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Buddhadharma Lives in the Earthly World [ I.The Style and Characteristics of Ch'an] [II.
Essentials of Ch'an Practice][III.Conclusion
]
I.
The
Style and Characteristics of Ch’an
i.
Ch’an
Applies a Speech to Interpret Speechlessness
ii.
Ch’an
Applies Speechlessness to Interpret a Speech
iii.
Ch’an Is
a Common Humor II.
Essentials
of Ch’an Practice
i.
To Genuinely Believe in
Causality Is the Basis of Reason
ii.
By
Introspecting Oneself and Eliminating One’s Faults to Start One’s Ch’an
Practice
iii.
“To
Solely Pursue a Clear Conscience” Is One’s Life Goal
iv.
To Implement
the Middle Way to Guide One’s Mind and Conduct
v.
Home Is
the Site for One’s Ch’an Practice
vi.
To Take
Responsibility and Duty as the Center of One’s Life
vii.
To
Search for the Very Origin Is the Subject of Ch’an Practice
viii.
To
Maintain Long-lasting Meditation Is the Right Conduct III. Conclusion The transmission
of the essence of Ch’an beyond mere doctrines began with Buddha Shakyamuni
holding a flower at Mountain Ling and smiling wordlessly. Since Bodhidharma
arrived from India in the West, the essence of the Dharma had been
transferred to the Chinese successor at the Shaolin Temple. It was Master
Hui-Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of the Ch’an School, at Tsao-Hsi, to cause the
precious seed of Bodhi widely sown in China to germinate and bloom. This, in
turn, caused the Chinese culture to sparkle with unprecedented brilliance. As
a result, literature that contains the essence of Ch’an becomes both earthly
and transcendent; life becomes both ordinary and extraordinary; and art, both
figurative and abstract. During the
Song (960-1279) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties, Confucianism had become
rigid. However, the injection of the Ch’an thoughts into Confucianism created
the School of Reason that advocated “Mind Is Reason,” thus giving
Confucianism a new life and new features. In turn, it interprets the fact that
any academic theory, no matter how great, practical or useful it may be, must
be rooted in our daily life. Otherwise, it is merely an exhibit in an “ivory
tower” and unable to improve our life, let alone solve the issues of birth,
death, suffering, and happiness. I. The Style and
Characteristics of Ch'an Speaking of
Ch’an, many people regard it as a privilege for those high-ranking monks
living in the deep forest monasteries; or as an amusing source of postmeal
chats for academicians rather than something closely connected with the
public. Ch’an seems like a gigantic wall, too high to reach, or a wall of
brass or steel without any access to enter. Why? It is because we do not
understand the spoken and written languages of Ch’an, nor can we realize the
connotations of many koans of Ch’an, even after having spent all our lifetime
studying them. Why is it so? It is because we do not view Ch’an with an
ordinary mind. We must realize that truth is intrinsic and universal; thus,
it is unlikely to apart Ch’an from our everyday life. As the Sixth Patriarch,
Hui-Neng, stated, “Buddhadharma lives in the earthly world; a hermit cannot
realize it. That being distant from the earthly world to look for Bodhi is
likened to looking for a rabbit horn.” The Diamond Sutra also claims that
“All laws are Buddhadharma.” It is because we live in this earthly world that
we need Buddhadharma. Therefore, if we leave the earthly world to search for
the Buddhadharma, we can never find it, and it is meaningless to do so. After
realizing this, it becomes clear that it is our misconceptions about Ch’an
that drive us away. Ch’an is very
hard to understand. The reason is not the eccentricity of those Ch’an masters
but Ch’an’s sense of humor. When
one has been personified by the Dharma to become fully self-aware, free, and
easy, one can naturally, instinctively, and vividly express Ch’an’s sense of
humor. Why can’t we
understand Ch’an’s sense of humor? i. Ch’an
Applies a Speech to Interpret Speechlessness Before Master
Yun-Men Wen-Yan attained his enlightenment, he always chased Master Chen
Mu-Chou to ask about the Dharma. On purpose, Master Chen often hid from
Yun-Men. One day, while Master Chen was closing the door, Yun-Men came in
time to step his foot in. But Master Chen still shut the door and hurt
Yun-Men’s foot. Yun-Men thus became crippled throughout his life. Some people
even jokingly called him master crippled leg. Yun-Men said to Master Chen,
“It’s alright to have my foot injured, but you have to tell me what
Buddhadharma means.” Master Chen uttered five words: “chin, shih, du, li,
tsuan.” No matter how you arrange these five words, you definitely cannot
figure out what they mean. However, Yun-Men realized it immediately. What did
he realize? He realized that the speech interpreted the speechlessness. If
you can realize the connotation of this koan, you must have truly realized
it. It is crucial to choose the right koan to contemplate; otherwise, it is
simply a vain attempt. In addition, someone once asked Master Zhao-Zhou: “Why
did Bodhidharma come from the West?” “The cypress in the courtyard,” he
answered. Master Yun-Men was also asked by someone, “What is Buddha?” “Dry
shits,” he replied. These are both examples of applying a speech to interpret
speechlessness. ii. Ch’an
Applies Speechlessness to Interpret a Speech “What is
Buddha?” A blow on your head is the answer. “Why did Bodhidharma come from
the West?” A raised thumb or raised fists is the answer. These are examples
of interpreting a speech by speechlessness. It is impossible to
intellectually understand koans of “applying a speech to interpret
speechlessness” or write articles about them. However, applying a raised
thumb to interpret a speech deserves you to write a thesis of one-hundred-thousand
words to explain it. The gesture was a naturally humorous expression. iii. Ch’an
Is a Common Humor Someone asked
Master Zhao-Zhou: “It is said that you have learned Buddhadharma from Master
Pu-Yuan, haven’t you?” He replied: “Zheng-Zhou produces big radishes.” It is
a simile, telling that everyone knows it and needless to ask this question.
