Q6: Is it proper to recite the Buddha chant while having a shower or using the toilet?

Yes, it is alright. Reciting the Buddha's name is a method of Buddhist practice, so as long as time and space permits, we can certainly use this method for our practice, at any time and place. However, make sure you recite silently in these places. This is not because the Buddha or Bodhisattva will be angry with you or find it disrespectful; it's just that we don't want to disturb others and cause them to feel annoyed or uncomfortable.

Many people feel that toilets and crowded, noisy public places are impure, so one should avoid reciting the Buddha's name in these places. In fact, all phenomena are created by our mind. As Thich Nhat Hanh once said, reciting the Buddha's name is inviting the Buddha or Bodhisattva to our place of abiding and to our mind, to be our model and refuge. By putting our mind on the Buddha's name, we can thus be one with the Buddha's compassion and wisdom. Therefore, provided it does not affect our daily life and work, we should frequently keep the Buddha's name in mind, being with the Buddha at all times.

Extended Reading:

Let's Recite the Buddha's Name

Q1: Why do Buddhists always greet each other with "Buddha Amitabha (Amituofo, in Chinese)"?

Q2 : To perform Buddha-name recitation, should we limit ourselves to only reciting Amitabha Buddha"? Or would reciting several Buddhas'names afford additional blessings and protection?

Q3: Is reciting the Buddha's name a practice exclusively for the sick and the elderly?

Q4: Are prayer beads or counters necessary when reciting the Buddha's name?

Q5: What is the difference between reciting the Buddha's name and chanting a dharani?

Q6: Is it proper to recite the Buddha chant while having a shower or using the toilet?

Q7: When ill, is it more effective to recite the name of Medicine Buddha or Guanyin Bodhisattva?

Resource: Issue 392 of Life Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Photos: Shu-ting Zhong (鍾淑婷)
Translation: Carrie 
Editing: Shu-jen Yeh (葉姝蓁), Chia-chen Chang (張家誠), Keith Brown