How to Use the Mind Faculty in Buddha Recitation

Reciting the Buddha's name with the manas is genuinely and sincerely reciting the Buddha's name, not a superficial, slogan-like recitation done with the mouth but not the heart. To achieve this, one must have a thorough understanding of reciting the Buddha's name, undergo a complete transformation in thinking, possess deep faith and earnest vows, direct all actions toward the Buddha, fill one's body, mind, and world with the Buddha, relinquish attachments to the Saha world, and make every thought about the Pure Land. When the mind method and the practice method are both complete, one will certainly be reborn in the Pure Land at the end of life.

In the practice of any Dharma door within Buddhism, there are two levels: one is the inner mind door, and the other is the outer practice door. The mind door is the gate of cultivating the mind and nurturing the nature, also called the Way, which is the door of the manas. The practice door is the gate of skill, also called the method, which is the door of the six consciousnesses. Of course, consciousness is not only part of the practice door but also part of the mind door; however, the wisdom of consciousness is shallow and easily attained, so it is not the focus. The Way is the root, the inner driving force; the method is the branch, subordinate to and assisting the Way. Only when the two are combined can the Dharma door be accomplished.

The same applies to the Dharma door of reciting the Buddha's name. Overall, it cultivates the three provisions of faith, vow, and practice. Faith and vow belong to the Way, while practice is the method. For reciting the Buddha's name to bear fruit, the Way-mind must first be accomplished: one's ideological understanding must transform, the awakening mind must arise, and the great vow must be made. Then, supplemented by diligent practice of the recitation skill, the hope for rebirth is great. The practice includes the cultivation of precepts, concentration, and wisdom; the six paramitas of a bodhisattva; and the Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment. The mind door is the gate of reciting the Buddha's name with the manas. To make the manas recite the Buddha's name, one should enable the manas to comprehend the immeasurable virtues of the Buddha, understand the countless great deeds of the Buddha, grasp the Buddha's Four Immeasurable Minds of compassion, loving-kindness, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, recognize the Buddha's vast vow power, and learn about the Buddha's cultivation journey spanning three asamkhyeya kalpas. After understanding all this, one will spontaneously develop incomparable reverence and yearning for the Buddha, naturally enabling diligent recitation of the Buddha's name. The practice door then becomes easy to accomplish, and finally, every thought becomes focused on the Buddha, leading to the attainment of the samadhi of Buddha-recitation.

After faith and vow are complete, the manas is subdued, no longer dwelling on worldly dharmas, the mind becomes collected, and concentration gradually emerges. At this stage, the consciousness reciting the Buddha's name permeates the manas, gradually shifting from the conscious recitation with language, words, and sounds—which has form—to the manas's recitation without language, words, or sounds—which is formless. The skill will then gradually be accomplished. If the manas is not collected but instead clings everywhere, craving worldly dharmas, with a scattered mind unable to focus on reciting the Buddha's name, the samadhi of Buddha-recitation will not arise.

If one does not cultivate the mind door but only follows the practice door, mechanically reciting the Buddha's name, pursuing quantity to win by numbers, then when the skill deepens, it permeates the manas, quantitative change leads to qualitative change, transforming the manas's thoughts and concepts so that the mind is filled with the Buddha, and samadhi is attained. However, this approach is extremely difficult and rarely successful. Most practitioners who recite the Buddha's name follow this path. It merely requires spending a lot of time reciting the Buddha's name over the long term until the recitation becomes very familiar, not needing to pass through the brain, so that in any situation, as soon as one opens their mouth, "Amitabha Buddha" comes out, like an automated robot. Yet afflictions remain just as they were, distraction persists just the same—what substantial benefit does such recitation bring? Many temples and groups hold seven-day Buddha-recitation retreats, reciting the holy name a million times in a week, with the Buddha's name resonating in every ear, thoughts unceasing, yet worldly matters also enter the heart without much delay. The three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion remain undiminished, obstacles are not seen to be reduced much, and the samadhi of Buddha-recitation is nowhere in sight.

All Dharma doors are mind doors; the Dharma door of reciting the Buddha's name is also a mind door. Without cultivating the mind, it is difficult to achieve anything. Cultivating the mind means cultivating the manas, practicing primarily with the manas. If the manas is well-cultivated, then all Dharma doors can be accomplished. It is just that this mind, due to heavy defilements accumulated over beginningless kalpas and blazing afflictions, is hard to grasp and not easy to subdue. Yet, to escape the sea of suffering, no matter how difficult it is, one must find a way to transform and conquer it; otherwise, one will remain submerged in the sea of birth and death, unable to free oneself.