Chanting Buddha’s Name and Changing Your Fate

文／释宗道　By Master Zongdao

　　问：为何念佛念这麽久，我的命运还是没有发生变化，还是那麽倒霉？

　　Q: I have been chanting the Buddha’s name for so long, why hasn’t my fortune changed? Why am I still so hapless?

　　答：深信因果者，当知命运不是来自偶然。改变命运，也绝非可以偶然为之，念了三句佛，就想让阿弥陀佛像外道做法一样，霉气顿消，福气全来，人生瞬间开挂？没有这样的事。

　　A: Those who believe in cause and effect should know that fortune is not accidental. It is not possible to change one’s luck fortuitously.

　　After reciting the Buddha-name three times, one expects Amitabha Buddha to act like the gods of other faiths to free them from bad luck and shower them with blessings. There is no such thing.

　　人的命运来自前生因果，因果以人之心念为枢机，念起而因种，因种则果植。今世之人承受过去业因所招之果的同时，亦在创造新的业因，新的业因则引导着过去果定之大框架下是往福善、快乐的方向转，还是往罪恶、痛苦的方向转，转的幅度、时间、节点，依照因心之力量强弱程度、专注程度、积蓄程度等等而有不同。

　　A person’s destiny depends on the causes and effects created in his previous lives. Causality is pivotal to the human mind. When a thought arises, the cause is planted and eventually leads to its consequence,like a seed with proper conditions leading to a fruit-bearing tree. As we are enduring the effects of past causes, their consequences create new karmic causes which will guide the fate of our future, whether it be a life of good fortune and a worthy endeavor or a life full of misfortune and transgressions, poverty and famine, and illness. The magnitude and the timing of each turn vary according to the strength of the karmic force and the causal mind.

　　大心念决定大因果，既然重大因果前生已定，少有人今生心念能强大到影响前世命定格局，且今时人普遍心力孱弱，散乱昏聩，循业茫茫，如萍浮水，故而可以说，绝大多数人今生命运大框架、大基调基本不会发生太大的变化，只是各人在其已定之苦乐区间上下浮动而已。

　　Stronger thoughts and deeds result in stronger causes and consequences. But, they have been planted in previous lives, and few people today possess the kind of power great enough to influence or alter their predetermined fate. Besides, nowadays, people are generally weak in mental strength, scattered and dazed, uncertain of their destiny,like aquatic plants floating on water. Therefore, the general framework and tone of life for the vast majority of people will not change much; it only fluctuates within their predetermined range of pain and pleasure.

　　念佛人虽以往生净土为目标，但毕竟六字具包众德，乃万福之源，故念佛人往往不求世间福，自得世间福，愈有出世心，愈得世间福，良由厌离娑婆、欣慕极乐方乃最契佛心，生佛两契，感应最速。此是末法罪凡众生唯一且有效的改命途径。

　　After all, the six characters are the source of all blessings. Thus,although people who recite the Buddha’s name aim to be reborn in the Pure Land and do not seek worldly blessings, they are naturally blessed with worldly fortune. The more one wants to be emancipated from the samsara, the more worldly blessings one will attain because the revulsion of the Saha world and aspiration to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss match the Buddha’s heart which produces an immediate result. This is the only effective way to change the fate of all sentient beings.

　　明以上之理，虽念佛，而未觉命运之变化，汝可将心自勘：

　　1. 笃实相信因果循环乃法界铁律，命由前定否？既然相信因果，则当安心认账领罚，不起俗世人一般对於命运过分之期待。

　　2. 念佛究系为世福而念，还是为往生而念？为世福念不如为往生念，手握百亿资财，只换一个棒棒糖，岂不亏哉？

　　3. 发心念佛时间是否尚短？每日念佛是否虚口应付者多？

　　After understanding the above principles, even though you recite the Buddha’s name without realizing the change of fate, you can examine your own mind.

　　1. Firmly believe that the cycle of cause and effect is the iron law of the entire universe. Is our fate determined by our past actions? Since we believe in cause and effect, we should be at

ease and accept the retribution and not expect too much fortune like that of ordinary people.

　　2. Should we recite the Buddha’s name for worldly blessings or for the rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss? Worldly blessing is not as good as rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Reciting

　　the Buddha’s name for worldly blessings is like giving up tens of billions of dollars for only a lollipop. Isn’t that a loss?

　　3. Hasn’t the time we’ve recited the Buddha’s name been too short? Are you performing your daily recitation earnestly or just coping?

　　当知水不积不成江河，行不积不足成德，德不成则命难改矣。另，汝之命运到底改变否，恐亦不当以汝之直观感受来断，毕竟感受是虚非实。退一步说，即使从客观际遇上看，的确越来越糟，然而谁又敢断然否认：倘不是念了佛，不会更糟糕呢？再者，人生命运有没有变，会不会变，其实不必问人，自睹其面即可也。俗谓：性格即命运，此话甚有理。心念之惯性而成习气，习气积累则成性格（积习成性）。

　　You should know that a river forms because of the accumulation of water; merits are made because of good deeds; without merit and virtue,fate can not change. In addition, whether your fate has altered cannot be determined by intuitive feelings. After all, feelings are just emotions,not real or permanent . So, taking a step back, even if, from an objective point of view, it is true that your situation is indeed getting worse, who is to deny categorically that had it not been for reciting the Buddha, your situation would have gotten even worse? Moreover, whether the fate of life has changed or not, will it even change? You don't need to ask people, you can see it for yourself. As the saying goes: “character is destiny,” which is quite true. The mode of one’s mind develops into habit, and the accumulation of habit becomes the character.

　　什麽样的性格自然会有什麽样的命运，念佛除了能改我们未来轮回之命，此生亦可让我们生命发生转变，而真正意义上的改命，是要其人性格发生变化。如同改变一棵植物形态，修修剪剪只是暂且之法，不是根本之法，改变基因才能发生本质性的全然变化。念佛日久，「三业自调」，一切趋向於中道，将见躁者而静，薄（尖刻）者而敦（厚道），隘（自私）者而扩（无私），驳（杂念多）者而醇（心澄一），俗者而雅，浅（浅薄）者而深（深刻），此皆发生在不经意间，潜移默化间，不期然而然，如孩童渐至成人，日日长大，并不自觉。生命的基因发生转变，命运即没有不变的道理。

　　Whatever kind of character you have, you will naturally have that kind of destiny. In addition to changing our future reincarnation, reciting Buddha’s name can also change our lives in the present. This real life-change is a change to one's character. Just like pruning a plant, changing one’s current behavior is only a temporary measure, not a long-term method. Only by changing the genes can the essential changes occur. After chanting the Buddha’s name for a long time, the “three karmic offenses (body, speech, and mind) will be self-diminished,” Everything trends towards the middle way; the impetuous become quiet, the acerbic become kind, the selfish become generous, and distracting thoughts become mellowed and the mind becomes cleared, vulgar becomes elegant, shallow becomes deep. All of these happen unconsciously and imperceptibly, exerting a subtle influence on one’s character or thinking,like a child growing up to be an adult without feeling it. When the genes of life change, fate must change. 

　　汝可观自身念佛前後有否性格上之变化，若有，而命运仍如故，吾不信也！

　　You can observe whether there is a change in your character before and after reciting the Buddha’s name. If there is, and yet your fate remains the same, I will not believe it!

(Translated by the Pure Land School Translation Team; edited by Kevin Orro (Fozhu))