Meaning And Benefits Of Reciting Buddha's Names.

Some say that  reciting Buddha's name  is the fastest way to escape the cycle of samsara of the realm of Ta Ba. Therefore, this practice method became the most popular school in modern Buddhism. Many Buddhists often recite Buddha's name to be able to reincarnate Amitabha Buddha's  western realm after death. We begin to learn about the meaning of reciting Buddha's name and the great benefits of this method!

What is Buddha Recitation?

Reciting Buddha's name is a very common practice method in  Mahayana Buddhism, especially  Pure Land . The sect using 3 main suttas is:

1. Business A-di-da (amitābha-sūtra)
2. Business Immeasurable Life (sukhāvatī-vyūha)
3. Kinh Quan Amitayus (amitāyurdhyāna-sūtra).

A person who practices  reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha  will focus on his recitation and not allow his mind to wander during practice. Practitioners practice regularly to focus on Buddha, from which positive thoughts and actions will be taken. Through other practices, the practitioner reciting Buddha's name will eliminate all defilements in order to attain a state of unity of unrest, contemplating Amitabha Buddha appearing to lead them to the Pure Land after death.

The sutra teaches that a person  reciting Buddha's wish to reborn in the  Buddha's Land of the West of Great Bliss must meet three factors:

1. Belief:  Believe in the existence of the Western realm, trust in the Buddha's teachings, trust in yourself.
2.  Desire : A strong and sincere wish to be reborn in the Pure Land.
3.  Practicing : Practicing the dharma to eliminate all the afflictions that cause suffering. From then on, one can be mindless when it comes to reciting Buddha's name.

Amitabha is a very revered Buddha in China and Vietnam. The Sanskrit word "Amitabha" literally means "infinite light". He is said to govern the Pure Land (Sukhavati), where all beings enjoy limitless happiness.

According to the Mahayana  scriptures, Amitabha Buddha  in ancient times was a monk named Dharmakara, describing as a king who renounced his throne to approach the sacred Buddhist teachings through the Buddha. Lokesvararaja (the 53rd Buddha in history).

He has created 48 wonderful prayers for universal sentient beings and the 18th prayer is the foundation of the Pure Land: "If before the moment of death, all sentient beings are sincere and faithful to be reborn in the earth. My recitation, reciting my name 10 times without being born there, I cannot  attain  perfect enlightenment ”

That prayer has been systematically turned into a practice known as  Pure Land  or  Dharma Mindfulness . Through the content of 48 prayers of Amitabha Buddha shows, the Pure Land practice path is based on the aspiration of Amitabha Buddha to liberate from the cycle of rebirth.

It is said that reciting Buddha's name is the easiest way to cultivate, and that is why the Pure Land is the most popular school today. Many Buddhists often recite " Namo Amitabha Buddha " and practice moral teachings, train the mind to achieve peace and happiness in life.

The Meaning of Mindfulness "Namo Amitabha Buddha"

In China, the recitation of the name of Amitabha Buddha is "Namo Amituofo" or "Namo Omito-Fo", while in Vietnam, Buddhists often recite "Namo Amitabha Buddha " or more recently, they appear. " Nam Mo A Mi Da Buddha " sentence . The concept of Amitabha Buddha in Japanese is "Namu Amida Butsu".

The word "Namo" is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word "Namo", meaning "relying on." This means we come back and rely on the  Three Jewels . The word "Amitabha" is also a transliteration of the Sanskrit word "Amitabha", meaning "infinite wisdom" or "infinite light".

Therefore, the phrase "Namo Amitabha Buddha" means " Dependent on Amitabha Buddha " or "Depend on the infinite light of Buddha."

Some Buddhist monks often use the phrase "Amitabha Buddha" as a greeting, a thank you or a good blessing to the person opposite. Chinese monks often clasp their hands in front of their chests, bow slightly and say "Amituofo" when they interact with others.

The Benefits Of Buddha Recitation

Buddhists according to Pure Land believe that, if one  conscientiously recites Buddha's name  , it will be reborn in the Western Paradise of Amitabha Buddha. They think that reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha with a sincere mind will be able to connect with the infinite light of Buddha.

Practicing reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha is "a fast way to achieve the ultimate happiness." If you recite the Buddha properly, even for an ordinary person with all limitations and limitations, rebirth in Pure land is not too difficult.

