OVERCOME DELUSIVE VISIONS

Yesterday, I talked to you how to keep mindfulness. Today, I would like to go on with details how to deal with vexations, and the tendency of habits as well. The reason why we can hardly keep mindfulness in the practice is due to, as we always say, vexations that are too great and the tendency of habit that is too strong.  Suppose they could be described in volume, the entire universe would not possibly contain them. Just imagine how everyone of us is completely rolled about by vexations day and night? In 24 hours they come along with us one after the other, even in dreams. You see what a great number our vexations are! The two are actually one thing in nature, yet different in degree. Vexations are relatively obvious, easy to notice. For instance, if a man got angry because of ignorance his face would soon turn red with an appearance of great rage. The tendency of habit, however, is obscure and common, hard to notice. Relatively speaking, it is somewhat easy to overcome vexations, yet rather difficult to deal with the tendency of habit. In a word, self-training aims at defeating those vexations and the tendency of habit as well, which on the whole are termed as what we often say “delusive visions”.

Though as great and intense as vexations and the tendency of habit are, they are not something we cannot defeat once we have got to know them by nature. Firstly, we ought to know that delusive visions are not some kind of true identities existing outside the Mind. As same with as mindfulness they are also what the Mind functions with, and the only difference between the two is that mindfulness is clear while delusive visions are contaminative. In other words, mindfulness and delusive visions are one, away from mindfulness no delusive visions exist. This very present Mind possesses the capability of mindfulness as well as that of delusive visions.  Without a pure mind we are completely unable to search for truth, and we would get nothing out of self-training even if we practiced it. The intrinsically pure Mind is the true nature we inherently possess and delusive visions also come out of it, so both true and delusive visions come from this same Mind. With such an understanding we should pay attention to the following two aspects during our practice that: do not purposely try to cut of delusive visions and do not purposely try to pursue the truth, because every arising thought itself is delusive.  The great Sixth Patriarch Huì Nèng (638 – 713) said, “Within our impure Mind the pure one is to be found. An attempt to look for it elsewhere is erroneous.”

As delusive visions arise, leave them alone and simply keep concentrating on the subject. At the same time do not purposely try to cut them off, because this doesn’t work. In dealing with delusive visions all we can do is to let them pass and never be shifted by them, always make the Mind fixed on Wu, making Wu connected into an area of the Mind. By then, they would naturally disappear. The ancient sage said, “It is harmless as far as thoughts arise, yet harmful if not being aware of them at once. Mindful at every arising thought, the thought will disappear at once.”

The best way to deal with delusive visions is to be mindful, i.e. mindful at the arising thought right at the moment, making it isolated and impossibly proceeded. If we could isolate every arising thought we would be free from sensations at once. As we always crave for externals without ending, the only way to stop yearning for them is to be indifferent to them. This is what we say, “Suppose we do not care for externals, how could the sense objects block us?” Therefore, if we could isolate every arising thought  and make it “impossibly proceeded with the previous” or “followed by the forthcoming”,  by then each thought would be at the present moment, each thought would become non-thought and each thought would not be attracted by sight, sound, smell, taste touch and idea. The so called “non-thought” doesn’t mean nothingness, but means “non-attachment”.  To keep our Mind free from defilements moment by moment means “non-attachment” from ksana to ksana. If we could do it this way, we would reach the state just like “One thought means ten thousand years, and ten thousand years are in one thought”.

This kind of awareness is very subtle. It is only after we have reached a state of true meditation (Samadhi), watching peacefully what the state of Mind is and what thoughts arises right at that moment, and we would then probably come to be aware of it. In general, as flighty and impatient as we are, we usually think that everything is OK with us, and that we live our life with a clear Mind. If so, it is impossible for us to truly determine to be indifferent to life-and-death, to search for truth and to try to achieve full enlightenment. It is my hope that during the period of this Chán Qi, everyone of you will cut of all attachments, stabilize the body and Mind, watch carefully the state of Mind, and experience and practice what I have said.

