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The Keys to Mind Practice Master Geng-Yun November 24, 1985 Taipei, Taiwan (R.O.C.) [ I. Why Do We Need to Practice Our
Mind?] [II.
The Reasons Why the True Mind Is Buried and Loss][ III.
How to Bring Back One’s Lost Mind?] I. Why Do We Need to Practice Our Mind? II. The Reasons Why the True Mind Is
Buried and Loss
i. Mind
Enslaved by One’s Body III.
How to Bring Back One’s Lost Mind? i. To
Realize
One’s Mind I. Why Do We Need to Practice Our Mind? Speaking
of Ch’an practice, the
term “mind practice” naturally comes up.
One’s up or down, misery or happiness,
righteousness or wickedness, all depend on one’s mind. Humans are dominated by their
thinking and guided by their cognition. Why do we need to practice our
minds? Since we were born, our self-consciousness has started to expand
and subjectively distort all the issues, phenomena and facts. If we do
not practice, we will continue doing so. Then the environment we live in
is abnormal and our minds are twisted; surely, our life is miserable. Speaking of mind practice, we need
to clarify “which mind to practice” first. You may be come up with a
question, “How many minds does one have?” By classification, at least
there are two kinds of mind. Confucians claim that “there are human mind
and Taoist mind.” Buddha said, “Mind is the origin of evil,” as well as “This
mind is the Buddha, and this mind makes one become a Buddha.” Conclusively,
there are two kinds of mind. These two kinds of mind are not the
products of dissection. The human mind only started to form after our
birth. In our teens, its basic shape has been established. After
leaving school and entering the workforce, we keep empowering our human mind,
so the Taoist mind has gradually been buried. However, if we claim that
the mind we had at the moment when we were born was the Taoist mind, it is
also not true. Buddha said, “Mind is the origin of evil.” In other
words, all sins are originated from our minds. He also said, “This mind is
the Buddha, and this mind makes one become a Buddha.” Is it
paradoxical? No. The mind in the quote, “Mind is the origin of
evil,” refers to the delusive mind, namely the human mind. The mind that
can “make one become a Buddha” is the true mind or the original mind. How is a human mind
formed? By means of the interaction between roots and senses, our
five senses collect, take, and adopt various elements from the earthly
world. These elements are then distorted by our self-consciousness (the
Seventh consciousness) and discriminating consciousness (the Sixth
consciousness) to form our superficial consciousness gradually. Therefore,
our true mind is covered with a layer of dust and dirt. But,
unfortunately, we often mistake this layer for ourselves. “Non-self,”
said Buddha, means that “your superficial consciousness is not you. You do
not exist at all.” So if you think that “this is me or this is my
mind,” you are wrong. The mind mentioned in the quote,
“This mind is the Buddha; this mind makes one become a Buddha,” refers to the
original mind or Mahaprajna.
It is the original state of mind and the common phenomenon of life. This
mind is fully self-adequate, self-bright, self-complete, and needless to be
rectified at all. Which mind needs to be rectified? It is our
delusive mind or the superficial consciousness. The superficial consciousness covers
and buries our true mind, which is original, genuine, bright, complete, and
adequate. What we should rectify is the false “delusive mind” or “superficial
consciousness.” The ancients said, “Rectify the falseness to uncover the
truth.” It does not mean to use our flesh-body to cultivate our Dharma
body. It simply means rectifying our false “superficial consciousness” to
uncover and reveal our original true mind. This is the key point of mind
practice. The other crucial point is to know whether you have a mind
or not. You definitely will say, “Yes, I do. I am fully aware of myself.
I don’t give the money in my pocket to a stranger, nor do I feed myself
through my nose or put disgusting things in my mouth. I am sober and
sensible.” In fact, it is not true. You do have a mind, but
now you are mindless. Your original true mind has been covered and buried
by six dusts while your false superficial consciousness is broken, weak, and
malfunctioning. Why do I say that your mind is broken? It is
because you lack a unified mind. Today you deny the
decision you made yesterday; you planned to do something in the morning but
gave it up in the afternoon. Your reason keeps fighting against your
emotions, so does your desire and virtue. Your mind is paradoxical, so
it is not complete and unified. Consequently, if we want to practice
Ch’an, the primary goal
is to rectify the broken and shattered superficial consciousness. On the
contrary, the true mind does not need any rectification. If the
superficial consciousness was originally fine, Buddha would not say that
“Mind is the origin of evil,” nor would Counsels
of the Great Yu wrote that “Human mind is restless.” Therefore, what
we need to rectify is the superficial consciousness; we not only have to
correct it but also dump most of it. But before being able to “rectify
the falseness to uncover the truth,” one must possess a complete and unified
superficial consciousness. Then a channel must be opened on it to allow the
original true mind to reveal and dominate this unified superficial
consciousness. Only by doing so can one possibly start one’s mind practice; otherwise, it is a
matter of empty talk. II. The Reasons Why the True Mind Is Buried and Loss [Back to Top] Everybody does not admit that they are mindless, but as a matter of fact, our true mind is buried. Our shattered and broken superficial consciousness undermines our vitality. How do we lose and bury our true mind? We allow it to be gradually covered by the six dusts, and at the same time, we do not cherish it. This disvalued attitude is why I describe the true mind as being lost. The reasons and mistakes that lead to the loss of our true mind are as follows:
i.
