How to Adjust Body and Mind to Quickly Enter the State of Contemplative Practice (Vipaśyanā-caryā)

When engaging in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) during sitting meditation, in order to quickly calm the mind, one must first regulate the breath so that the qi and blood flow smoothly. Only when the body is well regulated can the mind settle down and the mental focus become concentrated; at that point, contemplative practice will be clear and lucid. If the contemplation still cannot be clear and lucid, one should first recite the Buddha's name or a mantra to adjust body and mind. When reciting, the pace must be slow—recite slowly. The slower the recitation, the better the breath is regulated, and the more concentrated and undistracted the mind becomes. If one can simultaneously visualize the Buddha, visualizing the Buddha's light shining upon the whole body, one will receive the power of blessing, the mind will quickly settle, and one can directly enter the state of contemplative practice. Therefore, regulating the mind and the breath before sitting quietly in contemplation is a crucial step.

Only when the body is well adjusted and the qi and blood flow well can the mind settle down, and only then will contemplative practice be effective. When the mind cannot settle, one can take several deep breaths to adjust, or use the breath-recitation method of reciting the Buddha's name. Using the breath to recite the Buddha's name is in fact also a way of regulating the breath; it will gradually open up the Conception Vessel (Ren Mai) in the front of the body, allowing the breath to reach the dantian. When the breath enters the dantian, the mind becomes concentrated and other distracting thoughts disappear. Once the intention reaches the dantian, the breath naturally becomes smooth, the dantian grows warm, the whole body feels comfortable, and it is easy to attain meditative concentration (samādhi). When the body quiets down, the mind also becomes quiet. 

The number of deep breaths and the length of the breath when regulating the breath should be based on one's individual physical condition. Those in good physical condition with few distracting thoughts need only one to five deep breaths; at most, ten deep breaths are enough. Doing more will cause fatigue, and the effect will actually be worse. After the mind has settled, then contemplate the breath; if the body is not yet calm in contemplation, proceed little by little according to the sequence of contemplative practice.

If the preceding dharma has not been practiced to proficiency in contemplation, do not contemplate the later dharma; only after the foundation of the earlier contemplation is firm should one contemplate the later ones.

When using the breath-recitation method to adjust the body, note that one should recite the Buddha's name only while exhaling—it cannot be done while inhaling. Recite aloud using the resonant chest voice; the vibration of the sound waves can shake open the blocked places in the five viscera and six bowels, and the flow of breath can descend directly to the dantian, opening up the Conception Vessel in front, and the body will then be well regulated. Because the recitation is very slow, distracting thoughts do not easily arise, and it also regulates the breath, making it easiest to attain samādhi. Because it is slow, attention becomes fully concentrated on reciting the Buddha's name and listening to it, and the mind easily becomes tranquil, which helps reduce and cease distracting thoughts. When meditative concentration arises, one can no longer produce the sound of recitation; at that point one should remain still, and with the mind pure and clean, one can contemplate the breath clearly. 

When body and mind have been adjusted in this way and the qi and blood flow freely, sitting meditation will no longer lead to drowsiness, for drowsiness is mainly caused by blocked circulation of qi and blood. Moreover, with a very profound object of contemplation that the mind can focus on, drowsiness does not easily occur. When the qi and blood are blocked and nutrition cannot supply the brain's consumption, drowsiness easily arises. The cause of drowsiness is simply that the body's qi and blood have not been well regulated; once regulated, drowsiness will not occur, and one will then enter the normal state of contemplative practice.