Though hard to tell, Wu would actually reveal some messages. What are those messages? They are that, at the time when one asks a question, Wu is used to block up all this consideration, differentiation, and concern for gains or losses and so forth, so that he is thrown into a position with no way of escape. At this time, it is as if he had been placed to the very edge of a bottomless cliff, and being mercilessly given a sudden push. This is called “let go of one’s hold on the cliff”, without such a state one can hardly get enlightened.

We know, a sudden push on the edge of a steep cliff would end a person’s life. Then Master Zhaozhou was too cruel, wasn’t he? Frankly speaking, it is supposed to end the person’s life, like the saying that, “One can hardly live a real life unless he has once actually experienced death”. Well, those terms of “ending a person’s life” and “a bottomless cliff” cannot but be taken as metaphorical ones. They suggest that, being pushed to the dead end of thought and consciousness, one cannot go forward or backward. At this time, like a barrel whose bottom has been smashed open, one may probably take a sudden return to the very seed of his own Buddha-nature at depth, reaching the state of full enlightenment. This is what they say that, “Penetrating thoroughly at the end of one’s rope, it is the time of taking a natural return”. This is like what the ancient renowned poet Lu You (1125-1210) wrote in his poem that, “Doubtful of nowhere to go deep in the mountains and rivers, a village shows up where willow trees are past and flowers out”. Clearly, it is not an accidental matter that trainees have paid great attention to Wu for centuries.

In Chán training, first of all, we have to pay attention to the “five aspects of adjustments”. What are the five? They are the food, sleep, body, breaths and Mind, which needs to be adjusted and regulated, and balanced and coordinated with each other, we then would have truly come to the state of Chán meditation.

ADJUSTING FOOD

It is the two sides of one thing that one can not practice Chán meditation without food or with too much food, but ideally take in eight tenths of what one normally eats. This is because that, if one ate too little the shortage of calories would make him languid, and then surely he would feel either dazed (sleepy, we say) or unsettled (carried away by phantom visions) in his sitting. The food in the temples is the most suitable to the training of Chán meditation, because it excludes chicken, duck, fish and meat, and also excludes those food stuff such as spring onion, garlic, Chinese chive and egg. As for someone who wishes to practice the Chán meditation or to be self-cultivated, eating fish and egg would be an impediment in his training. And eating those pungent ingredients like spring onion, garlic and Chinese chives and egg, in particular, may britheng about imbalance and instability in his body and Mind so that he would hardly reach the state of Chán meditation. This is the reason why the precept of eating the five hot vegetables (namely lasuna, latarka, palandu, grnjana and hingu) is included in the Buddhist disciplines. In addition, during the training period, it is inadvisable to eat something that one does not usually eat. For instance, for a person who does not eat hot pepper, once he ate it, it would result in side effects, such as triggering his old disease or making him unbalanced in the four elements (of which all things are made) and then inducing other kinds of illnesses. In a word, the key points to adjust food are as follows: do not eat too much or too little; do not eat something dirty and filthy; and do not eat something that is not suitable to you. The Buddhist scripture tells us that, “If the body is in good order, the Way will be prosperous”. How to get ones body in good order? Adjusting food is one of the important approaches. It is said in a Buddhist Sutra that, “Learn to be moderate in eating and drinking. One enjoys a good health without impediments. A peaceful Mind is eager to strive forward. This is what Buddhism truly means.”