In addition  to the greatest benefit of reciting Buddha's name is rebirth in the Western Paradise of Great Bliss , it is accompanied by practical benefits that we can feel, that is:

• Buddha's recitation helps to reduce negative emotions such as anger, hatred or attachment
• Reciting Buddha's name helps reduce craving and greed and instead nourishes  Bodhicitta  to help sentient beings escape suffering.
• Reciting Buddha's mind is a form of  mindfulness that  helps us to be active in the present moment
• Reciting Buddha's name is a great psychological reassurance
• Reciting Buddha's name creates hope, helps us have faith in good things in the future
• Reciting Buddha as a reminder of Buddha's children, from which we must think and act according to Buddha's teachings.

Reciting Buddha's name is a great practice to help us get closer to Buddha. We will live happily with unconditional joy and love for ourselves as well as all sentient beings if we understand and practice  the teachings of Pure Land .

How to recite Buddha's name?

All sentient beings have the potential to attain Buddhahood (see also  Buddha Tanh ). However, most of us are blocked by a lot of afflictions, thereby generating negative thoughts and actions.

An enlightened being has a pure, clear mind, no longer craving, anger and  ignorance. This is the basic difference between Buddha and ordinary people.

There are 5 conditions for rebirth in the Western Paradise of Great Bliss:

1. Accumulate great merit
2. Meditate on Buddha's teachings to develop wisdom
3. Practicing the dharma to liberate all impurities causes suffering
4. The development of Bodhi mind guides many people into the path of true practice so that they all enjoy long-term happiness
5. Mindfulness of Buddha's mind is unstable

Therefore, to recite Buddha's name properly, we must consider it as a reminder that we are Buddha's children, to think and act according  to Buddha's teachings . Pure Land has developed a strong and rigorous system to help us practice those conditions.

But most Buddhists only  focus on reciting Buddha's name  and ignoring the remaining conditions. I saw a lot of people posting pictures of Amitabha Buddha or  Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara  on social networks and accompanied by the phrase "typing the letter M will be lucky, or typing" Amitabha Buddha "will be reborn in Bliss ... At the time of death, just invite the household to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha to be reborn in the Western realm.

I think this is  a form of counteracting the true Pure Land school , which makes many people misunderstand that this is a superstition school. Since then, many Buddhists no longer go to the temple regularly to listen to the Buddha Dharma, do Buddhists, accumulate merit ... meet each other to share positive things.

They stay at home to recite Buddha's name without  learning about Buddhism  to develop wisdom, not to do good deeds to accumulate merit, not to train the mind to limit negative emotions ... They leave all family and communal affairs Assembly and just waiting to die to return to Amitabha Buddha.

I don't think that, 45 years of teaching of  Shakyamuni Buddha is  only about the practice of reciting Buddha's name from the cycle of reincarnation. I do not think that thousands of pages in both  Theravada  and Mahayana Buddhism only revolve around reciting Buddha's name to be reborn in the Pure Land.

"There are many paths to Rome." Maybe, but if you only need to recite Buddha's name without practicing other methods is also about the Pure Land, the Buddhist scriptures are not necessarily that thick.

Happiness or suffering is the responsibility of each individual, it is dangerous to push that responsibility to others!

In order to be able to  recite Buddha's mind without disturbance , we must attain a calm state of mind. In order to achieve that state, we release the Bodhi mind to enlightenment to liberate from defilements and help sentient beings. In order to be enlightened we must understand and practice Buddha's teachings. Doing many good deeds to accumulate merit, regularly practice meditation to gradually reduce negative emotions.

Just like when you take a singing test, you have to have something special, then the new judges click you. From there you can look forward to returning to the team of judges you like. If you are not a special person, no matter how sincere you want to be, no judges will choose you.

Buddha Amitabha is a Buddha in one's own nature. His world also appears in one's mind. To get rid of the  cycle of reincarnation  and to the Pure Land, the first priority is to cut off impurities that cause afflictions, practice many merits, guide the true Buddhist path to many others to enjoy together. benefit in life.

Positive actions are taken when the soul is truly peaceful. A true spiritual practitioner will  recite the name of Amitabha Buddha with a sincere and pure mind. When our body and mind are pure, Amitabha Buddha and the Bodhisattvas will lead us to the place we need to be in our midst! END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN AMITABHA MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.19/1/2019.