The Cognition and Practice of Ch'an (Chan / Zen)
Delivered in Tainan on 31^st January 1988

[ I. Preface] [II.The Feature, Conduct & Style of Ch'an][III.The Variety of Religions][IV. What Is Ch'an ][V. What is An-Hsiang][VI.What is the An-Hsiang Ch'an ] [VII. Who Are Most Suitable to Practice the An-Hsiang Ch'an?] [VIII. The Most Effective Way to Attain An-Hsiang][IX. Conclusion]

I. Preface

Under today's circumstances, where human minds are drowning, material desires are overflowing and the Dharma is decaying, it is very rare and precious for all of you to attend this gathering.

Every generation is formed by certain causes, and its formation is actually based on the mental status of the people in that generation. A vicious mentality leads to disastrous consequences for mankind. Though science and technology have undergone enormous progress and material civilization has also been fully developed, material satisfaction can never fill up the void that exists within human minds. It is truly pitiful that excessive knowledge and advanced scientific technology fail to upgrade human quality or integrity. How can we solve this problem? The only solution is to develop and spread the Chinese culture and advocate the traditional Ch'an study.

II. The Feature, Conduct and Style of Ch'an

Speaking of Ch'an, there are many variants which cover a very broad and wide range. We know the meditation of Hinduism is very close to the "Four dhyanas and Eight concentrations" (四禪八定) of Buddhism. In terms of the process and method of the two practices, they are almost identical. The only difference is their cognition of Ch'an. Buddhism itself also has Ch'an, which includes the meditation and meditative contemplation of the Tien-t'ai School, the Diamond Meditation and the supreme Diamond Maha-mudra of the Esoteric School. These are all within the realm of Ch'an. However, as far as the characteristics of Ch'an are concerned, there are shared and non-shared features. 

What is a shared feature? All religions allow their followers to practice sitting meditation, such as the present-day Transcendental Meditation, all branches of Buddhism, or even the method of the meditation and meditative contemplation of the Tien-T'ai School. This form of practice is shared both within and beyond Buddhism.

What is a non-shared feature? It is what we are addressing today – the Ch'an of the Patriarchs – the Ch'an of Intuitive Insight. It is not a shared feature, but a unique feature of the Ch'an School, and also specially possessed by the Chinese. The Patriarch Bodhidharma came from the West to sow the seed of the Bodhi into the fertile land of Chinese culture, and made it develop into a school with five branches, likened to the blossoming of a splendid flower with five petals. All Chinese should be proud of this. It becomes a very special feature of the Chinese culture, and it is also the true life and essence of the Dharma. Without Ch'an, there is no true Dharma. Without Ch'an, there is no truth in the Universe. Without Ch'an, what we can grasp or obtain is mere similarity instead of true identity.

By all appearances, the Ch'an of the Patriarchs is different from general practices of meditation. General practices of meditation focus on sitting meditation. Though the Ch'an of the Patriarchs also practices sitting meditation, it is only employed by few branches. Moreover, with regards to the form of sitting meditation, it does not require concentrating on certain spots or the cinnabar fields of one's body, it requires simply sitting and meditating. As far as the Ch'an School is concerned, sitting meditation is not orthodox, neither is it a deviation. Why? It is because sitting meditation to monitor one's mind was an essential practice before the Fifth Patriarch. However, the Ch'an School had transformed to be extremely vivid and flexible since the guidance of the Sixth Patriarch. One should maintain one's mind consistently in a state of complete radiance of meditation and wisdom, when one is walking, staying, sitting or lying down. If one's mind becomes disturbed upon the conclusion of the sitting session, it means the practice is imperfect. Undoubtedly, it is not the ultimate methodology. How can we assure that the Ch'an School does not advocate sitting meditation? It is clearly addressed in the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, "A living being is born to sit but not lie down, whereas a dead body can only lie down. Hence, why should one apply any practice to old and rotting bones?" This statement delivers an insightful point. Indeed, sitting meditation is a mere restraint to people who have been truly enlightened. 

1. To Lash an Ox or a Cart

How can we assure that sitting meditation is not advocated? Master Nan-Yue Hwai-Rang, a senior disciple of the Sixth Patriarch, felt conscious of his age, and needed to find himself a successor. Throughout the history of learning Dharma, it was extremely difficult for a disciple to find a good master, and vice versa. Why did Master Bodhidharma meditate in front of a wall for nine years? Was India not a suitable place for him to meditate? Why should he endure the hardness rendered by traveling hundreds and thousands of kilometers to arrive at the Shao-Lin Temple in He-Nan? What was his goal? It was not for sitting meditation, but instead to wait for a particular person. Then, who was he expecting to meet? It was the Second Patriarch who was the person to succeed him in his Dharma. Similarly, when master Nan-Yue Hwai-Rang felt it was about time to pass on his Dharma, he started looking for a suitable candidate. Then, he found that master Ma-Zu Dao-Yi would be a legitimate candidate with good capacity and high potentiality. When he visited Ma-Zu, he saw Ma-Zu simply sitting there without any attempt at greeting his guest.

Ch'an Masters are different from ordinary people. They all possess superior intellect and very skillful means. As Nan-Yue was totally neglected by Ma-Zu, he grabbed a brick and began grinding it in front of Ma-Zu. Ma-Zu was eventually annoyed by the grinding noise and broke his silence, 
"Well, Master, what are you doing?" 
"I am grinding a mirror!" 
"Are you joking? How can you make a mirror from grinding that brick?" 
"Then, let me ask you what you are doing?" 
"I am sitting and meditating." 
"What is that for?" 
"It is to become a Buddha!" 
"If I cannot grind this brick to make a mirror, your sitting meditation by all means will never enable you to become a Buddha." 
This dialogue moved Ma-Zu and made him ask,
"Then, what should I do?" 
Nan-Yue answered, "Let's use this simile as a reference. When an ox refuses to pull a cart, would you lash the ox or the cart to make it go?" 
"Of course, it is to lash the ox." Ma-Zu replied.
"However, now you are obviously lashing the cart." Nan-Yue responded.

From this anecdote, we may realize that Ch'an characteristically symbolizes no adherence to any physical forms of practice. For example, the practice of big or small circulation of vital energy in the body (大小周天), which aims to open one's central pulse, is absolutely despised by the Ch'an School. The ultimate aim of the Ch'an School is to have nothing to gain. Why is there nothing to gain? It is because the universe is filled with your presence, so that there is virtually nothing else except you. You are absolute and non-dualistic. Hence, what else can you expect to gain? This story tells us that the Ch'an School does not limit itself to any specific forms of practice. As the saying goes, "One can even practice at a road crossing." This saying reflects that Ch'an, in terms of its methodology, emphasizes achieving internal intelligence and mentality. 

2. Master Ju-Zh’s One-Thumb Ch'an

With regards to the style of Ch'an, it is extremely lively and vivid without any specific rules to describe. A simple anecdote illustrates this. After Master Jiu-Jr was ordained to be a monk, he was living a very strict life in a straw-made hut. One day in the afternoon, a nun knocked on his door and asked,
"May I stay here overnight?" 
"Yes, you are very welcome!" Ju-Zh replied.
"Though I am welcome to stay, I am not sure if I dare. I have a question. If your answer is right, I will stay. Otherwise, I have to leave." the nun said,
"Well, go ahead, please." Ju-Zh replied.

The nun then asked, "What is a Buddha?" Ju-Zh Monk was stunned and unable to utter even one word. The simpler a question is, the more complex its answer is. Who has not heard of Buddhas? However, to define a Buddha is not easy at all. As Ju-Zh could not answer the question, the nun decided to leave, and he failed to change her mind. Later on, Ju-Zh became really upset about this and thought, "As a decent gentleman and son of the Buddha, how could I not be able to answer such an easy question?" He became really ashamed of his incompetence, and decided to leave his hut and start the journey of searching for the unknown answer. 

When he was about to leave, the mountain God spoke to him during his meditation in the middle of the night, "Don't go! A few days later, Master Tian-Long will pass by, and he will help you solve your puzzle." 

Few days later, Master Tian-Long indeed passed by as expected, and had a break for some tea in Ju-Zh's hut. Ju-Zh told Master Tian-Long his dilemma. Then, Master Tian-Long told Ju-Zh to ask him exactly the same question, so Ju-Zh followed the instruction and asked,
"What is a Buddha?" 
Without saying anything, Master Tian-Long simply raised his thumb up. At this very moment, Monk Ju-Zh immediately achieved full realization. 

From then on, whoever came to inquire about Dharma, no matter if the question was about a Buddha, the Dharma, or a monk, his answer was always the same – a raised thumb. People regard the "One-thumb Ch'an" as being similar to chewing olives, which renders endless implication and long-lasting flavor. 

He had a junior disciple who was in his teens, lacking maturity and being slightly naughty. The disciple saw his master always answer questions by raising a thumb, so he assumed it was very easy and that he also could do it. Afterwards, when there were people coming to visit his master, he would simply tell them, "Don't bother my master. If you have any questions, just ask me." When people asked, "What is a Buddha?" , the little monk always imitated his master and responded by raising his thumb up. This trick also worked. 

Later on, his master heard of the incidents and people's comments,
"Master, though your little disciple is still in his teens, he also realizes the Dharma." 
"What happened?" the Master asked,
"When people ask him what a Buddha is? He just raises his thumb up as what you usually do." 

Monk Ju-Zh heard the comments and planned to do something. One day, he asked the boy to come and said, "People told me that you also realize the Dharma. Is it true?" The boy answered, "Yes, it is." Monk Ju-Zh hid a sharp knife inside his sleeve, and asked the boy with a smile on his face, "Well, just tell me, what is a Buddha?" 

As the little monk raised his thumb, his master immediately chopped it off without any hesitation. Generally, we think of this behavior as cruel, but also a crime. However, as far as the Dharma is concerned, it is the most tactful and skillful means. After having his digit forcefully removed, the little monk was petrified and dashed out with a loud cry. However, the master yelled to him, "You, come back to me!" 

