If the Buddha’s teachings are not integrated into our minds, and our minds are still dictated by our afflictions and habits, what is the use of chanting the sutras? Only our verbal karma is good; whereas our minds and behavior still remain unimproved. So while our chanting does plant a seed in our Alaya consciousness, the seed is dormant for now. But even though the benefit is small and not immediate, it is better to chant a sutra than not to chant at all.

Whether you chant with a focused mind or with a wandering mind, you will plant a seed in your Alaya consciousness. If you chant with a focused mind and with sincerity, the vitality of the seed will be strong. If you chant with a wandering mind or with reluctance, the vitality of the seed will be weak.

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra