Practice in Daily Life

Isis SG

Erm how does anyone practice despite their very busy schedule!?

Generally, i have been bringing works home almost everyday.. no time, no energy to practice.. also seldom don't go for dharma talk ..Lest to say meditate.. from not so good to further backsliding

A friend advises me to practice Buddha Recitation in Daily life but anyone knows how to practise this Dharma Door in daily life. I mean how can your mind be in two places - one at mindfulness of Buddha while one is busily doing other things? Especially when feeling stress up while trying to finish the works..

Any advice

An Eternal Now SG

Hi, hope this helps:

(ck is my friend)

Ck: john, how to practise vipassana in daily life?
Thusness: just observe every sensation.
Thusness: until one day u are able to experience "emptiness as form".
Thusness: then it becomes effortless.
Thusness: Truthz u cannot imagine the bliss when one clearly experiences that.
Thusness: but there is no point to over stress anything.
Thusness: Smile
Ck: Thusness just observe every sensation... give me an eg?
Thusness: when u breath, u don't have to care what is the right way of breathing, whether u breath hard or soft, smooth or fine...just experience as much clarity as u can...just that experience...regardless of what it is like.
Thusness: same for all other experiences.
Ck: wot abt sound? hows it?
Thusness: when u hear, just the sound...the totality of the sound. There is no how but just to do away with all abitary thoughts. Hear the sound as clear as u can be.
Ck: then wot abt thots?
Ck: thots r v sticky Sad

Thusness: thoughts seldom arise if the practice is correct. If it arises, then not to chase after its meaning. Not to answer urself what it means, not to dwell in 'what'...then u will resort to just the moment of awareness.
Ck: when i try to be just openly aware, i notice that i jump from sense to sense
Ck: like one moment hearing, then touch, etc
Thusness: that is okie.
Thusness: our nature is so.
Ck: wots the rite way to do it
Thusness: don't think that u should concentrate.
Thusness: ur only duty is to sense with as much clarity as possible.
Ck: and for all the sensations, i dun dwell in the 'what'?
Thusness: ur mind is looking for a way, a method
Thusness: but what that is needed is only the clarity.
Thusness: however because our mind is so molded and affect by our habitual propensities, it becomes difficult what that is direct and simple.
Thusness: just stop asking 'how', 'what', 'why'.
Thusness: and submerge into the moment.
Thusness: and experience.
Thusness: i perfer u to describe.
Thusness: not to ask how, what, why, when, where and who.
Thusness: only this is necessary.
Ck: ok
Thusness: if u practice immediately, u will understand.
Thusness: if u entertain who, what, where, when and how, u create more propensities and dull ur own luminosity.

Ck: i shuffle btw self inquiry, observing sensations n thots, being aware... its ok rite
Thusness: yes
Ck: means start work i'll hv even more propensities...
Thusness: that is when u do not understand what awareness, but it is true to certain extend. Smile

likeyou SG

When I walk to work or go shopping, I usually chant at my heart.

Isis SG

When I walk to work or go shopping, I usually chant at my heart.

Nice..

2009novice SG

Hi Isis...

nice leh when u can still think of your progress even though you are tied down with work..

I sometimes got to work ot and juggle part time studies. For me, i just try to restrain my 5 senses. Chant abit in my mind.

I seldom do meditation... Maybe before i go to sleep.

Dawnfirstlight SG

As what "likeyou" said, chant in your heart whenever you are free to do so. For instance when you are travelling. I've heard a ven. said, he said 佛法是心法，如果不修心，念佛诵经喊破喉咙也枉然. To me, 修心is the most difficult part, chanting is as simple as ABC. Chanting with concentration is another challenge. Our mind is like a wild horse, galloping non stop, must always try to control it. It gallops even when I'm chanting ha ha ha.................

zero thought SG

If you want to practice Buddha recitation, you can use the Ten Recitation Method. Ten Recitation Method is for very busy people.

The Ten Recitation Method
(from http://www.purelandbuddhism.com/lifetime_goal.pdf)

1. Recite the words “Namo Amitabha” or “Namo Amitabha Buddha” three, five, or more times as you take one breath. Repeat this exercise with each breath for ten breaths.

2. Finish this exercise by reciting the Verse for the Transference of Merit.

The most important requirement for practicing this method is to do your recitations both in the morning and in the evening, every day. Face a portrait of Buddha if you have one, and try to face west as you recite.

