Enlightenment Is Attained Opportunistically Only When Dhyana Is Perfected

Generations of ancestral masters have taught disciples to cultivate meditative concentration. The meditation halls established in monasteries of the past were precisely for practitioners to sit in meditation, cultivate concentration, and engage in Chan (Zen) investigation. Practitioners during the Tang and Song dynasties each possessed meditative concentration. At that time, sutras were extremely rare and difficult to encounter; few had the opportunity to read them. Buddhists could only sit in meditation and cultivate concentration, hence their power of concentration was excellent. They were fully endowed with tranquility in both stillness and motion; their minds did not grasp at external objects and they constantly abided in concentration. Therefore, when they encountered Chan masters expounding the true meaning of the Dharma, they were able to awaken to it very quickly. They could also pass away and be reborn at will, taking rebirth freely into families of parents suitable for their Buddhist study and practice.

Endowed with such excellent concentration, when Chan masters ascended the Dharma seat to teach opportunistically, some in the assembly would attain enlightenment right then and there. Practitioners of the past were engaged in Chan investigation and contemplating the Dharma throughout the day and night. Thus, upon encountering a condition, they could immediately awaken. They did not possess much knowledge or views about Chan methods back then, nor extensive theoretical understanding of the Dharma. They only knew some essential characteristics of the tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature), the true suchness mind, and they accepted this with unwavering faith before beginning Chan investigation to seek the tathagatagarbha. This is why their awakening was faster and easier than it is for people today – it was because they were fully endowed with both concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (prajna), and their wholesome roots and merit were also complete. In the past, the language used by Chan masters in their teachings was relatively obscure and indirect, not expressed plainly or overtly. If a practitioner lacked the complete set of precepts, concentration, and wisdom, it was very difficult to attain realization. It is not like now, where the Dharma has been explained very clearly, yet practitioners still fail to grasp its essence.

Meditative concentration is common to non-Buddhist paths. Having meditative concentration does not necessarily mean one has attained the Way (Dao), but without meditative concentration, one certainly cannot attain the Way. Separated from meditative concentration, it is impossible to accomplish the path of practice.

A person lacking power of concentration has coarse thoughts and cannot penetrate the profound principles of the Dharma. Consequently, it is impossible for them to truly and completely sever the view of self and realize the mind. Therefore, Chan investigation requires extremely good power of concentration. Before engaging in Chan investigation, one must first cultivate meditative concentration well, and only then proceed to investigate Chan.