The little monk came back and his master asked again "What is a Buddha?" The little monk raised his thumb again, yet, he found there was no more thumb. Though he was so young, he possessed extraordinary capacity and immediately experienced enlightenment, realizing what a Buddha really was. 

The conduct, strategy and style of the Ch'an School are so lively and vivid that it exceeds the limitations imposed by conventions. As the saying goes, "The way to enlightenment is like an airtight enclosure without any sign of draughts." It cannot be realized by means of general knowledge, nor described through any specific rules. In addition, there is a saying in the Ch'an School, "Men possess strong wills, and would never make the same journey as the Tathagata Buddha." In other words, Ch'an practitioners do not have to accept and follow past cliches or stereotypes. On the contrary, they should be creative and revolutionary. Hence, Ch'an always vividly exhibits the life of the Dharma, and also vibrantly displays each master's individual personality of the Dharma. What is this personality of the Dharma? It means the master is the Dharma. The whole content of his life is the Dharma. All his movements demonstrate the Dharma. Such a style, we may say, is a natural revelation of the personified Dharma. 

3. Lin-Ji's Three Blows

Nowadays, only two branches of the Ch'an School remain. One is the Cao-Dong branch in Japan, and the other is the Lin-Ji branch in China. In the past, there were five mainstreams and seven branches. Disregarding the Cao-Dong branch, we would like to talk about the pioneering Patriarch – Master Lin-Ji Yi-Xuan. He was very shy, and always blushed while talking to people. Though he was an ordained monk, he dare not ask his master any questions. His teacher was Master Huang-Pi Xi-Yun. If he dare not ask questions, then how could he be enlightened? 

At that time, Chen Mu-Zhou was the first rank disciple, and he thought Lin-Ji had very good talent. He then asked Lin-Ji,
"How long have you been here?" 
"Three years." 
"Have you ever asked Master any questions?" 
"No." 
"Why don't you ask?" 
"I don't know what to ask?" 
"Why don't you ask what the true meaning of the Dharma is?" 

Before Lin-Ji went to ask his master the question, Mu-Zhou disciple went before him to see Master Huang-Pi, and told him that though Lin-Ji was a beginner, with his talent, someday he could become a colossal tree to provide all beings with pleasant shade. 

When Lin-Ji came to ask his master what the meaning of the Dharma was, he was struck by his master's blow even before finishing the question. His master did not reply at all before forcing him to leave.

Afterwards, Mu-Zhou asked about the result. He said, "I didn't even finish my question, and Master started striking me." Mu-Zhou encouraged him to go again. The same thing happened again, which was another beating. Therefore, he dare not ask any more. However, Mu-Zhou forced him to ask again, and said this time was the most crucial moment and he definitely would get an answer. It was the third time Lin-Ji went to ask and as before he was struck by his master. 

Lin-Ji thought, in the past three years, I had been fooling around without asking any Dharma. Now whenever I asked about the Dharma, I was struck with a blow. What did I do? He then went to see the first disciple Mu-Zhou, and said, "I have asked about the Dharma three times, and I have also been struck three times. I think this is not the right place for me, nor do I have any predestined relationship with the master. Hence, I had better leave to practice at some other place." 

Mu-Zhou replied, "Well, it is fine for you to leave to practice at some other place; however, you could not sneak away without saying good-bye to the master. A gentleman should behave decently, so you should personally say good-bye to the master." 

Lin-Ji then went to say good-bye to his master,
"Master, I am leaving." 
"Where are you going?" 
"I don't know." 
"If you want to leave, I have no objection. However, don't lose your direction and go astray. There is Master Da-Yu at Gao-An Beach, you can go to his place, and your problem can probably be solved." His master told him with a smile on his face. 

Lin-Ji arrived at Gao-An Beach and saw Master Da-Yu. Da-Yu asked him, "Where are you from?" 
"I am from Master Huang-Pi." 
"Why did you leave him? He is a great man of clear perception." 
"I asked for the Dharma three times, and was also struck three times. I don't know what I have done wrong?" 
Da-Yu said, "Well, for your enlightenment, master Huang-Pi has already been exhausted. Now, you come to ask me what mistakes you have made." 

Once Lin-Ji heard what Master Da-Yu said, he suddenly realized it and immediately pulled Master Da-Yu over to give him three touches in his armpit. Da-Yu said, "It has nothing to do with me, and your mentor is Master Huang-Pi." Therefore, Lin-Ji went back to his master again.

When Huang-Pi saw him coming back, he said, "You have been coming back and forth; when will this end?" 
Lin-Ji replied, "It is because of your extreme enthusiasm and care for me that brings me back here." 
"Who told you so?" 
"Master Da-Yu did." 
"This old fellow is too meddlesome! I must teach him a lesson when I meet him next time." 
"It is needless to wait till next time, just do it now!" He then pulled his master over and struck him repeatedly. 

Having read the story up to this point, we think it is terribly absurd and ridiculous. It is insubordination. What is this about? It is definitely beyond conventional reasoning. You cannot apply any forms of logical inference to find even a hint of rationality behind these actions. So what really happened? Ladies and gentlemen, let us think about it. When you are unexpectedly given a blow, what is your mental status at that moment? Will you have any illusions or worries in your mind? No, you will feel nothing but nervousness. Besides that, your mind is actually void and free. 

After Lin-Ji realized what Da-Yu instructed, he gave him three touches in his armpit. You can ask someone to touch the most sensitive spot in your armpit three times to see how you feel about it. Actually, when you are touched, all the thoughts in your mind will be completely removed. 

Lin-Ji came back to his master, and his master complained about the interfering Da-Yu. He said he would give Da-Yu a good blow when he saw him next time. Immediately after the complaint, Lin-ji pulled his master over to give him a blow. What does it imply? It is simply a live demonstration of the true essence of the Non-Dualistic Methodology. 

After viewing the lively conduct, the wordlessness, and the superb style of the Ch'an School, we then realize that needless to take three Asankhya (innumerable) kalpas of time to become a Buddha is not exaggerated. As long as you have the opportunity to have an access and can correspond to it, you surely will be able to complete the grand task and transcend all bad karmas.

4. Dan-Xia Burned Buddha Statues

By reading the above anecdotes, we realize that Ch'an is very transcendental. It is a religion; however, it transcends a religion. How can we say that? Master Zhao-Zhou said, "「Buddha」 is the word I don't like to hear." In the past, there was also a Ch'an master who said that "Whoever chants a Buddha's name in my Ch'an hall, I would ask him to carry three buckets of water to clean up my Ch'an hall. Even the name of a Buddha can pollute a Ch'an hall, so what can Ch'an tolerate? There is another more interesting anecdote. It was about a Ch'an master named Dan-Xia Tien-Ran. He was traveling in wintertime and arrived at a temple. He asked to stay overnight. The temple could not accommodate him with lodging due to the lack of vacancies. However, if he insisted on staying, he could only sit and meditate in the main hall. The hall was bare and freezing. How could he deal with it? Fortunately, there were quite a few Buddha statues in the hall. He then stacked them up and started burning them to keep warm. The next day, the temple master was stunned and condemned him:
"Why did you burn my Buddha statues?" 
"To burn for the relics of a Buddha," Dan-Xia replied;
"How can a wooden Buddha statue have relics?" 
"If there is no relic, why not burn a few more?" 
This is the interesting anecdote about Master Dan-Xia Tien-Ran. 

The Ch'an is a very outstanding and sublimating branch of the Buddhism. It is far beyond the imagination of the general branches of Ch'an, such as Ch'an of the non-Buddhist doctrines, Ch'an of the mundane people, and Ch'an that emphasizes progress towards enlightenment. If the style and characteristics of Ch'an are as such, then what is its true essence? Is it a religion? Ch'an is both transcendent and immanent, it establishes and negates at the same time. Therefore, Ch'an is a religion. However, it transcends a religion. If it does not transcend a religion, who then would burn those Buddha statues he regularly worships? If Ch'an does not transcend a religion, how can its practitioner state that, "「Buddha」is the word I don't like to hear." If Ch'an does not transcend a religion, why do they have to carry three buckets of water to clean up the Ch'an hall where people chant the name of a Buddha?

I really appreciate your sincerity in allowing me to tell the truth without any concerns. As far as the liberation of one's mind is concerned, religions are not ultimate. What does "not ultimate" mean? If there is an "I" who worship and there is a "He" who is to be worshipped, then He and I are obviously opposite and dualistic. According to Buddhism, anything dualistic or triplicate is not ultimate. 

5. I Am the Solely Respectable One

When the Buddha was born, with one hand pointing at the sky and the other at the ground, he strode around for seven steps and claimed loudly, "Within the universe, I am the solely respectable one." Look, isn't it a demonstration of a strong self-adherence? In fact, it is not! The "I" actually means the "Dharma" . It is the true reality of the universe. It manifests the Non-Dualistic Method. It "does not regard anything as its companion." It uniquely stands out from all phenomena. There has been too much misunderstanding. Yes, how great the Buddha was. Look, he seemed to be the greatest within the universe. In fact, it is not as we thought. What he actually meant is that the "Dharma" is the solely respectable, not himself. What he tried to manifest is the sole truth of the Dharma Realm, the sole flavor of the Dharma Sea and the ocean of the Great and Perfect Enlightenment. That is it. How can the Buddha possess self-adherence? Of course, people in later times made numerous explanations and notations about this statement, and after all who gave it the best interpretation? It was the patriarch of the Yun-Men School – Master Yun-Men Wen-Ian. 

Someone asked Master Yun-Men what the meaning of the following statement was, "When the Buddha was just born, he pointed at the sky with one hand, and at the ground with the other, strode around for seven steps and claimed loudly that "I am the solely respectable one within the universe." What did it mean? Master Yun-Men replied, "Needless to explain anything! It was a great pity that I was not there. If I were there, I would strike him to death with a heavy blow and feed him to a dog for the sake of world peace." 

The guy was puzzled by Master Yun-Men's reply. Then, he went to ask another master,
"Isn't Master Yun-Men a Buddhist?" 
"Yes, he is." 
"Then, how could he make such a comment? Did he not feel guilty?" 
"Well, Yun-Men's comment is full of merits. Just this dialogue has already returned the great favour rendered by the Buddha. His merits were endless, so how could he be guilty?" 

We should know that the mission of the birth of the Buddha is to guide sentient beings to learn his teachings and then to surpass his achievements. If Master Yun-Men could kill the solely respectable one with a single blow, he would then become more respectable than the solely respectable one. The Buddha should be very happy to hear the comment. Why? A saying of the Ch'an School goes, "To raise a son who is inferior to his father, the family is doomed to fail." If a son is weaker than his father, the family future will deteriorate. If a son is more outstanding than his father, his father surely will be delighted instead of being jealous. Ladies and gentlemen, are you not expecting your sons to be hundreds and thousands times more brilliant than you? Indeed, we are all like this. Therefore, Yun-Men's statement had rewarded the Buddha's grand favor, and made the Buddha greatly relieved in the Diamond Realm. It was a great blessing that there was a surpassing son born in the Buddhism family, so that the "business" of the family of the Buddha would become increasingly prosperous and unlikely to decay away.

III. The Variety of Religions

There are a huge variety of religions, and they can be classified into four categories.

1. Rational Religions – It is like Hinduism. Even if you spend all your lifetime on studying its sutras, such as that of the Veda and the Bhagavat, you will still be unable to understand them. Though you may finally realize it, it is still useless. Why? The merit of rational religions is that it makes one sensible and calm; however, its demerit is that it also makes one depressing, unrealistic and cold. Furthermore, even after you have been fully familiar with all those sutras, you still cannot apply them to resist your worries. Will they make you more open-minded than others? No, it is impossible. When you see Yama, the master of hell, will it be beneficial for you to read him a paragraph of a sutra? No, it is absolutely not. Hence, the merit of rational religions is to keep people calm; however, its demerit is to make people cold.

2. Emotional Religions – Emotional religions emphasize on conciliating one's mind. Its focus is faith, i.e. having faith will make one saved. Its merit is to help people settle down their minds and become self-conciliated. Its demerit is that when people become overly emotional, they are very apt to become ecstatic and eventually turn themselves into devils. The eastern conquest of the Crusades and many followers of the modern cults are both examples of religious ecstasy. In fact, people, who torture themselves with their own mistakes, are defined to be devils. Obviously, emotional religions are not ultimate. It can only conciliate people's minds; however, it cannot virtually sublimate and free people's minds. Although the logic of today, i.e. the methodology, has been fully developed, still one law is missing. We have the Law of the Regularity of Nature, the Law of Non-Contradiction and the Law of Category, but we do not have the Law of Ratio. Just think about it! The ratio of a person to the earth is one hundred thousand times smaller than that of an ant to a basketball. Today, we have discovered forty thousand galaxies, and the distance between galaxies is measured by billions of light years. We all know how fast the speed of light is. If it needs to take billions of light years to get to another galaxy, we then can realize how infinite the universe is. If the identity of the whole universe is God, as far as the law of ratio is concerned, you are ten-billion times smaller than a virus. Therefore, how can you make conversation with God? Moreover, it is illusive and unrealistic for people to talk with God.

3. Physical Religions – What is a Physical Religion? It includes sitting meditation, the practice of having vital energy circulating in big or small circles in the body, the opening of one's mysterious vein, and torturing practices – such as sitting and meditating under a waterfall in winter or in a desert in summer, all these work on the physical body. Though we enjoy talking about physical eternity, actually, we are only amusing ourselves by thinking so. Even the earth has its own life span. When the time comes, it will deteriorate. All kinds of phenomena cannot avoid the processes of formation, existence, destruction and non-existence. Where can one find something eternal? If both sky and earth cannot last forever, similarly, sooner or later one's body will deteriorate no matter how hard you have been training it. Speaking of infinite longevity, it is a distant fantasy as there is nothing absolute in this world. Nevertheless, is there any merit of Physical Religions? Yes, there is. It trains you to nurture the power of will, which gives you strength to overcome any difficulties and endure any unbearable circumstances. I always say that as long as you can tolerate any difficulties and pain, never give up or withdraw, and always be determined, you eventually will succeed. It is because your mind possesses strength. If your mind does not possess any strength, you are doomed to fail in any jobs or career you are engaged with, let along learn the Dharma. Why? It is because you dare not face the problems. You are used to doing things carelessly, and you are also lazy and try to escape your obligations. Under the circumstances, you become depressed and eventually achieve nothing. As time passes by, you also will vanish without leaving any traces. Hence, the advantage of strict practice of the Physical Religion is to cultivate one's strong will. 

When we read the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, we often neglect two obvious facts in regard to how the Sixth Patriarch could obtain the robe and bowl that signifies the inheritor of the Dharma.

The first fact is that he ground grains for eight months. If he had not been willing to grind the grains for eight months, there would be no chance for him to obtain the robe and bowl. During the eight months, the Sixth Patriarch was working really hard. Why? As we know, the Sixth Patriarch was not tall, nor heavy enough to push and press the grinder; therefore, he had to tie a rock around his waist to increase his weight (The rock is still displayed in the Nan-Hua Temple). During the eight months, he had cultivated an extremely powerful will. This was the Sixth Patriarch, but if it were me, I would not do it even for eight days, let alone eight months. Is this not overly difficult? Life is so short, and what is the purpose of life? I would have left there much earlier because of failing to deal with the challenge.

What is the second reason? It is simply five words - "Originally, there is virtually nothing." This is essentially the basic genuine view of Ch'an. Ladies and gentlemen, we have to realize that which is true is original. What was there originally? Originally, forty thousands galaxies had not been discovered, neither any planets, nor any human beings, indeed, there was virtually nothing. Therefore, he surpassed time and space to use his mental vision to visualize the original status of the complete universe, which had not been separated yet. As a result, he obtained the Dharma. With regards to Master Shen-Xiou's interpretation of the Dharma,
"Human bodies are likened to Bodhi trees;" – there are trees; 
"Human minds are likened to clear mirror stands;' – there are stands;
"To constantly wipe and clean them;" – there is a physical conduct;
"And make sure to maintain them dust-free." - dust is still there.
To people who are in middle of the practice, namely, they have not yet attained their enlightenments, this can be addressed as an expedient method. Indeed, it is quite good. I, myself, followed exactly the same way to practice. If I had not practiced on a concrete basis as such, I could have achieved nothing by now. However, as far as the criteria for a pioneer patriarch is concerned, these are definitely insufficient. No wonder the Fifth Patriarch commented that Master Shen-Xiou was still not ready, steps outside of the gate. If the Sixth Patriarch had just stated that "Originally there is virtually nothing," and then refused to grind any more grains, he would have had nothing to do with the robe and bowl. What will a person eventually obtain, if he only intends to take but not give? He will gradually sink in corruption and frustration. It is because that people who only take but not give are called thieves. Only people, like thieves, robbers and burglars, are always taking but not giving at all. Generally, those expecting harvest need to cultivate diligently. Expecting success requires effort, and likewise respect can only be obtained by making actual contributions. If one wants to be valued by people, one must satisfy people's needs. Human beings are practical, so is the Dharma. If you think mundane rules and the Dharma are individual unrelated concepts, your understanding is completely against the Non-Dualistic Methodology. We must acknowledge the fact that mundane rules equate to the Dharma exactly. Indeed, where to find the Dharma, if not in the mundane world? 

4. Religions that Worship Objects – If you have ever been to Japan and have good Japanese friends, you must have heard about a Japanese religion which worships reproductive organs. Though culturally Japan has a very high standard, such kinds of religion still remain. In our country, similarly, people are worshipping stones and trees. Though there are no written religious doctrines, it is also counted as a belief.

Inductively speaking, people with different levels of intelligence and qualities will believe in different religions. Even within the same religion, individual recognition of God also varies. If there are one hundred people believing in God, we can record each believer's understanding and recognition of God. After making a comparison among their accounts, we will discover there are exactly one hundred different kinds of God. Basically, the image of God in each individual's mind reflects the image of the individual himself. Even though there is only one religion to believe, and one God to worship, the so-called "one God" is virtually pluralistic. If you do not believe it, you can try a test. In fact, there are not many Gods, but many different individual qualities and states of mind.

By applying induction, we can categorize religions into these four types. If we apply the approach of deduction, there will be too many religious variants to count. You will be amazed by having discovered how broad and bizarre those religions are. The sadness of human beings is that we deny ourselves, bury ourselves, give up ourselves, insult ourselves and look down on ourselves. It is because of this that numerous religious beliefs and worship have been generated.

IV. What is Ch'an?

1. Ch'an Transcends Religions and Philosophy

Is Ch'an a religion? Yes, it is. It is directly derived from the personal teaching of the Buddha Sakyamuni, so how can it not be a religion? Nevertheless, it also transcends a religion. It is not a rational religion. Ration is a product of the discriminative mind. The Dharma is free from discrimination. There are six very important words in the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra. If you can remember, deliberate and implement it, it will be enough. They comprise the general guideline of the Sutra, i.e. "No thought, No form, and No attachment" . If you can achieve this status, where can you find the notion called ration?! The Dharma is not an emotional religion. If it is, the emotion is not personal, but an unconditional mercy rendered to people without any conditions, as well as a shared compassion to share people's sensation without adhering to one's own self. Therefore, Ch'an transcends religions. 

Some people comment that Ch'an is the most superlative Chinese philosophy. What is philosophy? In terms of philosophy, there are dead philosophies and live ones. Is there such a philosophy? Yes, there is. When you think of all the branches of philosophy, they are within the following theories:
Ontology – It defines the Universe.
Cosmology – It outlines the laws of the Universe.
Epistemology – Methods applied to assure one's understanding is correct.
Theory of Life – The perfect man follows Heaven: how do humans adapt themselves to nature and form their own life goals?
Indeed, every branch of philosophy claims all the above theories, and none of them have ever been changed.

Today, we have more than one hundred branches of philosophy, including existentialism which arose after World War II. Are there actually more than one hundred truths? I am very certain in my answer that none of them is the truth. They are simply rigid and lifeless theoretical games, and are also the products of the discriminative minds. What is a living philosophy? The philosophy of Socrates demonstrates a typical example of a living philosophy. Have you ever found any of these theories of Socrates, such as the ontology, cosmology, epistemology, theories of life and history? His philosophy is a live one. In those days, the common issue on the agenda of those Greek philosophers was to probe what the Universe was. Is it mind, or matter? Is it sole, duplicate, or pluralistic? While everyone was probing what the Universe was, Socrates also had his own question in mind. His question was not what the Universe was, but "Why do these people have such stupid questions?" This reveals to us the greatness of Socrates. Western people regard him as the Chinese Confucius. His greatness was derived from the fact that he was free from all those adherences and compromises. His philosophy is alive and not stereotyped, and so are its laws. If you want to understand the contour of his philosophy, you can only refer to the dialogues of Plato, his disciple. The reason why Ch'an transcends philosophy is that Ch'an objects to any illusions and adherences generated from conceptual games.

With regards to the existentialism, it is absolutely not a philosophy, but a psychotic bizarre melody. It disregards the past and objects to the tradition and the concept of values, and eventually turns human beings back to primitives. Certainly, it has its own merits. There are always contrasts. Though it has its own theory of liberation, it unfortunately interferes with the public. It is a sublimation of the Western individualism. They only care about themselves, and mind little about interfering with others. Indeed, nothing will simply occur by itself, and if there were no wind on the sea, there would be no waves. Thus, there are some basic elements to bring its development. 

Now we realize that Ch'an cannot be separated from philosophy; however, it transcends far beyond philosophy. Philosophers cannot find any clues linking to the thoughts and analysis of Ch'an. When we discuss philosophy, we realize that there are live and dead philosophies, as well as dualistic and absolute philosophies. The absolute philosophy means that there is no "I" to identify, and no "you" to be identified. If I can identify and there is a truth for me to identify, the truth and I become dualistic. As a saying of the Ch'an School goes, "If it can be verbalized, it is not the true reality." The more delicately you interpret it, the further you are away from the truth. No matter how perfect your interpretation is, it is only comparison and inference. Through comparison and inference we can understand something that is similar, but it is never equivalent to the reality. Therefore, we realize that Ch'an undoubtedly transcends philosophy. 

2. Ch'an is the Original State of Mind and the Common and Eternal Phenomenon of Life 

Actually, what is Ch'an? A few years ago, when the Ch'an Association in Tainan was founded, I claimed, "Ch'an is the original state of mind, and the common and eternal phenomenon of life." It is the original state of mind, which has not yet been contaminated by the Six Dusts absorbed through our six senses. It is exactly the original mind stated in the Buddhism Sutras. 

What is Ch'an? Ch'an is Buddha.
What is Buddha? Buddha is Tathagata.
What is Tathagata? Tathagata means to be as the absolute original.
What is the original? When your state of mind has been restored to the original state before your birth, you will simultaneously realize it and have no doubt at all.

After realizing this, we are certain in claiming that Ch'an is true and self-conscious. Is it right to make such a claim? No, it is not. If you define something as "true" , it must be corresponding to something "false" . In fact, Ch'an is completely independent from any rules or laws. It is forbidden to interpret Ch'an to its full extent; however, your description of the common phenomenon of life or the original state of mind has totally exposed the essence of Ch'an, 

In fact, even full exposure of its essence cannot make you enlightened. What is the original state of mind? What is the common phenomenon of life? In fact, having said it equates to not saying anything. Now, I would repeat it again, "What is Ch'an?" "Ch'an is the eternal phenomenon of life." The eternal phenomenon is that there is no beginning and no end, no birth and no extinction – it is the eternal life.

3. The Basic Contents of Ch'an are the Genuine View and the Genuine Perception

What is Ch'an? Its basic contents are the Genuine View and the Genuine Perception.

What is the Genuine View? The general view of ordinary people somehow cannot avoid bias. The bias generally results from one's self-consciousness and subjective adherence. On the contrary, the Genuine View illustrates true and correct perceptions. If one insists on having seen something true, one must have one's eyes blurred. With the Genuine View, one will not see anything contrasting the truth, and will only see the sole truth of the Universe. In fact, the sole truth is nobody else but oneself.

What is the Genuine Perception? There are two interpretations and one of them is true benefits. If you have been practicing your whole life, and still bound to tangled worries, gushing illusions, and unsolved negative karma, you virtually have not obtained any true benefits from practicing. Have you not been wasting your time? Harvest results from cultivation, and hard work brings success. If you cannot obtain true benefits from practicing the Dharma, is it not worth it! Ch'an definitely has its true benefits. Without Genuine Perception, there is nothing related to Ch'an. Besides true benefits, the other interpretation of the Genuine Perception is correct sensation. Then, what is incorrect sensation? When you acknowledge whatever comes to you and believe in whatever you see, your sensation corresponding to them is ordinary and legitimate; however, it does not equate to the Genuine View, neither the correct sensation. As far as a Ch'an practitioner is concerned, it is nothing but an illusion derived from viewing the outer world. 

With regards to those human thoughts and responses, if they cannot be detached from one's sensual basis, they are deviating from the truth. The authentic Genuine Perception is exactly as The Hymn of the Way to Enlightenment describes the sense of independence in the quote of "Always walking alone, and striding alone" . Please do not misunderstand walking alone and striding alone as being in a remote jungle. On the contrary, you have to walk alone and stride alone in the heavily crowded West-Gate Mall (one of the most prominent shopping districts in Taipei). When you walk among the crowd from one street to another, you simply feel like being with yourself without any disturbances. Then you start being connected to the Genuine Perception. It proves that you are no longer adhering to the outer illusive phenomena. Why is it an "illusive phenomenon" ? It is because it is not true.

In this immense Universe, nothing truly exists. Our human body is actually accumulated by sixty billion atoms. The atom is the most basic unit of matter. If you divide it into an electron, a proton, and a neutron, you then cannot find anything existing. This proves that how great the Buddha is, because he said "The nature of which is dependently originated is empty" , and "To me, that which is dependently originated is empty." What we call Yuan is a condition, a kind of primitive driving force. To combine it with the other compulsory conditions, a new substance or event will then be created and formed. However, when all the conditions are taken apart, the substance or event will subsequently disappear.

Our house is constructed with the conditions of steel, cement, stones, timber, labor etc. Once we take all these conditions apart, we do now know what a house is. Even the earth will eventually be evaporated and disappear. As the saying goes, "The world is not rigid." Indeed, it is not rigid. 

4. The Guideline of the Ch'an Practice is "No thought, No form, and No attachment." 

What is Ch'an? In terms of the guideline of its practice, it is as what the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra states, "No thought, No form and No attachment" .

"No thought" means to keep our minds away from good or evil, taking or giving, love or hatred, and all those discriminative thoughts derived from previous conditions and experiences. It does not mean to deviate from the Genuine Mindfulness and the Genuine Intention.

"No form" does not mean to deny all the facts in the external world, but to prevent one's mind from being misled and contaminated by outer objects and adopting them as the source of discriminative illusions. Instead, in responding to the forms one should not adhere to them. No images of these interactions should be left behind on one's mind. 

"No attachment" means never allow one's mind to stay at a certain place and generate adherences. Whenever there is a thought arising, one can be aware of it. Once one is aware of the thought, it vanishes. It is buoyantly free from any contamination.

"No thought, no form and no attachment" can be likened to a trihedron. If one can apply this mentality to deal with one's daily life, and constantly maintain it without any interruption, one then can gradually possess the Genuine View as well as deepen one's Genuine Perception.

5. The Basic Spirit of Ch'an is Self-Respect

Now let us talk about the Ch'an School, what then is the basic spirit of the Ch'an of Intuitive Insight? The basic spirit of Ch'an is to respect oneself, but not to become a Buddha or a patriarch. It is self-learning and self-enlightenment, to attain Buddhahood by oneself, so as to complete the awakening of one's life. It is not only required by Buddhism, but also by God. Ch'an transcends religions; therefore, we do not have to avoid any special concerns. If you have ever read the Old Testament of the Bible, you should have found that there are so many places constantly reminding you by quoting "You must be awake! You do not sleep." Does everyone notice all these warnings? It means to instruct you to be in an awakened state. As most people enjoy day-dreaming and very few people are clear-minded, it is no wonder that people become lost.

Though most people do not intend to create any illusions, they are often unconsciously surrounded and monitored by illusive thoughts. It actually equates to "dreaming" .

People should be awakened from all these illusions to personally monitor their own kingdom of minds, so that they will not become lost and be able to precisely get hold of the direction of their lives. Otherwise, they will deviate from the Genuine View. Without possessing the Genuine View, how can one obtain the Genuine Perception? To people who do not possess the Genuine Perception, living becomes a punishment as well as torture. Therefore, they will live regretfully in desperation, and sometimes even cannot find any way for help.

Ch'an is a lenient methodology to save one's spirit. Having accepted Ch'an, you then can free your spirit. When you have discovered and assured the original true self, you will no longer be bothered by any concerns nor develop any foolish or superstitious ideas. The claim that you eventually will win the eternity of life is definitely not fake, but absolutely true. Why do we have to discover it? It is because our true selves, namely our original minds, have been surrounded and buried by the Six Dusts. If you do not remove the layer of the dusts accumulated by corresponding to the Six Dusts of the outer world, your original true mind, i.e. Mahaprajna (摩訶般若), will never be able to emerge and is doomed to be buried forever. If it cannot be revealed, it is certainly buried alive. When you have discovered and assured the true self and constantly maintain it with extra care without any interruption, it will gradually grow and become fully established. Finally, the personification of the Dharma can also be achieved, and it is the completion of the grand task. 

"Non-self" , stated by the Buddha, actually refers to the "fake-self" derived from the discriminative minds of our superficial consciousness. Originally, there is no mind of discrimination, but only a mind of the origin, which equates to the grand self or the true self of the "original face" of life. Therefore, while the Buddha was reaching his Nirvana (the end of his worldly life), he revealed the ideas of "Eternity, Delight, Self and Purity." 
Eternity - Endlessness 
Delight - Carefree
Self - Self-awakening
Purity - Immaculacy

The eternity of life is the final and perfect destination for practicing Buddhism. However, first of all, you must reveal yourself from the accumulation of karma, to find yourself, affirm yourself, purify yourself and upgrade yourself. Then, you will be able to complete your true self – the completion of the Dharmakaya (Dharma body). 

