The Correct State of Chanting Buddha's Name and Observing the Breath

Ru Kai's Contemplation Practice: Master! This afternoon, there was construction outside the house, with loud noises from electric saws and other tools. I wanted to meditate, so I sat down to practice. Listening to your chanting of the Buddha's name, I quickly settled into stillness. With a single thought, I contemplated my breath—observing where the inhalation passed through, where the exhalation went, the entire process was very clear. I could also hear the electric saw, car horns outside, people talking—some loud, some soft—but none of it disturbed my contemplation of the breath, and I felt no irritation or other emotions.

These sounds, which normally affect me, seemed to fade into background noise at that moment; only your chanting of the Buddha's name was clearest. Finally, I opened my eyes and ended the session. The nearly hour-long meditation felt like a dream, yet my mind was very clear. After getting up, I walked a few steps and felt top-heavy, as if the qi had all gathered at the top of my head. I felt a bit dizzy, didn’t want to speak, but still wanted to hear your chanting. Master, does this meditation session indicate that I’ve attained some level of samadhi?

Answer: This level of concentration is quite good. You possess both samadhi (concentration) and prajna (wisdom). The noisy sounds did not disturb your observation of the breath; you heard but did not register them, knew but did not let them enter, and did not follow the noisy sounds—this is clear evidence of meditative absorption (dhyana-samadhi). Within this samadhi, you were able to focus intently on contemplation and clearly observe the entire process of the breath's movement, without discriminating against the external sounds or being disturbed by them—your wisdom power (prajna) is quite strong. The kind of skill that truly generates usable wisdom is precisely this kind of practice, not a dull, oblivious samadhi where one enters absorption and knows nothing else. Because you focused solely on the breath without thinking of miscellaneous matters, time seemed to pass quickly. This practice is the true path and right conduct; persisting diligently over time will lead to realization of the Way.

The feeling of being top-heavy after getting up is due to blood and qi (vital energy) reaching the head but being unable to pass through, caused by blockages in the head. Over time, as the obstructions lessen and the blood and qi can flow through, it will resolve. Normally, you can gently tap or pat your head to soften the meridians, allowing the blood and qi to circulate more smoothly.

That chanting audio of mine is the Pratyutpanna Samadhi Buddha-Recitation Method (Medium Speed Version). Pratyutpanna Samadhi (Buddha-Recitation Samadhi) is characterized by this very slow chanting speed. Later, it becomes even slower, so slow it almost pauses, only then can one abide in the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi.

Initially, the chanting speed should actually be a bit faster, because shallow concentration corresponds to faster chanting speed. People without any samadhi cannot adapt to fast chanting either; they find it oppressive and stifling. I will try a fast chanting method again, so those with shallow or no samadhi can keep up.

If listening to the medium speed feels oppressive or stifling, it indicates that the meditative absorption is not yet sufficient. Samadhi is concentration; concentration is stillness (shamatha). If the mind approaches stillness, the sound must be slow and small, even to the point of silence, and the tone must be low and deep. Only with a low, deep, and slow sound can the mind gather inward, not scatter outward, not become distracted, remain free from emotional fluctuations, and sink into tranquility. A loud, high-pitched sound is dispersive, stirs emotional fluctuations, and cannot still the mind.

Chanting slowly and deeply makes it difficult for distracting thoughts to arise. The mind has no leisure to attend to other things and sinks completely into the state of Buddha-recitation. This is also a method for cultivating concentration and stilling the mind. It is not about appreciating whether the chanting tone is pleasant to hear. Do not concern yourself with whether the sound is melodious or pleasing, nor with whether the Buddha's name is pronounced clearly. The fundamental purpose is to gather the mind and concentrate. The more you pick and choose, the more scattered your mind becomes.

If the melody is beautiful and melodious, the listener's mind will develop greed, becoming immersed in the tune, unable to settle into stillness or stop thoughts. Only the monotonous sound of Buddha-recitation can draw the mind into the state of recitation, enabling the mind not to cling to the sound and remain free from emotional fluctuations. Buddha-recitation is not about appreciating beautiful songs; it is contrary to worldly music, operating in the opposite way. Those who do not understand Buddha-recitation practice often prefer the chanting of musicians or singers, liking melodious, beautiful tunes and pleasant sounds, but that cannot lead to samadhi.

Once entering samadhi, the sound of Buddha-recitation becomes useless. But in Pratyutpanna Samadhi, one must keep reciting without stopping. After reciting for forty-nine days, the Pratyutpanna Samadhi is accomplished, one sees the Buddhas of the ten directions standing before them, attains enlightenment, and realizes the mind.