Mind Enslaved by One’s Body We have been busy serving our bodies throughout our entire life. All of our thoughts and motives are generated from our bodies; as the ancients said, “Body initiates thoughts.” Though our body is not permanent or rare and turns smelly shortly after death, we are still willing to serve it and be enslaved by it throughout our whole life. The majority of us are spending most of our time feeding it, dressing it up, trying to beautify it, and protecting it from harm. This body mainly drives all the worries about loss and gain and the pursuit of fame and profits. Since this unimportant body has enslaved our mind, the original mind is submerged little by little. You reduce or deny its importance; the true mind is therefore gradually devalued and being put aside. ii.
Mind Drifting with the Earthly World Most people are not determined to be the dominator of
their lives. Some people boast about the great things they have done in their
autobiographies. It is shameful to say so because they did not initiate
those things. It is their surroundings that made them do so. For example, Kuang-Ying Zhao was mandatorily
put on a yellow robe to become an emperor. Yuan-Hong Li was pulled out from
underneath his bed when he was threatened to be executed if he was unwilling
to be a governor. The majority of us are just like
them. Ninety-nine point nine percent of people cannot master themselves,
fail to live with a purpose and let the surroundings decide their actions.
This is “drifting with the earthly world.” While one does nothing to
adjust the situation and let the time pass, one’s life has also decayed and
perished. Therefore, fortune tellers have become very popular. Most of
their prophecies turn true because people cannot get away with their fate.
Most people choose to drift with the earthly world instead of dominating
their own life, which is why the precious true mind is buried. The book Liao-Fan’s
Four Lessons teaches us that people can master their lives and change
their fate. Buddhist sutras also mention that “When the seed changes, its
root of life also changes.” As long as you are determined to practice your
mind, the essence of your life will be elevated. It seems like a piece
of hard iron suddenly turning into gold; it no longer easily oxidizes, and
its value is undoubtedly different. People who are unwilling to master
themselves drift with the earthly world and achieve nothing after their whole
life’s hard work. You may recall those proud or frustrating experiences and
discover that they are driven by the surrounding factors. You are being
manipulated. The main purpose of mind practice is to rectify and change this
situation. Otherwise, we can never become Buddha, nor can we emerge
ourselves from the vast sea of karma. iii.
Accumulative Karma as the Obstacle Karma is the sum of one’s thoughts
and behaviors, similar to a company’s annual performance. People
can recognize their true self by means of genuinely reflecting on
themselves. Why do I specifically emphasize the time before the age of
six? If you can reflect on your memory before six years old, it is
possible for you even to go further to reach the time before your birth. Then
you can personally verify that life is immortal, eternal, and does not only
exist in this lifetime. Quite a few members of the audience can testify
this. Newborn babies in the nursery room have identical mentality and personality. When they grow older, the interaction between six roots (eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies, and minds) and six senses (forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and consciousness) assist them in memorizing and learning things. This is why I say that human brains are similar to a computer; we put everything we have learned in mind. The more we put in, the harder to uncover our original mind. If you are unwilling to reflect on yourself, this accumulative karma will become the obstacle to the revelation of the true mind. We lose ourselves because our habitual tendencies contaminate our minds; therefore, we can only realize how our personalities are formed by reflecting on ourselves. As the saying goes, “Human minds are restless.” So, what are the causes that lead to our destructive tendency? If we can reflect on ourselves and confess our mistakes, we will be able to stop repeating our mistakes and release ourselves from worries. The method of self-reflection is to
follow those mentioned guides and proceed in a quiet manner. Instead of
pursuing effectiveness, benefits, or efficiency, a calm and composed manner
facilitates people to recall their childhood before six years old. If
you cannot remember those years yet, keep waiting for another year or two. It
is crucial to reflect on memories before six because you will be able to know
who you originally were by then. If you could even go further, you will find
who you were in your previous life. Other than that, you can reveal the
supernormal power of “remembering one’s former abodes.” “Remembering one’s former abodes” is
the genuine supernormal power. Unlike the temporary power of the “divine eye”
and the “divine ear,” the power of “remembering one's former abodes” can be
kept permanently once one has obtained it. When you reach that state, who you
really are becomes crystal clear. No matter you were Chinese or a foreigner
in your previous lives, you can speak the language of that time and
area. It is absolutely true. At the same time, you can affirm the
eternity of life and cherish your genuine life, or in other words, your true
mind. Consequently, the only way to break through one’s karma is to reflect
on oneself and confess one’s mistakes. People who had genuinely reflected on themselves have gained the benefits of the Dharma. Those who do not do self-reflection and confession stay in the same place and fail to go any further. Self-reflection and confession are not my inventions, and I also precisely followed the guidance to practice. After diligently putting them into practice, I indeed reflected on the time that my mom was giving birth to me and the time before my birth, which I had told some of you before. It is definitely possible to recall those memories if self-reflection is done with sincerity and respect rather than in haste. Paths
are made by walking. If you do not practice but only search for knowledge,
you are being fooled. Other types of knowledge are useful but not this type.
