Master Jianyin - Single minded and Unruffled 一心不亂

(English subtitles) Master Jianyin, 鑑因法師 (1937-2024) , Talks Dharma.
Subtitles:
Somebody say you have to achieve single-minded and unruffled when you chant Buddha's name. Being single-minded and unruffled is considered very hard. Some claim you have to be rationally single-minded or be single-minded by matter. According to the explanation by eminent monks, these are the states hard to achieve. If the Buddha gave us such a difficult problem, it will be hard for us to be reborn in the Bliss World.
Based on my experience to help chanting for rebirth, being single-minded is not a very difficult thing.
1:00
When you are thinking of Amitabha without being distracted or drowsy, this is called single-minded. If you want to keep bearing Buddha in mind without being distracted or drowsy for a long period of time, as the 7-day Buddhist retreat, I think it's unachievable for most people. When you think of Amitabha, if you want to be free from being distracted or drowsy, I think it's achievable for everyone. These two items are the issues that we practitioners are most concerned about.
2:00
Because we often think of this and that, we won't be used to it if we are asked to think nothing. In addition, we need to overcome drowsiness and be clear-headed. If you tell him to sit in meditation for a while, he will be drowsy soon and take a nap. So the eminent monks advocated we should chant the Buddha aloud. For the Pure Land Sect, whether to chant the Buddha loudly or softly is up to you. Somebody claim that if you chant loudly, you will see large Buddha; if you chant softly, you will see small Buddha, meaning that if you chant louder, you will bring out more spirit. It'd more efficient if you are fully vigorous.
3:00
When you are thinking or chanting Buddha, if the current thought is not distracted or drowsy, you are single-minded. Because you have no distracted thought and no second mind. You only bear Amitabha in mind and nothing else, so you are single-minded at this moment. Relying on this thought, you are eligible to be reborn. Relying on this thought, you have your lotus in the Bliss World. So if you chant Amitabha without distracted thoughts or drowsiness, there will be your lotus growing in the 7-jewel pond. If Chen Three chants, it will be written Chen Three; If Li Four chants, it will be written Li Four..
4:00
The more you chant and concentrate, the prettier, shinier, and larger the lotus will become. So that is, One thought corresponds to one thought of Buddha, every thought corresponds to every thought of Buddha. So why will you be reincarnated in the lotus? Why are there nine grades of rebirth? That is closely related to your current thought.
If we mortals don't think of Buddha, we will think of others. Buddha separates beings as nine dharma realms. How did the nine dharma realms form? If your thoughts correspond with a realm, you will go to that realm. Therefore, everything is created by your mind. Hell is not created by others, it's created by yourself.
5:00
If your mind has committed the five heinous acts and the ten evils, that is the hell you will go to. It's not that you think of Hell all day long, and you will go to hell. Because you have evil thoughts, your body commit sins, and therefore create bad karma, and you will suffer the consequences in the future. So, when you are chanting Amitabha without thinking of others, and you are not drowsy, this chanting is single-minded. So, it says in the Infinite Life Sutra, One mind, one thought, and one sound. If beings hear his name, have faith and are delighted, even have one thought. With this thought, you sincerely convert to Amitabha and vow to be reborn in that land.
6:00
You will be reborn there and dwell in a state of no regression. Relying on this thought of Amitabha, without delusion or drowsiness, after taking a vow, you will obtain a lotus in the Bliss World and will be reborn immediately. Being reborn immediately means to be reborn when you are still alive. That's the special feature of the Pure Land Dharma Door. It's not you are reborn after death.
Master Ouyi used the analogy of a balance to describe a person to be reborn in the Bliss World. Upwards indicates prosperity. Downwards suggests withered. Upwards indicates obviousness.
7:00
Downwards indicates hidden. What does it mean? If one side of the balance goes up, the other side must goes down.
Our bodies are aging day by day, from youth to old age, from vigorous to weak until this figure dies and disappears. What does it indicate? For example, he who chants the Buddha in the Saha world becomes old and weak in body. But his lotus in the Bliss World blooms more and becomes brighter and more vigorous.
8:00
How does this person's vigor go into that lotus? Because we are going to be incarnated from a lotus. So, your body keeps getting old and weak, indicating your lotus keeps blooming and brighter. Blooming means growing and prosperity.