Teachings on Buddha-Recitation and Chao Du

The Vastness of Unseen Beings

There are countless beings dwelling within the wind, countless earthly creatures, and countless beings dwelling within the clouds. If you were to cast your gaze across the world, you would realise that the air is filled with beings, both those visible to the human eye and those that remain hidden. Their numbers are truly immeasurable and boundless.

To the fourfold assembly of disciples at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, it is essential that you understand the truth of this reality. Because you now know that these beings are everywhere, you must integrate the practice of chanting Namo Amituofo and performing Chao Du into every aspect of your daily life—whether you are walking, standing, sitting, or reclining.

The Duty of the Fourfold Assembly

Your practice must be consistent and sincere. When you are engaged in your weekly outdoor running sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays, you must be diligent in chanting Namo Amituofo and performing Chao Du. Similarly, when you are circumambulating the Buddha during the Thrice Yearning Ceremonies, you must focus your mind entirely on chanting and the act of Chao Du.

You must strive to ensure that your chanting becomes a continuous, flowing stream that never stops, at all times, while simultaneously maintaining the visualisation required for Chao Du. Please seize every fleeting moment and every second to chant the Holy Name. By doing so, you are not only nurturing your own compassion but also actively working to save yourself and all other beings.

The Method of Chao Du

When you perform Chao Du, you should visualise Namo Amituofo appearing directly before you. When you do this, the sentient beings around you have the opportunity to perceive the Buddha’s light. By entering this light, they can receive the benefits of Chao Du. In this way, every single utterance of the Buddha-name acts as a powerful tool to help these beings transcend their current space.

You are effectively helping immeasurable and boundless beings to enter the Buddha’s light. Therefore, whether you are walking or running, you can practise this at any time and in any place. You are providing essential aid to the Wandering Spirits in the wind, the earthly creatures around you, the beings residing on the floor, and even the microscopic beings within the air molecules.

A Path of Infinite Compassion

When these beings receive the vibration of the Holy Name "Namo Amituofo", they are given the opportunity to open up space, receive the illumination of the Buddha’s light, and elevate the quality of their spirits. This allows them to transition into the human realm or the heavenly realm. This is truly the manifestation of the infinite compassion of Namo Amituofo, and it is also the manifestation of the compassion held by the fourfold assembly of disciples.

Therefore, please do not forget to chant Namo Amituofo and perform Chao Du while you are walking or running. You have the capacity to engage in this practice at any time and in any place. Let your heart be filled with the intention to save all beings, and let your voice be a beacon of light for those who are lost in the cycle of rebirth.

Namo Amituofo