Why the Buddha kept Meditating Even after being Enlightened

When I was a young monk, I wondered why the Buddha kept practicing mindfulness and meditation even after he had already become a Buddha. Now I find the answer is plain enough to see.

Happiness is impermanent, like everything else. In order for happiness to be extended and renewed, you have to learn how to feed your happiness. Nothing can survive without food, including happiness; your happiness can die if you don’t know how to nourish it. If you cut a flower but you don’t put it in some water, the flower will wilt in a few hours.

Even if happiness is already manifesting, we have to continue to nourish it. This is sometimes called conditioning, and it’s very important. We can condition our bodies and minds to happiness with the five practices of letting go, inviting positive seeds, mindfulness, concentration, and insight.

... Mindfulness helps us not only to get in touch with suffering, so that we can embrace and transform it, but also to touch the wonders of life, including our own body. Then breathing in becomes a delight, and breathing out can also be a delight. You truly come to enjoy your breathing.

When we practice mindful breathing or mindful walking, we bring our mind home to our body and we are established in the here and the now. We feel so lucky; we have so many conditions of happiness that are already available. When we practice mindful breathing or mindful walking, we bring our mind home to our body and we are established in the here and the now. We feel so lucky; we have so many conditions of happiness that are already available. Joy and happiness come right away. So mindfulness is a source of joy. Mindfulness is a source of happiness.. Joy and happiness come right away. So mindfulness is a source of joy. Mindfulness is a source of happiness.

It requires first of all that we come home to ourselves, that we make peace with our suffering, treating it tenderly, and looking deeply at the roots of our pain. It requires that we let go of useless, unnecessary sufferings and take a closer look at our idea of happiness.

Finally, it requires that we nourish happiness daily, with acknowledgment, understanding, and compassion for ourselves and for those around us. We offer these practices to ourselves, to our loved ones, and to the larger community. This is the art of suffering and the art of happiness. With each breath, we ease suffering and generate joy. With each step, the flower of insight blooms.

~ by Zen Master THICH NHAT HANH

Source : Enlighten Human.com

公案故事 | 一只缺角的杯子

有一天，徒弟問禪師道：“世上真有完人嗎?”

禪師笑而不答，隨後從身旁的幾上端起一只茶杯，遞給面前的弟子，反問道：“你看這只杯子與其它的有何不同呢?”

弟子仔細端詳了一陣兒，回答道：“這只杯子缺了一角。”

聽了，禪師釋道：“其實，除了那微末的一角之外，整個杯口不都是圓的嗎?每個人都有缺點，若不去計較缺點，那麼這個人就是很好的人了……”

人非聖賢，孰能無過呢?正如禪師所釋，每個人不都是一只缺角的杯子嗎?與人相處，重要得是懂得如何用欣賞的眼光去接受別人的優點，而不是一味地去揭發別人的短處。

只有這樣，我們才會從別人的眼睛里贏來更大的尊重。

Happiness results from Good Deeds

A florist, named Sumana, had to supply King Bimbisara of Rajagaha with jasmine flowers every morning. One day, as he was going to the king’s palace he saw the Buddha, with a radiating halo of light-rays, coming into town for alms-food accompanied by many monks. Seeing the Buddha in his resplendent glory, the florist Sumana felt a strong desire to offer his flowers to the Buddha. Then and there, he decided that even if the king were to drive him out of the country or to kill him, he would not offer the flowers to the king for that day.

Thus, he threw up the flowers to the sides, to the back and over and above the head of the Buddha. The flowers remained hanging in the air; those over the head formed a canopy of flowers and those at the back and the sides formed walls of flowers. These flowers followed the Buddha in this position as he moved on, and stopped when the Buddha stopped. As the Buddha proceeded, surrounded by walls of flowers, and a canopy of flowers, with the six-coloured rays radiating from his body, followed by a large entourage, thousands of people inside and outside of Ràjagaha came out of their houses to pay obeisance to the Buddha. As for Sumana, his entire body was suffused with delightful satisfaction.

The wife of the florist Sumana then went to the king and said that she had nothing to do with her husband failing  to supply the king with flowers for that day The king, being a sotàpanna(person who has seen the Dharma) himself, felt quite happy about the flowers. He came out to see the wonderful sight and paid obeisance to the Buddha. The king also took the opportunity to offer almsfood to the Buddha and his disciples. The king served the congregation of monks with choice food. At the conclusion of the meal the Buddha returned thanks, and surrounded as before by four sides of flowers and accompanied by a great multitude of people shouting in exultation, proceeded to the Monastery.

