[127] How Our Niànfó Invited Ants To ‘Move House’ Successfully
On 2 February 2026, as I was preparing the table for dinner, I noticed something unusual at the dining table. There were ferocious activities between the glass top and the wooden table top. There was a swarm of ghost ants carrying what seemed to be eggs, with many already laid neatly within a groove. It seemed that they were making a nest and planning to stay for good!
The table is the usual place where all in the family dined and worked at frequently. If the others knew about this nest, it would be inevitable that they removed them by spraying insecticide. This is the last thing my wife AS and I wish to happen. Thankfully, as the others were busy and had poorer eyesight, they did not notice the ants that night.
As we have heard of at least two testimonies at PPF (Pureland Practice Fellowship), on how other Purelanders cleared termites and wasps amicably with Niànfó (念佛); without brutal killing, I immediately suggested to AS that we should try doing so for 30 minutes in front of the table.
I even wrote a short and simple letter on the glass — ‘蚂蚁啊，蚂蚁，晚上或有壁虎来觅食。快逃！阿弥陀佛!’ (Ants! Ants! At night, there might be lizards coming to look for food. Escape quickly! Āmítuófó!) I recited this message a number of times. (This is not so much about believing the ants are able to read the words, but a sincere expression of the message, for them to feel.)
After placing a used handphone playing Āmítuófó’s chant, AS and I chanted sincerely while other family members were asleep. We took turns to offer guidance text (开示文) to the ants and asked Āmítuófó to provide blessings, so that they could ‘move house’ as soon as possible.
After chanting, the ants were still scurrying around the area. Our practice did not seem to work? We decided to place the playing handphone over the nest area before retiring. We did not have much confidence then, that the ants will move, going to sleep at about 10.15 pm.
When AS awoke at 11.30 pm, she turned on the lights to check the ants. To her surprise, they were leaving already! She was overjoyed and could not return to sleep, checking 30 minutes later again. To her greater surprise, the ants and nest were 99% cleared!
There were less than ten ants left in the area! She was so excited that she could not sleep after. When I woke up at about 1 am, upon hearing the good news, I found that the entire area to be as clean as before!
We were so glad that we practised Niànfó sincerely. Most importantly, no lives were sacrificed at all! Through this successful experience, AS and I have gained even more confidence in the power of chanting Āmítuófó, thus further strengthening our Faith in Niànfó.
Amituofo!
Leo & AS
20 March 2026
