The Two Levels of Recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti)

There are two levels of recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti). One is reciting the Buddha's name with the mind consciousness only, which is relatively shallow because the manas is not interested in it. The other is deeper and more focused: not only does the mind consciousness recite the Buddha's name, but the manas also recites it. Even when the mind consciousness is not reciting, driven by the manas, one will unknowingly bring up the Buddha's name.

When reciting the Buddha's name with the mind consciousness while the manas dislikes reciting, the mind is rather scattered. One recites the Buddha's name while watching TV, while chatting, while having distracting thoughts—there are many miscellaneous affairs.

When the manas recites the Buddha's name, one can recite even while sleeping, even while dreaming, even while working, even while pondering problems—one can recite no matter what one is doing. Meditative concentration/meditative absorption (samādhi) of Buddha-recollection is necessarily initiated by the manas: in all moments, thought after thought is reciting the Buddha without interruption, and body and mind experience tranquility with a sense of joy.

There was a person who participated in a retreat of reciting one million Buddha-names—reciting one million times in one week. Holding a string of 108 beads in her hand, after completing one round, she would move one bead on the 108-bead string. Thus, with both hands constantly moving the beads and the Buddha's name continuously on her lips, she could at the same time watch TV, offer opinions, watch others doing things, and sometimes even get angry—truly busy beyond measure. Her manas was grasping at objects everywhere, so her mind consciousness could only recite the Buddha's name in a perfunctory manner, without any focus at all.

It can be seen that only by subduing the manas can one attain meditative concentration in Buddha-recollection and attain the samādhi of Buddha-recollection. Concentration is still about concentrating the manas; concentrating the mind consciousness does not solve the problem.