15) 闲中持名

Buddha Recitation During Periods of Leisure

In this world, there are many unfortunate people who cannot enjoy a moment of leisure, however much they may so desire. Therefore, they cannot cultivate. Today you have the time, and moreover, the opportunity to learn about the practice of Buddha Recitation; you should make every effort to collect body and m ind to recite the Buddha’s name at all times, assiduously and without interruption. In this way, you will not be wasting time. If you let your m ind and thoughts wander, not achieving anything worthwhile, wasting endless days and months, turning your back on the Four Great Debts, and then, tomorrow the Ghost of Impermanence suddenly arrives, what can you do to resist it?

世间一切苦人，求闲不得，故不能修行。今闲矣！又闻此念佛之法，务须绵密持续，振作收敛，方能不负光阴，若使悠忽念去，不能济事，虚延岁月，辜负四恩，一朝无 常忽到，将何抵对耶？

Commentary

There are people who wish to have some leisure time to practice Buddha Recitation, but cannot find it. Life today is full of pressing obligations, but we should not delay any longer. Let us redouble our efforts to recite the Buddha’s name, not letting time fly by, bringing us to old age and death. At that time, no matter how much we may wish for a little bit of time, no matter how much we may long to postpone death by even an hour to recite the Buddha’s name, it is impossible. All that is left are regrets.