On reciting the name of the Buddha
1. We all know that everyone suffers from vexations, though not
necessary know that, as long as vexations last, we will remain in
the cycle of birth and death. Therefore, we ought to seize the
opportunity of this short human rebirth to concentrate on reciting
the name of the Buddha and practice diligently to eradicate all
vexations. Otherwise, we will remain in samsara and perpetually
wander among the six divisions of rebirth.
2. Whatever circumstances you encounter, always remember to recite
"Amitabha Buddha"; whenever you wish to steer clear of conflict,
recite the name as well. In short, recite the Buddha's name
whenever you have a moment to yourself, even if you should fall
asleep amidst recitation. This practice will help you transcend the
three realms of existence (the realms of sensual desire, of form
and formlessness) and be reborn in the Pure Land. Therefore, when
disturbances arise during practice, pretend not to see or hear
them. Do not be distracted by the six sense objects, nor be swayed
by circumstances. Just continue reciting "Amitabha Buddha".
3. Reciting the name of the Buddha with an undivided mind will lead
to the realization of the essence of your own mind.
4. Many who do not understand the significance of reciting the name
of the Buddha suppose the only attainment possible through this
practice is a long life. However, if instead of practicing to
escape samsara, you only create more negative karma by killing and
other misconduct, what is the use of a long life? You still remain
in the cycle of rebirths, wandering among the six divisions of
sentient existence! The matter of escaping the cycle of birth and
death is so crucial, yet life is so impermanent. If you truly
comprehend the rationale of why we should escape the cycle of birth
and death, you will, without hesitation, seize the opportunity of
this human rebirth to practice reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha
so that you can be reborn in the Pure Land.
5. Reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha is truly a pure and proper
path, a path that will lead to the Pure Land. When we recite
"Amitabha Buddha" in unison, all with an undivided mind, we can
arrive at the Pure Land. There is no need to purchase tickets, as
the dharmic vehicle to the Pure Land is formless and
colorless.
6. Life is so impermanent; it can easily end in a breath.
Therefore, we should seize every moment to practice diligently.
Don't waste more time; keep on reciting the name of the Buddha.
This is the most important thing for us here and now!
7. Keep on reciting the name of the Buddha, whether we are moving,
staying, sitting, or sleeping! If we observe closely, we will find
that most of the time, instead of concentrating on the name of
Amitabha Buddha, our minds are easily distracted by external
environments and wandering all over the places. If we cannot
restrain our minds and allow them to be swayed by circumstances,
there is no way we can ever escape samsara.
8. You can practice Zen in all your daily activities, be it
walking, staying, sitting, or sleeping, not just in "sitting"
meditation. If you constantly maintain the serenity and
impartiality of your mind, you are practicing Zen. To be more
specific, Zen means an undivided mind.
9. It is by no means easy to practice reciting the name of the
Buddha. You have to relinquish all worldly concerns and recite with
a pure and undivided mind so as to be in accord with the Buddha.
Recite "Namah Amitabha Buddha" clearly and listen attentively
without any doubt, all your scattered thoughts will naturally be
expelled. You can then practice with an undivided mind free of
perplexity.
10. If you have faith in my teaching, remember to recite the
Buddha's name constantly whether you are walking, staying, sitting,
or sleeping. Hold on to it even in your dreams. You can thereby be
free of greed and worldly desires and your mind will not be
perturbed. When you reach this stage, the Pure Land will naturally
come forth before you. Do not take this matter lightly! It pertains
to whether you can escape the cycle of birth and death.
11. The Larva of Chilo simplex (a kind of moth) cannot have
offspring. They pick other bugs, put them in the soil, and speak to
them incessantly: "Be like me! Be like me!" When the bugs come out
of the soil, they grow to be like Chilo simplex. We should follow
this example in our practice: shun from myriad temptations, just
recite "Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha" with an undivided mind.
After continuous practice, the recitation will become your second
nature and you will ultimately attain Buddhahood.
12. When you are at home, practice prostration and recite the
Buddha's name whenever possible. Don't waste your time gossiping or
chattering! Then you can hope to be liberated from samsara and be
reborn in the Pure Land.
13. Do not be perturbed by erroneous and illusive thoughts; just
ignore them when they emerge. If you keep on reciting "Amitabha
Buddha", such thoughts will gradually diminish.