The king accompanied the Buddha a little way and turned back. Then he sent for the florist and asked him, “What did you say when you honoured the Buddha?” The florist replied, “Your majesty, I surrendered my life to him and honoured him, saying, ‘The king may kill me or banish me from his kingdom.’” The king said, “You are a great man.”

So saying, he presented him with eight elephants, eight horses, eight male slaves, eight female slaves, eight magnificent sets of jewels, eight thousand pieces of money, eight women taken from the royal harem, adorned with all the
adornments, and eight choice villages. These eight-fold gifts did the king give him.
Venerable Ananda thought to himself, “Shouts of exultation and acclamation have continued all during the day since early morning. What will be the reward of the florist?” The Buddha replied “ânanda, he surrendered his life to me and rendered honour to me. Therefore, because he has immense faith in me, he will not enter a state of suffering but will receive the fruits of his good deed in the world of the gods and in the world of men. One day he will become the solitary Buddha Sumana.”

 Source : atmabodha.com/buddha teaching

【佛教故事】惡口的報應

從前，舍衛城中有一個富翁，名叫師質，信奉佛教。有一天，他准備了美好的飲食，虔誠地供養佛陀和僧眾。佛陀受過供養，又開示一番，就領著眾僧回到精舍。歸來的半途，佛和僧眾在河邊的大樹底下休息的時候，從樹上跳下一只猿猴，求借佛陀的缽具。猿猴接過佛缽後，速去速來，並且在缽中又盛滿了甜蜜，雙手恭敬奉給佛陀。佛陀接受後，又把它分施給眾僧，令猿猴多得福報。猿猴看了，歡喜跳躍。過了不久，猿猴死了，轉世為人，生于師質的家中。出生的時候，家里所有的食具，都滿裝蜜糖。師質夫婦覺得奇異，就此把他取名，叫做蜜勝。

        光陰如箭，歲月奔馳，一轉眼，溜過了幾年，蜜勝已長大了，他厭煩塵俗，要求父母，允許他出家，父母高興地答應了。

        得到父母的贊許後，蜜勝到祇園精舍，投佛出家。因為他前世的善因，很快的証了果。

        有一次，他和同修比丘們出外度化的途中，感到熱渴異常，大家都想有一杯飲料。這時蜜勝比丘，將空缽向空中一擲，然後，雙手去接時，缽中已盛滿著佳蜜，送給眾僧解渴。回到精舍時，有一位比丘，就向佛陀請教道：“蜜勝比丘，過去修的是什麼福？為什麼能在任何時間，任何地方，都能夠方便求得蜜糖？”

        佛陀答道：“你們記得在很久以前，有一只猿猴，求借缽具，裝了佳蜜，來供養佛和僧眾嗎？由于他的喜心施舍，死後就轉生為人；由于他的誠心，供佛佳蜜，所以今生隨時隨地都能夠得到蜜。”

        佛陀說過以後，比丘又問道：“佛陀！蜜勝的前世，又是什麼因緣，才墮生為猿猴呢？”

       這時佛陀的四周，已圍繞著很多弟子，佛陀看了看他們後，才說道：

       “蜜勝會墮為猿猴，那已是五百生以前的事，也就是迦葉如來，在世的時候，有一位青年比丘，在偶然間，看見另一位比丘，跳過一條小溪，就笑他的姿態，如猿猴一樣，因此犯了惡語的罪。所以他墮落為猿猴，後來他知道自己的錯，曾向那比丘求懺悔，免墮地獄受苦，並因此勝緣，猿猴能遇佛得度，今生也很快的証了羅漢果。”

       佛陀講完以後，諸比丘們都知道了，一句惡言，就能招來苦報，因此，大家再也不敢有戲言和惡口。因為因果是不會饒過人的。

佛陀與阿難，前世今生緣 （佛教故事）

在久遠劫前，一位老師父帶著一群年少沙彌在一間古寺里修行。他的教法很嚴厲，嚴格要求沙彌要精進用功，勿自我放縱，浪費時光。

老師父常對小沙彌們說：“大家要精進用功，不管是行、住、坐、臥，一定不離經文。哪怕是在外托缽，走在路上也同樣要時時背誦經文。”

