The profound state of chanting without chanting, and chanting while not chanting, is not a spontaneous occurrence. It is the fruit of diligent, long-term practice. The essential prerequisite for this state is the attainment of deep meditative concentration. When your heart is truly still, it remains unmoved by the external world, like a vast ocean without a single ripple. This stillness is the bedrock upon which your practice must be built.
Even if you find yourself in a situation where the pain is so severe that it feels as though you can no longer bear it, you must not allow the Buddha-name to be pulled away by the agony of . Your heart must never depart from the name of . Your mouth may chant, your ears may listen to the sound of the Buddha-name, and your mind must remain anchored in the name. Every single thought must be Namo Amituofo. The Buddha-name must never be absent from your heart or your mind; it must be a continuous, unbroken stream of .
The Test of Suffering and
Even in the final moments, when your breath stops, your mind must remain solely focused on the Buddha. Through sincere, earnest, and single-minded chanting of the Buddha's name, you will reach a state where Namo Amituofo manifests before you. The Buddha will then lead you to rebirth in the . This is the ultimate goal of our practice.
However, we must be vigilant. If, due to illness or intense physical suffering, you allow your mind to be entangled by karmic creditors who appear to pull at your spirit, you will lose the Buddha-name. If your heart is empty of the name, you will have no protection. Even if the sound of the Buddha-name is being played around you, you will find it difficult to be the master of your own consciousness. In such a state, your karmic creditors and your own will take control, pulling your soul away. Once your soul enters another space and cannot return, your body is no longer under your own command. If your physical form still remains in this world, it is no longer you who is in charge, but the many karmic creditors who have taken hold. If your breath stops in such a state, you will follow your karma into the cycle of rebirth and suffer. How then could you speak of rebirth in the Western Pure Land?
Achieving the State of Pure Chanting
The achievement of chanting without chanting requires a significant amount of effort. You must cultivate the skills of pure chanting of the Buddha's name. You must practise until you reach a state where:
There are no delusions or messy thoughts.
There is not a single trace of attachment, longing for loved ones, or distracting memories.
Your mind is completely free from all mental notes that do not pertain to the Buddha.
When your practice becomes pure and mature, there will be no moment, day or night, when your entire being is not chanting Namo Amituofo. When every one of your cells is chanting the name, and when the very imprints within your brain cells are all Namo Amituofo, then naturally, regardless of what information is input or output, it will all be accompanied by the Buddha-name.
The Freedom of the Awakened Being
Even when you are not consciously trying to chant, the Buddha-name will arise of its own accord. Although you may be in a state of 'no-chanting,' the Buddha-name will continue to flow forth from your heart. Whether your body is free from illness or suffering from the pain of disease, or even if the physical agony is difficult to endure, the chanting will remain continuous and unbroken. It will not be interrupted by any external environment, sounds, or physical pain. This is the state of the awakened being—a state of perfect freedom and harmony in chanting of the Buddha's name.
When this level of skills is combined with an unwavering vow for rebirth in the Western Pure Land, every thought will resonate with Namo Amituofo. How could one not be reborn in the Western Pure Land? By following this path, you will surely attain the fruit of rebirth in the Western Pure Land and realise your true nature.