V. What is An-Hsiang?

When we have come to this stage, we have to present the An-Hsiang Ch'an to all of you. Before presenting it, firstly, we need to explain what An-Hsiang is.

1. An-Hsiang is the embodiment of the Genuine Perception

What is An-Hsiang? It is the Genuine Perception that I just mentioned before. It is the most beautiful perception and can only be perceived by individuals. It is like drinking water, only people who drink it know how cold or warm it is. Where does this perception come from? It comes from a unified and harmonious mind.

Why do we have illusions? Why are our minds not unified? Some people said that we always changed our minds. In fact, you change your mind more frequently than you think you do. Today, you are a good person; however, you may become a bad person tomorrow. In the morning, you plan to do something; however, in the afternoon, you change to make a completely different decision. All these have proved that our minds are not unified. Sometimes you are a saint, some other times, you are transformed to be a demon. Sometimes you are honorable, some other times, you become dirty and shameful. People do not just change their minds; they change frequently. Therefore, how can such people possess An-Hsiang? It is totally impossible. Will they have the Genuine Perception? It is absolutely unlikely. You have to unify your mind by settling all those restless selves to become a single self. That is the basic prerequisite to the practice of the Non-Dualistic methodology. If you cannot transform yourself to be a single and an independent self, you can only possess a cracked personality and lack of a unified will. 

With regards to the religion of physical extremes I just mentioned, it is helpful to increase one's mentality. Gou-Jian slept on wood branches and tasted the gall in order to forbid himself from getting into the habit of being lazy. If people cannot tolerate difficulties, nor overcome their customary weakness, they will become insatiable for food and their laziness will waste their precious lifetime. Human weakness makes people crave for delicious food and drinks, and prefer easy tasks over hard ones. The worst is that people only expect harvest without any cultivation, taking but not giving, and easy jobs with high pay. However, being a practitioner of Ch'an, we should be different from them. We should comfortably deal with all difficulties and bravely face all confrontations, so that we can develop the power of our minds. Otherwise, without the power of mind, it will be hard to make any achievements.

Ch'an is built on the basis of a unified and harmonious state of mind. You should completely discard your "three minds and two intentions" , your multiple personality, and your internal conflicts, then you can possess An-Hsiang. As conflicts must bring arguments, and arguments must disturb our minds. When we address it more eloquently, we can say that it is a battle between Heaven and man, and a battle between our conscience and evil. When our minds are not unified and become chaotic, it is likened to a battlefield. Under the circumstance, how can you possess An-Hsiang? Therefore, firstly you should unify your mind to make it harmonious, so that you can possess An-Hsiang and enjoy the Genuine Perception. 

2. An-Hsiang is the Life of Ch'an

What is An-Hsiang? It is the life of Ch'an. No matter if it is the Tathagata(Ru-Lai) Ch'an or the Patriarch Ch'an, apart from An-Hsiang, "the Genuine Perception" does not even exist. Without the Genuine Perception, there will be no direct inference of the Dharma. Without the direct inference of the Dharma, people can only dwell on the indirect inference of it. In other words, people can only dwell on a similar methodology, which is not ultimate, and fail in their practices. Consequently, An-Hsiang is the life of Ch'an. If Ch'an does not possess An-Hsiang, it is a kind of dead Ch'an or walking-corpse Ch'an. The possession of An-Hsiang makes Ch'an buoyantly alive. Is it the true Ch'an or a fake one? People can simply judge it by whether they can sense the perception of An-Hsiang from it. 

Is An-Hsiang transmittable? Yes, it is. If you do not bear too much karmic hindrance and are able to meet the critical point, now you can perceive An-Hsiang. What is An-Hsiang? When you are listening, you can hear clearly. When you are talking, you can talk freely. When you suddenly stop listening and talking, you can clearly perceive your own mind without any illusions, confusion, or dizziness. You can only perceive the void and awakening self-consciousness, and this is precisely An-Hsiang. With regards to the transmission of one's mind, it is to transmit such a mind of An-Hsiang. Therefore, Ch'an is not an empty theory, nor a game of concepts. On the contrary, it is personally presentable and extremely realistic. 

3. An-Hsiang is the direct insight into the complete radiance of meditation and wisdom

What is An-Hsiang? It is the direct insight into the complete radiance of meditation and wisdom, which is exactly the highest level of the Ch'an meditation. To Ch'an practitioners, some tend to focus only on the pursuit of wisdom, which equates to dry wisdom. What is dry wisdom? It is likened to a dry banana. Yes, it is a banana; however, without its moisture, it tastes completely different and lacks its essence. Similarly, wisdom without meditation is called wild wisdom. Nevertheless, if you tend to focus more on the pursuit of meditation and become deeply involved, you may simply sit motionlessly for eight or ten days or even a whole month. Then, what is the difference between you and a mummy? Therefore, this is a kind of void meditation.

Mahayana practitioners criticize practitioners of the two vehicles for being dull and isolated, and their problem is that they deviate from the Middle Way. What are the two vehicles? They are Sravaka and the one who is enlightened through reasoning on the twelve nidanas; Sravaka refers to Arhat, and the latter refers to Pratyeka-buddha. They are called the two vehicles. What are the defects of the two vehicles? An Arhat insisted on maintaining his solitude. It was like Sariputa who meditated alone in the forest, but he was yelled at and blamed by Venerable Vimalakirti. Saints of Hinayana regard a place without anyone there as the best. They cannot walk in the streets. When they arrive at the West-Gate shopping town (one of the most prominent shopping districts in Taipei), their minds become restless. Well, let's think about this, how can a saint be afraid of meeting people? If you cannot even meet people, how can you enlighten all living beings? With regards to Pratyeka-buddha, he was seriously adhered to void, and thought everything was nothing. Well, what is this called? It is the rigid emptiness derived from "misunderstanding the true meaning of emptiness" . 

Void does not mean there is nothing. On the contrary, it is the source of everything, and the opportunity of creation. What is the opportunity of creation? It refers to unlimited possibilities of creation and development. Then, how can it be dead? It is the embodiment of infinite geneses, and is absolutely not dead. Therefore, when we talk about the complete radiance of meditation and wisdom, both meditation and wisdom must be equally balanced and maintained. Then, what is the equally balanced meditation and wisdom? It is An-Hsiang. Only people who have ever experienced the most superb flavor of the Dharma can realize and prove that An-Hsiang is the best perception in the Universe. 

4. An-Hsiang is the Direct Inference of the Dharma

What is An-Hsiang? It is the direct inference of the Dharma. Language interpretation of the Dharma merely displays a result of comparative inferences. With regards to essays on the Dharma, they apply logic and assumptions to describe the Dharma, they also equate to a result of comparative inferences. At most, they look similar, but not true equivalents. On the other hand, An-Hsiang completely equates to the Dharma itself and displays a full scale of the Dharma. It fully reveals the direct inference of the Dharma right in front of you.

5. An-Hsiang is the Live Fountain of Life

What is An-Hsiang? It is the live fountain of life. By reading "The Beauty of An-Hsiang" , you realize that without An-Hsiang people tend to be biased against others. With distorted minds, their physical condition naturally deteriorates. Why not try to find our friends or relatives? We will find that people constantly suspicious and complaining are mostly suffering from arthritis. People who enjoy showing off, cannot afford to lose and always try to beat others are mostly suffering from sinusitis. Try to recall whether your friends have these symptoms? Do your friends who suffer from sinusitis behave as such? With regards to those spoiled children, once they have grown up and are no longer supplied with everything they wish, mostly suffer from asthma. Then, if a woman is talkative, she must suffer from leucorrhoea. However, once she has changed to keep silent, her leucorrhoea will be cured without taking any medicine. Therefore, the state of one's mind decides one's physical conditions. 

An-Hsiang is the live fountain of life. If you can maintain An-Hsiang in your mind, you will possess the live fountain of your life. You then can reveal the inner beauty of your mind to an external display of the beauty of nature. You become full of vitality and more and more increasingly amicable. Your life also progresses safe and sound. Naturally, you are seldom ill, and scarcely worried. On the contrary, you possess numerous An-Hsiang and joy. It is simply because you possess the live fountain of life. Meanwhile, An-Hsiang is also like a fountain of bliss, which will never dry up. People who expect to possess true bliss must possess the authentic An-Hsiang. When you have possessed An-Hsiang, you have also possessed bliss.

VI. What is the An-Hsiang Ch'an?

1. The Origin of the An-Hsiang Ch'an

Why do we present the An-Hsiang Ch'an? What is An-Hsiang? We have already explained it in the previous section. Now we would like to discuss about what the An-Hsiang Ch'an is?" 

Is the An-Hsiang Ch'an the Patriarch Ch'an? Yes, it is. Then, where does it come from? As water has its source and a tree has its root, so it must have its origin. Its origin is from the Sutra of Solving the Puzzles asked by Maha-brahma-devaraja to the Buddha. According to the Sutra, the Buddha attended a forum at the Peak of Spirit Vulture, and he was standing there in peace and composure holding a golden blue lotus flower without saying a word. All the participants, including humans and the heaven, could not realize what the Buddha tried to express. There was only the sage Mahakassapa who realized and smiled at the Buddha. Why was the Buddha not saying anything? There were too many instances like this one. Sometimes, when the Buddha was just about to say something, his senior disciple would strike the hammer of law and announce that the Buddha had already finished his preaching and the forum should be dismissed. The Buddha was not angry at his disciple, nor blaming him for doing so; on the contrary, he smiled and said, "Very good! It is supposed to be like this." Why? It is because the Dharma transcends languages and words. Truth also transcends languages and words. Truth is original. Originally, there were no sentient beings, let alone languages. It is virtually impossible to use artificial languages to interpret truth - the eternal truth. No one understood why the Buddha was holding a flower without saying any words. It was only the sage Mahakassapa who realized and smiled. I have a couple of statements to describe the situation as,
"The Buddha holding a flower without saying a word is the exact symbolic representation of An-Hsiang. It was the sage Mahakassapa who smiled joyously to manifest his instantaneous realization of the teaching of the Buddha." 
Therefore, the sage Mahakassapa became the first successor of the Ch'an School. In order to prevent any interruption, the Buddha especially appointed his cousin, Ananda, to be the assistant of the sage Mahakassapa. This is the very origin of the An-Hsiang Ch'an.

