How to Regulate Body and Mind to Swiftly Enter the State of Contemplative Practice

During seated meditation and contemplation, to quickly calm the mind, one must first regulate the breath, allowing qi and blood to circulate smoothly. Only when the body is regulated can the mind become tranquil, enabling mental focus. At this point, contemplation will become clear and lucid. If contemplation remains unclear, one should first recite the Buddha's name or chant mantras to adjust the body and mind. The recitation must be slow; the slower the recitation, the better the breath regulation, and the more focused and undistracted the mind becomes. If one can simultaneously visualize the Buddha, envisioning the Buddha's light illuminating the entire body, blessings and empowerment will be received, the mind will quickly settle, and one can directly enter the state of contemplation. Therefore, adjusting the mind and regulating the breath before seated contemplation is a crucial step.

Only when the body is well-adjusted and qi and blood circulate properly can the mind become tranquil, making contemplation effective. When the mind is unsettled, one can take several deep breaths to adjust, or use the breath-recitation method. Using the breath to recite the Buddha's name is essentially regulating the breath; gradually, it will open the Ren Meridian in the front of the body, allowing the breath to reach the Dantian. When qi enters the Dantian, mental focus will gather, and other discursive thoughts will disappear. Once the awareness reaches the Dantian, breathing will naturally become smooth, the Dantian will feel warm, the whole body will be comfortable and easily attain samādhi, the body will quiet down, and the mind will consequently become tranquil.

The number and duration of deep breaths for regulating respiration should be based on individual physical condition. For those with good physical constitution and fewer discursive thoughts, one to five deep breaths are sufficient; a maximum of ten deep breaths is enough. Doing more may cause fatigue and reduce effectiveness. After the mind has calmed, observe the breath; if the body is not yet still, proceed with contemplation step by step according to the sequence.

If the preceding Dharma practice has not been mastered through contemplation, do not proceed to the subsequent practices. Only when the foundation of the preceding contemplation is solid should one contemplate the subsequent practices.

When using the breath-recitation method to adjust the body, note that recitation should occur during exhalation; it cannot be done during inhalation. Recite aloud using throat resonance; the vibration of the sound waves can dislodge blockages in the internal organs, allowing the qi flow to descend directly to the Dantian, opening the Ren Meridian in the front of the body, thereby regulating it. Because recitation is very slow, it is less prone to discursive thoughts while simultaneously regulating the breath, making it easiest to attain samādhi. Due to its slowness, attention becomes fully concentrated on reciting and listening to the Buddha's name, allowing the mind to easily settle, which helps reduce and cease discursive thoughts. When samādhi arises, recitation becomes soundless; at this point, become still, and with a pure mind, one can clearly observe the breath.

Once the body, mind, and qi-blood circulation are regulated in this way, seated meditation will no longer lead to drowsiness. Drowsiness is primarily caused by obstructed qi and blood. Furthermore, with a profound object of focus, the mind can concentrate and is less prone to drowsiness. When qi and blood are obstructed, the brain's nutritional supply cannot meet its consumption, leading easily to drowsiness. The cause of drowsiness is the failure to properly regulate the body's qi and blood; once regulated, drowsiness will not occur, and one can then enter the normal state of contemplation.