Reciting Namo Amituofo eliminates the reciters’ karma instantly
By Dharma Master Jing Ben
🔸When Karma Manifests
On one occasion, Master Hui Jing was giving religious care to a patient in the hospital. It was probably a rare occurrence to see a monastic around the hospital. Hence, a 70-year-old patient approached Master Hui Jing immediately upon seeing him. As the Chinese saying goes, "One will not visit the Buddhist temple for nothing," Therefore, one would never approach a monastic if one was not in distress. It was indeed true! Why? It was because the moment this old patient saw Master Hui Jing, she said, "Master, I have not slept for several days". Why didn't she sleep for so many days? That was because every time she shut her eyes, she would see dark shadows of two human forms. They seemed to exert pressure on her. She felt as if a huge mountain had been laid upon her chest, making her breathless. It was horrifying. Hence, she was afraid to shut her eyes and dared not sleep. So, we should know that, solely being wealthy does not guarantee that everything in our life will be smooth sailing. We may have the means to stay in a good hospital, but it is not necessarily that money can eliminate our karmic obstructions. Just like this patient who could afford to seek treatment at the hospital, but it did not solve her problem. We cannot brush off her complaints merely as hallucinations as it had persisted for several days. This old patient had been battling insomnia for several days in a row, despite taking the medicine prescribed.
Therefore, Master Hui Jing told her, "Illnesses that the doctors are not able to cure are usually what we called as 'karmic illnesses' which are caused by past negative karma. Buddhist’s teaching says, meritorious deeds are required to resolve these karmic obstructions. And the easiest and most remarkable meritorious deed, is to recite 'Namo Amituofo'. Master didn't give the patient too much pressure, he said, "Just recite 'Namo Amituofo' as many times as you can, according to your ability will suffice. You will receive Amitabha Buddha's meritorious blessings since th six syllable 'Namo Amituofo' contains a great myriad of merits and virtues. It definitely can eliminate all the negative karma and obstructions. As you recite the Buddha's name, you will gradually be able to rest and sleep. When you feel sleepy, then just go ahead and sleep. It's alright even if you are lying on patient bed to recite."
🔸Dream of Deceased Relatives
It was not known whether the old patient listened and understood what the Master had said. However, a nurse who was around definitely got the message. This was because, after listening to the sermon that Master Hui Jing gave the patient, the nurse came over to the Master and said, "Master, in fact I also have this problem as well! For the past seven consecutive nights, I dreamt of my departed husband and ancestors". Based on these two incidents, we can deduce that monastics can be considered as very special. As you can see that, the one who couldn't sleep and was haunted by ghosts approached a monastic for help; Similarly, the one who had recurring dreams of her departed loved ones every night also sought a monastic to help resolve her problem. It seems like we monastics are specialised in handling such matters (Ha). However, if there is such a good opportunity, we should spread the teaching of the deliverance of Amitabha Buddha. So long as people get to know the benefits of reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’, everything will be alright. That is because ‘Namo Amituofo’ is considered as the ‘Great Name with a Myriad of Virtues’ and the ‘Agada Medicine’ in Buddhist context. ‘Great Name with a Myriad of Virtues’ means that ‘Namo Amituofo’ encompasses all the meritorious deeds. All the merits and all the virtues derived from all the Sutras and all the Mantras are included in this ‘Namo Amituofo’. And the ‘Agada Medicine is a medicine that cures all kinds of diseases and ailments. It means ‘Namo Amituofo’ is just like Agada Medicine, can eliminate all our negative karma and obstructions. Therefore, no matter what problems we may have faced, reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’ is the way.