2. Why Do We Present the An-Hsiang Ch'an?

Why did the Patriarchs of the past not present these two words, "An-Hsiang" ? It is because the style of the Patriarch Ch'an is extremely superb, transcendent, vivid and vital. If you insist on giving it a definition, it then will become a lifeless Ch'an. It equates to nailing a piece of cloud onto a wall. Though it might be possible; it could also make it lose its vitality. Moreover, where there is something positive, there will also be something negative. As a quote from The Record of Faith in the Mind says, "Whenever a judging mind of right or wrong emerges, our mind immediately loses its stability." When people are confronted with right or wrong, their minds of An-Hsiang will be weakened. Why? It is because the conflicts generated from right and wrong will jeopardize the harmony of one's mind. Right and wrong are dualistic, so that they are biases and violate the Non-Dualistic methodology. Once you are biased against something, your mind will be filled with worries and An-Hsiang will subsequently disappear.

Indeed, if An-Hsiang is the life of the Patriarch Ch'an, then why was it not presented before? Times change, as the old sages said, "Being able to avoid offending emperors' names, you are more eloquent than those professional elocutionists in the previous dynasty." Basically, it means that as long as you can avoid offending the names of those emperors, you are more eloquent than the best elocutionist. Another saying goes, "It is forbidden to make a one hundred percent interpretation." Then, what is that about? As far as the interpretation of Ch'an is concerned, only eighty percent of it will be allowed, sixty percent will be better, and keeping silent will be the best. If you fully interpret it, you will make a serious mistake to block the opportunity for people to be enlightened, and your interpretation is nothing but useless knowledge. Consequently, without mentioning the words "An-Hsiang" , you can instruct people to personally experience what Ch'an is like. Speaking of food will not make starving people full, will it? 

Today, why dare I offend the rule to present the An-Hsiang Ch'an? I present it with a determined mind that if I do not suffer for offending the rule, then who is going to suffer for it? Time has changed. Even though I have presented An-Hsiang, people may not be able to realize and accept it. I may instruct people to reflect on "What is Ch'an? You are Ch'an." Why are you Ch'an? It is because you are confused. 

In short, even something as explicit as the Zhao-Zhou Tea and the Yun-Men Cookie, people still fail to understand it and often become more confused. Therefore, why not simply present the two words of An-Hsiang to achieve a direct impact on practitioners, and save them a great deal of time on blindly searching for it. An-Hsiang is the life of Ch'an, and the direct inference of all matters, reasons and laws. The An-Hsiang Ch'an is the typical Ch'an of the Patriarchs – the Ch'an of Intuitive Insight, and it is truly the intelligent essence of the Ch'an School. The reason why it had not been presented in the past was that people in ancient times possessed strong mind of intelligence and much less negative karma. Today, having entered into the industrial world, the higher material desires people have possessed and the lower spiritual life they are living are direct consequences of this. Everyone is living in a utilitarian society struggling to make a living, and who would have spare time to reflect on any Ch'an topics? Who would be willing to constantly sit, meditate and monitor one's mind? Timing is different now; consequently, I would directly present An-Hsiang. If it is a fault by doing so, I would take the blame. If it is a blessing, I wish everyone can enjoy it. 

3. The Characteristics of the An-Hsiang Ch'an 

Now, we all have realized the origin of the An-Hsiang Ch'an; however, some people still believe subtle differences exist between the An-Hsiang Ch'an and the Patriarch Ch'an. In fact, the difference exists between the modern Ch'an and the ancient Ch'an instead of between the An-Hsiang Ch'an and the Patriarch Ch'an. The ancient Ch'an focused on practicing the pursuit of the non-mundane world, whereas, the modern Ch'an places the emphasis on practicing in the realistic world. 

What is the characteristic of the An-Hsiang Ch'an? In the past, practitioners should be ordained to follow a code of precepts. With regards to the precepts for monks, the precepts for Bodisattvas, or the basic five precepts – not taking life, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not telling untruths and not indulging in intoxicants, they more or less affect people's lifestyles. However, the An-Hsiang Ch'an does not posses any of these. It only has one precept to follow, which is "Never do anything that you are ashamed to tell others." If you do something that you ought not to do, your mind will be contaminated and your sinful karma will also be increased. A contaminated mind can not correspond to the Dharma. Therefore, all religions have their own particular precepts and rules to abide by as well as daily routines to follow, which undoubtedly will bring some inconvenience to their daily lives. However, the An-Hsiang Ch'an does not have any restrictions. The way you lived yesterday is the way you live today. The way you live today is also the way you are going to live tomorrow. You do not need to alter your external factors influencing your lifestyle; what you have to do is to alter your internal frame of mind. It simply asks you to respect yourself, discipline yourself, develop yourself, recognize yourself, affirm yourself, purify yourself, upgrade yourself, and fulfill yourself. Obviously, the An-Hsiang Ch'an is adapted to suit modern people. It does not belong to those people who are rich but have nothing to do and treat Ch'an as a tool of amusement to be exclusively used by them. The An-Hsiang Ch'an is specially presented for the public; it should not be considered as something decorative to the lives of few literati only. Thus, the An-Hsiang Ch'an is the simplest, and the most comprehensive, straight-forward, and utmost approach.

Many senior practitioners have read The Small Volume of Meditation and Contemplation as well as The Sastra on the Greater Prajna-paramita. In the nineteenth chapter of The Sastra on the Greater Prajna-paramita, it clearly states that meditation is a solitary practice. A solitary practice means that one needs to practice in a way like a lion parading without any companions. If you have a wife, you definitely will fail in your practice. Nevertheless, the statement does not apply to the An-Hsiang Ch'an. You can get married and have children, as long as you do not have a concubine. Look, how simple the method is! It is almost free from any concerns; and very similar to the state of Hua-yen, "No obstruction in principles, no obstruction in practices, no obstruction in principles and practices, and no obstruction in all practices." You not only can live a realistic and normal life, but also can practice to attain enlightenment. Is it not a superb method of perfect harmony and no obstruction? 

Maybe you will ask, "What is the reference for such statements?" I will not say anything without references. In The Hymn of the Way to Enlightenment, it clearly states that "Being in a tempting environment, one can identify one's strength of practice. It is similar to a lotus arising from a fire that will never fade out." You can find it in The Hymn of the Way to Enlightenment, as it is clearly addressed in it. In fact, only the An-Hsiang Ch'an of the Patriarch Ch'an School can function as a lotus arising from a fire. It is extremely difficult, rare and precious. 

4. How to Practice the An-Hsiang Ch'an?

Indeed, the characteristic of the An-Hsiang Ch'an is to focus on practicing in the realistic world, and it is also specifically designed for the public. However, we also need to realize that it is the Patriarch Ch'an of today, as well as a typical Ru-Lai Ch'an. The methods of its practice are as follows:

The first is the correct recitation of sutras. I remember a few years ago, when the Ch'an Association in Tainan was established, I gave Buddhism a definition, i.e. the Buddhism is a methodology of becoming a Buddha. What does it disclose? It discloses that Buddhism is not about theories or reasons, nor does it adhere to any truths and it is not a philosophy, either. Then, what is it? It is simply a methodology to guide people to achieve their Buddhahood. It is truly too simple! As long as you follow its method to rectify your thoughts and behaviors, you are virtually conducting a true practice and will be able to become a Buddha. It is likened to needing a raft for getting across a river, without it you cannot cross the waters. We therefore realize that Buddhism does not emphasize on any advanced intellectual theories, but only values the correct application of methods. 

In the correct recitation of sutras, the best is to read the Diamond Sutra. Some people read the Diamond Sutra in a way that does not work. It is because while they are reading it, they are also thinking of the meaning of each sentence and even trying to explain it to themselves. No wonder it does not work. One must deviate from one's discriminative mind when reading it. While you are reading the Diamond Sutra, you simply read it through from the very beginning to the last without any concerns about the meaning of its contents, or any arising illusions. If there are illusions arising, simply discard them. When you finish reading the Sutra, you simply close it and try to observe the state of your mind. What is your perception at the moment? It must be different from previously. The precious value of the Diamond Sutra is that it can give you a mentality of diamonds, which cannot be moved even with eight strong gusts of wind. The greatness of the Diamond mentality is that it can keep our minds free from any worries or illusions. It can also make our minds calm and stable, and full of the carefree and An-Hsiang perception. What a fantastic Sutra! It is extremely superb! To Ch'an practitioners, it is really a priceless treasure. Nevertheless, if you try to lecture the Sutra, you are simply misleading yourself and others. The fault caused by doing so is not trivial at all!

The second method is mind-transmission. It is to transmit one's mind to others. People with strong mentality can transmit their minds to unlimited numbers of people. They can change your state of mind to clear your worries and sweep away your illusions and confusion. They can awaken your Mahaprajna, i.e. An-Hsiang, which has been covered by the dusts for ages. They can immediately transmit the original state of mind to you, and that is the transmission between minds. This is definitely not a theory, not something one can take it for granted, nor a non-realistic ideal; in fact, it is the true evidence of the direct inference of the Dharma. However, only people with good quality can possess and maintain it. With regards to those who do not have good quality, after having undergone their repentance, they then will be able to correspond to it. 

5. Why Do We Advocate the An-Hsiang Ch'an?

Today, the social structure, life styles, and economic conditions all have changed. In the past, when one focused upon reflecting on a topic, one might become totally unrealistic. They could not see a mountain as a mountain and a river as a river. They did not know what they were eating, or even forgot eating and sleeping. They could have gone through a process of transformation like that from death to life. It was fine to embark on such a process, as it was quite safe in the agricultural society. However, nowadays, if you see cars as not cars, trains as not trains, and stairs as not stairs, your will be in extreme danger. Consequently, the method is not suitable to be applied today. 

