Dharma Drum Mountain Sydney Chapter Organize a One-Day Chanting Chan Retreat, Guiding Followers in Nurturing their Bodhi-Mind

In an effort to assist Australian followers in experiencing the sense of peace and strength brought on by the integrated practice of chanting the Buddha's name and Chan meditation, on May 18, DDM Sydney organized a One-Day Chanting Chan Retreat. Over thirty participants from Sydney and Melbourne, under the guidance of the monastic members of DDM Sangha from Taiwan, attentively chanted Amitabha Buddha’s holy name repeatedly, thereby settling stray thoughts in their minds, and practicing concentrating on the method of chanting the Buddha's name.

After explaining the rules of the retreat by Ven. Yan Qian (演千法師), Ven. Guo Chwan (果傳法師), the Guiding Venerable of DDM Association of Dharma Supporters in Australia, proceeded to talk on the concepts and methods of Chanting Chan Meditation. She mentioned that "Chanting Chan utilizes the repeated chanting of the Buddha's name to achieve the goals of Chan practice. This method of cultivation is to devotedly and wholeheartedly recite the name of Amitabha Buddha." The Venerable went on to point out that when practicing this method, we should be clearly aware of our chanting at all times. In addition, she encouraged the practitioners to synchronize their chanting with their breathing, so as to flow with the rhythm, with the key being "chant the Buddha's name attentively and devotedly", continuously until the state of "one-mindedness" is achieved.

Ven. Guo Chwan also emphasized the fundamental importance of "generating the Bodhi-mind" while practicing Buddhadharma. She pointed out that regardless of the method of cultivation, be it the Pure Land or Chan practice, it must be based on the Bodhi-mind. "As soon as we enter a Dharma center, the Bodhi-seed of attaining Buddhahood is sown. In order to allow this seed to grow, we have to return regularly to the Dharma center and join in the group practices. At the same time, we should also commit time to do volunteer work, in order to benefit ourselves and others. On the path to eradicating our own vexations, assist others in ceasing suffering and attaining joy at the same time, for that is nurturing the Bodhi-mind. Bodhi-mind lies the root of all Buddhadharma practices, and is the fundamental core common to all the different sects."

DDM Sydney stated that this One-Day Chanting Chan Retreat incorporated several Chan practice methods such as chanting in action, reciting the Buddha's name in stillness, meditative contemplation, etc. During this retreat, participants were instructed to practice concentration and contemplation while walking, standing, sitting and laying down, learning to maintain physical and mental stability in their daily lives. In doing so, they are able to devotedly focus on each chanting of the Buddha's name.

Before the completion of the One-Day Chanting Chan Retreat, a participant mentioned how, during the last chanting session, a fearful state of mind surfaced. Although she knew that this was clearly an illusory stray thought, it completely impeded the chanting of the Buddha's name. In reply, Ven. Yan Qian cited Master Sheng Yen's Dharma Talk to explain that this phenomenon is possible during practices.  Furthermore, when the mind wanders into such states, we should "not embrace and not fight it, but co-exist with it instead", as this presents a great opportunity to practice the "Four Steps for Handling a Problem".

Among the participating followers were three pairs of mothers and daughters, all of whom were led there by the latter. Although all the mothers were first-time participants of the Chanting Chan Retreat, they indicated that their gains were abundant. For example, when circling around the Buddha's statue, they could keep up with the tempo, and steadily maintain their chanting while keeping an even pace. Several participants also shared that, while fast walking around the Buddha while chanting the Buddha's name out loud, it felt as if a coat of grime and weariness had been shed from their mind and body, leaving them elated and free.

Original text in Chinese and photos by Dharma Drum Mountain Sydney Chapter
Translation: 張振郁
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL