In Jodo Shinshu we leave everything to Amida Buddha, our bad
karma and our good karma. We do not rely on our good karma to
attain Buddhahood in the Pure Land and our bad karma does not
count, only Amida is important. Recitation reminds us of this, when
no matter how we feel, we continue to recite.
Also, our everyday life is sometimes good or bad, we chose what
we like and reject what we don’t like, but in the Amidado we don’t
do this. We follow only the Path, not our own likes and dislikes,
not our own opinions, but the Dharma.
Chanting in the middle of our chaotically mental states reminds
us that exactly in the middle of our everyday life with its ups and
downs, we follow the Nembutsu Path. We have to keep going in the
middle of our own chaos, we have to walk the white path in the
middle of the river of fire and water.