14. Try to comprehend and experience the essence of the Dharma
through each and every move you take so that evil ideas will have
no chance to come forth. Otherwise, your life will be wasted. When
not guided by right mindfulness, you may be overwhelmed by illusive
and erroneous thoughts even though not pronouncing them, and remain
clinging to, hence being vexed by, your biased judgments of worldly
affairs. Continue living like this and you will have no chance of
escaping samsara. The most important thing in your life, therefore,
is to foster right mindfulness and practices the supreme Dharma
that would set you free of all the trammels of life.
15. Smile when things are going well, the same when times are bad,
for "good" or "bad" are nothing but arbitrary distinctions made by
the mind, no need to differentiate or discriminate. When feeling
happy, keep pondering "who is the one that is happy?" and when
vexed, asking "who is the one that is full of defilement?" You
should know that vexations and illusive ideas are also part of your
mind, your "perturbed" mind. Pay no attention, though, when they
emerge, just keep on reciting "Amitabha Buddha" clearly and
distinctly. Continue this practice long enough, the illusive
thoughts will naturally diminish. The instant the mind becomes pure
and undivided, it is the Buddha-mind.
16. Don't think too much; just work, eat, and recite the name of
the Buddha! Live only for today and let tomorrow be tomorrow. Let
go of all worries and anxieties. Such is an indication of firm
resolution, and such is practice.
17. "The nature of Dharma is emptiness. It has no place of origin
nor destination." Thus, when you are vexed or angry, do not insist
on locating the source of your vexation or anger. If you do, you
will neither be happy nor be able to concentrate on practice, let
alone making any progress! You have to relinquish all concerns and
let go of all fetters. The most important thing is to keep
"Amitabha Buddha" in your mind!
18. Reciting the name of the Buddha requires uninterrupted
long-term practice, like the water of small streams keep running
into the sea. No matter how many times you recite per day, you have
to do it everyday and with an undivided mind. This is the only way
for your recitation to stream into the sea of the great vows of
Amitabha Buddha (i.e. be in accord with the vows) and you can
thereby hope to be reborn in the Pure Land. Consequently, anyone
who is willing to recite the name of the Buddha is half way toward
attaining Buddhahood.
19. It is by no means easy to practice reciting the name of the
Buddha because the recitation has to be done with an undivided mind
and each word pronounced distinctly. Without the guidance of right
mindfulness, your mind may become scattered and all sorts of unruly
ideas may spring up. Under such circumstances, your recitation can
easily become a mindless utterance that can never be in accord with
the great vows of Amitabha Buddha. Indeed, recitation with an
undivided mind requires a strong resolve. Otherwise, how can anyone
expect to practice well when his/her mind is overwhelmed by
illusive and erroneous thoughts?
20. There will be immense disturbances and obstacles to our minds
while practicing recitation, mostly caused by incessant illusive
thoughts. Since our minds are basically unstable and can easily be
swayed by our thoughts, it is difficult to recite the name of the
Buddha, even just once, with an undivided mind.
21. We all have accumulated immeasurable bad seeds in the eons.
Without diligent practice, we will only increase our karmic
obstructions and live this life in vain. Once losing human rebirth,
we might not be able to regain such a good opportunity for practice
for eons. In that case, when can we hope to escape the cycle of
birth and death? Knowing the consequences, it will be wise for us
to forgo all worldly attachments at once and practice diligently.
Only when we realize that our physical body is nothing but a
temporary and illusive shell case, and that we all have a
Buddha-nature that can neither be born nor extinguished, will we be
able to attain eternal liberation.
22. All of us are born with negative karma accumulated in past
lives; that is why we remain in this cycle of rebirths. So, if
those who have poor health realize that their illnesses are largely
due to their karmic obstructions, they should avoid killing and
recite the Buddha's name more often. Such practice will gradually
eradicate their karmic obstructions.
23. If you find yourself overwhelmed by incessant erroneous and
illusive thoughts, you should keep yourself busy so that your ideas
will have an anchor. Otherwise, with thoughts running wild, you
cannot practice reciting the name of the Buddha. But if you
practice recitation while working, you will gradually forget that
you are working hard. Besides, when you concentrate both on your
tasks and on recitation, you will stop making distinctions about
your environment, and your mind will naturally be free of
discrimination.