And like what the others mentioned, recite whenever you have time. When you have to use brain to think, you can temporary put down the recitation, after you are done with the thinking work, pick up the recitation again.

sinweiy SG

for me is remember to recite 'Amituofo, Amituofo'...., when feeling of Self arises or anytime when feeling bad or when u did something that disturb u. practice until it become automatic. it's also a way of observing the mind...观心。when Self thoughts arises, use the name 'Amituofo' to suppress it per se.

i believe it'll help in the after life, as the name Amituofo is extremely powerful.

wisdomeye SG

Erm how does anyone practice despite their very busy schedule!?

Generally, i have been bringing works home almost everyday.. no time, no energy to practice.. also seldom don't go for dharma talk ..Lest to say meditate.. from not so good to further backsliding

Any advice

hi Isis, don't tell yourself it is difficult or impossible. Just try it out, keep doing it, bring your mind back to Amituofo whenever you remember to... soon it'd become a habit... don't analyse the practice whether it is doable or not, just do it. Like Sinweiy said, it's a very very useful and powerful way to practice.

One of the obstacles we have is we block ourselves psychologically by saying we can't before even putting in alot of effort to do the practice. Say 'yes i can do it, i will try to do it....' and go and do it, throw yourself into the task. U may be surprised at the result of such a simple practice.

likeyou SG

How to chant om ma ni..pe me...(i dont know the wording..)

Someone advise plse.

Weychin SG

How to chant om ma ni..pe me...(i dont know the wording..)

Someone advise plse.

Om Mani Padme Hum

Om Ma-ni Pad- me(i) Hung

geis SG

just sharing how i practice personally

morning once wake say the precepts, then meditate for an hour. wake up earlier to do this before going to work.

during the course of the day, use noting as the main practice. must practice until this becomes a habit, so even when rushing will note 'rushing'. and i also in the process of forming the habit of wishing whoever i talk to (or come across) well, just in my mind saying 'may you be well, may you be happy'.

just by the act of maintaining attention to whatever we are doing is a form of practice. so try to get used to reminding myself that there's no special place for practice.

then before sleep meditate again, and end off with sleeping meditation until fall asleep mindfully.

may everyone be mindful and be happy :)

Dawnfirstlight SG

How to chant om ma ni..pe me...(i dont know the wording..)

Someone advise plse.

Below is the youtube link chanting Om Mani Padme Hum. You may listen and learn from here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4noQ0MD1_8s&a=GxdCwVVULXc08C14OC66ItqaLf4P3Jc0&playnext=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSYeMEUtSj8

Sableko SG

My master taught me to chant "OM MANI PEK MEI HOM".

Isis SG

Hello.. i got a question to ask..

What if when you chant Namo Amituofo silently and one may feel restless after a while and then slowly progress to aversion... Since aversion has arised, shall we just continue to focus on the name of the Buddha?

Isis SG

just sharing how i practice personally

morning once wake say the precepts, then meditate for an hour. wake up earlier to do this before going to work.

just by the act of maintaining attention to whatever we are doing is a form of practice. so try to get used to reminding myself that there's no special place for practice.

then before sleep meditate again, and end off with sleeping meditation until fall asleep mindfully.

may everyone be mindful and be happy :)

Nice Geis.. sadhu sadhu sadhu

Isis SG

If you want to practice Buddha recitation, you can use the Ten Recitation Method. Ten Recitation Method is for very busy people.

The Ten Recitation Method
(from http://www.purelandbuddhism.com/lifetime_goal.pdf)

1. Recite the words “Namo Amitabha” or “Namo Amitabha Buddha” three, five, or more times as you take one breath. Repeat this exercise with each breath for ten breaths.

2. Finish this exercise by reciting the Verse for the Transference of Merit.

Hey ZT, Thanks for the Sharing of the PDF.

likeyou SG

Thanks WeiChin and Dwan.....whenever I walk...the chanting automatically start in my mind....and I am still learning to control my mind and thoughts...very very difficult...also I am very very bad in chinese...that's why I dont know how to read.

likeyou SG

I love the chanting music...very soothing.....and calm especially I am now in the office...just heard from colleagues, saw blur figures flowing across the office.....

Dawnfirstlight SG

I love the chanting music...very soothing.....and calm especially I am now in the office...just heard from colleagues, saw blur figures flowing across the office.....

Oh oh, really ? If it is me, I will run for my life. Many years ago, my colleague and I really packed up immediately after someone said seeing strange figure in the office. I ran out of the office with my shoes on but my colleague ran out without wearing her shoes and I had to accompany her to the office to take her shoes.