You can skip food during the day, you don’t need to sleep at night, but you must practice reciting the Buddha’s name

Lecture by Elder Lay Buddhist Li Bing-nan

If you don't have a certain amount of spiritual practice every day, you are just a Buddhist in name only.

Practitioners of Pure Land Buddhism must have a certain amount of daily practice. They can recite the Buddha's name one thousand, three thousand, ten thousand, or one hundred thousand times. There are no restrictions, the rule is to make sure you don't miss any homework for the day.

The ninth patriarch of the Pure Land Sect, Master Ouyi Zhixu, once said, "Just chant the Buddha's name, whether it is 100,000 times a day or night, or 50,000 times, or 30,000 times, based on the principle of "absolutely no shortage"! Practice like this for the rest of your life and vow not to change. If you cannot be reborn in the Pure Land, then all the Buddhas of the past, present and future have lied!"

Therefore, it is a good idea to treat the fixed tasks of spiritual practice as if you must eat every day and not miss them every day.

1. If you are extremely busy with morning and evening practice assignments, you may not eat during the day or sleep at night. You must do the assignments. If you do them, you must put aside all the connections and focus on them with one heart.

2. Hold the great vow to practice yourself while also teaching others. Whenever you talk to people, encourage them to learn Buddhism. If you do not do this, it means you have lost your compassion.

3. Anything that helps spread Buddhism or benefit sentient beings should be done according to one's circumstances and one should follow the teachings of the sutras without getting tired of it.

4. When you see others doing good deeds, don't be jealous but rejoice for them. When you see someone doing evil, don't attack them but try to persuade them or just keep silent. When you see someone making a mistake, don't blame them but help them.

5. Do not seek fame, fortune, or gain through Buddhism, do not stir up trouble in Buddhist communities, and do not disrupt harmony.

6. You must be tolerant of groundless rumors, accidental slander, and all unreasonable things. You would rather sacrifice your life than retreat from your Bodhi vow.

晝可不食、夜可不眠，功課不可不做

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