How Does the Spontaneous Buddha-Recitation in the Mind Arise? Who is the Reciter?

The involuntary recitation of the Buddha's name arises from the manas (mind-root), where the manas itself is reciting. Initially, the conscious mind is unaware of it. Once awareness arises, the conscious mind finds itself unable to control it and is compelled to follow along, listening to the sound of the Buddha's name. Volitional awareness belongs to the conscious mind itself, while involuntary awareness is not that of the conscious mind but rather the awareness and action of the manas. This state of Buddha-recitation samadhi is a meditative absorption, a relatively stable concentration. By relying on this samadhi state, one can then practice the contemplation of the four foundations of mindfulness. The mind, being pure at this time, facilitates the practice of contemplation.

The involuntary emergence of the sound of Buddha-recitation, continuously lingering within the heart and mind, constitutes Buddha-recitation samadhi. All kinds of samadhi arise from the manas. Why is the manas capable of initiating samadhi? Those whose practice of Buddha-recitation is not yet mature will not experience Buddha-recitation samadhi; those whose various contemplative practices are insufficient will not attain the state of samadhi. So-called "mature practice" refers to the successful permeation of the manas through long-term adherence to a specific practice. Once the manas is permeated and perfected, it will spontaneously and volitionally recite the Buddha's name and engage in contemplation, giving rise to various samadhi states. The emergence of any samadhi is not determined by the conscious mind nor subject to its control. The conscious mind can only passively accept and merge into the samadhi state, experiencing the samadhi itself along with the physical and mental sensations.