It is just a humorous statement. Nevertheless, many Ch’an practitioners take
it as a koan to contemplate. After all, what can they attain even though they
thought they had realized it? Being unable to realize any connotation is a
definite result since its meaning is quite apparent. Whatever you thought you
had realized is wrong! Hence, it is crucial to choose the right koans of
Ch’an to contemplate. If you spend the whole life contemplating wrong koans,
others will only laugh at you when you seek approval. It is not
surprising that people find Ch’an hard to understand because it has a strong
sense of humor. When the Tang dynasty was in its prime, the Ch’an School was
also in its full flourish, like a flower with its five petals widely open. It
was because the country was strong at that time, and the society was
prosperous. The sound environment was highly favorable for practitioners, as
many successful monks and sages were available and not short of great
spiritual mentors. Under such a pressure-free condition, everyone surely was
full of a sense of humor. From the Song
dynasty on, the country became weaker and weaker, and they had to pay other countries
to assure their security. As a result, people lived in poverty. How could
people be humorous under such circumstances? Therefore, koans of the Tang
dynasty were extremely humorous; comparatively, koans of the Sung dynasty
also had a sense of humor, but rare people attained enlightenment. In the
twentieth century, before the year of 1949, China had been consistently
exploited by foreign powers and waiting to be demolished. No wonder Chinese
people had no idea of humor. Consequently, now it is tough for people to
realize the mentality of those Ch’an Patriarchs. We thought that Ch’an was
unreachable, but in fact, it is our lack of sense of humor that makes us
think this way. If we can
perceive Ch’an with an ordinary mind, we find it universal and deeply rooted
in our everyday life. It is also extremely equal. Take the Sixth Patriarch as
an example. Though he was illiterate, he still could attain his
enlightenment, and all his speeches have been regarded as scriptures. In
fact, Master Hui-Neng, the Sixth Patriarch, was the only Chinese whose
speeches had been claimed as a Buddhist Sutra. Referring to
the above analyses, the misperception of Ch’an is why we are ignorant about
the fact that Buddhadharma indeed lives in the earthly world. We can still find
a trace of Ch’an in modern literature and art, such as Ju Ming’s sculptures
and contemporary embroidery. It confirms the saying, “Buddhadharma lives in
the earthly world; a hermit cannot realize it. That being distant from the
earthly world to look for Bodhi is likened to looking for a rabbit horn.”
Therefore, we should discover ourselves in the real life because Ch’an is the
true self. If Ch’an is not about one’s self, why do we even bother to
practice it? Since we lose the true self while growing up, we can only find
it back in our everyday life. II. Essentials of
Ch'an Practice [Back to Top] Since we were
born, our original mind has been gradually covered by the Six Dusts to form
our present superficial consciousness eventually; namely, the differentiating
mind. Meanwhile, the true mind, which never differentiates and changes, has
been buried. Removing the dust covering our true mind to unveil the eternal
and original true self is the main subject of practice for people who are
unwilling to have their true self buried. It is also the essential mission of
our lives. Thus, how to practice Buddhadharma in our everyday life to make it
rooted, germinated, blooming, and fruitful, here are some essentials we must
grasp: i. To
Genuinely Believe in Causality Is the Basis of Reason Speaking of
causality, everyone scorns it as those ignorant older people’s cliché, saying
it is too simple and too common. In fact, causality is truth. What does “to
genuinely believe in causality” mean? For example, we go to temples to
worship deities and ask to win a lottery, have better luck, or get a speedy
recovery from an illness. It is a superstition, not a genuine belief in
causality. “To genuinely believe in causality” means one should learn how to
become a Buddha from Buddhas’ teaching. What did
Buddha Shakyamuni realize under the bodhi tree? It was causality. “Causality”
is an abbreviation, while “Causes, Conditions and Effects” is its full name.
He escaped from the palace to learn the Dharma from some other religions but
found that their doctrines were irrelevant and not true. Then, He dragged His
very ill body to bathe in the Ni-Lien Chan River and drank the goat milk
given by a shepherdess. Afterward, He meditated under a bodhi tree and attained
His enlightenment by eventually realizing the law of dependent origination.
It begins with the degeneration of life, and ignorance originated from
successive seeing and taking, leading to the cycle, loss, and reincarnation
of life, which is called the twelve links of dependent origination. Buddha
Shakyamuni observed all the phenomena of the universe to discover that the
universe virtually consists of countless dependent origination. A “cause” is
a motive, and an “effect” results from the integration of many “conditions.”
Then, the effect is the cause of another effect, and so on. Consequently,
causes and effects are continually dependent on one another, and the whole
universe is filled with the phenomena of “Causes, Conditions, and Effects.”
There is nothing else! In other words, all the phenomena in the universe
result from the combination or dependence of various conditions. Nevertheless,
when all the conditions are taken apart, they disappear simultaneously, and there
is nothing permanent. That is the reason why “Nothing has its own nature.”
Take a house as an example. We can no longer find the house if we take away
its concrete, sands, stones, woods, steel bars, and even human labor and
time. And all these different conditions will disappear gradually. This
phenomenon can also be found when you separate proton, neutron, and electron,
or even take away photon or quantum; they will disappear gradually and no
longer exist. Moreover, the human body is composed of sixty-trillion atoms;
so if these atoms are taken away, we cannot find the person. Thus, these
examples reveal the basic principle of existence: “Everything in the universe
is mutually dependent. When the conditions are gone, nothing will exist.”
This is why the Buddha said, “All the phenomena resulted from the dependent
interaction of causes and conditions virtually mean nothing to me.” If
anything could exist after all the conditions are separated, the universe
would be messy and chaotic. Everything can only exist when all the conditions
are mutually dependent, and conditions are merely temporal phenomena. When
one of the conditions is separated, every other condition will disappear
simultaneously. It takes more
than trillions of conditions to form a new substance in the universe; in
other words, the birth of an unknown substance is immensely difficult.
Therefore, dependent origination is precious! Buddha Shakyamuni said that
effects result from the integration of causes and conditions. An effect is
the cause of another effect, so causes and effects depend on one another and
form endless cycles. Since the universe is composed of various conditions,
the universe itself is void. Though it is void, human beings living within
still have to recognize its laws and rules, i.e., the law of dependent
origination. In logic, it is named the law of natural consistency- a unified
rule in the natural world. Buddha Shakyamuni applied “the law of dependent
origination” to
refute the concepts advocated by the six heretics, and they are as follows: (1)
One-cause theory- They claimed
that everything in the universe was created by Brahma, which was the only
cause. Then Buddha Shakyamuni asked, “Who created Brahma?” The heretics could
not refute a word; thus, Buddha Shakyamuni used the law of dependent
origination to refute their theory. (2)
No-cause theory – They claimed
that everything had no reason at all. There were no doers or recipients, nor
laws or rules. Buddha Shakyamuni again applied the law of causality to make
them speechless. (3)
Evil-cause theory – They claimed
that people suffer due to unhappiness, which is derived from a lack of
spiritual and material pleasure. If people felt content with their spiritual
and material lives, they could be immediately liberated and free from all
worries. It sounded logical; however, where to gain something without paying
off in the earthly world? In fact, it is impossible to satisfy one’s
spiritual needs because one’s desires are endless. For example, a child wants
a toy robot initially but asks for a toy car after getting the robot. He
cannot be satisfied with only one toy. As for material needs, one has to work
to get them. As the saying goes, “No pains, no gains.” What do you rely on to deserve your
material satisfaction? Thus, if one’s dependent origination is not ready,
one’s fantasy will never come true. (4)
Fatalism – They claimed
that all of the law, existence, change, and development was predestined by
the deity, and no one can change them. Buddha Shakyamuni stated that if a
cause or a condition were changed, its effect would subsequently be changed.