Even though you score an A+ on all of the terms or concepts, it cannot change
your life. It creates a positive impact only when you actually put it into
practice. iv.
Chasing after Forms Whenever we open our eyes, we see
the colorful world. If we do not block our ears, we expose ourselves to
hundreds of various sounds. We have been used to identifying those with
reality but often forget that the earth is not eternal compared to the
universe. We think everything is true and permanent, like our names, history,
money, or social status. But in fact, all these are not true; they are as
delusive as dreams. If we are reluctant to wake up from these dreams, we
will inevitably lose ourselves in the delusions. Sometimes when we look
into the mirror, we even doubt ourselves: “Is it me? Do I really
look like this? How can I look like this?” We not only have our
true mind lost but also doubt our features and become distant from ourselves. Why is it so? It is because we have been good at
identifying with the external and colorful delusions; therefore, our minds
change to be false minds. This so-called false mind is the arising and
ceasing mind. It changes with the environment as a non-stop cycle: a thought
ceases while a new thought successively arises, and the process keeps
repeating itself. Consequently, our strong attachment to external delusions
is an obstacle to the practice. v.
Associative Thinking Dragging One’s Mind into Shadow Many people enjoy fantasizing about delusive thoughts.
Sitting alone by themselves, they find those thoughts more and more
interesting. When something delightful comes up, they cannot help smiling.
Sometimes, they project themselves into a future vision and become too
excited to sleep, so they keep on thinking all night in a pleasant mood with
a cup of tea and a cigarette. However, all those thoughts become useless when
they leave their houses the next day. Most of those who often indulge in associative
thinking look pale and feeble because their “yin energy” is too
strong. The so-called “five yin” or the “five aggregates of clinging”
refer to form, sensations, perceptions, mental formation, and consciousness.
When people think too much, they fall into “the realm of yin” or “the shadow
mind.” It is written in a classic of the Ch’an literature, “Ji-Zi, don’t enter the realm of yin!” The
meaning is as follows: “Don’t think! Whenever you are asked a question,
answer it straight away. After having had a thought, the answer goes
wrong. It must be a direct response like a bulb lightening up once its
button is pushed.” The main objective of Ch’an practice is to expose those gloomy,
shameful, and dark sides of our minds. Those
who think too much fall into “the aggregate of clinging to perceptions,” one
of the “five yin.” They either suffer from neurasthenia or look pale and feeble. When they are thinking about one thing, but many other things come up
all at once, it will lead to schizophrenia. Schizophrenia results from
failing to unify one’s mind. People who cannot focus and have numerous
thoughts that detach from their work and the conduct of life will gradually
become neurasthenic. Worse case than that is schizophrenia. Consequently, we
must not think delusively. Whenever we are thinking, we must have
a unitary theme. Not until we have come to a conclusion should we not let it
go. The capacity to think must be used with great respect and caution
rather than recklessly on delusive thoughts. When people are in “the aggregate of clinging to perceptions,” their minds lose the original brightness, and their lives become gloomy. Undoubtedly, their minds are messy and falling apart. The literal translation of schizophrenia in Taiwan means “split spirit.” Spirit refers to the mind. A non-unified mind is impossible to “rectify the falseness to uncover the truth” because it is powerless. vi.
Spinning a Cocoon Around Oneself If we want to practice Ch’an, we do not have to give up our jobs, hide in a deep mountain or isolate ourselves from others. However, we must detach from seven emotions and six desires, such as lingering affection, resentment, and distress. These emotions and desires are the materials of a cocoon that we weave around ourselves. They account for ninety percent of the causes that result in situations like being unable to let go or feeling uneasy. Some people fail to succeed in their careers because of family feuds. Emperor Shun-Zhi deserted his throne because his emotions manipulated him. Wu San-Gui got furious and decided to renegade after knowing his beloved concubine was sexually assaulted by an ally. Yu-Rang disguised himself by pouring paint on his body and swallowing coals to get revenge. These are examples to demonstrate that the entangled emotions of hatred and love can destroy rational thinking. The hypocritical or non-lasting affections make people lose themselves entirely. There are positive and negative sentiments. The
positive sentiment refers to a big heart that considers all sentient beings
as one. There is no individual self but the universe and all sentient beings.
More specifically, the individual self is fully integrated with the universe
and all sentient beings, so it is omnipresent. This is precisely the mind
possessed by Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas. On the contrary, ordinary beings stand against all
sentient beings and the universe. Choosing what to love or hate, like or
dislike, constitutes the cocoon that we weave around ourselves. If we cannot
quit indulging in lingering affection, torment caused by hatred, vulgar
hobbies, or unusual fetishes, we cannot practice Ch’an. Even if we try to practice, we will not
succeed. This is a challenging task. vii.
Deluding Oneself Self-delusion means to live a hypocritical life. Some people never ever recognize who they
truly are; neither do they know how many bowls of rice they can eat and how
much load they can bear. They
talk endlessly about stories they do not experience personally and demand
other people to meet the standards they fail to achieve. If we analyze everyone’s speech closely, we will find
that six out of ten statements are not true. Whether you are a teacher, a
father, or a husband, most of what you say is hypocritical. Nevertheless, you
mistake delusion for truth and live in unrealistic complacency. People who have an overly strong
sense of self-preservation tend to live in unnecessary fear and insecurity,
reflecting their hypocrisy. Since the Dharma is absolutely genuine, people
living hypocritically are entirely resistant to it. They can never correspond
to the Dharma. When the Ch’an
Association was established, I had talked about “sincerity, respect, and
belief.” “Sincerity” means not being hypocritical. “Respect” means not being
contemptuous, slack, casual, or indulgent; namely, to be solemn. viii.
Talkativeness Leading to Definite Loss Many people like to chatter on and on. They often talk
energetically and find it more and more interesting. However, after they
finish talking, An-Hsiang is already gone! It slipped away from their minds! As the saying goes, “Talkativeness leads to
definite loss.” It is not a big deal to say something wrong, but it is
miserable to lose one’s
An-Hsiang－the
mentality free from all attachments. I believe that you all have had this
kind of experience. If not, why not give it a try! Then, next time after
having had a long talk, by looking inwardly and observing your mind, you will
find that the sensation of An-Hsiang decreases or even disappears. Consequently, those interested in talking and
chatting cannot practice Ch’an.
Talking is a responsibility and obligation rather than a right or enjoyment.
It is ridiculous to consider talking as a right or enjoyment. Some
practitioners hang the sign of “no talking” in front of their chests; they
are practicing the precept of non-talking. There is a local saying circulated
in rural areas that goes like this: “Even if you don’t talk throughout your
life, you won’t be sold like a pig.” Moreover, a Master of Ch’an said, “If you don’t talk
throughout your life, Yanluo
Wang- the ruler of the underworld- can do nothing to you at all.” He cannot
pronounce judgment if you don’t speak. To sum up, talkativeness will
jeopardize one’s original mentality and make one lose the state of An-Hsiang. The mistakes mentioned above hinder us from the
direct realization of Buddha-nature and the sensation of being free and
liberated. Therefore, the key to Ch’an
practice or mind practice is finding them out and getting rid of them. By
eliminating these eight mistakes, we truly implement the ancient saying of
“rectifying the falseness to uncover the truth.” After the falseness is fully
rectified, the true mind- which does not need any rectification- will be
naturally and perfectly uncovered. III. How to Bring Back One’s Lost Mind? [Back to Top] Our
mind has been hindered, chained, and lost because of all those obstacles
mentioned earlier. How can we bring it back? There are four key points.
i.
To Realize One’s Mind Without knowing “what one’s mind
is,” how to begin with Ch’an
practice? If a person talks about mind practice but does not have any clue of
“what the mind is,” it is the same as telling a lie. Therefore, the first
step is to recognize your mind. As the ancients said, “It is essential to
know oneself.” People who do not know themselves but claim to know others are
undoubtedly lying. Then, how to realize one’s mind? First, one needs to reflect on and analyze oneself.
