Constant Mindfulness

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We may want to ask, “What is the method that Bodhisattvas of the Western Pure Land practice to achieve all their faculties and having supple body and gentle mind?” It is mindfully chanting “Amituofo”.

As Mahasthamaprapta Boddhisattva said, “I and fifty-two fellow practitioners…”. Fifty-two” refers to the ten stages of faith, ten stages of abiding, ten stages of practice, ten stages of dedication, ten stages of ground, the stage of equal enlightenment and the stage of wondrous enlightenment. “Fellow practitioners” refers to practitioners who shared the same aspiration and focused on practicing the Pure Land method.

This tell us that from Mahasthamaprapta Boddhisattva’s initial generation of the Bodhi mind until attainment of Buddhahood, he practiced the Buddha-name chanting without any changes. This is truly inconceivable! Buddha-name chanting enables us ordinary beings to attain Buddhahood.

To practice good deeds with one sincere mind means to have an absolute proper and virtuous thought as the first thought. There are no wandering second thoughts. To chant “Amituofo” is to single-mindedly practice Constant Mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha and wholeheartedly seek rebirth into the Pure Land.

The most marvellous way to reform and reduce our karmic obstacles is to have no wandering thoughts. This does not mean not to have any proper thoughts. Without proper thoughts, we become ignorant. Wandering thoughts are discriminatory thoughts and attachments. It is not easy for ordinary people to achieve the state of no wandering thoughts. But everyone can achieve this by practicing the Buddha Mindfulness Chanting method.

This is an unsurpassed principle. Mind purity can suppress negative karmas accumulated over infinite past eons. How can we attain purity of mind, stillness of thoughts? We can do so via the unmoved mind that is in deep concentration. This is called “One Mind Undisturbed” in the mindful Buddha-name chanting.

Once we attain this state, all our negative karmas will be suppressed. However, when a new wandering thought arises, our negative karmas will again materialize.

By single-mindedly chanting the Buddha-name, we will taste boundless meanings and flavour. After we taste the flavour of the Dharma, there will be no stopping us. During our learning, we will truly feel joy and will definitely be making courageous and diligent progress.

Now, when we chant the Buddha-name, we do not taste any flavour of Dharma because when we chant the Buddha-name, we are thinking of other things. This is the reason our cultivation has not progress at all. We should diligently continue with our chanting. Anything that obstructs us from single-mindedly chanting should be discarded.

In addition, we should chant with a sincere, pure and respectful mind. After chanting in this way for half a year, we will taste the flavour of the Dharma. When we do, we will have confidence in attainment rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

The more we chant, the firmer our confidence. We will be able to know in advance the time of our rebirth.

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