Chanting Buddha Amitabha's name as a means of calming the mind

PremaSagar

Do you believe that chanting the name of Amitabha has some sort of special efficacy in calming the mind ?
If so why does it have a calming effect ?

Or perhaps to broaden the question why does any mantra work ?

I might start taking up chanting Namo Guan Shi Yin Pusa and see what happens

ajnast4r

Any simple phrase or word that's repeated will have the effect of concentrating the mind. Bud-dho is common in Buddhism, hong-sau in Yogic traditions.

I think for the most part they are not supernaturally valuable and the calmness is just a result of giving the mind a singular point of focus. I especially do not believe that chanting the name of a deity will gain some special benefit given from the deity. There are, in my experience, certain sanskrit words that have unique effects (like AUM).. Perhaps because of some subtle effect the vibration is having in the mind.

Arn

My belief is that many of us have this "chattering voice" in our head, and by listening and concentrating on something else, like our own chanting, that we are able to silence or relax this mental chattering. Chanting anything works so much better for me as a meditation than simply sitting in silence - I really love it!

Spaceless

Do you believe that chanting the name of Amitabha has some sort of special efficacy in calming the mind ?
If so why does it have a calming effect ?

Or perhaps to broaden the question why does any mantra work ?

I might start taking up chanting Namo Guan Shi Yin Pusa and see what happens

chanting Namo Guan Shi Yin Pusa is awesome. likewise to chanting GSYP, chanting Amitabha Buddha is awesome as well because it directly evokes your buddha nature. simply put it, name of Amitabha is not being translated because of its indescribable nature and it's also to maintain its effect of Vajrayana/Esoteric nature. It has great effect same as mantra and in fact much more. although chanting Buddha Sakyamuni carries same effect but amitabha is more famous due to its transmissionary lights and vow of all buddhas' recommendation....below are great commentaries to grasp full benefit on amitabha name...please enjoy

PURE-LAND ZEN ZEN PURE-LAND
www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/yin_kuang.pdf

Mind-Seal of the Buddhas
www.urbandharma.org/pdf/mindseal.pdf :thumbsup:

Sile

I'm guessing some sounds have more of a calming effect that others, even though repetition of pretty much anything can be calming.

For example, try humming "Mmmmm" as opposed to hissing "Sssssss" or "Ffffff." I know this sounds goofy, but at any rate, "Mmmmm" resonates in various parts of our face, throat and airways in a way that non-voiced sounds (s, f, h, etc) don't.

I believe we will probably find (maybe already have found?) that resonant vibration has a calming effect, perhaps like a massage, and therefore mantras/sounds which include resonants can be physically calming as well as intellectually and spiritually calming.

BonsaiDoug

[...] giving the mind a singular point of focus.

My belief also. They provide a tool, much like focusing on the breath, or counting the beads of a mala; a tool to aid us in finding that single point of focus to help calm the ol' monkey mind.

seeker242

Do you believe that chanting the name of Amitabha has some sort of special efficacy in calming the mind ?
If so why does it have a calming effect ?

Or perhaps to broaden the question why does any mantra work ?

I might start taking up chanting Namo Guan Shi Yin Pusa and see what happens

Yes very much so. It has a calming effect because it allows your mind to gain skills of concentration. Mantras work for the same reasons breathing in and out work. However, mantras, depending on their content, can also invoke skillful thoughts and feeling, etc. For example, "may all beings be free from suffering", if you actually believe that when you are saying it, it can be very powerful in addition to the concentration aspect.