Chanting the Odaimoku in Nichiren Shu is done to become closer to the Buddha and Nichiren Shonin. We chant to grow in spirituality, faith, character, and in understanding. We chant so that we may develop an enlightened and pure quality of life, just as that of the Buddha himself. We strive to identify and eliminate within our own lives the negative forces and tendencies that wreck havoc on our happiness and of those around us, such as greed, anger, egocentrism, arrogance, jealousy, impatience, worry, a complaining nature, ignorance and others. These destructive elements only bring about suffering to ourselves and to all those around us.