Secondly, in terms of the Ch'an of Tathagata, it refers to the original as such. This is to have the practice of self-awakening which equals to monitoring one's mind. The initial point of monitoring one's mind is to be aware of any approaching thoughts. One should be able to manage one's own mind when thinking about things, and not allow thoughts to manipulate your mind. One should be constantly aware of one's mind, and can perceive any thoughts coming into it. This is monitoring one's mind. When your mind has become totally monitored, and you are no longer bothered by any thoughts, then you can sit and maintain a self-conscious mentality. The Buddha is a Buddha with a grand-awakening mind, and we, with a rare-awakening mind, are disciples of the Buddha. With regards to Bodhisattva, the power of their awakening mind is between the Buddha and humans. Once they have completed a further advancement, they will become a grand-awakening Buddha. What I call "awakening" here does not mean the sensation of being stung by a needle. Instead, it is a sense of self-consciousness. One uses one's own consciousness to be aware of oneself. As a good old saying goes, "It is likened to a sparkling pearl; it is its own radiance that makes it sparkle." Likewise, when a pearl radiates during the night, who is supposed to be illuminated by its shine? It is nobody else but itself. The guideline of the practice of self-consciousness is exactly like this. If you can follow this way for self-consciousness, it will be safer and more efficient than reflecting on the sayings of a Ch'an master.

Reflecting on the saying of a Ch'an master needs strong mentality to make it effective. If you lack such a mentality and fear difficulties and torture, you will become hesitant and easily deviate from the topic. You may come back to reflect on the topic again; however, this way will drag the process on for years and years, and make success within your practice extremely difficult. I would suggest you stop practicing in this way.

Speaking of monitoring one's mind, it is also not easy. In order to monitor one's mind, one needs to sit in a quiet place. Today, there are noises everywhere, such as the noises of motors coming from unregistered factories in the residential area, midnight roaring motorcycles, and crazy people firing crackers at late hours. Once you are frightened by these noises during the process of monitoring your mind, you will easily lose focus and become bewitched. Some people chose ten o'clock at night as the most appropriate time to light a pile of crackers, what for? It is to worship gods. They do not care about others and spoil themselves with unlimited freedom. It is really silly and ridiculous. It is also a luxury to talk about freedom to people who do not possess self-dignity, do not respect themselves and fail to maintain noble decency. This is the deterioration of human spirit and a very sad phenomenon. 

Today why do we have to keep emphasizing that the Patriarch Ch'an equates to the An-Hsiang Ch'an? After all, is the An-Hsiang Ch'an really the Patriarch Ch'an? Here are two anecdotes,

When Master Bai-Zhang Huai-Hai, a disciple of Master Ma-Zu, lived in the Da-Xuong Mountain, Master Ma-Zu sent someone to deliver three urns of pickles to him. Bai-Zhang assembled all his disciples and pointed at the urns with his cane, and said, "If someone here has been enlightened, I would not break the urns; otherwise, I would." Everyone was silent. Then Bai-Zhang broke the urns with his cane. The messenger went back and Ma-Zu asked him, "Have you delivered the urns of pickles over?" "Yes, I have." "What did Bai-Zhang say?" "He gathered everyone in the hall and found no one enlightened; then he broke the urns with his cane." Ma-Zu was delighted to say that "This rascal is not bad!" 

On another occasion, Ma-Zu sent a message to another disciple of his, he asked, "How are you doing? Just write a letter to tell me." His disciple wrote to him, "Dear Master, in the past thirty years, I have never been in need of any salt and soy sauce." What does it mean? It means that a Ch'an practitioner cannot live without An-Hsiang. Can we live without soy sauce or salt? Likewise, Ch'an practitioners cannot practice without An-Hsiang. How can we say so? Even temporary shortage of An-Hsiang will make a practitioner become a walking skeleton. To a practitioner, temporarily losing An-Hsiang equates to losing his life, because his Dharmakaya has come to an end. Ladies and gentlemen, we should know that to Ch'an practitioners, An-Hsiang as stated by Ma-Zu and Bai-Zhang equates to our daily necessities as soy sauce and salt, and it is the true life and true blood of Ch'an. Therefore, we realize that An-Hsiang is not a new established branch of the Ch'an School, please do not misunderstand it. In order to help people to have a better understanding of the contents of Ch'an and its direct inference, we therefore particularly highlight and expose its contents to be its signage. This is our main objective to name it as "the An-Hsiang Ch'an" . 

VII. Who Are Most Suitable to Practice the An-Hsiang Ch'an?

　
Who are most suitable to learn the An-Hsiang Ch'an? Some people can practice Ch'an, but some cannot. Then, what kind of people can learn it?

1. People Who Care About the Issues of Birth, Death, Pain and Joy

What are the problems related to the issues of birth, death, pain and joy? With regards to birth, do we know where we are from? With regards to death, we also do not know where we are going after death. Eight kinds of pain are always bothering us, and make us extremely helpless. Thus, we are more or less living in a helpless situation. As long as we have desires, we will feel helpless. If we obtain something, we would complain about not having enough. It is because our desires are like a bottomless valley, never to be filled in full. Throughout human history, all those saints and sages had never been able to obtain a lifestyle which met their most basic, fair, and simplest requirements. Even though you do not ask for a luxurious life, simply a plain one, such as simple clothes, vegetarian meals, and walking instead of applying any transportation vehicles, is still not obtainable.

Confucius is a saint. When he was traveling among those countries to advocate his concept of utopia, what was the result? He was starving to death. He was not only disregarded, but also attacked at Chen-Cai for mistaking him as Yang-Huo. As a result, he could not even have a meal. 

Sakyamuni Buddha is a grand-awakening saint, and a great mentor of heaven and humans; however, his own cousin, named Devadatta, always planned to trap him, and applied hundreds and thousands of tricks to kill him. Here are two examples telling us how he did it. 

One day, when the Buddha was preaching the Dharma, Devadatta hired a prostitute and tied a bunch of cotton onto her belly, then covered it up with clothes. The prostitute came to shout at the Buddha,
"Hey, what is your truth about? It's baloney to talk about grand compassion and mercy! Look, you make me pregnant and wouldn't care, what sort of "mercy" is it?" 
All the disciples there were very angry and tried to make her leave. But the Buddha stopped them and said, "Needless to go, needless to go, just let her be!" Some practitioners were very powerful and wanted to have her arrested and sent to jail. However, the Buddha said, "Let her talk, do not interrupt her." Then, the prostitute started developing her accusation by shouting, jumping, and fooling around. Suddenly, the string which tied the bunch of the cotton snapped and all the cotton dropped on the ground, and of course, her belly became smaller. Now, the truth was totally revealed. Though the Buddha is a saint, his own cousin still set him up as such. 

There was another time. Devadatta knew there was an extremely narrow valley, where the Buddha was going to pass by. Then he sent someone to gather quite a large group of elephants and fed them with wine. When he saw the Buddha approaching to the narrow valley, he ignited fire on the tails of those swaying drunken elephants. (Tian-Dan used the strategy of Fired-Cattle, and he used the Fired-Elephant instead.) He thought that the Buddha could be trodden to pieces. However, when those elephants came to the front of the Buddha, they all unexpectedly knelt down before the Buddha. Finally, this traitor was rewarded by being sent to hell. When a crack opened on the ground, he fell into it. As we can see, saints are also quite helpless and vulnerable. 

While the disciples were washing the feet of Jesus Christ, Jesus said, "Tonight, one of you is going to betray me." Indeed, Judas betrayed his master simply for a few pieces of golden coins. Later on, he was conscience-stricken, did not spend any golden coins, and hanged himself with a great regret in his mind.

Ordinary people do not always have a choice, neither do the saints. When you have a son, you would expect to transform him from iron to steel. When you do not have one, you would say, "If I had a son, I would be completely satisfied." People do not have choices. In order to overcome this sense of helplessness, you should try to break through the issues of birth, death, pain and joy. Do not be manipulated by the environment to laugh or cry. Instead, you should decide when or where to laugh or cry, which is the main issue. If you do not care about the issues of birth, death, pain, and joy, and cannot deal with any confrontation, nor learn any lessons from it, all this fully proves that your mind lacks strength, and you are not suitable to learn Ch'an. If you insist on learning it, you are simply wasting your time and certainly cannot achieve anything.

2. People Who Pursue the Eternity of Life

The Buddha said that everyone has the nature of the Buddha. It implies that all minerals in a gold mine contain gold. The Buddha is likened to the purified pure gold, he had been trained and transformed by all means, whereas, we are likened to those primitive minerals. Pure gold is very valuable, but primitive minerals are not. If you realize this, you would know that we were like the primitive minerals in the gold mine, and we have not yet been purified by means of proper training.

As we have not been purified yet, even if there is such a valuable gold inside us, we are still of no practical value. In other words, though we possess a very noble attribute of life, we virtually bury it by ourselves.

In fact, we have unbelievable potential inside us; unfortunately, it has not yet been developed. If we can purify our lives to soften our adherences, and to disconnect our adherence to the Dharma, we then would be free and liberated. In addition, we can also develop tremendous power which is strong enough to turn the earth around. We should know that Wang Yang-Ming, without being enlightened at Long-Chang, could never have achieved anything in his later career. After one's enlightenment, one then can be totally unselfish, non-self and non-dualistic between people and oneself, which is the time people can truly possess genuine mercy. There is a way to test whether you have been truly enlightened or not. If your heart has become tender, it means that you are going to be enlightened or have already been enlightened. If your heart is still as hard as iron, you are far beyond enlightenment. It is because that without being truly enlightened, one can never be truly and unconditionally merciful.