24. For your daily practice, you should recite the name of the
Buddha, dutifully carry out your monastic tasks, and constantly
think of working for the benefit of others. This is the dual
practice toward gaining merit and wisdom that will lead directly to
liberation from the cycle of birth and death. On the other hand, if
you only think of your own interests and never about others, you
are neither kind nor compassionate; your practice won't go very far
and you are sure to remain in samsara.
25. Practice reciting the name of the Buddha requires the trinity
of faith, will, and action. Follow the recitation closely --
whether pronouncing it or reciting in silence -- you should be able
to hear every word distinctly. If you practice to the extent that
you hear nothing but the name of the Buddha, that you neither
distinguish nor be distracted by any other sound, you would have
attained the stage of "an undivided mind free of perplexity".
26. Our tendency to have erroneous and illusive thoughts is rooted
deeply. That is why we tend to feel dizzy or are easily distracted
by illusive thoughts when we recite the name of the Buddha.
Therefore, we have to keep reminding ourselves to restrain our
minds while practicing recitation.
27. Some people take recitation lightly, thinking it easy to
practice. But if you ask them to try it, they might soon be vexed
after starting to recite the name of the Buddha, or they might feel
oppressed by tons of rocks upon hearing the sound of recitation.
Such negative reactions indicate that they did not plant good seeds
in their previous lives and that their karmic obstructions are so
enormous that they are unable to benefit from recitation.
Therefore, do not look down upon the discipline of reciting the
name of the Buddha.
28. Nowadays, many people claim to be Buddhists but in fact do not
have right mindfulness. They make offerings to supernatural local
deities praying for blessings and take it to be the practice of
Buddhism. Or, they prostrate themselves in front of Buddha statues
because they want something in return. They are chasing after
wealth and fame, and are deluded by such illusive pursuits day in
and day out. Without the guidance of right views, it will not be
easy for such people to escape the cycle of birth and death.
29. We should make vows as grand as that of Bodhisattva
Ksitigarbha, i.e. not to attain Buddhahood until all beings are
delivered. While treading the Bodhisattva-path, this grand vow is a
vow to attain Buddhahood. If, on the other hand, we think only of
ourselves, then we are neither kind nor compassionate; our practice
will not go very far and our attachment to the form of "self" will
remain. Clinging to the sense of self will only plant evil seeds
such as vexation, attachment, discrimination, jealousy, greed,
anger, and ignorance, etc., that will keep us in the cycle of birth
and death. Hence, practice should always be motivated by altruism.
And while working for the benefit of others, we will also benefit
ourselves. Help others whenever and wherever possible and lead
their minds to dwell on the Dharma. Whatever we do, if we are kind
and compassionate to all beings while providing them with expedient
guidance for practice, we are treading the Bodhisattva-path.
30. Why are we besieged in the endless cycle of rebirths? It is
because we are heavily defiled and attached to sensual attractions,
and are vexed by incessant cravings for wealth, sex, fame, food,
and sleep. Our unremitting pursuit of physical satisfaction,
therefore, creates immeasurable negative karma, which keeps us
forever in samsara.
31. Whatever circumstances we run into, our first thought should
always be "reciting the name of the Buddha", nothing else. We will
then plant only seeds of recitation in our eighth field of
cognition. Therefore, what we should practice daily is to convert
all sounds we hear, be it birds singing, vehicles moving, or people
talking, into sounds of chanting Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. That
is to say, instead of being distracted, we should integrate all
external noises and phenomena into our practice of reciting the
name of the Buddha.
32. "Becoming an impeccable person equals attaining Buddhahood."
The Dharma is in itself complete, adroit, and expedient. A
practitioner should be strict in disciplining him/herself but
considerate when dealing with others. Be patient in whatever you
do, be kind, compassionate, and tolerant to whomever you meet, and
help others when circumstances arise. By doing so, you are
fostering good affinity with all beings.
33. The essence of "seeking guidance" is to make use of all
circumstances to examine our own minds, to see whether they are
vexed, deluded, or discriminating. That is, we should observe the
incipience of our each and every thought to ensure that our minds
remain undiscriminating, undefiled, and unfettered. This is the
true meaning of seeking guidance.
34. The most important thing for a practitioner is to recite the
name of the Buddha with an undivided mind. The second is to
practice "forbearance". Shut your ears and eyes, pretend not to see
or hear when people say or do disagreeable things; instead, be
gentle with them and do not become vexed. "Forbearance" is crucial
in practice.
