The Samadhi State of Disheng's Buddha-Recitation (February 5, 2026)

Disheng: This morning upon waking, I followed Master Ruyuan's method to listen for the Buddha-recitation sound within my mind. Indeed, the Buddha's name resonated continuously within my consciousness; the manas (root consciousness) was already very compliant, not opposing the Buddha's name at all. While washing up and eating breakfast, the Buddha's name remained present in my mind. Later, while teaching the children, I didn't pay attention to the Buddha's name. After lecturing for over twenty minutes and having the children write, I stopped speaking and discovered the Buddha's name was still hanging in my mind. I continued listening and reciting like this, and the Buddha's name never faded.

In the afternoon, while reading Master Shengru's writings, the Buddha's name still lingered persistently. Sometimes it was accompanied by a faint buzzing sound. Then, whether sitting down or getting up, the Buddha's name was always there. In the evening, after reciting the Earth Store Sutra, during the dedication of merit, I didn't need to speak aloud. It flashed through my mind automatically all at once – a direct dedication using the manas (I'm not sure if this expression is accurate). Afterwards, I listened to Master Shengru's audio lecture on the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering and found the Buddha's name was still present, impossible to shake off.

I constantly feel the meridians within my body are like spring water; my whole body feels as if clear spring water is flowing through it – very cool and refreshing. My mind is clear and bright. I feel no delight in worldly dharmas, but also no aversion to them. To be honest, I feel a bit that work takes up too much of this disciple's cultivation time. However, to form connections with sentient beings, what needs to be done seriously should still be done well. Otherwise, I would feel remorseful. So I try to finish work as quickly as possible to dedicate the time to practice.

Up until now, the sound of Buddha-recitation is still present. Previously, the experience was profound at night. Today, I specifically paid attention to the sound of the Buddha's name from morning till night, and it didn't stop throughout the day. May I ask, Master, is this the state of Samādhi of Buddha-Recitation? Is the direction of my practice correct?

Comment: This is indeed the state of Samādhi of Buddha-Recitation. It's just that this samādhi arose in you too rapidly, too swiftly, and is too stable! I never imagined someone could progress in practice this quickly. The supportive power behind you must be immense; it's possible your own foundation from past lives is also very solid. First, continue to consolidate the Samādhi of Buddha-Recitation. After some time, if the Samādhi of Buddha-Recitation remains this stable, and after you have thoroughly penetrated the principles of the Dharma, you can then begin the contemplation (vipassanā) of the five aggregates.

During the dedication of merit, the absence of language, words, or sound is precisely the direct dedication by the manas, without using the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) to express it. This indicates that your concentration (samādhi) is very good, excellent! The content of the dedication is very familiar, requiring no recollection or remembering. With this level of skill, it is entirely possible to engage in contemplation and Chan meditation. It's just that the speed of your progress is astonishingly fast, almost unbelievable! Has the obscuration from the intermediate state (antarābhava) been lifted, or has some kind of switch been turned on? Even Bodhisattvas who return (to this world) rarely attain such speed in dispelling delusion!

Everyone should pay special attention to this point: When Disheng dedicates merit, he uses no language, words, or sound; he doesn't use the mental consciousness to recite. He directly uses the manas for a silent, soundless dedication. The thoughts flash by extremely quickly, the dedication is completed in an instant, compressing the numerous words of the dedication into a single thought. It is extremely swift, and its effectiveness is far stronger than recitation using the mental consciousness. This is because the manas can resolve actual problems, while the mental consciousness cannot. Therefore, the quality of work done by the manas far exceeds that done by the mental consciousness, as the manas is sincere and wholehearted, whereas the expression through the mental consciousness using language and words might be 'mouth without heart,' resulting in less favorable resonance from the recipient. Once this skill is established, whatever you do in the future will be swift, free from mere formality, genuine, and sincere. This is precisely the kind of skill needed for Chan meditation! Let's all strive hard!