When you join the Youth Group, the very first thing to practice is rule number one of the Oanh Vũ (Cubs): I think of the Buddhas. This is why the leaders guide you in the way of reciting the Buddha's name, so that you may be close to the Buddha. Before reciting, you should first understand the meaning and the methods of reciting the Buddha's name.

What is reciting the Buddha's name?

Reciting the Buddha's name means remembering the names of the Buddhas, picturing their noble marks and their teachings, and striving to follow and practice them.

How should we recite?

When reciting, your heart must be attentively focused on the Buddhas, thinking of nothing else but picturing and turning toward the Buddhas.

How many ways are there to recite?

There are many ways to recite the Buddha's name: aloud, whispered, or silently in imagination, and so on. But you only need to know the two most basic ways:

• 1. Silent recitation: reciting quietly, without making a sound.
• 2. Chanting recitation: reciting aloud, as when chanting the sutras and bowing to the Buddha.

What are the benefits of reciting?

Reciting the Buddha's name calms the heart, keeps you from wandering, wrong thoughts, helps you remember the Buddha's teachings, clears the mind, turns the heart toward good, and keeps you away from evil that harms yourself and others. When reciting, we feel close to the Buddha, forget our sorrows, and create good merit for the future.

The method of reciting the Buddha's name is meant to help you always think of the Buddha, do many good deeds, stay away from wrongdoing, practice the virtues of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and show the qualities of a child of the Buddha as a shared guiding principle of the Dharma.