On Mantras Matters (佛咒的问题)

There are many controversies about reciting and playing audio recording Buddhist mantras in one’s home. Proponents would say that by reciting those mantras, all sentient beings shall be benefited especially those wandering spirits. But protesters argued that those type of mantras only attract ghosts and unless a real Buddhist scholar, one should not recite or play too many of those mantras over a length of time. While we cannot be sure if those ghosts can be saved from all sufferings, but how sure are we that those Buddhist mantras attract ghosts?

Mr. Edward has brought us his side of the story about his distance relative, Mike as told by his uncle:

Mike is a devoted Mahayana Buddhist. He would go to the temple and become vegetarian during the 1^st and 15^th day of Lunar Calendar. This fellow will listen to dharma talks and he was asked to chant three kinds of mantras to alleviate sufferings of all sentient beings: The Great Compassion Mantra (大悲咒), Amitabah Long Mantra (往生咒) and the Kṣitigarbha Mantra (地藏王咒). He also setup a Buddhist altar with the idol of Buddha, Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) and Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (地藏王菩萨). Mike will chant the above three mantras before he goes to work in the morning and once at night before he goes to bed. At times, Mike also plays the mantras through audio recorder when he is a little too busy to chant.

One day, a friend visited Mike with his 7-year-old son, Boy. When Boy went into Mike’s house, he started to feel uncomfortable and subsequently cried aloud with fright. The friend had to bring Boy out of the house. When the father and son were outside of the house, the father consoled Boy while asking him what was the reason he cried out loud in Uncle Mike’s house. Reluctantly, the kid started to say that he saw many horrible looking ghosts wandering inside the uncle’s house. Some of these ghosts tried to show their ghost faces to the kid which caused him to panic and yelled out from the bottom of his lungs.

So, the question now is weather chanting and playing Buddhist mantras attract spirts into a house?

The answer is almost definitely ‘yes’. Most of these mantras are recited during Buddhist deliverance rituals and by professionals only. In the event of chanting those mantras without any actual ritual to feed those ghosts and then to send them off, then more and more ghosts will congregate in the house and eventually create trouble to people who stay in that particular house.

Thus, it is my opinion that it is no benefit to chant and play any of the mantras at home unless the chanter knows what to do with the ghosts, or whatever answered those summonses of the mantras. By not knowing how to treat ghosts, it is same as asking someone to come into your house and tell him to wait for nothing. Even a person with patience will get annoyed too so to speak.