其中有一位小沙彌，他謹記老師父的教法，依言奉行。有一天，他托缽出門乞食，眼睛專注地看著缽，直直地向前走，口里朗朗地背誦經文。

那時，有一位長者看見他，打開大門要讓他進去，可是由于小沙彌背誦得很入神，而忘記了要托缽，一戶戶地走過去。

長者看到小沙彌從他家門口經過，嘴里還一直念誦經文，沒有注意到周圍的情形，覺得這位沙彌很可愛！他就向前叫道：“來，來！這位年輕的沙彌，你的缽還是空的，怎麼走過我家門口而不進來呢？”

小沙彌說：“長者，我太專心背誦經文了，所以走過頭而不自知！”長者又問：“你為何這麼專心，乃至于對周圍的環境都沒有感覺呢？”

小沙彌說：“我師父對我們的要求很嚴格，教我們要守住一念心，不能放縱，要時時精進。所以我們每天都要背誦很多經文，而且要背會才可以回去。”

長者就說：“你這麼用功精進，不如以後每天都來我家，我供給你滿缽的食物，那你就不用再費心沿路托缽了。”

從那開始，日日、月月、年年，都是由長者供給他基本的生活所需，讓他無後顧之憂地修行。年輕的沙彌很感恩，更加專心精進、深入經藏。

佛陀說完這個故事，告訴弟子：“當時的沙彌就是我，而那位長者就是現在的阿難。阿難生生世世都護持我，我則引導阿難入正知見，這都是因為過去種種好因緣的結果啊！”

人生在世 不如意十常八九

淨空老法師：肯放下就快樂了

所以我們本師釋迦牟尼佛，他用這個名號是什麼？就是他一生在此時此處教化眾生的宗旨。因為這個地球上的人現在缺乏愛心，仁是推己及人，現在只知道自利，不知道利人，想到自己，不知道想到別人。仁是想自己就想到別人，以這個為宗旨，對待人要仁慈。對自己？對自己要清淨，寂默就是清淨，清淨是最高的享受。

真正的幸福享受不是有財富、有地位，不是的，身心清淨，沒有煩惱，沒有憂慮，現在人講沒有壓力。你說他活得多快活，每天活得歡歡喜喜，這叫幸福，這叫圓滿。如果有財富、有地位，生活在憂慮、煩惱之中，他沒有幸福，他一生過得很苦。最後走的時候，什麼也帶不走。

人活在世間幹什麼？快快樂樂，這就對了，千萬不要給自己找煩惱。要怎樣活得快樂？肯放下就快樂了。孔老夫子快樂，為什麼？恕，忠恕，不跟一切人計較，吃了虧快樂，上當也快樂。古人說得好，「吃虧是福」，吃虧不是禍害，是福，快快樂樂。決定不能有佔人便宜的念頭，那是什麼？

那是苦，那是見不得人的事情，會被良心譴責。現在的人良心沒有了，譴責沒有了，所以什麼事情他都能做得出來，那最後的收拾是老天來收拾。道德沒有了，倫理沒有了，法律沒有了，誰都管不上，那就老天來管，老天來管就是災難。災難怎麼來的我們就知道了。

文摘恭錄—淨土大經科註（第五十一集）2011/11/18　檔名：02-037-0051

相由心生

淨空老法師：相貌是福報，福報大的人，一看那個相就好，福相

佛在經論上告訴我們，一切眾生的相，是業力變現的。相的好醜，就是善惡業的現前。

俗話常說：人心不同，各如其面。眾生的相貌為什麼長得不一樣？心不一樣，對於一切事物的想法、看法不一樣，所以相貌不一樣。

相貌是福報，福報大的人，一看那個相就好，福相。佛說“相隨心轉”，這個話是真的。

學佛講修行，從哪裡修？起心動念，從這裡修。 佛說“相隨心轉”，就是命隨心轉，什麼原因？吉凶禍福都在你的念頭。

所以真正高明的人，一看你的相貌，你心裡面所思所想，你的一生吉凶禍福，他都知道。 所謂“誠於中而形於外”，表裡決定一致，你外表怎麼樣的偽裝，都隱瞞不了的。

世間人用他的聰明掩飾得再好，可以欺騙一些愚人；真正有修養的人、有道德的人，你是決定沒有辦法隱瞞他的，他一眼就把你看穿了。

心善，相貌就慈祥；心惡，那個相貌叫人看到就覺得恐怖，可見“誠於中”，一定是“形於外”，這是沒有方法掩飾的。

一切眾生的相是業報身，這個一定要知道！你的惡念很多，貪嗔癡慢很多，相貌就不好看；你念念都是善，相貌就很好看，人家一看你的相貌，很慈祥、很有智慧。

南無阿彌陀佛

What is Meditation all about? | Philosphy of Meditation | Beautiful Explanation by Buddha

