a classic among us and we are still waiting for the Unplugged Album (as well as the album from “The Buddisht & The Jew ft The Mormon Tabernacle Choir”) but it finally emerged in HD recently. So for all our delight, first video above of Tina chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo followed by the full interview with Larry King uploaded on Youtube by CNN! Enjoy!

Transcription of the mantra Nam Myoho Renge Kyo with English translation and meaning inside the post.

Myoho renge kyo — The wonderful Law of the Lotus Sutra
Ho ben pon dai ni: Skillful Ways
Ni Ji Se Son — There the World Honored One
Ju San Mai — Quietly came up
An Jo Ni Ki — From his samadhi
Go Shari Hotsu — And said to Shariputra:
Sho Bu’ Chi E — The wisdom of the Buddhas
Jin Jin Mu Ryo — Is profound and cannot be measured
Go Chi E Mon — Its gate is hard to understand
Nange Nan Nyu — And difficult to enter.
Is Sai Sho Mon — No Shravaka-Disciple
Hyaku Shi Butsu — Or Self-taught buddha
Sho Fu No Chi — Can understand it.
Sho I Sha Ga — Why is that? (because!)
Butsu Zo Shin Gon —the [present] Buddhas attended on many
Hyaku Sen Man Noku — hundreds of thousands of billions
Mu Shu Sho Butsu — Of [past] Buddhas,
Jin Gyo Sho Butsu — And practiced the many teachings
Mu Ryo Do Ho — Of those Buddhas bravely and energetically
Yu Myo Sho Jin — To their far-flung fame till they attained
Myo Sho Fu Mon — The profound Law
Jo Ju Jin Jin — Which you’ve never heard before,
Mi Zo U Ho — And also because they are exposing
Zui Gi Sho Setsu — The Law according to the capacities
I Shu Nan Ge — Of all living beings a way that the intention is hard to understand
Shari Hotsu — Shariputra!
Go Ju Jo Butsu I Rai — Since I became Buddha, I also
Shu Ju In Nen — Have been stating various teachings
Shu Ju Hi Yu — With different stories of previous lives,
Ko En Gon Kuyo — Various parables, and various similes.
Mu Shu Ho Ben — I have been leading all living beings
In Do Shu Jo — With countless expedients
Ryo Ri Sho Jaku — In order to save them from materialism,
Sho I Sha Ga — Because I have the power
Nyo Rai Ho Ben — To employ skills,
Chi Ken Hara Mitsu — And the power to perform
Kai I Gu Soku — The Paramita (reached goal of wisdom) of insight
Shari Hotsu — Shariputra!
Nyo Rai Chi Ken —The insight of the Tathagatas
Ko Dai Jin Non — Is wide and deep.
Mu Ryo Mu Ge — They have all the [states of mind
Riki Mu Sho I — Towards] countless [living beings],
Zen Jo Ge Da’s’ San Mai — unchecked [intelligence], powers,
Jin Nyu Mu Sai — Fearlessness, dhyana-concentrations,
Jo Ju Is Sai — Liberations and samadhis. They entered
Mi Zo U Ho — Deep into no limits, and attained the Law which you’ve never heard before
Shari Hotsu — Shariputra!
Nyo Rai Nyo Shu Ju Fun Betsu —The Tathagatas divide the Law
Gyo Ses Sho Ho — Into various teachings, and state
Gon Ji Nyu Nan — Those teachings so gently and skillfully
Ek Ka Shu Shin — That living being are delighted.
Shari Hotsu — Shariputra!
Shu Yo Gon Shi — In short, the Buddhas attained
Mu Ryo Mu Hen — The countless teachings
Mi Zo U Ho — Which you’ve never heard before
Bus Shitsu Jo Ju — No more
Shi — Will I say
Shari Hotsu — Shariputra
Fu Shu Bu Setsu — Because the Law
Sho I Sha Ga — attained by the Buddhas
Bus Sho Jo Ju — Is the highest Truth.
Dai Ichi Ke U — Rare [to hear] and hard
Nan Ge Shi Ho —To understand.
Yui Butsu Yo Butsu — Only the Buddhas attained
Nai No Ku Jin — The highest Truth, that is
Sho Ho Jis So — The Reality of All Things
Sho I Sho Ho — In regards to:
Nyo Ze So — Their appearances (form? shape? size? ) as such,
Nyo Ze Sho — Thier natures (essence) as such,
Nyo Ze Tai — Their embodiments (present incarnation) as such,
Nyo Ze Riki — Their powers (potentiality also possibilities) as such,
Nyo Ze Sa — Their activities (function or role) as such,
Nyo Ze In — Their primary causes (obvious cause) as such,
Nyo Ze En — Their environmental causes (process) as such,
Nyo Ze Ka — Their effects (latent or hidden effect) as such,
Nyo Ze Ho — Their requital (final outcome or return) as such,
Nyo Ze Hon Ma’ Ku Kyo To — And the combination of these [factors] as such (over and over again)