I have noticed that people like to go to see fortunetellers if they experience bad
times and perform ceremonies to free themselves of their “bad luck”. I have looked into
this and sometimes it does indeed seem that our lives are fraught with “bad luck”, but I
have devised this little chanting booklet, and I tell my followers to chant every day the
virtues of the Buddha (Buddhaguna) once for each year of their lives and then one
more, in order to improve their mindfulness. It has proved to be effective. The chanting
begins with “Namo”, then the going for refuge to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha,
followed by the recollection of the virtues of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, then the
Bahum and Mahaka chants. Having done that, one must then come back to the virtues
of the Buddha (Buddhaguna) and chant only that once for each year of one’s age, and
then one more. If you are 40 years old, for example, you chant it 41 times. If you are
35, you chant it 36 times.