Cultivation of Concentration and Chan Meditation for Realization of the Way (Part 1)
Section 4: The Methods of Cultivating Meditative Concentration and Contemplative Practice (Vipaśyanā-caryā) Taught in the Buddhist Sūtras
1. The Method of Cultivating Meditative Concentration Taught in the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment
The Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment mentions the method of practicing samāpatti, which combines meditative concentration and wisdom, using the mind to transform realms, turning realms by means of the mind, with realms turning as the mind turns. This method is not difficult either. In meditative concentration, the mind very attentively meditates on a realm; as the concentration deepens and the mind transforms, the realm will gradually transform. Originally there were evil thoughts in the mind; as the concentration deepens and the mind relaxes, the evil thoughts will turn into wholesome thoughts—one wants to think evil but can no longer do so, and everything becomes beautiful. The mind changes from anger to joy, the realm changes from ugly to beautiful; when the mind turns, the realm turns. Therefore meditative concentration can subdue afflictions, eradicate afflictions, transform mental states, and change all dharmas. All Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas have cultivated samāpatti, accomplished all dharmas, accomplished and transformed the vessel-world of the three realms, changing impure lands into pure lands.
2. The Practice Method of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
The Sūtra on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is an excellent sūtra for cultivating meditative concentration and wisdom together and attaining the purity of the Dharma-eye. Because we lack the power of concentration and the power of wisdom, our minds are coarse and we do not know how to introspect. This sūtra teaches us how to cultivate the mind to a state of meticulous subtlety, to introspect on ourselves with increasing clarity, to recognize that the arising, ceasing, and changing of our five aggregates (pañca-skandha) is unreal, and thereby to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and attain the four fruits of the Small Vehicle.
What the sūtra teaches is the practice method of contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness: contemplating the foundation of mindfulness of the body, contemplating the foundation of mindfulness of feeling, contemplating the foundation of mindfulness of the mind, and contemplating the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas. When contemplating the foundation of mindfulness of the body, one first contemplates one's own breathing; the mental attention continuously follows one's own breathing, the mind rests on a single dharma, attaining concentration and stillness; then one raises contemplation and realizes that the material body arises and ceases and is without self. Afterwards one contemplates the entire material body, until one has contemplated thoroughly all the bodily formations and actions one creates, being clearly and distinctly aware of what one is currently doing; finally only a single thought of the body remains, and then one empties that thought, relinquishes that ideation, and the mind knows that all dharmas are empty and are not the self.
If in the future one wishes to investigate Chan (canhua), relying on the power of concentration one can replace this thought with a huatou for Chan investigation, or with a dharma principle that needs to be resolved, carrying this thought of investigation whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; at a certain point one will be able to investigate and resolve the dharma principle. Right now our minds are not sufficiently alert; we do not understand ourselves and do not know how to introspect. Through cultivating concentration, once the mind becomes meticulous and subtle, we can understand ourselves very well; only by understanding can we resolve our own problems.
After practicing for a period of time, one can taste the sweetness of practice. Although at the beginning it feels bitter, with the mind struggling and unwilling to accept restraint, if one persists and forms a habit, it will be fine. One can introspect on oneself anytime and anywhere—what the body is doing, what the mind is doing—and thus one understands one's own bodily, verbal, and mental actions. When one understands them very thoroughly, knowing oneself and knowing others, one can be victorious in a hundred battles and resolve one's own problems. Use the Dharma to measure oneself, manage oneself well, and examine whether one is in accord with the Dharma. Once one can manage oneself, in the future one will have the ability to manage others well; if one cannot even manage oneself, one cannot manage others and cannot be a Bodhisattva, a guide and leader for sentient beings.
One must understand that one's present actions are precisely the view of the body and the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi)—taking all these behaviors and actions as real, taking them as the self, grasping and clinging to them. When one has the ability to introspect, one will know this is self-grasping; clinging to the functions and activities of all dharmas as real is dharma-grasping. First being able to observe is good enough; don't worry about whether you can accomplish it—sooner or later you will be able to. What is to be feared is that one does not know now and does not know how to observe oneself—that is ignorance (avidyā). If one does not know that one's views are wrong, does not know that one has grasping and ignorance, how can one change?
