Questions and Answers on the Contemplation Practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness: 19

Question: How should one handle various phenomena that arise during meditation, such as seeing Buddha images, and so on? 

Answer: All phenomena are illusory and should not be engaged with. Do not welcome what comes, nor bid farewell to what departs. Upon seeing Buddha images, neither rejoice nor fear. If someone appears to attack you, disregard it. There is neither Buddha nor demons; all are merely illusions. Simply observe the breath. 

Question: Previously, following the master’s instruction on the deep breathing method—abdominal deep breathing involving inhaling fully, holding the breath, then exhaling, pausing briefly before repeating—this constituted active breathing. Yesterday, after actively observing the breath for a while, I began observing the breath naturally entering and exiting the nasal cavity. The breath felt increasingly gentle, subtle, and light, no longer deep and long. Is this correct?

Answer: Initially, when observing the breath, if the breath is short or obstructed, one should apply the active deep breathing method to regulate it. Once the breath is regulated and even, the mind becomes pure, and body and mind attain lightness and ease, then proceed with natural breathing. This allows entry into the normal mode of breath observation, free from physical hindrances. 

Question: During sitting meditation this afternoon, the qi mechanism was quickly activated. The body felt light and buoyant, as if merging with empty space—no inside, no outside. The body, eyes, chest, and other areas seemed to breathe in an open, expansive manner, as if floating in the air. With a single thought, I returned to my hometown; a force pushed me, and I flew backward. A thought arose: "I died and ignored it" (intending to let the seventh consciousness handle it). Later, the backward movement ceased. I saw the moonlight, bright and illuminating the earth, yet still ignored it. Finally, I concluded the sitting, the body remaining in a floating sensation throughout. 

Answer: The body's sensations and states are all experiences within meditative concentration (dhyāna). When the mind becomes tranquil, the four great elements of the body naturally undergo changes, causing the body to feel light and at ease, as if floating in space. Changes in the physical body, in turn, influence the mind. The mind revolving within these states is a sign of meditative stability (samādhi), arising only after the mind becomes empty. Disregarding it is correct. Do not remain in such meditative states for excessively long periods. Focus primarily on contemplation within the state, making contemplation the main thread.