The clarity we need to resolve a problem 

is never found in anger. 

“Wait a minute. Won’t righteous outrage strengthen my resolve and provide the energy I need to remedy a bad situation?” Sounds reasonable, but no. In our cultivation, we’re supposed to manage negative feelings by detecting when they arise and eliminating them.

“Okay then, what am I supposed to do when I’m tempted, and encouraged, to act on my righteous indignation?” Recognize that under that need to act is seething and, at times, uncontrollable anger. The energy that comes from anger is blind—not insightful. It burns through good intentions and leaves us exhausted. Not the “something” we are looking for. With insight, we will be able to better understand the karmic causality unfolding before us.

And remind ourselves that there’s already too much anger in the world. Our adding more fuel to the fire won’t fix anything.

Only with a clear, rational mind will we discern the wisest way to react. And have the confidence to do what we know to be right.

Constant mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha 

is like always thinking of the person 

we have fallen in love with.

Remember the first time you fell in love? You couldn’t stop thinking about the person. You kept recalling past conversations. Imagining future ones. Wondering when you would see him next. Wanting so much to spend all your time with her.

Essentially, thoughts of your loved one were ever present. While you didn’t go around murmuring your loved one’s name all the time, that very existence touched every aspect of your life. One way or another, your thoughts kept magnetizing happily to that most important person. Nothing else seemed as important. You did your daily stuff but never lost that awareness of your loved one.

Well, this is what constant mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha is like. Yes, we regularly chant his name. But even when not chanting, he is always on our mind. Not because it’s something we have to do.

But for the sheer happiness of always having him with us.