Buddhānusmṛti (Sanskrit; Pali: Buddhānussati), meaning "Buddha-mindfulness", is a common Buddhist meditation practice in all Buddhist traditions which involves meditating on a Buddha. The term can be translated as "remembrance, commemoration, recollection or mental contemplation of the Buddha."Legittimo, Elsa. (2012). Buddhānusmṛti between Worship and Meditation: Early currents of the Chinese Ekottarika-āgama. 10.5167/uzh-64421. It is also one of the various recollections (anusmṛti) taught by the Buddha in the sutras.
Early Buddhist sources mostly focused on Gautama Buddha in their contemplation. Later Mahayana traditions like Pure Land Buddhism and Vajrayana also taught meditations focused on other Buddhas like Amitabha, Maitreya or Vairocana.
In East Asian Buddhism, mindfulness of the Buddha is one of the most popular forms of Buddhist practice, encompassing the more vocal oriented nianfo ("buddha recollection") and the more visualization focused Buddha contemplation (Ch: guanfo). In Vajrayana Buddhism, the central practice of deity yoga can be seen as a kind of Buddha mindfulness with numerous esoteric elements.
Early Buddhist sources The term Buddhānusmṛti appears in numerous Buddhist sources. The Early Buddhist Texts contain various passages that discuss the practice of Buddha mindfulness. The practice is often part of a schema of mindfulness practices called the ten recollections. In the Pali Nikayas, buddhānussaṭi is a practice which is said to lead all the way to nirvana:
The Buddha mindfulness verse A common verse (Sanskrit: gatha) from the early sources which is repeated as a Buddha mindfulness meditation is the 'Buddhānussati Gatha' which mentions nine qualities or epithets of the Buddha (Nava Guna). The Pali version is:
This gatha can be translated in English as:
This verse is widely chanted in Theravada Buddhism, and the Visuddhimagga also makes use of it. Its Sanskrit counterpart, which occurs in many Mahayana Sutras and in Āryatriratnānusmṛti sūtra, is given as:
In the Pali suttas Various EBT sutras discuss Buddha mindfulness. The Mahanama Sutta (1) of the Anguttara Nikaya begins by citing the Buddha mindfulness gatha as a way of recollecting the Buddha and then states how the practice can lead to meditative absorption (samadhi):
Another Mahanama sutra (AN 11.12) has the Buddha tell Mahanama "You should develop this recollection of the Buddha while walking, standing, sitting, lying down, while working, and while at home with your children."
Another passage which illustrates Buddha mindfulness is found in the very end of the Sutta Nipata of the Pali Canon. In this text, a Brahmin named Pingiya praises the Buddha and when he is asked why he doesn't follow him everywhere, Pingiya says he is too old to be able to do so. Then he states:there is no moment for me, however small, that is spent away from Gotama, from this universe of wisdom, this world of understanding...with constant and careful vigilance it is possible for me to see him with my mind as clearly with my eyes, in night as well as day. And since I spend my nights revering him, there is not, to my mind, a single moment spent away from him.Williams, Paul; Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations, 2008, p. 209. At the end of this sutta, the Buddha himself states that Pingiya will also go to enlightenment. Paul Williams writes that this passages shows that some early Buddhist followers were making use of meditation "to be constantly in the presence of the Buddha and constantly revere him."
In the Ekottarika-āgama The Ekottarika-āgama (EA) contains various unique passages on buddhānusmṛti not found in the Pali Nikayas. The phrase namo buddhāya (nan wu fo 南無佛) is also found in this text as a common way to praise and commemorate the Buddha. Another sutra has Maitreya state that "Those who offer coloured silk and all kinds of things to Buddhist temples, and who chant ‘namo buddhāya’, will all come to where I am." It also states that those who worship the Buddhas will eventually reach nirvana. Another Ekottarika-āgama sutra mentions a different phrase: namas tathāgatāya.
EA III, 1 (Taishô Vol. II, p. 554a7-b9) states that buddhānusmṛti on the image and qualities of the Buddha can lead to the unconditioned, to amrta (the deathless), to nirvana, as well as magic power.Harrison, Paul M. Buddhanusmrti in the pratyutpanna-Buddha-sammukhavasthita-samadhi-sutra. Journal of Indian Philosophy 6 (1):35-57 (1978). This sutra states:How does one practise buddhanusmrti, so that one then has renown, achieves the great fruit...and arrives at Nirvana? The Lord said: A bhiksu correct in body and correct in mind sits crosslegged and focuses his thought in front of him. Without entertaining any other thought he earnestly calls to mind [anusmr-] the Buddha. He contemplates the image of the Tathagata without taking his eyes off it. Not taking his eyes off it he then calls to mind the qualities of the Tathagata...The sutra goes on to describe the various qualities of the Buddha, including his "body made of vajra", his ten powers, his perfect moral qualities, his never ending samadhis and his wisdom (prajña).
Another EA sutra (Taishô Vol. II, pp. 739bl0—740a24) attests to the great power of the practice of recollection. In this sutra, a selfish layman named Virasena gets a prediction from the Buddha that he will be reborn in hell unless he repents. The layman then practices the ten recollections (the first of which is buddhānusmṛti) and is reborn in a heaven. The Buddha then states: "Should a being practise the ten anusmrtis with uninterrupted faith, even if only for the time it takes to milk a cow, then his merit will be immeasurable."
