Recollection of the Buddha’s Virtues

Recollection of the Buddha’s Virtues or Buddhanussati means sustained contemplation of the nine virtues of Lord Buddha. Here is how to practice. The meditator who has strong faith in Lord Buddha might choose to begin by recalling Lord Buddha’s virtues as the first meditation. Find a quiet place with proper seclusion and repeatedly recall the nine virtues of Lord Buddha. These virtues are:

1. Itipi Arahang -  Lord Buddha is Saintly pure,
2. Itipi Sammasambuddho - Lord Buddha is fully self-enlightened,
3. Itipi Vijjacarana-sampanno - Lord Buddha is perfect in knowledge and conduct,
4. Itipi Sugato - Lord Buddha is well-fared,        
5. Itipi Lokavidu - Lord Buddha is the knower of all worlds,
6. Itipi Anuttaro Purisadammasarathi - Lord Buddha is the unexcelled  trainer of capable beings
7. Itipi Sattha Devamanussana - Lord Buddha is the teacher of devas and men,
8. Itipi Buddho - Lord Buddha is fully awakened,
9. tipi Bhagava - Lord Buddha is the exalted sage.

One constantly repeats Itipi Arahang, Lord Buddha is Saintly pure, Itipi Sammasambuddho, Lord Buddha is fully self-enlightened and so on until Itipi Bhagava, Lord Buddha is the exalted sage. When the meditator can remember the meaning of each item, he or she may just recite the Pali words.

1. Lord Buddha is Saintly Pure (Arahang)

Lord Buddha is Arahang for five reasons: (1) Lord Buddha is free from all defilements, (2) Lord Buddha is the victor over all enemies [the defilements], (3) Lord Buddha has broken the wheel of life [The cycle of rebirth], (4) Lord Buddha is worthy of gifts [such as the Four Requisites of food, clothing, shelter and medicine], (5) Lord Buddha has never committed an unwholesome act in secret.

Lord Buddha is Free from all Defilements

Lord Buddha is far from defilements (Kilesa) because He eliminated all past defilements and negative tendencies using the Noble Eightfold Path.
Lord Buddha does not have any defilements or evil. He is the refuge of the world, far from defilements and evil. Thus, He is called  Arahaÿ

Lord Buddha is the Victor over all Enemies

The enemies are the defilements (Kilesa) that Lord Buddha eliminated completely using the Noble Path. Thus, Lord Buddha is called Arahang as the victor over all enemies.

Lord Buddha is the refuge of the world, having completely eliminated all enemies such as lust with the weapon of wisdom. Thus, Lord Buddha is given the name Arahang.

Lord Buddha has Broken the Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life has an axle of Ignorance (Avijja) and Craving for Existence, spokes of Karmic Formations, a wheel of decay and death and a drivetrain of Mental Intoxication. This Wheel is in the body as a sphere of existence (Bhava) running infinitely without beginning or end.

Lord Buddha stands on the ground of Sila (Morality) with two feet of Viriya (Effort). At the Bodhi tree, He holds the axe of Enlightenment and completely destroys the Wheel of Life. Thus, Lord Buddha is called Arahang, He, indeed, has broken the Wheel of Life.

Because Lord Buddha, the refuge of the world, has completely destroyed all spokes of the Wheel of Life with the sword of knowledge, Lord Buddha has been given the name Arahang.

Lord Buddha is Worthy of Gifts

Lord Buddha is worthy of offerings such as the yellow robe and worthy of the highest reverence. He is the incomparable field for world beings to make merit by giving Him gifts. Thus, when a Buddha appears in this world, both angels and humans will not worship anyone else. The King of Paranimmitavasavatta Heaven paid homage to Lord Buddha with a crystal cluster as large as Mount Sumeru, and other angels and humans such as King Bimbisaro and King Kosara paid Lord Buddha their highest homage.

Even after the great decease (Parinibbana) of Lord Buddha, Asoka the Great King, donated 960 million Rupees to build 84,000 temples to revere Lord Buddha all across Jambudipo. Thus, Lord Buddha is called Arahaÿ. Lord Buddha is, indeed, worthy of gifts.

Lord Buddha never Committed an Unwholesome Act in Secret

Fools who think they are good people will still commit unwholesome acts in secret to avoid spoiling their reputation. Lord Buddha, however, never committed such unwholesome acts at any time or any place. Thus, Lord Buddha is called Arahang.

Lord Buddha never committed any unwholesome act in secret. He was always steadfast. Thus, Lord Buddha is named Arahang.

Lord Buddha is Fully Self-Enlightened (Samma-sambuddho)

Lord Buddha is called Sammasambuddho because He is fully self-enlightened. Lord Buddha is self-enlightened in all Dhamma which should be known with the highest wisdom, all Dhamma which should be determined, all Dhamma which should be avoided, all Dhamma which should be penetrated and all Dhamma which should be developed.

Lord Buddha said: What should be known with the highest wisdom the Tathagata has already known with the highest wisdom. What should be avoided and what should be penetrated the Tathagata has already penetrated. What should be developed the Tathagata has already developed. Thus, Brahmins, the Tathagata is the ‘Buddha,’ the Enlightened One. (Khuddha-nikaya, 444)

Thus, Lord Buddha is given the name Sammasambuddho. He is the fully Self-Enlightened One who discovered all the Truth.

Benefits

A monk who meditates on Lord Buddha’s virtues will develop increased reverence for Lord Buddha, he will also have spacious faith, spacious mindfulness, spacious wisdom, and spacious merit. He will become joyful and happy, will eliminate awful dangers, will become patient and tolerant to pain, and will always feel close to Lord Buddha. When a monk with his mind filled with recollection of the Buddha (Buddhanussati) passes away, he will be worthy of respect such as a Cetiya, his mind will be directed to Buddhabhåmi (Desire to be a Buddha) and if he happens to commit a wrongful act, moral shame (Hiri) and moral dread (Ottappa) will come up as Lord Buddha standing in front of him. If he does not reach spiritual attainment in this life, a happy world is waiting for him after death.

1.10 Benefits of Meditating on Buddhànussati A monk who meditates on Lord Buddha’s virtues will develop increased reverence for Lord Buddha, he will also have spacious faith, spacious mindfulness, spacious wisdom, and spacious merit. He will become joyful and happy, will eliminate awful dangers, will become patient and tolerant to pain, and will always feel close to Lord Buddha. When a monk with his mind filled with recollection of the Buddha (Buddhànussati) passes away, he will be worthy of respect such as a Cetiya, his mind will be directed to Buddhabhåmi (Desire to be a Buddha) and If he happens to commit a wrongful act, moral shame (Hiri) and moral dread (Ottappa) will come up as Lord Buddha standing in front of him. If he does not reach spiritual attainment in this life, a happy world is waiting for him after death.