How to Cultivate Meditative Concentration

There are many methods for initially cultivating meditative concentration. Some methods for initially entering samādhi were discussed in the book Cultivating Meditative Concentration and Investigating Chan to Realize the Path, such as regulating the breath, and after regulating the breath, performing the motions of prostrating to the Buddha on a meditation cushion; once the body has been properly adjusted, then sitting in meditation, and other such small methods that are relatively easy to begin with and very practical. That book also explains how the mind should contemplate while sitting in meditation, and when the mind is especially scattered, how to recite mantras or recite sutras to adjust the mind; then, once the mind is settled, how to apply effort in investigating Chan — the methods are all in that book. You can read it and practice step by step accordingly. There are also audio files, which explain things in more detail. Once the mind has settled down somewhat, when you truly want to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), you should practice according to the Chan Samādhi Sūtra and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Sūtra. The practice methods taught in those sutras cultivate both meditative concentration and wisdom, and are excellent. Once the Four Foundations of Mindfulness are well cultivated, in the future, for the seeing of the Path at any gate of the Mahāyāna, you can apply effort according to that method. That method of applying effort is the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā; as long as the skill is sufficient, it guarantees seeing the Path and realizing the Buddha's Dharma.

Some people have cultivated meditative concentration for a long time; their methods of cultivating concentration may be quite good, and their dhyāna may be quite deep, but within that concentration it is like a pool of stagnant water, giving rise to no wisdom. Once their power of concentration is good, they no longer want to do anything, and all day long they enjoy entering samādhi, craving the pleasant feelings of physical comfort. Then they have no wisdom to investigate Chan, no contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) wisdom, and their knowledge and view of the Buddha's Dharma remains very shallow.
Some people only single-mindedly cultivate meditative concentration without generating awareness and illumination; their wisdom is not good, and at the time of death they too are turned along by karma, because after all they have not eradicated the view of self, have no wisdom for escaping birth and death, and also lack the kind of wisdom that Mahāyāna bodhisattvas have from seeing the mind and seeing the nature; in future lives they cannot avoid the cycle of birth and death. Only by using the power of meditative concentration for contemplative practice and investigation can one eradicate the view of self and see the mind and see the nature; only then can the problem of birth and death be solved — this is the most important thing. Nowadays practitioners of Buddhism have two extremes in their practice: one extreme is to specialize solely in cultivating meditative concentration, lacking wisdom and not wanting to engage in contemplative practice; the other extreme is to never cultivate dhyāna concentration at all, but only use the mind consciousness to broadly study and learn much, or to use the scattered deliberation of the mind consciousness, applying effort in intellectual understanding rather than in realization. Only by merging these two extremes together can one realize the Buddha's Dharma.