However, the nurse said, "Master, I am unlike monastics, I don't have so much time. I'm busy with work every day". From the statement, we can see that the nurse had absolutely misunderstood, she thought that the recitation needs full commitment like monastics. Such thought was probably due to the influence of watching too many dramas. So, the Master told her, " ‘Namo Amituofo’ is not what people would imagine it to be as it does not take up a lot of your time. When you wake up in the morning, you just recite ‘Namo Amituofo’ 108 times. That will be good enough. It's the same as reciting a string of Buddhist prayer beads that has a total of 108 beads on it. To repeat the recitation of ‘Namo Amituofo’ for 108 times will do. This recitation of 108 times takes just a few minutes. It's even less than the time required to make a cup of coffee. If we have the time to make a cup of coffee, why not the time to recite ‘Namo Amituofo’? After listening to Master’s explanation, the nurse felt that this is manageable. However busy, she can still spare a few minutes each morning when she wakes up and before going to sleep every night. Hence, this school of practice is very good and it suits her. The Master left after speaking to the old lady and the nurse. He's not sure if they recite ‘Namo Amituofo’ after all.
🔸Problem solved by reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’
But they really did recite. How do we know? That's because the next day, when the Master reached the hospital, the nurse approached Master and told him, "Oh Master, the old patient who couldn't sleep and you taught her to recite ‘Namo Amituofo’, last night she fell asleep soon after reciting the Buddha's name. She slept through the night and was even unaware that she had wetted her pants. She's still sleeping now". That means she was really sleeping soundly. We should remember that, for several days in a row, she was haunted by ghosts the moment she shut her eyes. She was so terrified that she dared not sleep. But after reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’ that very night, she slept soundly through and was still sleeping the next morning. The nurse also revealed that last night, she recited 108 times of 'Namo Amitabha Buddha' as advised by Master Hui Jing. As a result, she also slept through the night till the next morning. She did not dream of her departed relatives. Initially for the past 7 consecutive nights, she dreamt of her departed husband and ancestors. She was at a loss and did not know what to do. However, after the ‘Namo Amituofo’ recitation last night, she never dreamt of them anymore. All of them were delivered by Amitabha Buddha to the Pure Land.