Analyzing oneself is like peeling off banana trees layer by layer to find out
how our superficial consciousness is formed. By peeling it off layer by
layer, eventually, you will discover “what it is” and see the truth. The method of truly realizing one's mind is to
practice Ch’an. It includes
“watching one’s mind” and “focusing on a Hua Tou.” There have been too many definitions of Ch’an, so I will not define it
again today. What is Ch’an?
Most people think it is mysterious and difficult to reach; sayings of the
ancients are also confusing. They try to practice for two days but give it up
for feeling dull. With regard to “mind-watching,” they also stop trying after
finding it too hard to manage. If we truly want to realize our true mind
genuinely, a thorough reflection on ourselves is the primary task that must
be done. Secondly, we need to practice Ch’an. We must feel intimate but not distant,
awkward or impatient, with Ch’an
practice; otherwise, we will never succeed. The sense of intimacy is similar
to a catalyst. Without it, you cannot blend in with Ch’an; in other words, you cannot “correspond to
the Dharma.” Before being able to correspond to it, one must realize: “What
is it to practice about Ch’an?” Ch’an is nothing but yourself; you don’t
need to focus on anything other than yourself. The purpose of Ch’an practice is to recognize
oneself, and only Ch’an
practice can bring back the lost self. At this point, you must think that I
overly simplified the practice. But the truth is that it is nothing else
except realizing self-awareness and discovering one’s true self. Its sole
purpose is to have one’s life fully awake. When Master Dong-Shan walked to a riverside and saw
his reflection in the river, he attained enlightenment instantaneously. He
said, “Avoid seeking elsewhere, for that's far from the
self. The ancients sang and wrote plenty of comments on
what Dong-Shan realized. We may understand the meaning of the verse once we
read it; however, we get confused after reading the ancients’ comments. Why
do we understand the verse better when we have not read the explanations? It
is because he was merely describing the original state of mind, which is
impossible to discover by means of reasoning or searching for clues. Now, I
would like to explain it in ordinary language for you to understand more
easily. “Avoid seeking elsewhere”: the meaning of “elsewhere” is not
equal to the same word used in “here, there, and elsewhere.” “Elsewhere” here
indicates everything except one’s self. So, don’t depart from yourself to
find the self. “For that's far from the self”: to find one’s self outwardly is a
long, long road heading toward an irrelevant direction. “Now I travel alone, everywhere I
meet it”:
the word “alone” refers to the state where there are no “eyes, ears, noses,
tongues, bodies or minds,” nor any “forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches or
consciousness.” When all of these roots and dusts are removed, one is
“alone”; since one is “alone,” it is a non-dual state. A non-dual state of
mind sees everything as one’s self. “Now it's exactly me”:
“it” is without forms, thoughts, or
acts. It is the true self. “Now I'm not it”:
I am not this outer self who lives
in paradox and duality. “It must thus be realized to merge
with suchness”: to coincide with the suchness, you have to realize
it this way. The explanations above demonstrate that what
Dong-Shan realized was only himself
but not any great theories. You are terribly wrong if you assume that any
theory is hidden behind the lines! The truth is original. There was neither
galaxy nor the solar system. What was there? Nothing! This verse is merely
the result of adding language onto the original truth, and this addition is
the effect caused by the six dusts. Therefore, enlightenment is never about
realizing theories or mysteries. Mystery is unusual but not original, while
the truth is original but not unusual. The realization of mysteries is not
the genuine enlightenment. The genuine enlightenment means recognizing the
true self, recovering the lost self, and accomplishing the awakening of life.
Dong-Shan’s verse clearly shows that he realized neither others nor theories
but himself. Consequently, the first key to mind practice is to
know “what the mind is.” Therefore, from beginning to end, practitioners
should always put effort into knowing one’s self and recognizing one’s mind.
Apart from that, there is neither other purpose nor method to practice Ch’an.
ii.
To Set One’s Mind The Buddha said, “Setting one’s mind on a single focus,
one can succeed in everything.” There are three factors included. If you can
put all your “passion, reason, and energy” into a specific event, issue,
knowledge, or work, it will become a strong focus. Many examples in the
earthly world demonstrate that this focus will spark the flame of wisdom and
make one’s life glorious and radiating. One day, Zhang Tai-Yan was reading at night, his
sister sent over a plate of fried sticky rice cake with some white sugar
beside it. Later, when she returned to collect the plate, she saw that her
brother’s mouth and lips were all black, as if he had gotten food poisoning.