Starting from contemplating the breath, cultivate the foundation of mindfulness of the body, then cultivate the foundation of mindfulness of feeling. Sentient beings mostly drive their minds to create various karmic actions for the sake of feeling comfortable; these feelings are all the functions and activities of the arising-and-ceasing six consciousnesses, and there is also the activity of the manas; all are arising, ceasing, changing, and unstable. Then contemplate the mind as impermanent. When contemplating the mind, one first contemplates the mind consciousness and the six consciousnesses, and in the end it also involves the manas. The contents written are not long, but to become skilled in the contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) of each small section also requires a long period of time; as for how long, that varies from person to person.
At the end, the Sūtra on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness speaks of contemplating dharmas as without self. This dharma-without-self does not mean that all dharmas are not the self that is the eighth consciousness; the contemplative practice of the Small Vehicle is not done this way—contemplating this way cannot lead to realizing the fruits. The "self" in the Small Vehicle refers to the self that can scatter and decay, that can be destroyed; in fact there is no self that is permanent and imperishable. All dharmas cannot exist permanently and will sooner or later return to extinction; therefore it is said that dharmas are without self and are not the self.
3. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Profound Meditative Concentration Can Transform the Four Great Element Seeds of Material Form
Original text of the Buddhist sūtra: 转变者。谓佛菩薩依定自在。若于其地起水胜解。即令成水如实非余。火风胜解亦复如是。若与其水起地胜解。即令成地如实非余。火风胜解亦复如是。若于其火起地胜解。即令成地如实非余。水风胜解亦复如是。若于其风起地胜解。即令成地如实非余。水火胜解亦复如是。
Answer: All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can, relying on the power of mastery of profound meditative concentration, transform earth, water, fire, and wind, and thereby transform worlds. For example, when all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see the great earth and wish to transform the earth element into the water element, they will no longer see the earth element but instead see the water element in the earth element, and thus the great earth, mountains, and rivers turn into rivers, seas, and flowing streams, with nothing but rivers, seas, and flowing streams—no other material sense-objects remain. When all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great fire, they forcibly see water in the great fire, and thus the fire element seed transforms into the water element seed; the great fire becomes a great water, with nothing but the great water—no other material sense-objects remain. When all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great wind rising and wish to extinguish it, they forcibly contemplate the great wind as a great water, and thus the wind element seed transforms into the water element seed; the great wind turns into a great water, with nothing but the great water—no other material sense-objects remain.
If all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great water and wish to extinguish it, they forcibly contemplate the great water as the great earth, and thus the water element seed transforms into the earth element seed; the great water changes into the great earth, with nothing but the great earth—no other material sense-objects are seen. If all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great fire and do not wish the great fire to exist, they forcibly contemplate the great fire as the great earth, and thus the fire element seed transforms into the earth element seed; the great fire becomes the great earth, with nothing but the great earth—no other material sense-objects are seen. If all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas see a great wind blowing and do not wish the great wind to exist, they forcibly contemplate the great wind as the great earth, and thus the wind element seed transforms into the earth element seed; the great wind changes into the great earth, with nothing but the great earth—no other material sense-objects are seen.
In short, because all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas possess profound meditative concentration, their minds are at ease and they can transform the four great element seeds at will, change all material form, and transform all worlds as they wish. With immeasurable superknowledges and the power of the Path, they guide and transform all sentient beings, leading them to enter the Buddha Way.
When the mind is brought to a single point, nothing cannot be accomplished. Non-Buddhist practitioners can bring the mind to a single point; Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas can also bring the mind to a single point; great Bodhisattvas can bring the mind to a single point; and all Buddhas can bring the mind to a single point even more so. All can make the mind at ease, all can correspondingly act as they wish, and all can accomplish corresponding undertakings. However, because their mind-scopes differ, the depths of their meditative concentration differ, and their wisdom differs, the degree of ease of their minds differs, and the undertakings they accomplish also differ.
4. The Method of Cultivating Meditative Concentration in the Mohe Zhiguan (Great Calming and Contemplation)
Original text: 听观多。如日焦芽。即应听止。润以定水。或听定淹久。如芽烂不生。即应听观。令风日发动。使善法现前。或时驰觉。一念叵住。即应听止。以治散心。或沉昏蒙蒙坐雾。即当听观。破此睡熟。或听止豁豁。即专听止。或闻观朗朗。即专听观。是为自修信行。八番巧安心也。
Explanation: When the mind's deliberation (manasikāra/manana) and contemplative practice on dharma principles are excessive, it is like the sun's light scorching a withered little sprout; at this time one should stop the deliberation and contemplative practice, settle the mind and cultivate concentration, just like watering and moistening the withered sprout. When the mind has been in concentration for a long time, it is like the sprout being flooded with water so that it rots and no longer grows. At this time one should arise mental activity from the still concentration to deliberate and contemplate dharma principles, causing the merit of wholesome dharmas to appear and grow in the mind, just like blowing on the nearly rotted sprout with wind and shining on it with sunlight, so that the nutrients of earth, water, fire, and wind are evenly applied to the sprout, and only then can the sprout grow vigorously.
