Essays No. 1 – No. 10

Talk on the Samadhi of Reciting the Buddha Name

(by Grand Master Lian Chi at a Water-Land Dharma Assembly)

The teaching of the Pure Land Buddhism originated with Sakyamuni Buddha and throughout the ages, has been expounded by sages. The practice of mindfulness of the Buddha is categorized into four: (1) Mindfulness by reciting the Buddha name; (2) Mindfulness by contemplating the Buddha image; (3) Mindfulness by visualizing the Pure Land; (4) Mindfulness of the True Nature of Reality.

Despite the four distinctions, ultimately they all converge upon the True Nature of Reality.

And they can be further summarized into two: visualization and recitation. Visualization is detailed in the Sutra of the Contemplation of Amitabha (a.k.a.the Sixteen Contemplations Sutra), while the Amitabha Sutra explains the Buddha-name-recitation in this way: “Anyone who hears the name of Amitabha Buddha, wholeheartedly keeps it in mind, and single-mindedly recites His name, without distraction, for one, two, three, four, five, six or seven days, will get to see Amitabha Buddha and the great assembly of Bodhisattvas appear before them when they approach life’s end, and with a clear and tranquil mind, they will attain rebirth in Amitabha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss!

The Amitabha Sutra is the fundamental source of the Buddha-name-recitation, a wondrous method personally proclaimed by the Buddha Himself. Ancient masters have said: “The principles of contemplation are subtle, yet the minds of sentient beings are too cluttered. When a cluttered mind attempts at contemplation, success is hard to attain. Out of great compassion, the Buddha directly urged us to simply recite the name of Amitabha Buddha, because reciting the Buddha name is the easiest method. Once the practice is sustained, rebirth is assured.”

Therefore, the practice of reciting the Buddha’s name is of paramount importance for attaining rebirth in the Pure Land. If one’s recitation penetrates deeply into the True Nature of Reality, it generates the same merit as profound contemplation would do, and rebirth in the highest grade of the utmost level is undoubtedly assured.

To all the disciples of the Buddha present here: As previously discussed in the section on the “Practice of Repentance”, even the sages of the Two Vehicles, the great beings of the Perfect Teaching, and those at the stage of Equal Enlightenment must still practice repentance. If even they must repent to attain rebirth in the Pure Land, how much more so must the rest of us, who still dwell in the stage of unawaken beings, who are still beginners on the Path!

Now I call upon all of you – disciples of the Buddha across the six realms – to join together with a single mind in reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha, and to seek rebirth in the Pure Land. May the Buddha, in His great compassion, extend His empowerment to us all.

水陸會中普示持名念佛三昧

竊惟淨土之為教也，肇始於釋迦世尊，闡揚於歷代聖賢。於是以念佛一門，而分四種：曰持名念佛、曰觀像念佛、曰觀想念佛、曰實相念佛。雖有四種之殊，究竟歸乎實相而已。又以前三約之為二：一為觀想，一為持名。觀想，則《十六觀經》言之詳矣。此論持名，則《阿彌陀經》云：「聞說阿彌陀佛，執持名號，若一日、二日乃至七日，一心不亂。其人臨命終時，阿彌陀佛與諸聖眾現在其前。是人終時，心不顛倒，即得往生阿彌陀佛極樂國土。」此萬世持名念佛從出之大原，乃金口所親宣之妙法也。古德云：「觀法理微，眾生心雜。雜心修觀，觀想難成。大聖悲憐，直勸專持名號。良由稱名易故，相續即生。」此闡揚持名念佛之功，最為往生淨土之要。若其持名深達實相，則與妙觀同功，上上品生當不疑矣。

現前諸佛子：如前「懺悔門」中，二乘聖人、圓心大士，乃至等覺，尚須懺悔。既彼均當懺悔，豈不感應往生？而況位在凡夫，生居學地者乎！我今奉為六道現前諸佛子等，皆同一心，稱佛名號，求生淨土。願佛慈悲，特垂攝濟。