Buddho

[bodom]

Whatever our activity, be it drinking, thinking or talking, we have mindfulness, that is, clear recollection. Alternatively, we can establish the recitation of a mantra - 'Buddho', 'Dhammo' or 'Sangho' - to govern and guide our mind.

Thanks. But if one if concentrating on reciting a mantra while doing activities, doesn't it mean that one is less aware of the activity itself - and therefore less mindful?

Spiny

No. I use 'buddho' the way mahasi students use mental labeling: to connect fully to each and every moment of every activity.

[Spiny O'Norman]

[quote="bodom" ] No. I use 'buddho' the way mahasi students use mental labeling: to connect fully to each and every moment of every activity.

[/quote]

I think I see what you mean. I'm usually a labeller myself. However I'll be trying "Buddho" as I'm always looking for ways of improving mindfulness "off the cushion".

Spiny

[Ben_86]

Ajahn Chah sometimes recommended to use the mantra 'Buddho'. I have never done mantra practices so I would like to know how often is the word Buddho supposed to be repeated. Is it every out and inbreath, once in breath cycle or infrequently?

Thanks in advance

[Phra Chuntawongso]

I believe it is Bud on the in breath and dho on the out breath.

[Sanghamitta]

Thats certainly what I was taught. Cue Bodom....

[Ytrog]

I also use it when walking (one foot bud, other dho) since I saw it here on the forum.

[cooran]

Hello Ben_86 , all,

We have a whole thread, over 180 posts, about using Buddho in meditation:

Buddho
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2552" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta
Chris

[bodom]

Cue Bodom...

Thanks for the entrance Sanghamitta.

Hi Ben_86

If you haven't already read through the Buddho thread I highly recommend doing so. I have included almost every reference to Buddho, in theory and practice, found on the web in this thread. You will notice the variety of different ways the mantra Buddho can be used. Some use Buddho in conjunction with the breath and or footsteps, while others take the mental repetition of Buddho alone as the main object of focus. Different teachers recommend different ways to use the mantra.

What I would recommend you to do is to read through the Buddho thread, take note of the different uses of the mantra, and try them out for yourself to see which works the best for you. Hope this helps!

[bodom]

We shall thus employ these three gems in our recital technique which is known as parikamma bhavana. We can shorten the recital to Buddho, referring to Buddha. While our mind attaches itself to the name of the Buddha, we shall coordinate the rhythm of our breathing in order to practise knowingness, that is, knowing when to breathe in while reciting ‘Bud’and when to breathe out while reciting ‘dho’. In doing this we are combining Buddho, Dhammoand Sanghoas Buddho. Though we recite only one word it represents all three, because they refer to the same meaning but with different names. They have the same quality. Once we can hold Buddhoin the mind, then we shall experience calmness. What is this calmness? The calmness is Dhamma. Once we experience calmness, we shall experience happiness. What is this happiness? This happiness is also Dhamma.

Luang poh Boonpeng Kappago

[bodom]

There is no rule for reciting the word and there is no time limit. The Buddha told us to fix the mind on one word only. If we want to choose Buddho, then continue to do so until we find peace in our hearts.From now on we shall combine breathing with reciting the word Buddhofor our meditation practice. We shall not pay any attention to other things and we shall not think of anything else. We shall confine our thoughts to Buddhoalone so that we shall find calmness. If we think about various things it will be hard to gather together all these thoughts and piece them together. The mind will sprout in all directions and wander where it will. It will take us such a long time to gather these thoughts together and we shall eventually run out of time. Therefore we have to choose either Buddhoor concentrate on the breathing. It is up to us. This technique is called the development of tranquillity in the mind by the practice of reciting.

Luang poh Boonpeng Kappago

[bodom]

From the moment I made my resolve, I kept my mind from straying from the repetition of buddho. From the moment I awoke in the morning until I slept at night, I forced myself to think only of buddho. At the same time, I ceased to be preoccupied with thoughts of progress and decline: If my meditation made progress, it would do so with buddho; if it declined, it would go down with buddho. In either case, buddho was my sole preoccupation. All other concerns were irrelevant. Maintaining such single-minded concentration is not an easy task. I had to literally force my mind to remain entwined with buddho each and every moment without interruption. Regardless of whether I was seated in meditation, walking meditation or simply doing my daily chores, the word buddho resonated deeply within my mind at all times...In the end, I became so earnestly committed to the task that nothing could shake my resolve; no errant thought could separate the mind from buddho....

Maha Boowa

[bodom]

Working at this practice day after day, I always made certain that buddho resonated in close harmony with my present-moment awareness. Soon, I began to see the results of calm and concentration arise clearly within the citta, the mind’s essential knowing nature. At that stage, I began to see the very subtle and refined nature of the citta. The longer I internalized buddho, the more subtle the citta became, until eventually the subtlety of buddho and the subtlety of the citta melded into one another and became one and the same essence of knowing. I could not separate buddho from the citta’s subtle nature. Try as I might, I could not make the word buddho appear in my mind. Through diligence and perseverance, buddho had become so closely unified with the citta that buddho itself no longer appeared within my awareness. The mind had become so calm and still, so profoundly subtle, that nothing, not even buddho, resonated there....

Maha Boowa

[bodom]

t was during this stage that I first gained a solid spiritual foundation in my meditation practice. From then on, my practice progressed steadily—never again did it fall into decline. With each passing day, my mind became increasingly calm, peaceful, and concentrated. The fluctuations, that had long plagued me, ceased to be an issue. Concerns about the state of my practice were replaced by mindfulness rooted in the present moment. The intensity of this mindful presence was incompatible with thoughts of the past or future. My center of activity was the present moment—each silent repetition of buddho as it arose and passed away. I had no interest in anything else. In the end, I was convinced that the reason for my mind’s previous state of flux was the lack of mindfulness arising from not anchoring my attention with a meditation-word. Instead, I had just focused on a general feeling of inner awareness without a specific object, allowing my mind to stray easily as thoughts intruded.

Maha Boowa

[bodom]

Once I understood the correct method for this initial stage of meditation, I applied myself to the task with such earnest commitment that I refused to allow mindfulness to lapse for even a single moment. Beginning in the morning, when I awoke, and continuing until night, when I fell asleep, I was consciously aware of my meditation at each and every moment of my waking hours. It was a difficult ordeal, requiring the utmost concentration and perseverance. I couldn’t afford to let down my guard and relax even for a moment. Being so intently concentrated on the internalization of buddho, I hardly noticed what went on around me. My normal daily interactions passed by in a blur, but buddho was always sharply in focus. My commitment to the meditation-word was total. With this firm foundation to bolster my practice, mental calm and concentration became so unshakable that they felt as solid and unyielding as a mountain.

Maha Boowa

[bodom]

Practising Dhamma means striving to abandon the unwholesome states that arise within our hearts, making merit and maintaining the wholesome, and preventing unarisen, unwholesome states from arising. This is equivalent to the Path factor of Right Effort. If we have no mindfulness, or don't control ourselves with mindfulness, then it is like a river without a dam. Without an embankment to contain the water, it will naturally overflow. In the same way, if we don't have any mindfulness, or our mindfulness is insufficient, then our habitual moods will inevitably flood-in and overwhelm our mind. Therefore, we need to establish a strong and stable mindfulness by focusing upon the meditation mantra 'Buddho'.

Tan Ajahn Anand Akincano