She asked, “Are you alright?” He replied, “I’m very well!” “Was it good?” “It
was delicious!” “But why is your mouth all black? Something’s wrong!” By
looking closely, they found that the white sugar was still untouched, but he
dipped the cake in ink and finished the whole plate. It was exactly eating
without a taste. If you cannot fully set your mind on a single focus, you
will be unlikely to reach your full potential in life and will surely
disappoint and bury yourself. Originally
you were born with overwhelming power, but you do not concentrate on using
it. In addition, even though you have invested the power of reason and a
great deal of energy in a task, you will still fail if you lack passion.
Without passion, everything will be exhausting or like a punishment;
conversely, passion will make the task enjoyable. In
western academia, intellectualism, emotionalism, and volitionalism are three different categories. On
the other hand, Confucianism believes that volition will naturally occur by
putting emotion into one’s intellect. One
night, James Watt was working in his laboratory,
his family brought two raw eggs for him to cook when he felt hungry later.
Sometime after that, he started boiling the eggs. When he thought of eating
in the morning, he found his pocket watch in the pot. Those eggs remained
untouched while the pot was already boiled dry. Moreover, Thomas Edison
opened two holes for his two cats to walk through. It made him look like a
fool with zero IQ. But the truth is that he wholly focused his mind; he put
all of his wisdom, energy, and passion into his beloved work. We
have also read the story of Wang Mian
in Unofficial History of the Scholars.
He was a cowherd who never attended any school. However, his paintings of
lotus triumphed over all the contemporary works. The vivid lotus looked the
same as what was described in Buddha sutras, so all the royal and high-ranking
officials were competing to own them. How did he do it? It was derived from
his passion. The Dharma states, “The arising of emotions blocks the development of wisdom.” When one is attached to emotions, one becomes isolated from the wisdom of Prajnaparamita. However, if emotions are generated from one’s wisdom, one can attain unparalleled vitality. An immortal legacy could be created in the earthly
world when you enjoy devoting all your passion, wisdom, and energy to
knowledge learning or building a career. However, it is nothing but
punishment if you are not determined, or you often feel compelled, helpless
and begrudging. No positive outcome or creativity would ever occur with this
mentality. Under
the laws of the earthly world, setting one’s mind on a single focus is
extremely important. It is also important to practitioners of Ch’an because our mind is
disintegrated, and attention is diverted. Living in this state of mind, the
vitality of life is undermined, and one can never achieve what he wishes for.
This result not only applies to the earthly world, but it is even more so to
Dharma. If you cannot focus your mind, nothing can be done. Consequently,
there are so-called “fang-bian” or “methods” in the
Dharma practice. What does it refer to? For example, “The Contemplation Sutra of Amitayus”
guides you to focus your mind on a single object or scene fully. The Esoteric
School instructs disciples to contemplate a “seed word”; the Fifth Patriarch
taught people to contemplate “the moon.” The yogis are led to contemplate “a
candle, the tip of incense or the Four Great Elements.” The Taoists are
taught to practice alchemy as well as to contemplate Dan-Tian. What is the point of contemplation? It helps
you to stay focused. All of those are methods meant to teach people how to
“set mind on a single focus.” When you can habitually remain focused, you can
fully demonstrate the power of your mind to break through the barriers that
have kept you from self-liberation. If your mind is powerless, you will
neither earn any achievements in the earthly world nor succeed in Dharma
practice. As far as Ch’an
is concerned, its characteristic lies in the methodology of non-duality;
namely, one and everything other than one’s self are not dual. The state of non-duality
allows one to eliminate all the contrasts and merge with the truth. iii.
To Keep Awake In “Records of Pointing at the Moon,” a monk constantly talked to
himself, “Master! (Then he answered, “Here!”) Keep awake! From now on, don’t
be fooled!” To “keep awake” means to lift one’s spirits and keep a clear
head. A complete understanding of this story is very helpful to Ch’an practice. The monk meant
to remind himself to be his own master and always be aware of his mind. He
also intended to call his attention to be careful of being manipulated by
others. What does “being fooled” refer to? To hit you with a
stick is fooling you. It is also fooling you by saying, “Don’t move your
tongue but give a statement that describes your original face before birth.”
To a genuine practitioner of Ch’an,
all of these are redundant tricks. It is unnecessary to talk about emptiness
or possession and deities or ghosts; all of these are fooling people. A
practitioner’s major task is to constantly keep a clear head, stay alert and
stop being careless. As mentioned in the Old Testament, “Don’t sleep! Don’t
dream!” This is the third key point of mind practice. iv.
To Be Able to Abandon Quite a few Dharma practitioners
head toward an opposite direction: craving for gaining something. For
example, king Hui of
Liang said to Mencius when they first met, “You are here! What benefits can I
get?” This is wrong! To practice Dharma, one should be able to abandon.
