The Meaning of Present and Future in Buddha-Recitation

The Eternal Now and the Promise of the Future

In the teachings of the Buddha, the term present refers to that which appears right before our eyes, or it can refer to the current moment in which we exist. The term future refers to the time that is yet to come. The sutras state: Remembering the Buddha and reciting the Buddha's name, one will surely see the Buddha, both now and in the future. To remember the Buddha means to keep the Buddha in your heart at all times. It is the act of holding the image and the name of Namo Amituofo within your mind, ensuring that your thoughts are never separated from the Buddha.

The Unbroken Stream of Devotion

Remembering and reciting the Buddha's name is not a practice limited to a specific day or a specific hour. It is a commitment to be maintained 24/7. This can be achieved by reading the sutras, which is a form of remembering Namo Amituofo, or by keeping the Buddha-name flowing continuously in your mind. Only when you chant Namo Amituofo all the way, in a dense and unbroken stream, do you have the opportunity to ensure that you will see the Buddha in the present and in the future. In the path of Pure Land practice, you must elevate this to be the most important matter of your life.

The Peril of a Wandering Heart

If your recitation is scattered, your attention will easily be pulled away by external circumstances or internal afflictions. When your focus is interrupted, you cannot receive the benefits of the purification that comes from chanting, nor can you effectively subdue and eliminate your deluded thoughts. Consequently, you will find it impossible to realise the promise that remembering and reciting the Buddha will lead you to see the Buddha in the present and in the future.

A Sanctuary Where Namo Amituofo Resides

At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, we have a unique method for remembering the Buddha. Beyond respectfully reciting the Infinite Life Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra) and putting its teachings into practice, we are blessed to be in a place where Namo Amituofo is residing here. In this sacred environment, we can receive the Buddha's messages at any time, which are the compassionate teachings of Namo Amituofo. This is an unprecedented blessing that helps the fourfold assembly of disciples adjust their Body, Speech, and Mind at any moment. It serves as a constant reminder of what we should do and what we should avoid, providing us with a clear direction for upholding the Precepts.

Cultivating the Seeds of Purity

Everything we experience is a reflection of our focus. If you look at things with a negative perspective or harbour negative thoughts, then negative karma will manifest in the present and the future. Conversely, if you look at things with a positive perspective and maintain wholesome thoughts, then good karma will manifest in the present and the future. Chanting the name of Namo Amituofo is the best of all goodness and the purest of all purity. When you maintain this practice continuously, without interruption, your vow for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss will surely be fulfilled. Namo Amituofo.