Question: As a Buddhist, is it wise to focus on many bodily-related exercises?
Answer: Having some regular exercises is surely beneficial for health. However, those practised should not be in conflict with the Buddha’s teachings. If there is excessive focus on physical exercises, more than spiritual practices, this becomes inverted.
Physical exercises focus more on training the body, which will expire sooner or later, due to ageing, sickness and death, while spiritual practices like mindfulness of the Buddha (念佛) focus more on cultivating the mind, which will lead to the best rebirth possible, in his Pure Land (净土).
However, it is possible be mindful of the Buddha’s name (Āmítuófó: 阿弥陀佛) during simple ‘mechanical’ exercises like walking, jogging and swimming too, though it is also important to dedicate time for wholehearted mindfulness of Buddha only.