Buddha refuted the advocators of fatalism as self-denial, anti-progressive
and deserting self-esteem. If you ever read Liao-Fan’s Four Lessons, you
would know that an effect could be changed when its cause was altered.
Fatalism only makes sense to those who are unwilling to work hard or would
rather give themselves up, and they indeed live in their fates. What is
fatalism? When one is born, one’s living environment starts being affected by
the genes, social status, occupations, and parents’ educational background.
After being raised for years, a child’s personality has primarily formed at
the age of eight. As a result, the child’s future has almost been planned,
which is fatalism. However, to someone who possesses great endowment, strong
self-awareness, and self-esteem, he is anti-fatalistic. Like Yuan Liao-Fan,
he definitely can change his fate. Therefore, Buddha Shakyamuni criticized
fatalism for deserting self-worth, progress, and self-esteem. (5) Skepticism – Buddha
Shakyamuni criticized skeptics as brainless and lacking an analytical
attitude. (6)
Sitting Meditation – Buddha
Shakyamuni criticized its followers for mistaking the means for the goal.
They thought that motionless sitting could sweep away all the thoughts and
make one achieve one’s liberation immediately. Can people just sit without
eating or working and merely enjoy their rights but not fulfilling their
obligations? If they do not have the luck to practice sitting meditation all
the time with others serving them meals, does it mean that they can never
practice Dharma? Consequently, Buddha Shakyamuni said that sitting meditation
was a means, not a purpose. If you always focus on the means, you will never
reach the goal. One must possess correct views to be able to see the original
mind. Only after seeing the original mind can one realize the Genuine View,
which will precisely guide one’s conduct. Therefore, it is wrong to think
that one will succeed by only practicing sitting meditation. In
conclusion, Buddha Shakyamuni refuted all six heretics by applying “the law
of dependent origination.” Why do we say
that Buddhadharma is the law of the earthly world and universally applicable?
It is because the law of dependent origination lectured by Buddha Shakyamuni
is an organization. Everything existing in the universe is a form of
organization; whether it is a whole or an individual, nothing can exist just
by itself. Can you find anything that exists by itself? You can’t! If we
apply the modern language to interpret the spirit of the Buddhadharma, we can
conclude that an organization is the common cause of all things and is the
sole means of creation. As far as “an organization is the common cause of all
things” is concerned, from the boundless galaxy to a little tree and grass on
the earth, or even a micro atom, nothing exists solely. Everything is
presented by different forms of organization to show its individual structure
and function. There can be
endless examples explaining that “an organization is the sole means of
creation:” Musicians use several notes to compose great pieces; artists use
simple lines and paints to create fantastic paintings. Scientists implant
three neutrons into Uranium 235 to produce Uranium 238 to generate nuclear
chain reactions. Architects apply the principle of lever and structural
mechanics to construct grand buildings. Therefore, we can conclude that all
creations result from the structural change of an organization. Suppose
someday our wisdom and technology can change the composition of gold, namely,
to change the quantities of the electrons, protons, neutrons, and quantum in
the gold atom and their moving speed and directions. In that case, we will be
able to produce gold. Ancient people failed to achieve alchemy, whereas we
can make it successful. We can say
that the law of dependent origination is the law of creation. Dependent
origination represents all the phenomena in the universe; in modern language,
it is an organization. If you are a chief executive or a high-ranking leader
and know nothing about dependent origination or an organization, you can
never succeed. An organization can be divided into visible and invisible
forms. A visible form aims to display the function of checks and balances to
inspire and encourage people. Concerning an invisible form, it makes you
present some great ideals for people to dream and believe and be willing to
sacrifice for them. Even though these ideals may never be achieved in 100 or
1,000 years, they must be there. Suppose you
can present a short-term goal, which is the most disgusting, unusual, and
unbearable, for everyone to work together to fight against it. In that case,
it is the function of an organization. If you do not project a grand ideal,
there is no way to inspire people’s passions. Without setting a short-term
goal, you cannot unite people to act to show the power of an organization.
When something fails to express its strength, it has lost its function; then,
it is pointless to exist. The only possibility is to disappear on its own.
For example, if someone puts a bouquet, a microphone, or a teacup on this
table, they can stay. However, if someone puts a brick here, whoever sees it
will throw it away because it is meaningless to have it here. Consequently,
we discover that Buddha’s law of dependent origination teaches us that
everything must have its function and organization. Therefore, we can alter
its conditions to change its course and upgrade its function. Moreover, it
also inspires us that everything must have the value and meaning of its
existence. Nothing can last if its purpose, value, and function disappear.
Thus, we must live within our responsibility and duty. Even Master Bai-Zhang,
an ordained monk, persisted with his rule of “no work, no food.” Hence, the
true Buddhadharma is not a philosophy that is only used to talk big or as an
exhibit for the nobles. Philosophy is, in fact, very similar to dependent
origination. However, the genuine Buddhadharma is living in our everyday life
and cannot be separated from the earthly laws. In conclusion,
we must first build the basis of reason upon causality. Though the nature of
everything is void, it is not empty since there is non-duality and dependent
origination within. Therefore, people should get along and be mutually
dependent rather than arguing for useless knowledge irrelevant to our life. ii. By
Introspecting Oneself and Eliminating One’s Faults to Start One’s Ch’an
Practice If one intends
to practice Ch’an to pursue the liberation of life but does not eliminate
one’s mistakes, it violates the law of causality in Dharma. The law of
causality is not a game of concept- giving you ideas but not knowing what to
do; it requires us to implement it in our everyday life progressively. First,
we must realize that “mistakes are the causes of worries and destruction
results from sins.” If we want to avoid being destroyed, we must get away
from sins; if we’re going to avoid being worried, we must get rid of
mistakes. That is why I always say that “worries and mistakes coexist,
whereas sins and destruction are synchronous.” If you live with mistakes, it
is unlikely for you to live without worries. When heading towards sins, you
are inevitably doomed to have a destructive destiny. Therefore, we have to
introspect ourselves constantly. There are two
functions of introspection. The first is to discover what constitutes our
inner states. Let’s take the newborns in the obstetrical nursery as an
example. They are all the same in terms of the display of human nature; they
cry when hungry or wearing a wet diaper and sleep when they are full.
Although they do not dream, some sleep with smiling faces. However, why do
they become so different when they have grown up? While growing, they
continuously absorb forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental
formations to form their superficial consciousness and bury their original
mentality. Therefore, various personalities are formed. As the saying goes,
“Personality, as well as one’s looks, differs between people.” The second
function of introspection is to discover biased personalities embedded in our
superficial consciousness. Besides, we also can find the factors that cause
the failure of our careers. If we do not get rid of them, we cannot live
better and will be doomed to fail. Only by undergoing continuous
introspection to reach a seemingly dead-end can we surprisingly see an
unexpectedly beautiful landscape appear. Suppose we can introspect back to the
moment of our birth or even further back, and the introspection is thorough
and complete enough to sweep away all the mistakes and obstacles on our
minds. In that case, we then can reach the state of “Yoga” to unite with the
truth, Buddhadharma, and the genuine phenomenon of the universe. At this
time, one can see oneself before one’s birth, namely, “the original face”
claimed by the Ch’an School. One’s original
face is the genuine phenomenon of the grand universe. You do not conflict with
the universe because the universe is you, and vice versa. Unfortunately, many
people are unwilling to introspect themselves; they get angry every day and
assume that they are constantly mistreated. It is hopeless to think like
this, “If those annoying people did not exist, I would not get angry.” Why?