Yet another EA sutra (T2, no. 125, p. 566a.) describes the qualities of a Buddha one should contemplate: He is the one person appearing in the world [who belongs to] the kind of living beings [who have] an exceedingly extended lifespan. [He has] a shiny and smooth physical appearance and a vigorous physical strength. [He radiates] infinite joy [and possesses] a harmonious and refined voice. This is why, monks, you should always concentrate and devote yourselves single-mindedly to buddhānusmṛti. Furthermore, the EA version of the Anāthapiṇḍikovāda-sutta has Ānanda teach the recollections to a dying Anāthapiṇḍada, claiming that the recollection of the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) will lead to liberation and prevent bad rebirths:the virtue / benefit [from these recollections] is immeasurable: at the end of [your] life, [you will] obtain the sweet dew (amṛta) of liberation. If good men or good women remember the three honourable [refuges], i.e. the Buddha, the dharma, and the community, they will not at the end of [their] lives fall into the three bad realms of existence. If good men or good women remember the three honourable [refuges] they will without fail [be reborn] in a good place, in heaven or among the humans.
Theravada
In all Theravada countries chanting, devotion (bhatti) and worship (puja) is a big part of lay and monastic Buddhist practice, and devotional chants which praise the qualities of the Buddha are widely used.Ajahn Punnadhammo, Chanting the "Mirror of the Dhamma"; http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha301.htm. Likewise, worship (puja), bowing, making offerings to and revering Buddha statues on a shrine are also important practices for Theravada Buddhists.Khantipalo, Bhikkhu (1982). Lay Buddhist Practice: The Shrine Room, Uposatha Day, Rains Residence (The Wheel No. 206/207). Kandy, Sri Lanka:Buddhist Publication Society.
Buddhānussati is considered one of the four "Guardian meditations",U Pandita (2006), The State of Mind Called Beautiful, Boston: Wisdom Publications, page 16. as well as part of the "Ten Recollections" and the "forty meditation subjects" (Kammaṭṭhāna) which also includes recollection of the Dharma, Sangha, morality, generosity and Devas. According to Thanissaro Bhikkhu, recollection of the Buddha is meant to "induce a sense of joy and confidence (pasada) in the practice" that "can bring the mind to concentration and cleanse it of defilement."Thanissaro Bhikkhu, A Meditator's Tools A Study Guide on the Ten Recollections, 1999.
Buddhagosa, a major Theravada Buddhist scholar, outlines a Buddha mindfulness practice in detail in his Visuddhimagga and he also explains its many benefits.McMahan, David; Empty Vision: Metaphor and Visionary Imagery in Mahayana Buddhism, RoutledgeCurzon, 2002. p. 149. According to Buddhaghosa, the results of this meditation include: "the fullness of faith, mindfulness, understanding, and merit....he conquers fear and dread....he comes to feel as if he were living in the Master's presence. And his body...becomes as worthy of veneration as a shrine room. His mind tends towards the plane of the Buddhas."Williams, Paul; Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations, 2008, p. 210.
The Visuddhimagga also mentions that the practice can lead to arhatship by suppressing the hindrances:Still, though this is so, they can be brought to mind by an ordinary man too, if he possesses the special qualities of purified virtue, and the rest. For when he is recollecting the special qualities of the Buddha, etc., even only according to hearsay, his consciousness settles down, by virtue of which the hindrances are suppressed. In his supreme gladness he initiates insight, and he even attains to Arahantship, like the Elder Phussadeva who dwelt at Katakandhakára.Buddhaghosa's Dhammapada Commentary (Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā) also contains some stories illustrating mindfulness of the Buddha, such as the story of Venerable Vakkali. The story of Elder Vakkali centers on the practice of gazing upon the Buddha as a form of devotion and spiritual engagement. Vakkali, captivated by the Buddha’s physical appearance, renounced the world solely to remain in the Teacher’s presence, neglecting traditional monastic practices such as scriptural recitation and meditation. Despite the Buddha's admonition that true vision lies in seeing the Dhamma rather than the physical body, Vakkali could not detach himself. When the Buddha deliberately distanced himself during the rains retreat, Vakkali despaired and contemplated suicide. At this critical moment, the Buddha projected an image of himself to Vakkali atop Vulture Peak, offering verses of reassurance and compassion. This vision, accompanied by the Buddha’s compassionate call, catalyzed Vakkali’s realization; as he leapt into the air in joy, he achieved Arahatship mid-flight. The narrative illustrates how even a deeply personal, devotional fixation on the Buddha’s form can become a doorway to ultimate insight, provided it is skillfully redirected toward the realization of the Dhamma.
According to the 'Netti Sutta' of the Abhidhamma Pitaka a yogin who wishes to practice Buddhānussaṭi can use Buddha statues to practice.Angulimalo (2008), Anussati: the Recollections. with Quotes from the Pali Canon and Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism, Lulu.com
In the Tantric Theravada tradition, Buddha-mindfulness visualizations are also practiced. Dhammakaya meditation, which was influenced by this Southern tantric tradition, uses the visualization of a clear crystal Buddha image at the center of the body and the repetition of the mantra Sammā-Arahaṃ.Dhammakaya Foundation (2004) Start Meditation Today!: The Simple Way to Inner Peace (Bangkok, Dhammakaya Foundation)
Sravakayana texts