In the course of practice, sometimes the initial application and sustained examination (vitarka-vicāra) gallop ceaselessly, thoughts surge and cannot be stopped, the mind is agitated, and the merit of wholesome dharmas disappears or does not manifest; at this time one should cultivate concentration, settle the mind, to counteract the scattered, object-chasing mind, and give rise to the merit of wisdom. In the course of practice, sometimes when sitting quietly the head is drowsy and murky, hazy as if sitting in fog, the mind is dark and does not give rise to the beneficial merit of wisdom; at this time one should raise the mind to deliberate and contemplate dharma principles, breaking through this sleepy state. In the course of practice, when in concentration the mind is clear and brightly illuminating, like the sun at midday, one should continue single-mindedly cultivating concentration, because in this way the water of wisdom is more easily produced. Sometimes one introspects and finds that one's contemplative wisdom is flowing forth like a gurgling stream; at this time one should continue wholeheartedly cultivating contemplative practice, to ensure that the water of wisdom keeps gushing forth.
The above are the eight skillful methods of settling the mind that sentient beings should understand and apply in the course of practice. One should strive to achieve the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā and not neglect either side; otherwise, practice cannot succeed.
5. The First Contemplation of the Sūtra on the Contemplation of Immeasurable Life
Original text: (The Buddha said) 如来今者。教韦提希。及未来世一切众生。观於西方极乐世界。以佛力故。当得见彼清净国土。如执明镜。自见面像。见彼国土极妙乐事。心欢喜故。应时即得无生法忍
Explanation: In order for people of weak mental power to be reborn in the land of bliss (sukhāvatī) at the end of life, the Buddha taught sentient beings a skillful method: first facing west to contemplate the sunset, the water contemplation, and the earth contemplation; once these three contemplations are accomplished, rebirth in the land of bliss at the end of life is guaranteed. There are sixteen contemplations in total, and each contemplation contains the Buddha's power of blessing. If one relied solely on one's own contemplation to succeed, it would probably be very difficult, because the Buddha said that sentient beings' mental activity is weak and their contemplative power is feeble. Why are sentient beings' mental activity weak and their contemplative power feeble? Because for immeasurable kalpas sentient beings have had deeply entrenched karmic seeds and too much object-chasing after worldly dharmas; their minds are too scattered to concentrate all their energy on one thing, and therefore it is not easy to accomplish anything, so they can only rely on the Buddha's power of blessing to complete the contemplation.
Original text: 佛告韦提希。汝是凡夫。心想羸劣。未得天眼。不能远观。诸佛如来。有异方便。令汝得见
Explanation: The Buddha said: I now teach Queen Vaidehī and all sentient beings of the future to contemplate the land of bliss in the west. By the power of the Buddha's blessing, in this life one can see the pure land of the land of bliss, just like holding a bright mirror and seeing one's own face—one can presently, with one's own eyes, see the supremely wondrous and blissful things of the land of bliss. Then the mind gives rise to joy; because of inner joy, one at that moment attains the patience with the non-arising of dharmas (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti), knowing that all dharmas are conjured by reliance on one's own mind, that all are unborn, that none truly exist, and patiently accepting this fact—one thereby attains the patience with the non-arising of dharmas.
The Buddha said to Queen Vaidehī: You are still an ordinary person; your mental power is very weak, you have no contemplative ability, you have not attained the divine eye, you cannot see very far, much less see the land of bliss; yet all Buddhas and Tathāgatas have certain skillful means by which they can enable you to see the land of bliss.
Original text: 时韦提希白佛言。世尊。如我今者。以佛力故。见彼国土。若佛灭后。诸众生等。浊恶不善。五苦所逼。云何当见阿弥陀佛极乐世界
Explanation: Queen Vaidehī said to the Buddha: World-Honored One, like me right now, by the power of the Buddha's blessing, I can see that Buddha-land; but if after the World-Honored One's parinirvāṇa, those sentient beings of later generations whose natures are defiled, evil, and unwholesome, and who are oppressed by the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, and death—how will they be able to presently see Amitābha Buddha's land of bliss?