ADJUSTING SLEEP

For a person who disciplines himself in Chán-training, whether he sleeps the less the better? The answer is no. the amount of sleep one needs to take is in the light of his age and the horizon he achieves in self-cultivation. Those who have cultivated themselves longer in the training and with higher power would sleep less, as a result of the quietness they have attained. Daoism says, “One does not want to sleep when one is in high spirits”. Those engaged in Chán training should get enough sleep. Particularly they should not keep longer hours sitting in the night, because the induced sleepiness would make them hardly sit still. And to insist on sitting with a sleepy mind they would get nothing out of it.  Some people try to prostrate themselves at a shrine when they feel sleepy, which certainly works.  However, those who really want to engage in the training should keep themselves full of vigor and vitality so that they can reach the state of true quietness. A clear and resounding spirit and a peaceful mind are the key points to in adjusting sleep, with which one can reach the state of Chán meditation, the state of Samādhi. There is one thing I wish to make sure that, the method I mentioned above is basically for contemporary common people, and for the laity who observes the five and the eight precepts in particular. As they have not only work to do in their career or business but also families to take care of, they must keep fit so as to catch up with the busy life of our times.

In general, being a Buddhist one has to exert himself with all his might, but not be too fond of sleep or getting up late. He has to put in mind that, the fire of impermanence would bum in the world, he should strive forward with his entire being so as to get out of the cycle of life and death.

ADJUSTING BODY

It refers to the body adjustment during Chán meditation and that in everday life respectively. At the time when one is not in the training, one also needs to pay attention to the body adjustment in ones daily life. This is what is said in the “Essentials of practicing Śamatha and Vipaśyanāthrough sitting meditation” that, even though one is not in the period of Chán training he should be attentive to the details of his daily life, mindful of whatever he does and wherever he goes. He should not behave roughly or indulgently. In a word, if one cannot get his body and mind balanced and coordinated well, he will breathe roughly and disorderly with his mind scattered and upset. In such circumstances he can hardly practice the Chán meditation as his mind is agitated and disturbed. Therefore, being the disciplined persons we should pay attention to the body adjustments even at the time out of the sitting, building up a solid psychological foundation for the training.

In the training the body adjustments relate to both where and how to sit.  The former means a place and a seat: ideally a dry and quit room full of fresh air and a stable seat with soft cushions (not too soft!). Acording to the regulations one should sit in the lotus postures, either the half-lotus or full lotus will do. This is the image that the Buddha himself achieves full enlightenment, so one should sit in the same posture as the Buddha does. To sit half-lotus, firstly place the right foot under the left thigh and then the foot of the left leg over the thigh of the right leg; whereas to sit in full lotus, a step further, place the foot of the right leg over the thigh of the left leg. Ready in either one of those traditional postures, do cover the legs up well, preventing the cold wind from getting in. that is why each one of you is given a blanket during this period of Chán Qi. As some of you sit in a wrong posture and wrap their legs in the blanket incorrectly, the cold wind reaches their knees and thighs, making their legs hurting even more. In addition, getting both legs wrapped up well can not only make the legs fixed but also keep them warm. In every season, no matter where one practices sitting, in a temple, at home, or in a dormitory, please remember, he should wrap both legs up with something. For the training it is very important to well protect the legs from getting cold, otherwise with hurtful legs one can hardly practice the lotus postures. After getting the legs crossed in a stable posture and wrapped up well, incline forward for a moment so as to let the tail vertebra function freely. (The blanket also protects one from draft and wind).

It is required in the sitting that, the tip of the nose is in line with the navel, i.e. sit erect with the trunk neither bending nor thrusting, neither deviating nor inclining, and also with the head straight. Do not lean backward, i.e. the body from the waist up should be upright weightlessly till the neck just touching the collar (of the robe). Keep the eyes lightly closed to an ideal level of shading the light (but not completely closed!). At the time of getting dull and sleepy, open the eyes to three tenths so as to get rid of it. When feeling utterly dull and sleepy, refresh yourself by opening the eyes wide, straighten the back up, and pulling yourself together. The two hand are rested in the lap, keeping a mudra (a finger sign) of Chán meditation, i.e. place the right hand, palm upward, on top of the left palm and lightly touch the tips of the thumbs to each other. To maintain this position of the hands mindfully all the time in the process of sitting will lead to the effective concentration. At the time when one feels warm currents moving upward to the nose or one suffers from excessive internal heat, do not keep the mudra but place the two hands, palms down, on the knees, leading the heat downward. In a word, sit square on the seat with legs crossed in a natural width, as solid and immobile as a rock, those are the key points in the sitting.

