Why Is Reciting the Buddha's Name the Most Supreme Among All Repentance Practices?

Let us contemplate the immeasurable eons we have spent trapped in samsara: our body, speech, and mind have been driven by greed, hatred, and delusion, giving rise to boundless evil karma. If this karma had physical volume, it would be too vast for all of space to contain. However earnestly we may wish to repent, there is no way to eradicate it completely.

The past cannot be undone. Helpless as we may feel, we can only let our old karma dissipate as conditions allow. But we must seize control of our future: we must never create such evil karma again. For this reason, we need to cultivate a sense of guilt and embarrassment, and turn to reciting the Buddha's name.

These two terms—guilt and embarrassment—are staples of Buddhist discourse. "Guilt" (惭) refers to a gnawing sense of self-reproach over past misdeeds—akin to the English concept of guilt: a self-reflective, inward sense of remorse. "Embarrassment" (愧) is the flush of shame we feel when our unwholesome actions are exposed to others.

When a person possesses both guilt and embarrassment, they will rectify past wrongdoings and strive to improve going forward: they will feel remorse for their previous unwholesome actions, and take corrective measures to curb evil and promote good in their future conduct. This mindset is an excellent foundation for spiritual practice, and in Buddhism it is classified as one of the two wholesome dharmas.

So why do the teachings say that "generating a sense of guilt and embarrassment, one should therefore recite the Buddha's name"? We recognize that the boundless evil karma we have created must be eradicated, but other repentance methods are not very effective for this purpose. There are many types of repentance methods: formal repentance, principle-based repentance, and ritual repentance. Yet among all repentance methods, the most supreme is reciting the Buddha's name: wholeheartedly chanting even a single "Namo Amitabha Buddha" can eliminate karmic sins accumulated over 80 billion eons of birth and death.

Why is it that reciting the Buddha's name can eliminate such heavy karmic sins, making it the most supreme of all repentance methods? There is a profound principle behind this. The karma we create with our deluded minds, no matter how heavy, is itself deluded and empty in nature. Do not think of it as something solid and real; the nature of karma is inherently empty. The Buddha's name we chant, by contrast, is true reality itself, the Buddha's pure mind, and radiant light. All the karma we create exists in a state of darkness, created by deluded minds.

It is like a room that has remained pitch-black for a thousand years: a single lamp will illuminate it completely. Or like frost and ice on a cold winter's day: as soon as the bright sun rises, the frost and ice melt away of their own accord.

This is what is known as true nature repentance. Unlike ritual repentance or sign-based repentance, which only address superficial, peripheral aspects of karma and work gradually, true nature repentance cuts off the very root of unwholesome karma. So if we are aware of the evil karma we have created in the past, we should immediately turn to reciting the Buddha's name with a mind of repentance: only in this way can we eliminate our past evil karma and block the creation of new evil karma in the future.

Next, we must contemplate this truth: our fundamental mind nature, which is identical and inseparable from the Buddha's, is inherently complete and self-existent. It does not come from any external source. This is why we attain Buddhahood through our own direct realization, not by receiving it from outside ourselves.

As soon as we remove the obstacles of discriminatory thinking and attachment, our inherent Buddha nature will naturally manifest.

It is like an ancient bronze mirror: it has the innate ability to reflect all of heaven and earth, but because it is caked in dust and grime, it cannot reflect even a single image. Many people do not know this ancient mirror is a priceless treasure, so they toss it into the toilet, where it becomes worthless junk. But one person recognizes it as an invaluable treasure, so they take it, wash and polish it, scrubbing away the dirt and grime, gradually grinding off the accumulated dust until the mirror can once again emit light and reflect all of heaven and earth. The mirror's innate capacity to reflect is inherent in its very nature; it does not come from any external source. It was simply covered up, so this capacity remains its own inherent possession.

The same applies to Buddha nature: even if we are still deluded and confused, mere ordinary beings mired in suffering, we cannot say we have no Buddha nature. We still possess it completely.

Therefore, we must always contemplate the truth that "Buddha nature is inherently present" with wisdom. This is what the Buddha has constantly taught us.

When he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, his first words were: "All sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtue of the Tathagata, but they cannot realize it only because of their deluded thoughts and attachments."

So our Buddha nature remains fully present at all times; what we lack is only practice. First, we must awaken to the fact that we inherently possess Buddha nature. But ordinary beings are generally unable to awaken to this truth on their own, which is why the Buddha teaches us with such tireless patience and earnestness, opening our minds to the Buddha's knowledge and vision, pointing out to us that we possess Buddha nature, and guiding us on how to fully manifest this Buddha nature.

Thus, we must first understand and realize our inherent possession of Buddha nature, and then begin our practice. Cultivation and verification are absolutely essential. Through dedicated practice and realization, we restore what is already ours by virtue of our original nature.