南無大菩薩 means to submit to or pay homage to the great Bodhisattva.

The last three characters, 大菩薩, can mean bodhisattva-mahāsattva, refer to one who has reached enlightenment but vows to save all beings before becoming a buddha or a high and noble monk.

南無阿弥陀仏 is the modern Japanese version of “Namu Amida Butsu” or “The Compassionate Amitabha Buddha.”

Some will translate this as “I sincerely believe in Amitabha; Lord have mercy on me.”

This phrase especially applies to Japanese Pure Land Buddhists.

There is a universal version using ancient characters (with more strokes) for the 4th and last characters. That version is also used in Chinese, Korean, and occasionally Vietnamese. This is used to pay homage to Amitabha Buddha.

See Also:  Bodhisattva | Buddhism | Nirvana

南無妙法蓮華經 is sometimes translated as the “Devotion to the Law of the Lotus Flower Scripture.”

This is a meditation chant and homage to the Lotus Sutra, used by Nichiren Buddhists in Japan.
This is also a chant used in China by certain sects of Buddhism that celebrate the deity Guanyin.

Also romanized as “Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō” or without accents as “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.”

Modern
Japanese
Variant

Original
Traditional
Version

The last character was originally written as seen on the left. Sometimes, you will see it written in the Japanese variant form as shown on the right. If you want this Japanese variant, click on the "Modern Japanese Variant" text instead of the button up by the main title of this entry.

南無三寶 means to take refuge in the three treasures (of Buddhism).

This starts with the phonetic “南無” or “Namo/Namu” trying to sound like the original Pali or Sanskrit, followed by “三寶” being more literally the three treasures.

南無阿彌陀佛 is how to express “The Compassionate Amitabha Buddha” (especially for the Pure Land Buddhist Sect).

Some will translate as “Homage to Amitâbha Buddha” or “I seek refuge in the Amitâbha Buddha.”

This is valid in Chinese characters, Japanese Kanji, and old Korean Hanja.

Sometimes modern Japanese use a different version of the 4th and last Kanji, but the version shown here is the most universal.

This is used to pay homage to Amitabha Buddha.

See Also:  Bodhisattva | Buddhism | Nirvana

南無觀音菩薩 is the title Namo Guanyin Pusa in Chinese or Namu/Namo Kannon Bosatsu in Japanese.

This can also translate as Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

Note: Sometimes written 南無觀世音菩薩 (just the addition of 世) making it Námó Guānshìyīn Púsà.

南 means south or southern.

In Chinese, this is also a surname that romanizes as Nan.

In Japanese, it can also be the given names Mimi, Minamihama, Minamitate, Minami, Mina, Miumi, Hinata, Nantetsu, or Namuchoru. It can be the Japanese surnames Nanzaki, Nan, Namu, Nami, or Takaminami.