问：修学念诵阿弥陀佛圣号如何能灭除心垢？
Question: How does Nianfo practice (of being mindful of the name of Amitabha Buddha – ‘Amituofo’) reduce our defilements?
答：用正确理解念佛时，能有净化心灵的效果。这是因为念佛即是通过阿弥陀佛的加持力开发我们的佛性（能成佛的潜能）。既然阿弥陀佛圣号代表无上心灵的净化，念佛即是圆满解开与增长解药（施、悲、智、虚、信）的钥匙，为除代表一切心垢的五毒 （贪、嗔、痴、慢、疑）。念佛也感应阿弥陀佛的清净光，
Answer: When Nianfo is practised sincerely with right understanding, it has a purifying effect. This is so as Nianfo aligns ourselves to our Buddha-nature (which is the potential to become Buddhas) with Amituofo’s blessings. As Amituofo’s name represents unsurpassable spiritual purity, mindfulness of it is the perfect key for unlocking, releasing and growing our innate spiritual antidotes (of generosity, compassion, wisdom, humility and faith) for purging our respective five poisons (of greed, hatred, delusion, arrogance and doubt) that represent all defilements. Mindfulness of Amituofo’s name also connects to his light of purity, rejoice and wisdom, that counters the three key poisons of greed, hatred and delusion respectively. This is further explained by the verses below –
念佛灭五毒偈
Verses On How Mindfulness Of Buddha Eradicates The Five Poisons心若生贪，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生施灭贪。If the mind gives rise to greed,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to generosity that eradicates greed.心若生瞋，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生悲灭瞋。If the mind gives rise to hatred,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to compassion that eradicates hatred.心若生痴，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生智灭痴。If the mind gives rise to delusion,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to wisdom that eradicates delusion.心若生慢，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生虚灭慢。If the mind gives rise to arrogance,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to humility that eradicates arrogance.心若生疑，
安住佛号。
心住佛号，
生信灭疑。If the mind gives rise to doubt,
peacefully abide upon Buddha’s name [Amituofo].
The mind abiding upon Buddha’s name,
gives rise to faith that eradicates doubt.