35. Practice reciting the name of the Buddha to the extent that
"flowers flourish and the Buddha comes into view". We all have a
Buddha immanent in our minds. When we practice recitation to the
extent that our minds are pure and free of vexations, we will meet
Buddha within ourselves. Therefore, only by the extinction of all
vexations can we attain the stage where "flowers flourish and the
Buddha comes into view". We should practice compassion and
forbearance in our daily lives while avoiding impulsiveness and
petulance and controlling our temper. Be adroit and harmonious when
dealing with people and handle everything with the help of reason.
Seek not the faults of others and do not be vexed by the rights or
wrongs we perceive. Be gentle and kind to others, though not for
the sake of building up connections. Treat everyone, be he/she
moral or immoral, with equality and impartiality. Do not turn
others away with an icy face. With every move intended for the
benefit of others and done with sympathetic compassion, not only
will we foster good affinity with others but our minds will be
purified and ourselves free of all vexations. We are thereby
attaining the stage where "flowers flourish and the Buddha comes
into view".
36. Unless all emotional attachments are relinquished, merely
reciting the Buddha's name with your tongue will not help you
escape the cycle of birth and death. Recite with all sincerity and
an undivided mind and relinquish myriad attachments, then you will
be reborn in the Pure Land.
37. "The truth will come forth when you have faith; your prayers
will be answered if you pray with sincerity." Recite the Buddha's
name with all sincerity, then you will feel the auspiciousness
indicating the presence of the Buddha. Have a deep conviction that
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas fill the void of the universe. However,
they only correspond with minds of utmost sincerity.
38. Reciting the name of the Buddha is very powerful in that it
helps to eradicate our karmic obstructions and unfold our wisdom.
But do not cling to the "form" of recitation; nor should you be
attached to the color and form (i.e. physical existence) of this
world. Otherwise, your mind cannot be pure or liberated, i.e. you
will remain in the confinement of the five skandhas (form,
sensation, perception, volition, and consciousness), and your
liberation will remain a daydream with no prospect of
realization.
39. When practice recitation, you should do it with an undivided
mind to the extent that "(your) mind is open and flowers (of your
mind) flourish." That is to say when your mind is purified through
recitation, you will naturally be free of vexations. When your mind
is not crowded with destructive ideas generated by your greed,
anger, and ignorance, it will not be inverted and, together with
your body, will be free and at ease. When you attain that stage,
this world is the Pure Land.
40. It takes a long time to attain any stage in practice.
Therefore, we ought to practice training our minds all the time.
For example, while others are chatting, practice recitation within
our minds. Always be watchful lest our minds should become slack
and scattered. Keep on reciting the Buddha's name; we can do it
even while we are walking.
41. Right mindfulness is crucial for practicing recitation. Keep
reciting "Namah Amitabha Buddha" and you will naturally acquire
right mindfulness. Recitation should be done to the extent that
your mind never leaves the Buddha, nor the Buddha your mind, and
that your mind is undivided, free of perplexity and
inversion.
42. For lay practitioners, the best way to practice is to recite
the name of the Buddha. Also, better avoid running around lest your
mind should become scattered and bewildered. Concentrate on your
recitation!
43. The purpose of reciting the name of the Buddha is to restrain
and stabilize our minds. We may not be aware of it, but the reason
we remain in the cycle of rebirths is because our minds are always
in a state of fluctuation; they are swayed too easily by
ever-changing circumstances thereby confine us to this eternal
prison of birth and death. Therefore, the purpose of recitation is
to calm the mind. Practice begins with the mind; liberation from
samsara also depends on the mind.
44. We all will run into numerous obstacles in the course of
practice. At times, we may feel overwhelmed by a problem and are
consumed by the ensuing delusion and vexations. But with a change
of perception, the seemingly formidable obstacle may be disposed of
with ease. The purpose of practice, then, is to train our minds so
that this "change of perception" will occur spontaneously. What we
should keep in mind is the single notion of recitation. Constantly
recite "Amitabha Buddha" in our minds. This will offset the seeds
of delusion and vexations we have planted in our previous lives and
help us transcend adversities through change of perceptions. When
our minds are free of discrimination, feeling neither love nor
distaste, we are in the state of samadhi.
45. Reciting the name of the Buddha helps us expel our erroneous
and illusive thoughts. At the moment when not a single thought of
ours is fraught with illusions and inversions, it is wisdom
unfolding.
