The Path to Buddhahood: The Essence of Honest Chanting
Teachings from Namo Amituofo
Recorded on 29 September 2024 at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
The Simplicity of the Path
Words of Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
At Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, the path to Buddhahood is defined by one essential practice: honest chanting. If you can truly practise honest chanting, you possess the golden opportunity to attain Buddhahood. This is the most significant, direct, and efficient benefit of encountering Namo Amituofo. You do not need to master profound Buddhist terminology, nor do you require any prior background in Buddhist studies. You only need to hold onto the single Buddha-name, Namo Amituofo, and chant it from the beginning to the very end.
The Discipline of Constant
To walk this path, you must maintain the Buddha-name in your heart 24/7, without interruption. This practice must permeate every aspect of your daily life:
- Eating: Maintain the Buddha-name while you nourish your body.
- Walking: Let every step be a rhythm of the Buddha-name.
- Dressing: Even as you attend to your daily attire, keep the Buddha-name in your heart.
- Listening to the : When you listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma, chant the Buddha-name simultaneously. Do not let your mind wander into other thoughts; simply let the teachings enter your heart directly.
Eliminating the Obstacles of
When you are fully immersed in chanting, you will find that you have no time for the distractions that usually cloud the mind. Consider the following obstacles that honest chanting helps you overcome:
- Anger: You will have no time to be angry, because the moment you feel anger, you cease to chant.
- Delusions: You will have no time for delusions, because when you are lost in them, the Buddha is no longer in your heart.
- Regret and Worry: You will have no time for anxious thoughts or regret, for these states of mind also displace the Buddha.
- Excessive Sleep: You will have no time to be lost in deep sleep, for when you drift into dreams, you forget to chant.
Furthermore, you will find you have no time to dwell on the concept of a self. You will not have time to think about me, to obsess over your physical body, to indulge in emotional , or to engage in complex intellectual analysis. When you enter the realm of the ego, you forget the Buddha. Because the presence of the ego is the absence of the Buddha, thinking of oneself is to forget the Buddha entirely. Thinking of or indulging in worldly desires and romantic attachments pushes the Buddha to the furthest corners of your mind. To have emotional attachments is to set the Buddha aside, for the Buddha possesses no such attachments, only pure Wisdom.
The State of Pure Mindfulness
Everything must be reduced to the single act of honest chanting. When you achieve a state of pure mindfulness in succession, without needing any other methods, your heart will naturally open. This is the moment of realising one's true nature and attaining Buddhahood. When you chant with a sincere heart, you will not fall into or drift into other spaces, because you are sustained by the Buddha's . If the Buddha is truly in your heart, it becomes difficult for or other beings to manifest and disturb you.
As you continue, you will reach a state where you chant without the conscious effort of chanting, and you are mindful without the conscious effort of being mindful. Yet, you are still chanting, and your mindfulness remains unbroken, never departing from the Buddha. By purifying your own intentions, your body, mind, and spirit will be cleansed. In this clarity, the bright light of your original nature will manifest, and you will realise your true nature and attain Buddhahood.
Namo Amituofo
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library