As the saying goes, “People should turn inward and examine yourself when you
encounter difficulties in life.” Those who do not introspect and find the
answer within can never keep their worries at bay. Try to recall if it was
not because you did something, said something, or realized something wrong,
would you have worries? Certainly not. Here is an example of a
misunderstanding that you are not welcome. Two persons were talking in the
room, but they stopped when they saw you come in. You thought they were
criticizing you; actually, they stopped showing you their respect. If they
continued talking and ignored your presence, you would blame them for their
arrogance. There are more
similar scenarios. If we are always unsatisfied and intend to change outside
conditions to suit our needs, we will surely become more and more agonized
and turn it into a vicious cycle. Only by searching the origin of worries
inwardly can you get rid of them. “Things that have a common quality ever
quickly seek their kind”; if you do not have mistakes, worries will not come
to you. Therefore, an authentic Buddhist practitioner should make the most
thorough introspection and apply the law of causality to evaluate, realize
and demand himself. By doing so progressively and diligently, one can live
without worries, and every day will be a good day. iii. “To
Solely Pursue a Clear Conscience” Is One’s Life Goal A true Ch’an
practitioner does not aim to show off his or her wit or sense of humor, even
though it is harmless to do so. The most beneficial and realistic way of
living is to solely pursue a clear conscience as one’s life goal. Life must
have a direction for everyone to go for. The concepts of “overcoming one’s
desires to stick to norms;” and “having disadvantages equals having advantages;”
are not ultimate. Therefore, the only basic principle we must assure and
persist with is “the sole pursuit of a clear conscience.” A friend, who
I had not seen for a long time, visited me and told me he planned to retire
earlier. Then he started complaining that earning a good reputation was very
hard to achieve. Although he had always been responsible and friendly to
others; still, he felt so frustrated because he peeped at the deputy supervisor’s
report on him and found a lot of misunderstanding and negative comments on
his performance. I told him that he exactly displayed the effect of the
statement I made before: “Worries are at the heels of mistakes.” He was not
allowed to read the evaluation report. Since he peeped it, he deserved the
woe. That was the result of his misconduct! I often say
what one should only pursue in one’s lifetime is to live with a clear
conscience. The meaning and value of one’s life are not built on the favors
or disfavors of few subjective and biased people. If one does not have
persistence, he will never be at ease. If we do not want to let others
determine our value, we must assure that “to solely pursue a clear
conscience” is our principle and life goal. As long as we do everything with
a guiltless mind, whether you like it or not doesn’t matter. You are not my
wife who I will spend my whole life with anyway. People who do not persist
with this principle will live in constant frustration. It is not a joke. I
sincerely mean it! Therefore, you should solely pursue a clear conscience,
conduct without any guilt, and fully fulfill your responsibilities and
obligations throughout your life. Only after death can you be free from the
duty. Then you will not feel unbearable or afraid when facing death. Those
who can “solely pursue a clear conscience and always have a guiltless mind”
can live out the saying, “A good conscience is a soft pillow.” Even if a
hospital notifies them of the bad news, they do not fear. Therefore, we
should not take chances to conduct misbehaviors that will only make our minds
anxious. When we go against our conscience to do bad things, we are cheating
our minds. Cheating one’s mind equals cheating Heaven. What is the
difference between Ch’an and “Mind is Reason,” advocated by the
neo-Confucianists in Sung and Ming dynasties? If the mind means the original
mind and the reason indicates the original reason, which deviates from the
Six Dusts, then Ch’an equals neo-Confucianism and vice versa. If we can
possess such a mind, we surely can live with a clear conscience and feel free
and settled. There will be no worries during the day and no nightmares during
sleep. Therefore, if we want to practice Buddhadharma in our everyday lives,
we must persist with the life goal of “solely pursuing a clear
conscience.” Bodhidharma
came from the West to sit in front of a wall at the Shaolin Temple for nine
years; he was waiting for the Second Patriarch to arrive. When the Second Patriarch,
Master Hui-Ke, went to see Bodhidharma, Bodhidharma said, “You have stood all
night in the snow, what are you asking for?” He asked for nothing but a clear
conscience. He said, “Master, my mind is restless; would you please settle it
for me?” “Give me your mind! I will settle it for you!” “How come I can’t
find it!” “Then, I have already settled it for you.” The dialogue
between them highlights the essential goal of a Ch’an practitioner is to
pursue a clear conscience. It also tells us that when one reaches the state
of “no-mind,” the mind is settled. In other words, when your superficial
consciousness stops acting, and so do all your delusions, your original mind
starts revealing, then surely your mind is safe, easy, and ultimately
settled. Therefore, if one’s Ch’an practice does not aim at pursuing a clear
conscience, one is doomed to fail. iv. To Implement the Middle Way to Guide
One’s Mind and Conduct The Middle Way
means a moderate course of action. The conduct of the mind includes one’s
thoughts and physical behaviors; all our physical actions reflect the
thoughts and guidance of our minds. As Buddhist sutras state, “Hsin hsing chu
mieh (note: deluded thoughts cover the original mind);” therefore, one’s mind
is more important than one’s behavior. Many people think that it does not
matter to have a thought without taking actual actions; however, by doing so,
one’s mind and soul have already been contaminated. Deluded thoughts will
make one’s mind trapped in a gloomy state, so it is called “Hsiang Yin” or
“the aggregate of clinging to perceptions.” What is the
Middle Way? Someone said that he would always give his rice bowl to others
who needed it more than him. It is not the Middle Way because he will starve
to death eventually. As a Chinese poem wrote, “Dying before meeting the grand
objective often makes heroes weep till their clothes are wet with tears.” It
is not the Middle Way. Moreover, if someone said, “I am selling eggs. My
price is $1.00 each, though others’ is $2.00 each,” then how long could his
business survive? Get ready to close his business soon! This is not the
Middle Way. Some others also claim, “When people have arguments and ask for
my opinions, I would say nothing to offend either side and get ready to bear
the blame.” Is that the Middle Way? These people are called fence-sitters who
have no sense of true and false or right and wrong. What is the
genuine Middle Way? Its basic idea is “harmless.” For example, when we put some soda in a
bottle of vinegar and lightly shake it, the vinegar becomes neutral after
being heated and cooled down; and people with or without a stomachache can
drink it. Moreover, the genuine Middle Way “hits the spot.” It is like
hitting right at the center of a target, neither going beyond the limit nor
falling short. It is just right. For example, we make profits when doing
business, so do the opposite, and no one else is ever harmed. One day, I
talked to Mr. Yeh Teng-Hui about the Middle Way. I asked him, “What do you
do?” He replied, “Selling lunch boxes.” I told him that the lunch boxes he
sold should not be more expensive than others, and he could also eat them
himself. That is the Middle Way. If he does not dare to eat them, he is
wicked. Those who sell unlicensed drugs on the roads would eat them first.
