The Power of One Recitation, One Bow

Date: 10-08-2026||

Serving sentient beings is making offerings to the Buddhas
Reciting the Buddha’s name once gives rise to immeasurable merit
Bowing to the Buddha once eradicates countless offenses

Questioner:

What is the meaning of the statement, “Serving sentient beings is making offerings to the Buddhas”?

Answer:

“Serving sentient beings” means teaching the Dharma to people who practice Buddhism.

As for making offerings to the Buddhas, it means presenting to the Buddhas the people whom we have helped attain awakening and liberation.

Questioner:

The teachers often teach that “Reciting the Buddha’s name once gives rise to immeasurable merit; bowing to the Buddha once eradicates countless offenses.” Could you please explain the correct meaning of this?

Answer:

In the first phrase, “reciting the Buddha’s name once” means remembering that we have the Buddha-nature within us. When we remember this, immeasurable merit arises.

As for “bowing to the Buddha once eradicates countless offenses,” it means that when we remember that we have the Buddha-nature and also create a seed of merit, then our offenses—which are essentially our own delusion—are completely extinguished, no matter how many there may be.

Questioner:

In the Infinite Life Sutra, there is a statement: “If anyone is reborn in my land,” referring to the Western Pure Land. Later, monks have referred to it as the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

If one is reborn into a favorable realm, does that mean that one is still subject to birth, death, and samsara? The sutra clearly says so. Why, then, do practitioners of the Pure Land tradition consistently say that after being reborn there, one is no longer subject to birth and death?

Could the Dharma Q&A Team please clarify this point so that I and everyone else can understand it? Sincere thanks.

Answer:

These practitioners do not seek liberation. Rather, they practice in order to go to the Heavenly Land of Ultimate Bliss, to travel around and enjoy themselves in the greatest happiness.

This is each person's own desire, so there is nothing we can say about it.

If Zen Buddhism is practiced correctly, one becomes a Buddha; there is nothing to practice.

The Buddha taught about the six realms of samsara. Wherever one wishes to go, that is one's choice.

The Dharma Q&A Team of Tan Dieu Zen Buddhism Pagoda would like to thank Mr. Chu Phu Ngoan for sending his questions to us.

We hope that these questions will help many Buddhists who are learning about or practicing Zen Buddhism to gain a better understanding of Vietnamese Scientific and Physical Zen Buddhism.

Thank you very much.

Answers on Vietnamese Scientific and Physical Zen Buddhism July 8, 2025