Source : admabodha.com

你的功德漏掉了多少？

　　我們是凡人，一旦離開了佛堂，很快就會忘記自己是修行人，所以面對很多世俗的事情時，難免會產生煩惱；一旦有了煩惱，貪、嗔、癡、嫉妒、傲慢等就會自然表露出來，壞習氣會變成心上的賊，它們會像小偷一樣偷走我們辛辛苦苦積累的功德福報。為了不讓“五毒” 把我們的功德燒掉，必須進行回向。

　　如果現在你只有一杯水，當把這杯水放入大海，除非大海幹涸了，你可以永遠自豪地對別人說：“大海里面，有我的一杯水。” 一樣的道理，我們只要把所做的功德回向給眾生，就不會因為亂發脾氣、嗔恨心燃起時把功德燒掉；就算燒起來也沒關系，因為只燒了屬于自己的一部分，回向給眾生的功德還是會成熟在我們身上。所以，佛陀說：“為利益眾生而成就自己。” 一個人為眾生著想，最後成佛的是他；眾生只為自己著想，所以會墮落。

　　回向可以真正地得到福報，讓福報真實成熟在我們身上。修行了很久，如果不好好地將功德回向，修跟沒修不會有太大差別，因為你很快會把功德都燒掉。保存功德的唯一方式，就是將功德存入眾生的福報銀行里，這樣才能取之不盡、用之不竭。這是功德回向的修學與益處。

　　回向後大家再幫自己發願，願力也很重要。我們希望得到快樂，希望在事業上有所成就、家庭美滿，希望自己可以脫離輪回、往生淨土等等，都可以在回向給眾生後，再自己發願。

　　我們因聞思修佛法而累積功德，很多業力會被淨化。用我們的菩提心，淨化自己的心，利益自己，更要無私利益更多眾生。自利可以成就法身，他利可以成就報身、化身。所以為了自利利他要把所有的功德回向給天下一切有情眾生，整個功德才圓滿!

文章来源：釋迦牟尼佛（圖片）社團

回向究竟有多重要？快来学习圆满你的功德！

回向是我们修行的过程中很重要的一种修行。不论我们种何种善根，做何种功德，我们做了后不回向，那么就不会有圆满的功德。

所以，回向就好像是一篇文章的结尾。我们修行完了后，就念诵回向文/回向偈，帮我们的修行结一个漂漂亮亮的尾。

我们通过不间断的修行，一次又一次的把每一次修行的成果回向给我们发的愿，那么这些修行的功德、福德，就会成为我们发的愿的因。经过不断地积累，最后，完成我们发的愿。

文章来源2017-03-09 果虚  每日修地藏

Buddhist Way Of Dealing With Difficult People

In the mundane world, we deal with difficult people almost of a daily basis. Whether they’re classmates, co-workers, bosses, neighbors, or random people – difficult people are everywhere! As Buddhist, we should know how to deal with such people and how to control ourselves. Yes, dealing with difficult people can be difficult, but just like our spiritual practice needs practice and development, so does our patience and compassion. Which just happens to be the solution to the problem!

With our patience and compassion we can overcome and let go of people’s negativity, rudeness, and ignorance. So maybe you’re your bosses person that gets them their coffee or tea. Your boss is rude and insensitive who never says please and thank you (which by the way, is part of loving-kindness practice, to not except returns from acts of kindness!). You bring them their coffee every morning and you stand there waiting for a thank you and nothing. Not even a glance or a grunt to acknowledge that you’re even there. So you walk away and sigh.

Don’t. Instead, the next time you bring them their coffee, make that cup of coffee the best coffee you’ve ever made! Put love and effort into it, make it a coffee that you just want to savor each sip, a coffee they’ll remember! Do this for a while. Then, take some cookies or a muffin with their coffee. Something you know they like or might enjoy. Do that for a while. Every time you take them their coffee, cookies or muffin, do it with a smile and tell them to “enjoy!” A smile is the best weapon for every attitude! Eventually, your boss will notice. Not only the really good coffee and treats, but they’ll notice you too. Maybe they’ll make eye contact, nod, grunt, or eventually even say thank you!