46. "Life is so impermanent that it can end within a breath."
Instead of relying on others to recite the name of the Buddha at
our deathbed, we should practice recitation all along to prepare
ourselves for that crucial moment. Otherwise, there is little hope
for us to be reborn in the Pure Land.
47. "Myraid Dharma originated from the mind." All circumstances are
created by our minds. If our minds are unperturbed, everything will
seem stable, and we will have fewer worries. Recitation is a very
powerful method. If we keep concentrating on reciting the Buddha's
name, our minds will become unperturbed and unfettered. On the
other hand, if our minds are under the full sway of our desires and
circumstances, we will be confined to the cycle of rebirths
forever. We should know that the merit of recitation is tremendous
and that it is a great blessing for us to come across this
discipline. By simply reciting "Amitabha Buddha", we can expect to
escape the prison of birth and death and attain Buddhahood.
48. How can our minds prevail over circumstances? One simple method
is to keep reciting the name of the Buddha. Always keep in mind the
name of "Amitabha Buddha!" This method suits most people. It is the
easiest, fastest, and most direct way to practice, and is
especially suitable for the contemporary people, whatever their
capacity may be. Even an illiterate old lady can practice
recitation well. The level you will attain depends solely on the
strength of your faith. Never look down upon this simple phrase of
"Namah Amitabha Buddha". Recitation is one of the methods of the
Mahayana school and is by no means easy to practice. Master
Yin-Kuang once remarked that: "If one can recite 'Amitabha Buddha'
well, it will be more than sufficient for one to attain
Buddhahood." Never worry that you don't have enough time for
practice. Whatever you do, if you keep reciting the name of the
Buddha, you are practicing.
49. There are many techniques for practicing recitation. Before
attaining a certain level, we tend to switch among various
routines. Sometimes, we feel one technique is particularly
effective for restraining the mind. However, we may soon switch to
another routine because it seems more beneficial. The "good" or
"bad", though, are merely distinctions of our minds. Before
attaining a certain level, our minds are bound to be restless; it
is a process during the course of practice before our minds finally
settle for one routine. In fact, all techniques are equally useful.
Whether we give up one routine in favor of another, they are all
choices made by the essence of our minds. A diligent practitioner
will not cling to any specific routine. "It is the essence of the
mind that recites the name of the Buddha and the same that
listens." Recitation is only an "idea" that flashes through our
minds; what's most important is that through recitation we can make
this flash of idea tranquil, stable, and immovable.
50. When practice recitation, do not cling to the auspiciousness
you experience, or dwell on any kind of sensation, feeling, or
form. Whatever you see or feel, it is no more than a phantasm, a
magical delusion. To dwell on such sensation or vision is quite
dangerous! Do not brag about what you see during practice. All
forms are nothing but your own illusions.
51. Buddha and mara (the tempter) exist only in our perception.
Right mindfulness conceives Buddha while evil thoughts generate
mara. If you worry about family affairs and can't concentrate while
reciting the Buddha's name, you have yet to attain right
mindfulness. To practice means that you should relinquish all
worldly concerns. If in the monastery your mind still lingers
around your family, you are no different from a lay person, and
this attachment is the source of your remaining in the cycle of
birth and death. Concentrate on your practice and try to enlighten
your family with Buddhadharma so that they can also be liberated.
Otherwise, the entanglements between you and your family members
will continue for endless lives to come and none of you can hope to
escape samsara.
52. While practicing recitation, you may reach the state of samadhi
where your mind is undivided and free of perplexity. Do not cling
to such attainment. Feel no good or bad, love or distaste,
indifference or attachment, success or failure, gain or loss. Let
all sentiments return to their original quiescent void, in which
the brilliance of the essence of your mind will unfold.
53. If you wish to unfold your wisdom or to attain any specific
stage through recitation, you are still clinging tightly to your
sense of "self". All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas gain nothing and
desire nothing.
54. The best way to counter erroneous and illusive thoughts
springing up during your practice is simply to ignore them and
continue your recitation. Worrying about "how to do away with the
dispersed thoughts" will only add to your vexations. The more you
recite the Buddha's name, the less likely it will be for illusive
thoughts to arise. Besides, frequent recitation will also help to
reduce your worldly desire and make it easier for your mind to
become undivided.
from: http://vajrasword.blogspot.com/2009/08/chapter-3-on-reciting-name-of-buddha.html