Why? If they do not dare to eat the drugs, no one will buy them. If you sell
something that you do not dare to eat, your mind is already away from the
Middle Way. I told Mr. Yeh that his family should eat what he sells. It
implements the Middle Way if his lunch boxes are not more expensive, and he
keeps food preparation areas cleaner than other restaurants. If he does not
do so, he cannot find the Middle Way. We should
always follow the Middle Way throughout our lifetime to benefit both others
and ourselves. We should not misinterpret the Middle Way as sacrificing
oneself to complete others. If we can truly implement the Middle Way within
our lifetime, we surely can approach the perfection of life through the
Middle Way. One should not easily sacrifice oneself to benefit only others.
Is the purpose of your life being sacrificed or eliminated? Are you meant to
be abandoned? Don’t you have a mission in life? People should balance between
righteousness and benefits. Should one survive to be a captive when one’s
country has been defeated? No! One should sacrifice under the circumstances.
That is the Middle Way. However, it is not right to constantly say that one
can sacrifice for others. v. Home
Is the Site for One’s Ch’an Practice Monks practice
at the temple, whereas ordinary people can only practice at home. Building a
harmonious family equals setting up a site at home and using it for Ch’an
practice. A home where family members have inharmonious relationships is
impossible to be a practice site. What is a home? A home serves as the
demarcation between savagery and civilization and between humans and animals.
In ancient times, there were no homes but tribes. People lived together and
had incestuous relationships, knowing only their mother but not their father.
Self-awareness and human dignity never existed. Not until families had been
formed did human nature begin to wake; since then, human dignity had been
enhanced, and the purpose and meaning of life had been enriched. Where there
is a home, there is love between parents and children, and righteousness
between a husband and a wife. Moreover, homes make it possible that fathers
are caring, sons are filial, and brothers are friendly and respectful.
Without homes, all of these are gone! A home also
allows everyone to know his role and responsibility. In addition, a happy and
healthy family is like a greenhouse that can successfully nurture sages and heroes.
Look at all the great men in the world. All of them must have been through
plenty of challenges, but more important than that, their families might not
be wealthy but were definitely healthy. Life is not
always like smooth sailing; we often encounter frustration and disturbance. A
home is a safe harbor for us to retreat and get support. It is also a place
for us to curse anyone, including presidents and premiers, without worrying
that others might report us. No matter what mistakes you have made, you can
always gain sympathy and tolerance at home. Moreover, home is where we can
regain energy. When our confidence is shaken and we are in low spirits, our
families always provide us with proper support to help us bring back our
courage and continue the journey. However, there are some miserable families.
As reported in the newspaper, parents of the so-called “key-chained children”
only feed them but do not educate them. If they have any problems, they can
only go to their teachers for help. Also, some couples become estranged from
or angry at each other; others are seemingly in harmony but actually at
variance. Such families are homes of foes and obstacles to Ch’an practice. In
order to prevent our homes from becoming obstacles, the first step is to
avoid demanding others to meet our standards. Secondly, we are the ones to
take others as a mirror to reflect upon ourselves and modify our
misbehaviors. It is wrong for a husband to do nothing but scold his wife and
children at home, or a child criticizes his parents for being old-fashioned.
When we see family members’ shortcomings, we should avoid the same mistakes
instead of nagging them. The biggest
mistake that Ch’an practitioners make is trying to change others according to
their standards. It is not only selfish but also displays the thinking of
tyrants and the mentality of Asura. A practitioner should not behave like
this. If you intend to make your home a site for Ch’an practice, you should
modify yourself rather than others. By doing so, your family life will
naturally turn better. Many of you have known me for a long time. Some had
asked me how to improve their family life, and my answer was the same. They
would agree with me when hearing my answer again today. Try to list
all your bad habits that your family members dislike and change those habits
bit by bit. Then, examine the bad habits that your family members have.
Rather than demanding them to change, you act as a model of not behaving the
same. You will quickly see its effect in half a year, or it will not be over
two years at the latest. On the contrary,
if you do not follow this method but always give orders and criticize family
members’ behaviors, such as their eating manners or sitting poses, they will
only feel upset or annoyed when you are around. Some people are very welcome
at home; partners make tea for them while children hold their legs. But if
your family members do not want you home, you become redundant to your
family. We must build
positive family relationships. Then, as the Chinese proverb goes, “A
benevolent person can lead his family to be benevolent; and a modest family
can lead its country to be modest.” In other words, an individual can
motivate loved ones to build a healthy family; then, many healthy families
collaboratively construct an ideal society. Subsequently, a harmonious society
leads to an An-Hsiang (settled and peaceful) country. This is the
implementation of “making the land sacred and maturing the sentient beings,”
as stated in Buddhist sutras. Thus, this world is the Buddha land, and
healthy families are its base. The sentient
beings are not mature enough emotionally and intellectually, and we lack the
right views and benevolence. A society without benevolence is full of
contradiction, conflict, and hatred; moreover, a society without right views
is doomed to be aimless, disrespectful, and chaotic. Therefore, to mature the
sentient beings requires the propagation of Buddhadharma to enlighten our
right views and develop our reasons. Ordinary
people pursue power, material pleasure, and the satisfaction of their social
needs; however, what human beings need the most is something for our genuine
reasons to rely on and someplace to demonstrate our genuine emotions fully.
If these two needs cannot be satisfied, even an enormous supply of material
is unlikely to fill the void of one’s life. And the very first place to
fulfill the needs is everyone’s home. A home is also the starting point of
“making the land sacred and maturing the sentient beings.” Why do I
particularly emphasize building a harmonious family? To some people, their
homes are equal to shackles; their families are a heavy burden and an
obstacle to Ch’an practice. The leading cause of this result is that they set
their minds on demanding others instead of dominating their lives. They
always lay eyes on others’ faults instead of reviewing their behaviors. This
is the root of all afflictions. Before harmonizing our families, we cannot
practice Ch’an. How is it possible to practice Ch’an when we already feel
isolated outside but feel even worse at home? Modern people should be well
aware that parents are worthy of their children’s trust only by building a
harmonious family. Without a caring family, it is unlikely to nurture the
next generation healthily, which in turn darkens the future of our nation and
the prospect of human beings. If a couple
often has quarrels, their children are impossible to have a healthy state of
mind. When there are tensions between a couple, their children will even have
nightmares and cry at night. Children are innocent and should not be
mistreated. They could have been sages or heroes but become hypocrites or
liars because their broken minds and split personalities are developed to
cope with adults during growth. Therefore, parents must give children a
healthy environment, and there is no excuse to get rid of the responsibility.
