108 recitations of Itipiso a day

[tamdrin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8opUi1Ds9A&t=213s

According to Ajahn Anan: “Through chanting the recollection of the Buddha 108 times a day with firm intention, the mind is firmly established on the path to heaven and Nibbāna.”


Best luck for auspicious practice!

[sunnat]

It doesn't matter if one repeatedly chants om, hare krishna, hubba bubba, or anything else, it will not lead to nibbana. It may, as in the hare krisna sect 'chant and be happy' or: say 108 hail mary's in the christian sect, crowd out unpleasant feelings for a while but the ritual will need to be repeated again and again. It does not purify the mind though it may give the illusion of it for a while.

[Srilankaputra]

Actually it's impossible to predict what interesting things can come to pass, by committing to any sort of practice. Personally, I have learned a lot about training the mind by memorising and chanting Dhammapada verses.

[JamesTheGiant]

Did the Buddha day we should meditate, or did did the Buddha say people should chant for maybe 1½ hours a day?

[Dhammanando]

Did the Buddha day we should meditate, or did did the Buddha say people should chant for maybe 1½ hours a day?

If the chanting is for the sake of memorising the teaching, then this is in fact one of the prescribed early stages in several of the gradual training suttas. And for a bhikkhu in early Buddhism it wouldn't have been 1½ hours a day. Rather, it would have been something pursued throughout his waking hours until his teacher is satisfied that his learning is sufficient, just as bhāvanā (when a bhikkhu gets to that stage) is to be pursued throughout his waking hours.

"And how is final knowledge achieved by gradual training, gradual practice, gradual progress? Here one who has faith in a teacher visits him; when he visits him, he pays respect to him; when he pays respect to him, he gives ear; one who gives ear hears the Dhamma; having heard the Dhamma, he memorises it; he examines the meaning of the teachings he has memorised; when he examines their meaning, he gains a reflective acceptance of those teachings; when he has gained a reflective acceptance of those teachings, zeal springs up in him; when zeal has sprung up, he applies his will; having applied his will, he scrutinises; having scrutinised, he strives; resolutely striving, he realises with the body the supreme truth and sees it by penetrating it with wisdom."

(MN 70)

[JamesTheGiant]

If the chanting is for the sake of memorising the teaching, then this is in fact one of the prescribed early stages in several of the gradual training suttas...

True. But in the case of 108 daily recitations of Itipiso, it looks purely devotional, not related to memorizing anything.

[Srilankaputra]

it looks purely devotional

I'm not sure, I haven't tried it. But I am pretty sure most people will forget even which count they are on by the fourth or fifth repetition. It may be possible for a discerning individual to learn a few things about Viriya, Sati and Samadhi.

[SarathW]

Did the Buddha day we should meditate, or did did the Buddha say people should chant for maybe 1½ hours a day?

Recitation of Sutta was part of the path.
I am not sure in which form the Sutta was available when Buddha alive.

[SarathW]

My brother used to chant Itipiso when he was working in the dark as he was scared of ghosts.

[tamdrin]

It's not purely devotional, it's a way of quieting your conceptual mind and entering into samadhi.

[tamdrin]

it looks purely devotional

I'm not sure, I haven't tried it. But I am pretty sure most people will forget even which count they are on by the fourth or fifth repetition. It may be possible for a discerning individual to learn a few things about Viriya, Sati and Samadhi.

That is why you need a mala to do this type of practice.

[tamdrin]

I recollect that Ven. Ajahn Anan recommends chanting practice, such as Itipisso, or other chants for those who are busy. For example, coming home after a long day of work it may be impossible to enter into samadhi so chanting can help bring calm and positive reflections which can make entering samadhi smoother.

[Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta]

It can definitely be a kind of Buddhānusati.

[mikenz66]

It can definitely be a kind of Buddhānusati.

It is Buddhānusati, as taught in the suttas:
https://suttacentral.net/an6.10/en/sujato


Mike

[tamdrin]

I went to the temple next to my house and did it (played 108 recitations based on a youtube video (not the one I posted here but a more slow chant) and felt very peaceful and good. An overall positive experience. Yes, it is a method of recollecting the Buddha.