Many of us are busy with work and life, and often feel tired, anxious, and depressed. Perhaps some of us take lots of supplements, but the effect is not that noticeable or it’s temporary. Practising mindfulness is truly a hassle free ultimate approach to solving all those problems. But you might say, ”I can hardly find time to do it.’ Well, what can we do?

Listen to my teacher’s original lecture in Chinese: How do busy people practise mindfulness?

Listen to the podcast in English: Coming soon…

The answer is the Ten-Time Amituofo Chanting (Amituofo’s name mindfulness), nine times a day, two minutes each time. Practise it either aloud or in silence. The name ‘Amituofo’ or ‘Amitabha Buddha’ means infinite life, infinite wisdom, and infinite good fortune. We can find a holiday. We have at least a few holidays a year. Use the holidays properly. This is squeezing time out of a busy schedule.

Listen to Amituofo Chanting.

We are perhaps off work on Sundays at least. But some of us might say, ‘I’ve got other little jobs to do. So I’m still busy on Sundays.’ In that case, we can use the Ten-Time Amituofo Chanting method.

The Ten-Time Amituofo Chanting method is truly most effective for very busy people. My teacher had advocated it for many years, and many practitioners across the world have experimented it. It is proven to be very effective, very successful.

The key is to chant nine times a day, either aloud or in silence, spread throughout the day. No skipping. Every time we chant, we chant ‘Amituofo’ (or ‘Amitabha Buddha’ if you prefer) ten times. Again, no skipping. Make it a habit.

Each time we only need 2 minutes to do it. In these two minutes, we are completely focussed, single-mindedly continuously chant Amituofo ten times.

When we chant in the two minutes, let go of all doubts, let go of all thoughts, no stopping. Only keep Amituofo in our minds. Then, we meet Da Shi Zhi (大勢至 Mahāsthāmaprāpta) Bodhisattva’s standard for chanting Amituofo.

Although it is only two minutes, there is no stopping of chanting; there isn’t any doubt; there is no single thought. It’s very powerful. But if we chant for an hour, we may have lots of thoughts wondering about in our minds and the effect would be very limited. But with chanting Amituofo for just ten times, most of us can perhaps control our minds for that short period, i.e., having no single thought. This Da Shi Zhi Bodhisattva’s standard ‘be mindful [of Amituofo] continuously with the pure mind 淨念相繼’. The word ‘pure’ refers to having no doubts, no other thoughts. The word ‘continuously’, in this scenario, refers to no stopping when chanting Amituofo ten times. We can do it in two minutes.

As for the nine times a day, it is spread throughout a day.

1) In the morning, after having washed our faces and rinsed our mouths, we chant Amituofo ten times either in front of the image or statue of Amituofo, or facing the west (if no image or statue). We can do it either stand or kneel on the floor.

2) At night, before we go to sleep, we chant Amituofo ten times.

3) Before we have the three meals, we chant Amituofo ten times. Sitting down is fine.

4) In the morning when we get to the office, before we start working, before we leave for lunch, we chant Amituofo ten times.

5) In the afternoon, before we start working again, before we leave for home, we chant Amituofo ten times.

So, all together, there are nine times a day when we can single-mindedly chant Amituofo. No more, no less. Nine times. Make it a habit. Making it a habit is most important. It is very effective. You see, in this way, we can keep thinking of Amituofo. When it is the time, we think of Amituofo.

If you are interested, I highly recommend you to watch the film The Road to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, based on a real-life story, and find out how Amituofo’s name mindfulness can alleviate sufferings.

Wishing whoever reads this post good mental and physical health, peace, harmony, auspiciousness, happiness, long life and infinite wisdom. Thank you.

DEDICATION

The effort and gains of explaining, transmitting and listening to Buddhas’ teachings are dedicated to:

the entire Universe and all beings of all dimensions and all existences. May they all listen to Buddhas’ teachings, awaken to the truth of the Universe, be mindful of the name ‘Amituofo’ (Amitabha Buddha),

aspire to go to the Pure Land, and become Buddhas. (Read the above three times)

I pray to Buddhas and bodhisattvas for unconditionally solving all man-made and natural disasters around the globe.

For all of those who died in man-made wars and natural disasters across the world,

and for all of those who are related to me in all kinds of ways in this life and previous lives, may they listen to Buddhas’ teachings. May they awaken to the truth of the Universe, aspire to unearth their innate and most sincere, pure, equal and awakened mind, be single-mindedly mindful of Amituofo, aspire to go to the Pure Land so as to see Amituofo and listen to his teachings, removing all their delusions and unveiling their innate wisdom, gaining the real peace and happiness, instantly escaping from the cycle of birth and death, speedily becoming Buddhas, and helping all beings (in the entire Universe) like all other Buddhas.

The effort and gains are dedicated to the leaders of all countries on the Earth. May all countries be prosperous. May all disasters be solved. May the world enjoy eternal peace. I use the effort and gains to return the help from the enlightenment of Buddhas, by the correctness of Buddhas’ teachings, from the purity of sangha, from all beings, from my parents (in this life and previous lives), and from my country(ies). I also use the effort and gains to help alleviate the suffering of those who are already in and will be reborn into the animal realm, the ghost realm and hells as the result of their bad thoughts, speech and deeds. For anyone who sees and hears me chanting or being mindful of Amituofo and doing other good deeds, may they aspire to unearth their most sincere, pure, equal and awakened mind so as to go to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, together with me, at the end of our present lives.