Your patience and compassion was noticeable! Yes, it might take some time sometimes, but it never fails. Often people treat rudeness with rudeness, and that’s never the right thing to do. That will literally just make things worse. If someone is rude to you, who cares! Their attitude and ignorance doesn’t affect you whatsoever. Only YOU can affect you! You simply treat their rudeness with a smile and a ‘thank you.’ Tell them to have a great day, to enjoy their day. Kill them with kindness! Sometimes this makes them even angrier and even more rude, but once they walk away and think about it, they’ll think, “That person was really nice to me and I took out my frustrations on them. Next time I’ll be nice to them.”

Some people’s personalities are just rude and unkind, and maybe no effort of patience and compassion will affect them and they’ll just have to suffer and spend an even longer time in Samsara. But other people might just be having a bad, rough, long day, or they might be in a hurry and they’re just not in the mood to talk or pay attention to you, so they’re rude and unkind. So why would you want to make their day worse and be rude and unkind back? Instead, smile. Your smile will remind them to smile too and it’ll have some effect on their mood and make it just a little bit better.

The Buddha once told this story: An ugly, hideous, smelly, and gross looking monster went to see an emperor at his palace. When the monster walked in, the guards saw the monster and knew he didn’t belong there, so the guards screamed at the monster, calling him names and threatening the monster. And for every rude thing the guards said, the monster grew one inch bigger, uglier, and smellier. The guards then pulled out their swords, waving and striking it towards the monster and still yelling at the monster, and with every strike and word, the monster grew one inch bigger, uglier, and smellier. The monster got so big, it took up half the size of the courtyard. Then the emperor walks in and sees the monster. The emperor opens his arms and yelled, “Welcome!” And the monster grew one inch smaller, less uglier and smellier. The emperor offered the monster water and food, and the monster grew smaller, less uglier and smellier. And with every kind word, gesture, and action, smaller, less uglier and smellier the monster got. The monster got so small, that one more kind word it would disappear, and it did.

So remember this story. No matter how ugly (verbally) or unkind someone may seem, patience and compassion will seize the day! So always practice and strengthen your patience and compassion. Remember it can help you and the other person, and then that person will remember your patience and compassion and hopefully develop those skills for themselves and practice it. Show people how to act and be. The best way to be a Buddhist is to practice compassion and have others see that in you and practice it themselves.

Source : enlightenmenthuman.com

如是因如是果

美味番茄麵

主材料：
乾香菇、猴頭菇 ( 調理過的 )
美白菇、牛蕃茄、高麗菜、洋菇
丸子、豆皮、乾細麵

調味料：
鹽、番茄醬、鮮菇粉

作法：

1、    將蕃茄切塊備用。
2、 香菇切條，猴頭菇、美白菇、高麗菜切塊。
3、 鍋中放入少許油、放入香菇炒香，再加入蕃茄塊及菇類等拌炒一下。
4、 加高湯及蕃茄汁，待煮滾後放下其他材料。
5、 將麵汆燙好備用。
6、 將湯料調味好，放入汆燙好的麵即完成。

主食材的营养成分 

番茄
番茄含有茄紅素、類胡蘿蔔素、磷、鐵、鉀、鈉、鎂、維生素A、維生素B群、維生素C等營養素，如大眾所知，番茄中的茄紅素含量是所有蔬果中最高的，有助於延緩老化，所含的類胡蘿蔔素、維生素C 則可以增強血管功能，預防血管老化，與葉酸均有益於維持皮膚健康。另外，番茄的纖維質含量高，可以預防男性攝護腺癌和女性乳癌。

