Section Three: Cultivating Concentration through Reciting Sutras and Mantras

1. Cultivating concentration by reciting the Heart Sutra, the Shurangama Mantra, or the Great Compassion Mantra can pacify the mind, thereby rapidly enhancing one's power of concentration. Regardless of one's activities throughout the day—walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—the mind should internally recite the Heart Sutra or mantras. When occupied with tasks, recite slightly faster to prevent forgetting due to slow recitation; during leisure time, recite slowly to help the mind gather focus, facilitating the emergence of samadhi. The Heart Sutra should be recited slowly according to the syllables below, the slower the better: "Guan~ Zi Zai~ Pu Sa" (Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva), "Xing~ Shen~ Bo Re~ Bo Luo~ Mi Duo~ Shi" (When practicing the profound Perfection of Wisdom)... Recite with cadence and intonation, pausing after each character or each word. Focus all attention on listening to the sound of the recitation. If the sound becomes inaudible, it indicates wandering thoughts; immediately redirect attention back to listening to the sutra or mantra. This tethers the manas to the scripture, preventing it from clinging to other matters, thereby reducing the scattered thoughts of the conscious mind and gradually strengthening concentration.

If reciting the Heart Sutra while sitting in meditation, slow the pace even further, as concentration deepens more quickly. Recite slowly, the slower the better. After some time, attention will become highly focused, and the mind will be free of distracting thoughts. When concentration becomes sufficiently strong, the mind may enter samadhi. The recitation of the Heart Sutra or mantras might cease, and the mind may be unable to continue reciting. One can then remain in samadhi for a period to unblock the energy channels, alleviate fatigue, and purify body and mind—this need not be overly long. Since enlightenment has not yet been attained, prolonged abiding in thoughtless samadhi wastes time and may lead to attachment to samadhi, hindering wisdom practices like contemplation and discernment.

2. While sitting in meditation, one can single-mindedly hold a mantra, maintaining both concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (prajna). However, when concentration deepens, holding the mantra becomes difficult, feeling burdensome, and eventually ceases. If seeking to enter samadhi, one can then entirely relinquish the mantra and enter the state of samadhi. After emerging from samadhi, contemplating and discerning the Dharma becomes exceptionally clear. One may even experience sustained mental clarity and joy throughout the day, with agile thinking. Therefore, entering samadhi during seated meditation is not detrimental, nor does it hinder subsequent contemplation; on the contrary, it enhances the power of discernment, subdues afflictions, and accelerates progress in practice.

Silently reciting the Shurangama Mantra requires considerable concentration. If concentration is insufficient, one must recite aloud, as the conscious mind produces sound, allowing the manas to easily cling to the sound object, which can lead to distraction. Silent recitation, however, tethers the manas; if the manas relaxes even slightly and loses attention, the conscious mind may forget the recitation. When concentration is very strong, the conscious mind finds vocal recitation tiring and becomes unwilling to produce sound; at this point, recitation is prone to cessation. It is best to shift to letting the manas recite, with the conscious mind lightly attending to it—this also strengthens concentration. The more difficult the recitation feels, the more it captures the manas's attention, and the stronger the concentration becomes. If the conscious mind recites too effortlessly and familiarly, the manas can wander freely, leading to distraction.

3. For those whose minds are particularly scattered, to gather the mind when initially starting concentration practice, it is best to begin by reciting the Shurangama Mantra. Recite the Shurangama Mantra three times, seven times, twenty-one times, or forty-nine times daily; achieving the ability to recite from memory is ideal. Thus, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, the mind remains on the Shurangama Mantra, clinging less to the objects of the six senses, and concentration gradually develops. Moreover, reciting the Shurangama Mantra brings the blessing power of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma protectors, accelerating one's progress on the path. For those with scattered minds, while sitting in meditation, visualize an extremely captivating scene. The visualization process should be prolonged and require some conceptual construction; only then can the mind focus on the visualization, and samadhi will arise. Once samadhi stabilizes, relinquish these visualized scenes and shift to contemplating a principle of Dharma. If one always mistakes the visualized scenes for reality, it is easy to deviate.

4. How to Recite Mantras Effectively

Before reciting sutras or mantras, regulate the breath. Take several deep breaths to clear the mind, allowing mental activity to settle; then, recitation can be done with concentration. Good concentration improves memorization; poor concentration and mental scattering make recitation difficult to retain. To gather the mind and attain concentration, the intonation during mantra recitation must be drawn-out and low-pitched. Avoid rising intonation or excessive melody, as this can stir emotional fluctuations, scatter the mind, and hinder stillness. The same applies to reciting Buddha's name: avoid fervent emotion, high-pitched melodies, or uplifting tunes. Keep the melody low and deep to prevent emotional agitation, thereby gathering the mind, attaining concentration quickly, and facilitating the reception of the Buddha's blessings.