How Does Nianfo Eradicate Our Five Poisons?

Question: How does Nianfo practice (of being mindful of the name of Amitabha Buddha – ‘Amituofo’) reduce our defilements?

Answer: When Nianfo is practised sincerely with right understanding, it has a purifying effect. This is so as Nianfo aligns ourselves to our Buddha-nature (which is the potential to become Buddhas) with Amituofo’s blessings. As Amituofo’s name represents unsurpassable spiritual purity, mindfulness of it is the perfect key for unlocking, releasing and growing our innate spiritual antidotes (of generosity, compassion, wisdom, humility and faith) for purging our respective five poisons (of greed, hatred, delusion, arrogance and doubt) that represent all defilements. Mindfulness of Amituofo’s name also connects to his light of purity, rejoice and wisdom, that counters the three key poisons of greed, hatred and delusion respectively. This is further explained by the verses below –

Verses On How Mindfulness Of Buddha Eradicates The Five Poisons

If the mind gives rise to greed,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to generosity that eradicates greed.

If the mind gives rise to hatred,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to compassion that eradicates hatred.

If the mind gives rise to delusion,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to wisdom that eradicates delusion.

If the mind gives rise to arrogance,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to humility that eradicates arrogance.

If the mind gives rise to doubt,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to faith that eradicates doubt.

– Stonepeace

Source : purelanders.com posted by Shen Sh'ian