The Direction of Zen Meditation

The direction of Chan meditation should be to investigate the essence of all activities involving the five aggregates during walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, examining what their true substance is whenever any phenomenon arises. It is said that the five aggregates are illusory; since they are illusory, why do they manifest? The activity aggregate during walking, standing, sitting, and lying is all illusory transformation—how exactly does this illusion occur, and who creates these appearances? When sitting in meditation, is there a person sitting? Who is sitting? The eighth consciousness, Tathāgatagarbha, does not sit in meditation; the seventh consciousness, manas, does not sit in meditation; the mind consciousness does not sit in meditation; the five sensory consciousnesses do not sit in meditation; and without consciousness, the body cannot sit in meditation. Then let us consider: is there a person sitting in meditation? Who is sitting in meditation? How is the phenomenon of sitting in meditation formed? This is Chan meditation; penetrate this, and enlightenment will be attained.

When we speak, we should contemplate: Who is speaking? Is there a speaker? How is the phenomenon of speaking formed? The eighth consciousness, Tathāgatagarbha, does not speak; the seventh consciousness, manas, does not speak; the mind consciousness does not speak; the five sensory consciousnesses do not speak; without consciousness, the tongue cannot speak—otherwise, a corpse could speak. Who exactly is speaking? How does speaking occur? How is language formed? This is Chan meditation; penetrate this, and enlightenment will be attained. Who exactly is reciting the Buddha’s name? Who is reading the sutras? One must raise a doubtful inquiry toward all phenomena; when conditions ripen, the doubt will be resolved, confusion dispelled, and enlightenment attained.