By saying that
“a home is like a greenhouse that nurtures sages and heroes,” I do not mean
that parents should spoil their children. Though a greenhouse can cultivate
flowers in all seasons, it cannot grow cedar or pine trees. Therefore,
instead of being indulgent parents, we should constantly inspire our children
and boost their courage to face reality rather than escape. In this way, a
home can indeed serve as the site for our Ch’an practice. Some people
claimed, “If practice at home were good, Buddha Shakyamuni would not have to
run away from the palace.” However, it is not entirely true. As the Sixth
Patriarch said, “If one wants to practice Ch’an, it is good to carry it out
either at home or at a temple.” We have seen many enlightened Buddhist
householders or hermits practice at home throughout history. The image of
many Bodhisattvas is also with long hair, jade necklaces, and solemn looks, which
is evident that they were laymen. No matter one
practices Buddhadharma for the sentient beings or oneself, building positive
family relationships is always the priority. How could you liberate the
sentient beings if you cannot liberate your family? If you cannot improve
yourself, how could you better your family? Therefore, be strict with
yourself but not with your family. A constant examination of how well you
perform your duties to your family and how much you have devoted to them
enables you to adopt an appropriate role and approach at home. Then, as the
Chinese proverb goes, “Though peach and pear trees do not speak, their beauty
and fruits draw crowds near. After some time, a clear path naturally appears
beneath the trees.” Indeed, if a leader does good deeds, who dares not to
follow? If a leader advocates righteousness, who dares to be unrighteous? “A
benevolent person can lead his family to be benevolent; a modest family can
lead its country to be modest.” In other words, only by practicing what one
preaches can one lead the trend. In conclusion, the fifth requirement to
practice Buddhadharma is to build a harmonious family and make it a practice
site. vi. To
Take Responsibility and Duty as the Center of One’s Life All of us must
have a focus in life; otherwise, life will turn messy and chaotic. What is
the center of our life? It is the complete fulfillment of responsibility and
duty to individuals, families, society, and nations. Many people care
primarily about their monthly salary or even more about the annual bonus, but
they think their job is troublesome. Thus, their jobs become an unavoidable
punishment. On the
contrary, when you feel grateful for having a job and regard this legitimate
and meaningful job as something that gives you comfort and ignites your
passion, it will boost your creativity. You will also apply your wisdom to
improve and lift the quality and productivity of your work. Then, you will
realize that harvest comes after cultivation, and making contributions will
earn respect. Nevertheless, if you are unwilling to contribute or you want to
save effort, you will end up losing your honor. If you expect gains without
pain, responsibility, and duty become a punishment that brings you heavy
mental burdens. Eventually, the value of your life will depreciate
significantly. We have heard
the saying that “Dependent origination is precious.” Also, “Where there’s the
emptiness of self-nature, there’s dependent origination. Dependent
origination comes from the emptiness of self-nature.” These sayings tell us
that everything is “non-self” and is merely a combination
of various conditions. All conditions must be interdependent and mutually
beneficial to coexist. When this idea is applied to our everyday life, it
reminds us that we should like our jobs so as to adapt to the environment and
incorporate into society. If you have an adversarial relationship with your
job, it would be the greatest suffering in life. In addition, it teaches us
that only by making contributions can one earn respect; and only sowing seeds
can one harvest grains. If you do not abide by this rule, you will live in
frustration. Thus, it is essential to fulfill responsibility and duty in
everyday life for laypeople like us and ordained practitioners. Even Master
Bai-Zhang followed the rule of “a day without work is a day without food.”
When he was in his eighties, his disciples felt pity for him and took away
his working gear one day. He insisted on eating nothing that day. A Ch’an
practitioner should possess a broad mind as big as the universe. He should
also have the virtue of practicing what he preaches; otherwise, everything is
nothing but an empty talk. If you do not create the value of life, your life
becomes worthless. If you cannot demonstrate your worth at work, or your
coworkers think you are a trouble maker and feel relieved when you are gone,
you will feel empty and meaningless even though nobody criticizes you. Thus,
we cannot escape from our responsibility and duty as long as we are alive.
Those who fail to do so but only concentrate on Ch’an practice will have an
empty life, and their practice will never succeed. Progress of the practice
only comes after making contributions with a settled and guiltless mind. If
you expect to reach the goal without fulfilling duties, you live in sins, and
your life’s value is negative. Therefore, the sixth requirement of practicing
Buddhadharma is to take responsibility and duty as the center of life and
never try to run away from it. Someone told
me that he planned to retire because he had saved enough money. I told him,
“Even though you can put food on the table, you cannot stop working. If
society is filled with people like you, then a small number of workers carry
the burden of feeding the majority, the country will become poor. Everyone
must be productive so that the country can be wealthy; everyone should love
his country so that it can be strong. If everyone runs away from work, we
will all suffer from hunger; if no one loves his nation, it will vanish from
the human history.” Consequently, as practitioners of Ch’an, we should live
normally and act as role models. It is crucially important that we are not
useless people who escape from responsibility and duty. vii. To Search
for the Very Origin Is the Subject of Ch’an Practice Water comes
from its origin and timber from its root. So that, which is true, is
original. Truth can only be discovered but not created. Thus, it is not right
even if you thought you had found the truth. It is dual that there is a
person, such as you, who can discover it, and there is a truth that can be
found; however, the truth should be one and only. The
characteristic of Ch’an is transcending: it originates from religion, but it
transcends religion; it does not exclude philosophy, but it goes beyond
philosophy. In comparison, everything that uses superficial consciousness to
discover, categorize or explain phenomena is called conceptual games or
useless knowledge. For example, ontology talks about the fundamental nature
of the universe; cosmology explores the laws of the universe; epistemology
and methodology debate on the most accurate method to know the universe.
Then, the discussion extends from the universe to life, developing the
“philosophy of life” and historical perspectives. However, knowing all of
these does not make any difference, and you do not miss anything if you do
not know them. On the
contrary, Buddhadharma is entirely different. It requires you to search for
the very origin of everything by asking: what is the origin? What is the true
essence of all beings? Where does everything come from, and where do they
go? When I talked
about these questions, someone said, “I know the answer!” “What’s the
answer?” “Everything is empty,” he said. He must be joking! Why was there a
master who hit his disciple with a stick when the disciple said emptiness?
