Language of Recitation
Q: When chanting Amitabha's name, does it matter what language I chant in? I find it easiest and most appealing to chant in Sanskrit - Namo Amitabha Buddha - rather than in Chinese or Japanese. I am a Westerner who has done a lot of Sanskrit chanting in the past and am familiar with the pronunciation. I also just prefer the sound.
A: The language in which the Buddha's name is chanted does not matter as long as the remembrance of the Buddha is maintained. I also chant in Sanskrit because it feels more comfortable than Chinese or Japanese, although I have chanted in both these languages as well. The important thing to remember is that we should not "just chant" the Buddha's name, as this is mere repetition. We must keep the Buddha's image and/or qualities in mind as we chant in order to maintain the Buddha-Remembrance which is so important in Pure Land recitative practice.