People who abandon the most gain the most; abandon little gain little, and
those who abandon nothing gain nothing. Some people go to temples praying to Buddhas for protection of
wealth, fame, safety, health, etc. However, these are not what Buddhas want. Like Buddha Shakyamuni, He only wanted to
abandon everything, including His throne, power, beautiful wife, beloved son,
luxurious clothing, sumptuous feasts, etc. He was so afraid of being
dissuaded that He even sneakily ran away. If we cannot bear to lose or abandon fame, wealth,
body, affections, and desires, we cannot practice Dharma. As ancient sages
said, “Letting go is what it is.” Letting go means abandoning. You can’t have
your cake and eat it! You have to be able to let go, or you will fail in mind
practice. Moreover,
we must know that “when you plant a handful of rice in spring, you will reap
a bucket of rice in autumn.” You can reap no harvest if you cannot bear to
lose the seeds. Our mind is lost because we are greedy for longevity, lust,
wealth, etc. It is the “greed” that drives us to lose and deteriorate.
Therefore, only by abandoning all of these desires can we become awoken and
liberated. Master
Zhao-Zhou said, “I, as an old monk, have
realized how to spend family wealth prodigally since I was eighteen.” What
does it mean? He discarded and abandoned everything. Householder Pang-Yun
quit his job as a government official and sank all his money and jewelry into
a river. Then he took his wife and kids to make a living by weaving bamboo
bags. Why didn’t he donate his money to temples? The underlying philosophy is
worth learning. It is because donating money to others may not be a merit. If
a person is poor, you should teach him how to make a living instead of giving
him money. The real help is to assist him in tackling the root problem, such
as being lazy or ill. You thought donation equals saving others, but the
truth is that it often does more harm than good. Both Master Zhao-Zhou and Buddha Shakyamuni are role models teaching us that
abandoning is the condition of becoming a Buddha. There is a saying in the Ch’an school, “Being able to
let go of everything at a cliff, one has an affirmative belief. Being reborn
after death, one will never be deceived.” The first sentence means to abandon
everything. Nothing is unbearable to lose! But it is only because one has an
affirmative belief that enables one to let go. What is the belief? “The
universe is me.” Without this belief, are you willing to let go of
everything? The second sentence means that a new life begins after falling to
death. No theories, Dharma, or mysteries could ever deceive you from then on. IV. The Essential Guidelines for Mind Practice
[Back to Top] People
have asked me several times to talk about the essential guidelines for mind
practice. All of those that I said earlier are not yet the guidelines. What
is essential is seldom lengthy, and what is lengthy is rarely crucial. The
genuine guidelines only have two sentences, which I cite from words of
saints: “Above and beneath the sky, only I am solely supreme. Guanzizai and keep the original
true mind.” Ladies and gentlemen, please make sure to keep them in mind
firmly. They are precisely the essential guidelines for mind practice and the
key to mind practice. Please do not misinterpret that the sentence “only I am
solely supreme” refers to the great Buddha but has nothing to do with me. In
the classic of the Ch’an
literature, “Records of Pointing at the
Moon,” many ancients had clarified it. Someone asked master Yun-Men, “When the Buddha was
just born, He walked around for seven steps; and then, with one hand pointing
to the sky and the other pointing at the ground, He said, ‘Above and beneath
the sky, only I am solely supreme.’ How would you explain it?” Yun-Men
replied, “If I were there, I would strike Him dead and feed Him to a dog.”
Yun-Men’s answer gave rise to the suspicion that he was not a faithful
disciple of the Buddha. But, if he was, how could he say that he would strike
the Buddha dead and feed Him to a dog? An old monk commented, “Yun-Men’s answer shows that
he truly knew how to pay a debt of gratitude to the Buddha.” Yu-Men said that
because he genuinely realized the true meaning of the guideline: “Above and
beneath the sky, only I am solely supreme.” He couldn’t answer like that if
he hadn’t realized the meaning, which is as follows: when I see you, there
are you and I. If I do not strike you dead, I am not alone. Only after striking
you dead that I alone am genuinely supreme. “I” does not refer to the Buddha
but the original self. This self owned
by everyone is solely supreme. Someone else asked, “Above and beneath the sky, only
I am solely supreme. What does the saying mean?” Someone answered, “The
messenger.” What is the message? To whom
was the message sent? It was to deliver a message for the Dharma realm. If you can reach the level of “only I am solely supreme,”
you will definitely succeed. Since His birth, the Buddha’s very first
preaching was these words: “Above and beneath the sky, only I am solely
supreme.” However, people neglected its real meaning. If you can be aware of
it and even achieve it, you undoubtedly can become a Buddha instantaneously.