We should pursue our eternal life to transcend reincarnation, to terminate the segmentation of life and death, to no longer have any contact with death, and to be free from the three kinds of existence. The present life is the present existence, the state after death is the intermediate existence, i.e. our spirit, and rebirth is the future existence. A Ch'an practitioner does not need to have future existence and to be reborn; he is far away from the four forms of birth and the three kinds of existence (the four forms of birth: viviparous, oviparous, water-born and metamorphic). As what the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch states, "The fire in the kalpa of destruction burns to the bottom of the ocean." It refers to that at the end of the world the fire coming from the heart of the earth will burn and dry up the water of the sea. It also states, "The wind will blow the mountains to collide with each other." It is the powerful wind of the universe that will accelerate the motion of the earth to create a current making two mountains collide and turn into powder. Nevertheless, to a Ch'an practitioner, to an enlightened person, or to a person with the complete radiance of meditation and wisdom, he is truly eternal, tranquil, solitary and joyful. His life is eternal and has nothing to do with all these phenomena. People who are interested in pursuing the eternity of life are suitable to learn and practice the An-Hsiang Ch'an. 

3. People Who Are Bright and Honest, and Only Pursue a Peaceful Mind

Who are most suitable to learn the An-Hsiang Ch'an? It is most suitable for people who are bright and honest, and only pursue a peaceful mind. Do not pursue supernatural power, which is magicians' or witches' specialties and has nothing to do with Ch'an. Do not ask for any material rewards, which are too trivial. What I want is nothing but the whole universe. With only a single determination in mind, one should constantly pursue a peaceful mind no matter where or when. When the Second Patriarch met with the Patriarch BodhiDharma, the Patriarch BodhiDharma told him that the most superb Dharma does not correspond to people with ordinary virtues, little wisdom, careless minds and arrogant attitudes. On a snowy day, the Second Patriarch stood outside of the hut for whole night, and even cut off his left arm to see the first Patriarch. He said to the first Patriarch, "As I have nothing to offer, I can only cut my arm to offer you as a token of my sincerity." Therefore, the first Patriarch gave him a new name, Hui-Ke. Then, he asked, 
"You have made such a great effort to stand long in the snow and cut off your arm to offer, what is the purpose for doing so?" 
"My mind is restless, and I would beg you to settle it for me," he replied. 
This is the very origin of the pursuit of a peaceful mind. Then his master said,
"Give me your mind, and I will settle it for you." 
The Second Patriarch started looking for his mind; however, he could not find it.
"Then, I have already settled it for you." 
This dialogue seems to be full of conflicts and extremely illogical. In fact, it is exactly to the point. When your mind is occupied by the superficial consciousness of self-consciousness, it then will be restless. Once you discard the self-consciousness which tends to differentiate and correspond to the external world, your mind will immediately become peaceful and settled. Now, if any of you feel your mind as restless, which I do not believe, then my whole lecture is nothing but rubbish and baloney. 

4. People Who Can Resist the Adverse Winds and Currents

Secondly, who are most suitable to practice Ch'an? It will be people who can resist the adverse winds and currents. If you are used to a routine lifestyle, you definitely will favor comfort over labor. You will be afraid of difficulties and torture, but greedy for food and drink. You will pursue pleasures and avoid hard work, and your best wish is to have a high pay yet no commitment to make. People living in this kind of life style can never learn the Dharma. On the contrary, you should live adversely. Otherwise, to constantly follow your habitual nature will make you become a machine. You can never be free from your mechanical nature, and neither can you change yourself at all. Why do you need to live adversely? It is because Ch'an is the method of self-transcendence. As Sutras repeatedly emphasize - 
"To do what is difficult to do and to tolerate the unbearable torture." Though it is difficult, you must be determined to do it. Though it is unbearable, you insist on enduring it.

If you are not a real man, nor a hero who can resist the adverse winds and currents, you will not be suitable to learn Ch'an.
If you are not bright and honest, nor a gentleman with a sole pursuit of a peaceful mind, you will also not be eligible to learn Ch'an.
If you are not a gracious Bodhisattva who is compassionate to both heaven and humans, you will not be suitable to learn Ch'an.

After having lectured so much about the superiority of Ch'an, it is not hard to realize that Ch'an transcends everything, including truth, philosophy, religions etc. Though it is transcendent, it is also immanent. Though it makes people live realistically, it also makes their minds transcend the mundane world.

What does it refer to by being both immanent and transcendent? For example, we live in this place; however, we do not restrain ourselves to only this place. Though everything in the mundane world is not true, we still live with discipline. To apply this idea to works of art, we can see both realistic and abstract elements. With regards to its influence on literature, it is both practical and advanced. There is a consistent style outlined from literature, art or even the strategy of Ch'an, and the style is so incredible that both gods and ghosts cannot predict. 

Without the three strokes, Lin-Ji would never be able to establish Lin-Ji branch in the Ch'an School. As far as the practice of Ch'an is concerned, if we cannot resist the adverse current and wind to stand firmly, neither can we completely reverse our old habits, we will definitely fail. 

VIII. The Most Effective Way to Attain An-Hsiang

Ch'an is so wonderful and magnificent. Is there any way to attain it? Here are several very effective ways to attain it.

1. To Cleanse Dirt and Impurities

Mirrors originally are bright and reflective. Previously, I quoted what Master Shen-Xiou said in the Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, "To constantly clean it up." It is necessary for practitioners, who have not yet been enlightened, to do so. As we know, mirrors originally are bright and reflective. When they are covered up by a layer of dust and therefore lose their brightness, we should clean them up. Similarly, we originally have the nature of the Buddha and are free from any restraints. However, our six senses are used to correspond to the six dusts and absorbing dirt day after day, eventually our true mind has been completely covered up. The covered mind forms a dualistic consciousness to differentiate the outside world, and therefore replaces our absolute true mind. People often mistake thieves for sons. They regard the mind, which can tell good from bad, sweet smells from unpleasant odors and beauty from ugliness, as the true mind. It is obviously an absurd mistake. The true mind is not dualistic, and it is as what the Heart Sutra states, "No defilement and no immaculacy; no addition and no subtraction." It is absolutely independent and non-dualistic. Therefore, as long as we can cleanse dirt and impurities from the surface of our mind, our true mind will emerge and our Buddha Nature will also be exposed. We only have to carefully maintain it, be aware of it, and affirm it. We then can be enlightened and become a Buddha. 

2. To Abstain from any Evil Deeds

Practice must begin by abstaining from all that is evil, and embracing all forms of virtue. On the other hand, its final goal is to simultaneously accept both sides of morality – much like the coexistence of good and evil, God and Satan.

When venturing into the topic of inner demons, the common responses lie on two extremes. People either react with tremendous anger and hatred, or cower away in fear. In fact, we should feel sympathetic towards them. Inner demons refer to people who use their own mistakes to torture themselves. Therefore, they are the poorest people in the world. We should not hate them or feel disgusted with them, instead, we should sympathize them. The greatness of the Buddha can be manifested from the fact that after reading those Sutras, all the demons, such as gandharvas, kinnaras, and mahoragas etc., vowed to protect the Dharma as well as people who recite the Sutras. They would destroy those who interfere with people chanting the Sutras; otherwise, they would break their own heads by seventy percents. Well, from this we realize how great the Buddha is! In front of the Buddha, demons can be transformed. Once they have been transformed, they are no longer demons. 

3. To Pursue Truth

In terms of pursuing truth, we just stated that the pursuit of truth in philosophy is not realistic. Then why would we pursue truth? The truth we are pursuing is to find the very ancestor of all reason and matter, but not what the universe is, what the law of the universe is, nor any other theories. Where are all reasons from? When you have found its origin, you become the master of all reason and matter. You virtually are the king of the Dharma and a Buddha. If you cannot reach its very origin, and only recognize or search for the phenomena or branches of all reason and matter, you can never completely realize the truth within your lifetime. To Ch'an, its pursuit of truth is not pursuing the ordinary reason or truth, but for the very patriarch of truth. This point is very important 

4. To Realize One's Mind

Before practicing, you firstly need to realize what the mind is. Once you have learned the original mind, you then can start practicing. If you do not even know what the mind is, how can you practice to modify it? Consequently, after realizing one's mind, one then becomes eligible to practice one's mind. The methods of realizing one's mind are to monitor it and to be self-conscious.

5. To Monitor and Maintain One's Mind

How to monitor and maintain one's mind? It is likened to taking care of your baby in the crowd, and you cannot overlook it at any moment. You have to carefully "monitor" your own superficial consciousness, and do not allow it to misbehave, nor have any illusions. Whenever there are illusions, you have to stop them. Then, what to "maintain" ? An-Hsiang is. The way you are maintaining An-Hsiang is like the way you are holding your baby shopping at the Western-Gate Mall (one of the most prominent shopping districts in Taipei) without any intervals. Wherever you go, you always maintain it, and never let it go. Even when you go to school, go to the cinema, work or run your daily life, you need to always maintain it. Maintaining An-Hsiang with you will hardly affect your work; on the contrary, it will upgrade your working efficiency and deepen your comprehension. It will only do you good, but no harm at all. 

Originally, I was worried about those children who come to learn Ch'an. It is because their parents pay tuition for them to study hard instead of learning Ch'an. However, now I no longer object to it, as the fact proves that students who are learning Ch'an are not only well-behaved, but also academically outstanding. In addition, the revelation of their internal beauty makes them even more handsome, lovely, courteous, and adorable. 

IX. Conclusion
　
Finally, I would like to conclude that practice does not aim to possess anything. In fact, what you are expecting hardly comes, whereas, what you are not expecting unexpectedly arrives beyond your imagination. Everything happening in the universe is based upon the development of conditions - in Chinese it is called "Yuan". I would like to greatly appreciate The Ch'an Foundation and Tainan Ch'an Association for their special arrangement of this lecture. In the meantime, I would like to thank all of you for giving up your entertainment and leisure time to listen to my wild talk. Thank you all! Today there is an opportunity for us to get together, and I wish to further develop this to be a symbiotic relationship. Let us work together to purify ourselves and make progress, and also apply the radiation of our lives to purify our society and make our country more prosperous. 

Now that the New Year is coming, I sincerely wish all of you to possess An-Hsiang without any intervals and have a most rewarding year.
Thank you all!

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