We’ve received some comments and questions about our Amituofo Chanting for World Peace and Peace of Mind on the streets of Melbourne.
We’d like to take this opportunity to address some of these comments, clarify our intentions, and share why we believe bringing Amituofo chanting into public spaces is a meaningful way to spread peace and share the Dharma.
1. Is it to show off or seek validation?
Absolutely not. If Shifu wanted to seek validation, there would have been no need to renounce worldly life and become a Buddhist monastic.
Our intention is simple: to pray for world peace, spread peace of mind, and raise awareness of Amituofo (Amitabha Buddha) chanting meditation — one of the easiest and most accessible paths to liberation from samsara.
According to Pure Land teachings, even hearing the sacred Name of Amitabha Buddha plants a precious seed of Bodhi (awakening) in one’s consciousness. Even if one does not attain liberation in this lifetime, this seed may eventually ripen and lead one towards liberation in future lifetimes.
However, to attain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land in this very lifetime, faith, sincere vows, and the practice of Nianfo (Buddha-recitation) are essential.
Imagine how many people walking along the busy streets of Melbourne might hear Amitabha Buddha’s Name for the very first time! Even a brief encounter with the Dharma can plant a seed of awakening.
2. Why use a speaker? Why not simply chant silently?
Melbourne’s streets are incredibly noisy, filled with traffic, loud music, and street performers. Without a speaker, most passersby would not even hear the chanting.
Moreover, we chant continuously for over an hour. Using a speaker allows us to chant naturally without straining our voices, while the gentle background music makes the chanting more harmonious and accessible to the public.
For one’s personal cultivation, silent chanting is perfectly wonderful. But when our intention is to share the Dharma and allow others to hear Amitabha Buddha’s Name, the chanting needs to be audible.
Of course, even while chanting aloud, we should maintain inner stillness and mindfulness.
The sound may be outward, but the mind remains peaceful within.
3. Is this really Buddhism? Shouldn’t Buddhists stay in temples and meditate rather than go out onto the streets?
Buddhism is not confined to temples, monasteries, or mountains.
At this critical time in our world, we need more Buddhists, more compassionate practitioners, and more peacemakers to be visible in society.
The Buddha’s teachings are not meant to be hidden away. They are meant to benefit all sentient beings.
What better place to practise peace than in the middle of chaos?
If we can maintain a peaceful mind amid the noise, distractions, and busyness of a city, that itself is a meaningful form of meditation.
By chanting Amituofo on the streets, we hope to demonstrate that peace does not depend on external circumstances.
True peace comes from within, and one can begin cultivating it simply by chanting Amituofo.
We do not need to wait until we are in a quiet meditation hall to practise. Every place can become a place of cultivation.
4. Are you forcing your beliefs on others?
Not at all.
We are not asking anyone to believe in Amitabha Buddha, convert to Buddhism, or participate in our chanting.
We are simply letting people know that this beautiful meditation practice exists.
Whether someone chooses to listen, participate, believe, or simply walk past is entirely their own choice.
In fact, we do not even hand out brochures to passersby. Yet some people have approached us voluntarily, expressing curiosity and asking for more information about our practice.
That is exactly what we hope for: to create an opportunity for people to encounter the Dharma, without pressure or expectation.
We share the Dharma out of compassion, not coercion.
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🪷 Our intention is to bring a little more peace into this chaotic world.
If even one person hears Amitabha Buddha’s sacred Name, experiences a moment of inner peace, or plants a seed of awakening, our efforts have been worthwhile.
We warmly invite all practitioners who have generated Bodhicitta — the aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings — and who sincerely wish to share the Dharma, to join us in bringing the sacred Name of Amitabha Buddha to more beings around the world.
May the sacred Name of Amitabha Buddha resonate throughout the world.
May all beings find peace within themselves.
May all beings hear the Name of Amitabha Buddha and ultimately attain rebirth in His Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Namo Amitabha Buddha 🪷🙏
Namo Amituofo 🪷🙏
