Chanting Buddha’s Name and Changing Your Fate
文／釋宗道 By Master Zongdao
問：為何念佛念這麼久，我的命運還是沒有發生變化，還是那麼倒霉？
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，當知命運不是來自偶然。改變命運，也絕非可以偶然為之，念了三句佛，就想讓阿彌陀佛像外道做法一樣，霉氣頓消，福氣全來，人生瞬間開掛？沒有這樣的事。
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.
人的命運來自前生因果，因果以人之心念為樞機，念起而因種，因種則果植。今世之人承受過去業因所招之果的同時，亦在創造新的業因，新的業因則引導著過去果定之大框架下是往福善、快樂的方向轉，還是往罪惡、痛苦的方向轉，轉的幅度、時間、節點，依照因心之力量強弱程度、專注程度、積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.
大心念決定大因果，既然重大因果前生已定，少有人今生心念能強大到影響前世命定格局，且今時人普遍心力孱弱，散亂昏聵，循業茫茫，如萍浮水，故而可以說，絕大多數人今生命運大框架、大基調基本不會發生太大的變化，只是各人在其已定之苦樂區間上下浮動而已。
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.
念佛人雖以往生淨土為目標，但畢竟六字具包眾德，乃萬福之源，故念佛人往往不求世間福，自得世間福，愈有出世心，愈得世間福，良由厭離娑婆、欣慕極樂方乃最契佛心，生佛兩契，感應最速。此是末法罪凡眾生唯一且有效的改命途徑。
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，雖念佛，而未覺命運之變化，汝可將心自勘：
1. 篤實相信因果循環乃法界鐵律，命由前定否？既然相信因果，則當安心認賬領罰，不起俗世人一般對於命運過分之期待。
2. 念佛究係為世福而念，還是為往生而念？為世福念不如為往生念，手握百億資財，只換一個棒棒糖，豈不虧哉？
3. 發心念佛時間是否尚短？每日念佛是否虛口應付者多？
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?
當知水不積不成江河，行不積不足成德，德不成則命難改矣。另，汝之命運到底改變否，恐亦不當以汝之直觀感受來斷，畢竟感受是虛非實。退一步說，即使從客觀際遇上看，的確越來越糟，然而誰又敢斷然否認：倘不是念了佛，不會更糟糕呢？再者，人生命運有沒有變，會不會變，其實不必問人，自睹其面即可也。俗謂：性格即命運，此話甚有理。心念之慣性而成習氣，習氣積累則成性格（積習成性）。
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.
什麼樣的性格自然會有什麼樣的命運，念佛除了能改我們未來輪迴之命，此生亦可讓我們生命發生轉變，而真正意義上的改命，是要其人性格發生變化。如同改變一棵植物形態，修修剪剪只是暫且之法，不是根本之法，改變基因才能發生本質性的全然變化。念佛日久，「三業自調」，一切趨向於中道，將見躁者而靜，薄（尖刻）者而敦（厚道），隘（自私）者而擴（無私），駁（雜念多）者而醇（心澄一），俗者而雅，淺（淺薄）者而深（深刻），此皆發生在不經意間，潛移默化間，不期然而然，如孩童漸至成人，日日長大，並不自覺。生命的基因發生轉變，命運即沒有不變的道理。
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.
汝可觀自身念佛前後有否性格上之變化，若有，而命運仍如故，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))