The Buddhānusmṛti Samādhi Is the Attainment of Manas-Indriya

Reciting the Buddha's name has three levels. The shallowest level is when the conscious mind alone recites, while the mental faculty does not engage. This is superficial, scattered recitation that is merely perfunctory—a show of recitation, not genuine recitation. It lacks resonance with the Buddhas, and the merit generated is minimal. The intermediate level involves both the mental faculty and the conscious mind reciting together, attaining a shallow meditative concentration. This is a semi-focused form of recitation, capable of eliciting a subtle resonance with the Buddhas. The deepest level occurs when the mental faculty recites alone. This recitation is more sincere, resonates with the Buddhas, can induce the recitation samadhi, and yields great merit.

When the conscious mind recites while the mental faculty dislikes recitation, the mind is relatively scattered. One can recite while watching television, conversing, entertaining wandering thoughts, and juggling many tasks simultaneously. When the mental faculty recites, one can recite while sleeping, dreaming, working, contemplating problems—reciting while doing anything, potentially manifesting the recitation samadhi. Therefore, recitation samadhi must be initiated by the mental faculty. The mental faculty can recite the Buddha's name continuously in every moment, without interruption, attaining meditative concentration. The body and mind experience lightness and ease, accompanied by a sense of joy.

There was a person who participated in a million-name recitation period, reciting one million times over a week. Holding a mala with 1080 beads, they would move one bead on a 108-bead counter after completing each full round. Thus, their hands constantly moved the beads while their mouth continuously uttered the Buddha's name. Simultaneously, they could watch television, express opinions, observe others' activities, and even sometimes get angry—truly busy. But what is the use of reciting like this? The mental faculty is clinging everywhere, forcing the conscious mind to recite hypocritically without a shred of focus. It is evident that only by subduing the mental faculty can one attain recitation concentration and recitation samadhi. Concentration means concentrating the mental faculty; concentrating the conscious mind alone does not solve the problem.