Original text: 佛告韦提希。汝及众生。应当专心系念一处。想於西方。云何作想。凡作想者。一切众生。自非生盲。有目之徒。皆见日没。当起正念。正坐西向。谛观於日欲没之处。令心坚住。专想不移。见日欲没。状如悬鼓。既见日已。闭目开目。皆令明了。是为日想。名曰初观
Explanation: The Buddha told Queen Vaidehī: You and these sentient beings should single-mindedly bind the mind to one place and direct the thought toward the west. How should one direct the thought? All sentient beings who wish to contemplate, provided they are not blind from birth—all those who have eyes and can see forms—can all see the scene of the sun setting. You should raise right mindfulness, mindful of only one place, sit upright facing west, and attentively and single-mindedly observe the place where the sun is about to set, letting the mind firmly abide in that scene, contemplating exclusively that scene without shifting. At this time one should be able to see the sun about to set, its shape round like a great drum suspended in mid-air. After seeing the sun, whether closing or opening the eyes, one should see it clearly and distinctly. This is the sun contemplation, called the first contemplation.
What the Buddha taught in the original text is precisely this meaning. For the convenience of contemplation, when the sun goes down we can record it with a mobile phone; a video recording is more vivid and clear, and more helpful for contemplative practice and memory. The setting sun should not be white; the sūtra says it is orange-red, the kind that is red with a slight tinge of yellow. What the true appearance of the setting sun is like must be seen with one's own eyes—the more real the better. The setting sun in the west is generally the one at five or six o'clock; it must not be imagined or photoshopped. Choose one that you rather like, save it in your phone, and view it and contemplate it over a long period. Do not contemplate several kinds; you must be single-minded and not mixed, otherwise meditative concentration will not arise. Also do not add other patterns or backgrounds; patterns and backgrounds will distract attention and make it hard to attain concentration—the simpler the image, the better. We are not trying to appreciate scenery; if there is an appreciating mind, that is a scattered mind and a greedy, craving mind, and then meditative concentration cannot arise.
After selecting a setting-sun scene, view it every day, and after viewing, let the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta) imagine and recall it. Once the recollection is fairly firm and can be recalled at any time, then train yourself to see the setting-sun scene before your eyes with eyes closed; after the setting sun can appear at any time with eyes closed, finally, whether eyes open or closed, the setting sun is before your eyes and this scene does not disappear—the sun-contemplation meditative absorption (samādhi) is accomplished.
When the third contemplation is accomplished, the Buddha guarantees that sentient beings will be reborn in the land of bliss at the end of life, and during this period the meditative concentration is never lost—this practice method is extremely sublime. When meditative absorption is accomplished, heavy karmic offenses become light and light offenses disappear. Therefore, whenever any meditative concentration or meditative absorption is accomplished, karma can be dissolved; especially in Pure Land practice with the Buddha's power of blessing, karma can be dissolved even more, and the state of meditative absorption can be maintained without loss. By the time the seventh contemplation is accomplished, all the karma of the three evil destinies is completely eliminated, one instantaneously attains enlightenment, and sees the Buddhas of the ten directions standing before one.
This is a method of transforming and subduing the manas. Once the manas is subdued, whatever kind of meditative concentration one cultivates afterwards can be accomplished quickly, and various meditative absorptions become easy to accomplish with practice. After the sun contemplation is accomplished, then contemplate water—the water contemplation can also be accomplished quickly; after that comes the earth contemplation; when the earth contemplation is accomplished, rebirth in the land of bliss is guaranteed.
Select one setting-sun scene, view it over a long period, then recall it. When you can recall it at any moment without losing it, then with eyes closed it is constantly before your eyes; after it can constantly appear with eyes closed, then practice seeing it with eyes open. If with eyes open or closed you can constantly see the setting-sun scene without it being lost or dispersing, the first contemplation is accomplished. After the first contemplation is accomplished, the second contemplation is easy to accomplish successfully, and even the third contemplation is easy to accomplish successfully. Rebirth in the land of bliss is then guaranteed. After the first contemplation is accomplished, cultivating any other contemplative practice is easy to accomplish; the recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti) meditative absorption, seeing the mind and seeing the nature—none of these will be difficult. For those with relatively great karmic offenses, through such contemplative practice the Buddha has already guaranteed that offenses can be eliminated, and moreover one can be reborn in the land of bliss and can also see the mind and see the nature.