So, reciting Namo Amituofo is really effective! Like Buddha said in Contemplation Sutra, “Provides comfort to one, to encourage the one to recite ‘Namo Amituofo’. The recitation of ‘Namo Amituofo’ is able to remove eight billion kalpas of karma sins". As can be seen from these two people in the stories: one is an old man while the other a young adult; One is a sick patient while the other is a nurse who is in good health; One had seen ghosts while the other dreamt of her departed family member and ancestors. Although they are two different people without any religious belief, and with different encounters, but because they recite ‘Namo Amituofo’, all their problems were resolved by Amitabha Buddha. Therefore the main concern is whether we are willing to have faith and accept deliverance of Amitabha Buddha. If we do, then we do not have to worry that reciting ‘Namo Amituofo’ will not be effective. Each recitation of ‘Namo Amituofo’ counts. (End)
Translation of excerpt from Master Jing Ben’s dharma talks
中文原稿 / 净本法师 述
🔸冤亲业现前
有一次，师父（慧净法师）去医院关怀病人。当时有一位70多岁的老病人可能在医院难得看到有出家人，所以就过来要请示师父。世间人有句话说：“无事不登三宝殿”，所以每当要请出家人的时候都不会没事的，还真是如此，为什么？因为这位老人家一看到师父就说：“师父，我已经好几天没有睡觉了…” 为什么没睡？因为现在的她，只要一闭上眼睛就会看到两个人影，好像大山一样压着她喘不过气。所以现在的她感到非常地害怕，都不敢闭眼睡觉。所以各位，人生从来都不是只要有钱就没事的。我们有钱可以进医院，但是不见得有钱就可以消业障。我们看，这样的老人家可以有钱入院看病，但是还是有这些问题没有办法解决。又不能说这是幻觉，因为已经连续几天都这样。老人家已经连续几天都不能睡了，在医院吃药还是不能睡。
所以师父就跟她说：“医生治不好的病通常是业障病。在佛门的教法，要化解业障就是需要功德而已；而功德最简单殊胜就是念这句南无阿弥陀佛。” 师父就是根据佛在《观经》说的“教令念佛”，就是直接教老人家念佛。但是也没有给老人家压力，因为师父接着就跟老人家说：“尽量念佛就好，能够念多少就算多少，有阿弥陀佛加持，“南无阿弥陀佛”的功德很大，一定能够消业障的；念佛了自然就会慢慢入睡休息。想睡的时候就睡。就算在病床上面念佛也可以。”
🔸梦到过世亲人
过后也不知道老人家有没有听进去。不过倒是旁边的护士听懂了。旁边的护士听了师父跟那位老人家的开示，就过来跟师父说：“师父，其实我也是有这个问题，我最近一个星期每天晚上都会梦到我过世的先生和祖先。” 所以出家人还真不容易当：不能睡觉看到鬼的也要找出家人、整天梦到过世的亲人也要找出家人。好像出家人就是专门处理这种事情似的（笑）。不过，既然有缘就尽力把阿弥陀佛介绍出去就对了。只要把“南无阿弥陀佛”介绍出去就没问题了，因为这句“南无阿弥陀佛”是“万德洪名”、是“阿伽陀药”。“万德洪名”是说这句南无阿弥陀佛是具足一切的功德，什么经咒功德都在这句佛号里面；“阿伽陀药”也是说明这句“南无阿弥陀佛”是能够化解一切的业障，所以遇到什么问题，就是劝念南无阿弥陀佛就行了。
但是，那位护士听了就说：“师父，我不像出家人这么有时间念佛，我每天工作是很忙的。” 其实这位护士也误会了，因为她就以为念佛要像出家人一样要离家全身心投入，可能看戏看太多了。所以师父就跟她说：“念佛不像一般人想的那样。只要你早上起来先念108声，就是类似一串佛珠的“南无阿弥陀佛”就可以了。108声佛号也没有几分钟而已。” 确实，我们早上起床泡咖啡来喝都不止几分钟了。那既然有时间泡咖啡，怎么会没有时间念佛呢？所以这位护士听了就觉得这样的念佛法门就可以做得到。因为再忙也好，早上起来和晚上睡觉前还是有一两分钟的空档时间的，所以这个法门好，很适合她。但是师父跟那位老病人和这位护士讲完，就走了，也不确定他们是不是有念佛。
🔸念佛化解了
不过，过后知道他们还真的有念。为什么？因为第二天师父到了医院的时候，那位护士就来跟师父报告说：“师父，真的不可思议，昨天那位老人家晚上念佛以后很快就睡着了。而且一睡到天亮。睡到现在尿床了都还在睡。” 就是睡到太熟了。刚才讲的，那位老人家连续几天只要一闭上眼睛就会看到鬼压他，所以吓到不敢睡的。但是昨晚念佛以后，就一睡到天亮。而且，那位护士还说，昨天晚上，她真的听师父的话念佛108声，结果也是一睡到天亮，没有再梦到过世的亲人了。本来也是一个星期天天晚上会梦到过世亲人，之前都不知道该怎么办。就是念佛的昨天晚上没有再梦到了，就亲人被超度了。
所以，佛号真的不骗人。如《观经》所说：“种种安慰，为说妙法，教令念佛；称南无阿弥陀佛，称佛名故，于念念中，除八十亿劫生死之罪”，佛在《观经》所讲的念佛功德真实不虚。这两位例子：一个是老人，一个是年轻人；一个是病人，一个是健康的人；一个是看到鬼，一个是梦到去世的亲人。虽然两个是不同的人，也没有信仰，遇到的事情也稍微不同，但是念了南无阿弥陀佛，一切阿弥陀佛都给他们化解。所以只怕我们不接受，不怕念佛没有效的；只要念南无阿弥陀佛统统都管用。（完）
节录自净本法师2020年4月12号《念佛超荐》开示