What was the purpose of the hit? What should the disciple sense when he was
hit? If you know the answers, I will say that you truly realize what
emptiness is, and you have attained the enlightenment. However, if you can
only verbalize emptiness, your understanding of emptiness is no different
from not knowing it; it is nothing but useless knowledge. A Chinese proverb
goes, “The purpose of learning is to modify one’s temperaments.” Wang
Yangming also said, “My conscience is like a panacea that can turn iron into
gold.” His conscience was already incredibly powerful, but the enlightenment
of Ch’an School that can transform ordinary people into saints is even better.
That is why Ch’an School claims to have “the methodology of instant
realization” or “the methodology of Yuan Dun.” “Yuan” means “the most
perfect,” while “Dun” means “the fastest.” Thus, the person who talked about
emptiness was still “a hit” away from genuine realization. One must
personally realize the state before all li (principles), and shi (phenomena)
appear. In the past, I had made many mistakes. Ch’an is forbidden to tell you
all the answers, so Masters of Ch’an can only tell you 99 percent of the whole
picture. Telling you more than that is wrong! Is the Ch’an School not
generous enough, or does it intend to prevent others from getting the answers
quickly? It is not true! If I tell you everything, you will only get a large
amount of useless knowledge; the opportunity to realize the answers yourself
is also blocked. This is sinful. My first
lecture at Tainan (Taiwan, R.O.C.) was “Ch’an, Teachings of Ch’an and Ch’an
Practice,” where I talked about what Ch’an is. “It is the original state of
mind, the basic attribute of life, the common phenomenon of life, and the
reason why one and others are not dual, and why Buddha equals to sentient
beings.” It is already 99.99 percent of the whole picture, but it is your own
business to add something on to complete the rest. Say anything more than
that is wrong! But if someone insists on asking me for further hints, I can
only demonstrate a gesture that might be helpful. However, the most critical
of all is that one must reach the state in person. “Self-breakthrough” does
happen; I would never lie to you! “Self-breakthrough” means that one has
completely verified and attained “the ultimate yoga.” “Yoga” refers to
“correspondence,” so “the ultimate yoga” is “the ultimate correspondence”-
one and the universe become one. This is called Mahamudra, the highest state
in Esoteric Buddhism. No matter
which Buddhist School you are practicing, you are simply cheating yourself
and wasting your time if you cannot personally realize and verify it. I had
particularly pointed out that Ch’an is the combination of Genuine View and
Genuine Perception. What is Genuine View? It means that one can see the most
authentic and original state, in which heaven and the earth have not
separated, nor have billions of galaxies been formed. What is Genuine
Perception? It is a distinctively different feeling: I can clearly hear you
talking, but everything goes in one ear and out the other; once you stop
talking, I cannot find any delusion. Now all of you try to find a delusion or
a thought in mind at this very moment. I believe you cannot find anything.
Why? It is because “when not a single thought arises, the entire substance
comes into view.” Stopping one’s thoughts is hard, but you will become the
dominator of your life if you can do so. When you can be aware of every
thought that arises, you are in the state of An-Hsiang every second. Knowledge must
base on fundamentals. Without roots, it is simply trivial knowledge. As
stated in the Song of Enlightenment, “To directly reach the origin is what
all Buddhas approve. I do not waste my spiritual energy on leaves and twigs.”
It also wrote, “Once one has realized the origin, there is no need to worry
about minor details. It is like a piece of clean glass enclosing the precious
moon.” You waste your life and create negative karma instead of merit-making
if you start preaching to whoever you meet after reading my lectures or some
Buddhist scriptures. The one you preach to has already had his true self
buried by Six Dusts, but after you keep adding “dust of Dharma” or
“attachment to Dharma” on his mind, his true self will never be able to
reveal. If you can reach the origin of all li (principles) and shi
(phenomena), it is surely a good thing; but if you cannot, just keep maintaining
the Genuine Perception. The Genuine Perception refers to the state that you
can clearly hear others and say whatever comes to your mind; when you stop
listening and talking, you are completely thoughts-free. The literal meaning
of the Genuine Perception in Chinese is the correct sensation. It is a
negative sensation if you sit alone, glimpse a shadow, and think a ghost is
nearby. No one hears a thing, but you think someone calls you; it is also a
negative sensation. Master
Bodhidharma said, “The method to realize the original mind, either reasoning
or practice will do.” By maintaining the Genuine Perception, you are
practicing. As long as you keep on the right way, you will reach the
destination sooner or later. However, if you have neither the Genuine View nor
the Genuine Perception, there is no way for you to practice Ch’an. The
Genuine View and the Genuine Perception are the wings of Ch’an that you rely
on to go upwards. You will possess the Genuine View when you keep doing the
work of reasoning until realizing the original face existed before your
parents gave birth to you. Once you have the Genuine View, the Genuine Perception
will appear immediately. On the other hand, if you can maintain and monitor
the Genuine Perception transmitted to you from others, like taking a child to
the market and carefully keeping him closely in case he is missing, it is the
method of practicing. After practicing it for a long time, you will
definitely have the Genuine View; and it is the most effective way. When you have free
time, and you have done introspecting yourself on everyday life, you can
bring up this Hua Tou to yourself, “The original face before you were given
birth,” or meditate on a randomly picked koan. However, I do not encourage
you to put all your time solely into doing so. It is because the present time
is different from the past. For example, it was okay if one were not aware of
the mountains or rivers in front of him, but not seeing cars or trains will
lead to big trouble nowadays. Therefore, you do not have to concentrate on a
Hua Tou all the time, but bring it up in your spare time and put it down when
you are busy. Nevertheless,
there is one thing you should never let go of, which is the state of
An-Hsiang. If you can maintain it every second, you are guaranteed to
accomplish the grand task in this life. Therefore, even though you have to
work now, I assure you that it will not be too late if you make an all-out
effort after retirement. Many people
said that the name “An-Hsiang” is a perfect pick because it was written in
the Lotus Sutra, “Buddha Shakyamuni rose in an-hsiang from the profound
meditation.” In other words, only Buddha can reach the state of An-Hsiang.
However, some others questioned the appropriateness of the name, saying that
the word “Hsiang” in the phrase “an-hsiang” is more often written with the
Chinese radical of “言” (yen) instead of “示
(shih).” It is because the radical of “言” refers to
the act of talking, but it would be improper to use when describing the
moments that the Buddha did not speak. Moreover, Hsiang with the radical of “示”
means auspicious. Therefore, the literal meaning of the name An-Hsiang is “a
settled mind can lead to an auspicious life.” As long as you can maintain the
state of An-Hsiang, you will have a smooth life. For example, you will not
encounter any car accident, and you will not hit anyone when riding the
motorcycle. It is verifiable, but I do not force you to believe it. By
comparison, you will be in trouble every day if you lose An-Hsiang. For
instance, you must have a disturbing mind when you cut your finger during
cooking. Therefore, keeping the An-Hsiang state of mind will lead to an
auspicious and smooth life. If your job
does not allow you to concentrate on a Hua Tou, nor can you maintain the An-Hsiang
state of mind all the time, you can sing songs of Ch’an as often as possible
under these circumstances. I believe anything verifiable is the truth. You
may observe the children of those who often sing songs of Ch’an; they stay
healthy and do not have nightmares. In conclusion,
the most fundamental subject of Ch’an practice is finding the original face
of life, realizing the common phenomenon of the sentient beings and Buddhas,
and knowing why self and others are the same and why sentient beings and
Buddhas are equal. You may wonder how the sentient beings and Buddhas may be
equal. Having a human body is already difficult, let alone becoming a Buddha.