美白菇
美白菇富含氨機酸、多醣體、礦物質、酚類化合物、纖維素，是愛美的女士最理想的食材。

FOOD 小贴士 

1  番茄中的茄紅素能夠中和皮膚因接觸紫外線而產生的有害分子。這種物質有降低罹患攝護腺癌的風險，而且經過烹煮效用更能提升作用。

曼徹斯特大學羅茲教授說：「番茄不能取代防曬乳液，但或許是不錯的補充品。」
紐卡索大學同時也發現，茄紅素可以保護皮膚中防止出現皺紋的DNA。

2  未成熟的青色番茄不可吃，因為含有龍葵素，吃了容易出現噁心、嘔吐、全身疲乏等不適現象。

3  番茄中含有大量的果膠和柿膠酚等可溶性收斂劑，容易和胃酸發生作用而凝結，增加胃部壓力，易造成胃脹痛或嘔吐，空腹時最好不要食用。番茄每天適合食用量為2~3顆。

饮食原则

做湯麵其實沒有秘訣，料多就好吃，真的要提供一個訣竅的話，那麼高湯湯頭常常是美味與否的關鍵。

這道美味番茄麵的高湯是用甘蔗、紅蘿蔔和白蘿蔔熬煮而成，有甘蔗自然可想湯頭是甜美的，其實還有大豆芽、蘋果都是很好的湯鍋底材料，主婦以方便為準，自行準備。

既然這道菜取名番茄麵，那麼番茄是主食，因此為了讓味道更濃郁，番茄醬要加在湯鍋裡面，依口味自行增減，總之讓番茄呈現紅色的強效抗氧化作用，事實上番茄醬本身還含有如：丁香，肉桂、芹菜和其它好幾種蔬菜的營養，所以美味加營養絕對是料理的初衷，夏日炎炎，體能消耗流失快，補充營養是極有必要的。

文章来源：海濤法師慈悲志業

淨空老法師：自己造的種種惡業，要趕快報掉

隱瞞自己的過失，推諉自己的過失，自己造作一切的過失，把責任推給別人，這個惡就大了，惡就重了。自己造作的自己要勇於承當，勇於認過，你這個過才能夠懺除，如果說隱瞞、掩飾、覆藏，這個罪業就重了。

所以佛教給我們，要積陰德，我們做好事，不要讓人知道，要隱藏，你這個福德愈積愈厚，將來果報就殊勝。罪業可不能覆藏，罪業不管造得多少，都希望別人知道，知道怎麼樣？這個人見到你罵你一聲，那個人責你一聲，這果報掉了，統統報掉了。

自己造的種種惡業，要趕快報掉；自己積的那個善，不要讓人知道。你看現在一般人，他恰恰顛倒，他造的惡，不想讓人知道，一點點善，還要把它宣揚成大善，讓大家恭維你、讚歎你，善都報光了，惡統統攢在那個地方還沒動，到閻羅王那裡算總帳，這就壞了。這是愚癡人，不是聰明人，佛教給我們有道理。

文摘恭錄—大乘無量壽經（第八集）

Can Nianfo Overcome Impatience?

Question: Can Nianfo (practice of mindfulness of the name of Amitabha Buddha – ‘Amituofo’) help overcome my impatience in listening to others?

Answer: Impatience is a form of greed for things to go your preferred speed (or way) and thus hatred for otherwise. It is thus a mix of the first two of the three poisons (greed, hatred and delusion).

All defilements arise from the three (or five poisons), which can all be eradicated by Nianfo practice, as can be seen at http://purelanders.com/2016/02/24/how-does-nianfo-eradicate-our-five-poisons/

Impatience with others is also impatience with oneself. Nianfo can overcome impatience if you commit to sincere, regular, diligent and PATIENT Nianfo practice. Practise listening to yourself Nianfo sincerely and you will learn to live in the moment patiently. This will in turn help you to be sincere and patient when listening to others. To train to be more patient, extend your Nianfo practice accordingly.

Source : purelanders.com posted by Shen Sh'ian

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

念佛如何灭五毒？

问：修学念诵阿弥陀佛圣号如何能灭除心垢？

答：用正确理解念佛时，能有净化心灵的效果。这是因为念佛即是通过阿弥陀佛的加持力开发我们的佛性（能成佛的潜能）。既然阿弥陀佛圣号代表无上心灵的净化，念佛即是圆满解开与增长解药（施、悲、智、虚、信）的钥匙，为除代表一切心垢的五毒 （贪、嗔、痴、慢、疑）。念佛也感应阿弥陀佛的清净光，欢喜光与智慧光，以除贪嗔痴三毒。以下有偈文详细解释 –

念佛灭五毒偈

心若生贪，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生施灭贪。

心若生瞋，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生悲灭瞋。

心若生痴，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生智灭痴。

心若生慢，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生虚灭慢。

心若生疑，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生信灭疑。

文章来源：purelanders.com by Shen Shi'an