ADJUSTING BREATHS

Ordinary people breathe in a short, rough pace, hardly reaching the state of quietness. In Chán meditation, one has to adjust the breaths as well. There are altogether four phases of breaths; namely the wind, gasp, gas and breaths. The first three are the inharmonious phases, while the last a harmonious one. What is the wind phase? It is so defined that the incoming or outgoing breaths through our nose can be heard when one is practices sitting. What is the gasp? While one is sitting though no sound can be heard, still both his inhalation and exhalation are not smooth but stagnant. What is the gas? While in sitting no sound can be heard and inhalation and exhalation are seemingly smooth yet coarse, not slender. What is the breaths? Without sound and stagnancy one breathes slenderly and the incoming and outgoing breaths progress continuously as if one feels them at one moment yet not at the other, truly reaching the state of a peaceful mind and a joyful mood. Based on the above mentioned four phases one will know accordingly which stage he is actually engaged in, so as to go ahead in the right direction and get the practice deepened bit by bit. At the same time, one has to exert himself to be equal to what is mentioned in the fourth phase, but not the first three. This is because that, “In the wind phase one breathes scatteredly; in the gasp one breathes stagnantly; and in the gas one breathes arduously”. It is only in the breath phase one can reach the state of one-pointedness. When the breaths are well adjusted and regulated, then there comes a true meditation. Those in all are key-points for the breath adjustment with which one easily comes to the one-pointedness: a peaceful mind and slender breaths, continuous inhalation and exhalation that felt partly hidden and partly visible, and breathing neither stagnantly nor randomly.

ADJUSTING MIND

The Mind is one’s consciousness. There are many methods to adjust the Mind. The simplest is to synchronize the Mind with the breaths, i.e. concentrate the Mind on the breaths, knowing clearly now incoming and now outgoing of diem. This is a fairly easy way to start with. Under such a mood all the phantom thoughts would be stopped and only the breaths matter, easily leading toward the stage of one-pointedness. Now, at this stage, keep the eyes slightly open, otherwise one will feel dull and sleepy after a long period of sitting. There are certainly other ways of to control the Mind, such as contemplation of the Mind and its thoughts, i.e. to contemplate the arising and vanishing of every thought till the time when there is no thought arisen at all.  And one’s whole internal being would be like the moon-lit sky, bright and clear, unmarred by a blemish. For beginners, however, it is advised to use the way of following the breaths, making the Mind synchronized with the breaths. This is an easier way.

There are three stages of Mind adjustment in regard to every sitting, namely the stage of coming into the meditation, holding on and getting out. The first stage asks to adjust and regulate the incoming and outgoing breaths from rough ones into slender ones and to make the Mind to be calm and steady in the state of Chán meditation, and the to stop random thoughts and restrain the Mind from reaching out. At the same time, keep one’s Mind rested in a stable and balanced status, naturally and serenely. The second stage means that, during the sitting period of one hour or two, as long as an incense takes to burn out. Keep the Mind under one’s control and get the three (body, breath and Mind) regulated and coordinated. Sit serenely in a joyful mood and breathe so continuously that one feels them partly hidden and partly visible, and always maintaining the state of one-pointedness. The third stage means that, when the sitting period is over, as one is going to get off the seat, relax one’s Mind and shift one’s attention, and open one’s mouth to let go of the gas with a thought that all the veins got through as the thought goes. And then slightly move the body, shoulders, arms, head and neck back and forth for a while, and put the legs down from the seat and lightly massage them with hands from knees to shanks, making the blood veins work naturally. And still then, massage with hands from the forehead to the back of the head for several times so as to let the sitting-induced heat scattered. And lastly, stand up and walk slowly. During walking, keep the Mind and breaths synchronized and never let go the serene mood one has got in the sitting.