The keyword is “solely.” “Above and beneath the sky” refers to the infinite
time and space; “only I am solely supreme” means that only the true self
stands. The true self does not coexist with anything- no thoughts,
consciousness, forms, sounds, smells, tastes, etc. If it is associated with
anything, it is not “alone”; since it is not “alone,” how could it be
“supreme”? What does “Guanzizai”
mean? It means to contemplate one’s mind or to “watch one’s true self.”
Familiarizing with self-observation is the same manner used to maintain the
An-Hsiang state of mind. What are you keeping if you do not pay attention to
your mind? What would “contemplating the original true self” mean? Many
people read the Heart Sutra over and over; some even explained it with
200,000 words. But only a few truly realize its meaning. If I put the first
sentence of the Heart Sutra, “Guanzizai,”
after “all are empty,” it will become much easier to understand: “…No
eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies, minds; No forms, sounds, smells, tastes,
touches or consciousness; No sight, and so forth, until we come to: No
mind-consciousness; There is no ignorance, no extinction of ignorance, and so
forth, until we come to: there is no decay and death, no extinction of decay
and death. There is no suffering, no aggregation, no cessation, and no path…”
(There is nothing at all.) “Guanzizai, the Holy Lord and Bodhisattva.” To move “Guanzizai” there, it is more apparent that without the means to contact the outside world and no actual existence of the outside world, there is nothing but “Guanzizai.” However, life still exists. Life is eternal. Until everything is gone but life, it is called “Guanzizai” or “contemplating one’s true self.” Rene Descartes said, “I think therefore I am,” which
is slightly rough. But, to delicately modify it, it transforms to “I am aware
therefore I am,” which means the same as “to contemplate one’s true self.” As
mentioned in sutras, to contemplate is to be aware. If you can constantly “be
with the true self” and “be solely supreme,” you will reach the state that is
free from all contamination and that “everything is me.” The word “supreme”
is a modifier used to describe non-duality as the noblest and the most
precious state. When
you are in the state of “Guanzizai,”
everything is gone, such as your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. From
the cause and effect perspective, not using your ears, nose, eyes, or mouth
can be regarded as the cause, and the effect is that your mind will be open.
As a saying in the Esoteric School, “Close the external door to make the
internal door open.” Therefore, they practice dark retreats, aiming to be in
a state without eyes, ears, noses, tongues, bodies, minds, forms, sounds,
smells, tastes, touches, or consciousness. There is only a dark room, not
even a lamp. What can you look at in the room? You can hear nothing, and
talking to yourself is pointless. Consequently, the Sixth Patriarch said this
when he was about to pass away, “One comes without a mouth,” directly
pointing out the core of mind practice. Up to this point, it can be confirmed
that those two sentences are the genuine guidelines for the practice. To “keep the original true mind” is what the Fifth
Patriarch specifically emphasized throughout his life. If practitioners do
not learn how to keep, they are easily lost. It is similar to taking a child
to shop. It would be best to keep an eye on him constantly; otherwise, you
will lose him shortly. You will gradually recognize and realize your original
mind through contemplating your mind; however, if you do not keep the mind,
you will lose it again. As the ancients said, “People craving to look at the
moon in the sky will lose the pearls in their hands.” You must know that our
mind is the most respectable, noble, intimate, and directly related to
ourselves. Thus, it is a waste of life if you look outwardly for irrelevant
and useless knowledge. No matter how professional the knowledge is, it is
like dust that covers the true mind; even Dharma is like dust. Therefore, it
is said that “though a gold chip is valuable, you still get hurt when it is in
your eyes.” In conclusion, the word “solely” in the guideline-
“Above and beneath the sky, only I am solely supreme”- means that all are
empty, such as no forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, or consciousness.
Moreover, “Guanzizai” tells us not to look outwardly.
And because “the genuine truth is original,” your true mind is original.
Therefore, to “keep the original true mind” means maintaining the mind that
you originally have. This uncontaminated and dust-free “holy master” should
be kept carefully so it will not be lost again. If you are unwilling to do
the practice but continuously look outwardly for theories, you chase after
external phenomena. The ancients said, “The person who looks outwardly for
Bodhi is always foolish and stubborn.” They also said, “People craving to
look at the moon in the sky will lose the pearls in their hands.” Today I have briefly explained the keys to mind
practice. The former section of my speech is about sicknesses, whereas the
latter is about the cure. I hope that everyone can firmly remember the
essential guidelines. Then, after memorizing them, you can let go of every
other thing. Thank you! |