The Methods of Entering the Path through Principle-Cultivation and Practice-Cultivation as Taught by Patriarch Bodhidharma

"Externally cease all conditions; within the mind, no panting; the mind like a wall—then one may enter the Path." This is a saying of Patriarch Bodhidharma, and it can be explained in two ways. The first describes a state of meditative concentration (samādhi) within cultivation; the other subtly points to the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya). From the perspective of the ultimate truth, the true suchness principle-body, the tathāgatagarbha, has neither outside nor inside; it has no external conditions and does not cling to any dharma. He does not discern any sense objects, does not know whether any realm is wholesome or unwholesome, true or false; therefore, within His own mind there is no deliberation, no thinking, no views, no opinions. For this reason, no external dharma can enter the mind, and from within the mind no thoughts, viewpoints, or views emerge—the tathāgatagarbha mind is like a wall, impenetrable from inside to outside, with neither inside nor outside. Having thus understood this nature of the tathāgatagarbha, one can then investigate it and realize it, and from then on one enters the Path. This is entering the Path through principle-based cultivation.

From another perspective, this is entering the Path through practice-based cultivation. Practice-based cultivation means cultivating concentration, and then, within that concentration, investigating Chan and realizing the tathāgatagarbha. This concentration can be the first dhyāna of the form realm, or it can be the preparatory concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) of the desire realm prior to the first dhyāna. When one attains such concentration, the mind's thoughts are concentrated, and one can then investigate Chan, investigate a huatou; when the investigation breaks through, one attains enlightenment. Specifically speaking, one cultivates concentration until one no longer clings to the external sense objects of form, sound, scent, taste, and touch, and the mind no longer clings to other mental objects—no random thoughts, no recollections, no scattered deliberation. Cultivate the mind until it is like a wall: the afflictions of greed, anger, and delusion cannot enter, and irrelevant six sense objects cannot enter either, while one can focus on a single dharma, contemplating and investigating the dharma of true suchness, the dharma of the tathāgatagarbha, investigating a gong'an or a huatou. When the causes, conditions, and proper time are complete, one can find the answer, comprehend the dharma principle, and realize the true suchness mind-body.

The huatou can be: "Who drags this corpse around?" "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" "Who is eating?" "Who is walking?" One may also contemplate and investigate a phrase from a Buddhist sutra, for example, in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra the Buddha said: 如机关木人，机发相起。 This phrase can test whether a student has truly awakened to the Path, and whether the awakening is correct or not. If one has awakened incorrectly, the meaning of this phrase cannot be understood, nor can one understand the meaning of the phrase "a bodhisattva's every step, whether lifting the foot or setting it down, comes from the place of practice"—a sentence from the Vimalakīrti Sūtra. There are many more huatou; the best one is that which fits one's own spiritual faculties (indriya). In short, this kind of concentration is not easy to cultivate in the present age. In the Tang and Song dynasties, the vast majority of people had this kind of concentration, so awakening to the Path came quickly.

Investigating Chan does not necessarily require sitting; one can investigate Chan while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, and can investigate anytime and anywhere. With the mind concentrated and undistracted, whenever one encounters objects and conditions, one can enter awakening at any moment. From ancient times to the present, the vast majority of patriarchs who awakened to the Path did not awaken while sitting, and it is also not easy to awaken while sitting. Some people awakened upon hearing someone say a single sentence; some awakened upon hearing a sound; some awakened upon seeing a form; and some awakened upon smelling a scent. They had all already investigated Chan to a certain degree, and were triggered by an accidental opportunity—a spark of inspiration—and thus awakened to the Path. Many people also awakened upon hearing their master's instruction, and some awakened because their master gave a punch, a blow of the staff, or a shout; each person's conditions for awakening seem to be different. Investigating Chan also requires cultivation to a certain degree before one can investigate; if the power of concentration is insufficient, one must not force the investigation—forcing it brings no benefit. Only when the power of concentration has reached the preparatory concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) of the desire realm, so that while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down the mind can think without disorder and can focus on a single state, is it the best time to investigate Chan. Only then, when one comes to investigate Chan, can questioning doubt arise; once the questioning doubt is resolved, one can quickly see the mind and attain enlightenment.