However, Buddha Shakyamuni said Himself, “All sentient beings possess the
wisdom and virtues of Buddha Rulai.” If you can find out the reason behind
this statement, you will attain enlightenment and never doubt all the
phenomena in the universe. If you cannot find the answer, you should better
have your feet on the ground and follow the method of practicing by
maintaining An-Hsiang, especially when someone can transmit An-Hsiang to you
now. (Editor’s note: This person is Master Geng-Yun.) People living
in An-Hsiang do not have yesterday or tomorrow in their minds; they only
focus on the present time. Moreover, they have an unshakable mind free from
all worries, and no one can take away their mental delights. Therefore, the
primary subject of Ch’an practice is to search for the very origin, the
common phenomenon, or the original face of all li and shi. When one achieves
it, one attains grand realization and enlightenment. It will bring about an
earthshaking change to transform one from an ordinary person to a saint and
achieve the completeness and eternity of one’s life. viii. To
Maintain Long-lasting Meditation Is the Right Conduct We have
awareness and behaviors. The essential conduct that we must have is to live
in meditation. What does meditation mean? It is not the earlier-mentioned
sitting meditation that Buddha Shakyamuni refuted. Its advocators claim that
the act of sitting meditation itself is liberation; however, the meditation
taught by the Patriarchs of the Ch’an School refers to an internally
undisturbed mind that is unattached to external phenomena. There are three
stages of meditation in An-Hsiang Ch’an: (1)
Detached Meditation- When we obtain
the transmitted An-Hsiang, even though we walk through the bustling and
crowded Ximending, we feel like walking alone without seeing or remembering
anything. This is detaching from attachments. As written in the Song of
Enlightenment, “Those who frequently walk and stroll alone head for the way
to Nirvana together.” “Walking alone” does not mean taking a stroll in remote
mountains or the Gobi Desert; instead, crossroads are the best place to practice
Ch’an. The state of Detached Meditation is to feel like no one is around even
when you are walking on the streets; external phenomena can no longer bother
you while no thought arises in mind. You will not talk about pedestrians’ age
or their looks anymore, neither will you have your eyes following beautiful
ladies. (2)
Attachment-eliminating Meditation Though doing
well on Detached Meditation, its roots are still unremoved, such as the
beginningless ignorance and karma. Sometimes you are bothered by too many
delusions even when you sit at home, worrying about next year, the year after
next year, or what will happen when you are a hundred years old; but in fact,
you may not live that long. These attachments have accumulated from the
ancient past; as the saying goes, “Even if many eons pass, one’s karma does
not perish.” Therefore, they must be uprooted and eliminated. Attachment
elimination relies on the efforts of anti-clockwise self-introspection, from
today to yesterday, this year to last year, and so on. If you immerse
yourself in doing introspection and connect with the truth, you will even
remember the moment when your mother was painfully giving birth to you, and
you were reluctant but had to come to this world. Many members among us had
already known whether they were humans or not in their previous lives, and I
have never said anything that I cannot do. Otherwise, how could I ask others
to follow if I couldn’t accomplish it myself? How could I know whether it is
good or bad by doing so? When I practiced introspection, I also remembered
the moment of my birth. You will no
longer need to introspect until you have removed all your attachments. Why?
You will sense your mistake at once, or even before it occurs. It is being
the dominator or master of yourself when you can stop before making mistakes
and be aware of wrong thoughts once they arise, which many of you will
experience. Generally, nine out of ten people cannot dominate themselves- the
decisions they made in the morning change in the afternoon; the plans they
stayed up the whole night making with excitement become useless the next day.
Who makes them change? There is no one else but themselves. At this moment,
every one of you is in the state of Detached Meditation. If you say you are
not, you have wasted this afternoon being here. (3)
Non-attachment Meditation- Attachment-eliminating
Meditation is to introspect in the state of Detached Meditation. One must
introspect himself thoroughly, attentively, and whole-heartedly. Doing it in
a down-to-earth manner whenever you are free is the most important thing. Do
not pursue efficiency or make a schedule. Eventually, one will reach the
state of Non-attachment Meditation, which is “genuinely leakage-free.” No
worries can ever strike your mind in this state, and there is no possibility
of making any mistakes in your future life. You will spread An-Hsiang and
brightness wherever you go. You will have a bodhisattva’s mind, namely being
the angel of light, making the society more harmonious, the country more
powerful, and the world more peaceful. Meditation is
the right conduct a genuine Ch’an practitioner should perform instead of
activating discriminating consciousness and reinforcing attachments anytime
anywhere. The authentic Dharma is earthly and ordinary; it is neither
uncommon nor belongs to a small group of people. It is because the mission of
the Buddha, and even of every Buddhist, is to “make the land sacred and
mature the sentient beings.” “Making the land sacred” means that the Buddha
land is wherever the sentient beings are. While Buddha is in “awareness,”
which all the sentient beings also have, where they live is thus the Buddha
land. “Maturing the sentient beings” means to help them possess Genuine View
and right conduct, and also to help them expand their love of self to be the
grand benevolence and compassion. The grand benevolence refers to
unconditional sympathy, whereas the grand compassion means to relate to
others’ feelings as one’s own. If everyone can do so, the whole universe,
life, and the earth will all turn into a pure land. Having
lectured for such a lengthy chapter, is it Ch’an? If yes, then what is Ch’an?
If not, what is Ch’an exactly? “Buddha is awareness.” The genuine Dharma is
built on perception and sensation. If you can feel the sensation of Ch’an, I
assure you it is the authentic Ch’an. If you cannot feel it, today’s lecture is
nothing but useless knowledge that wastes time and life to you, as time is
life. Today, we get together because of learning the Dharma; this dependent origination is precious. It takes the time of 180,000 eons to the power of 180,000 for a person to encounter the genuine Buddhadharma; in other words, it is extremely difficult. Moreover, after meeting the genuine Buddhadharma, if one’s karma is overly heavy and the resistance is overwhelming, he can neither accept it nor obtain the Genuine Perception transmitted from others. In conclusion, my lengthy lecture is of little importance, but it is essential that a “priceless treasure” is in everyone’s hands. Do not forget to carry it with you anywhere you go. Do not leave it on the chair! In my view, it is the most crucial matter of all. Thank you! |