Manifestations of Physical and Spiritual Attainment

Question: Once all the meridians in the body are unobstructed, does the force of contraction and expansion of the dantian diminish during breathing?

Answer: Once the meridians are all unobstructed, the body will attain a state of extreme lightness and ease, free from any burden or heaviness. One may even cease to feel the presence of the physical body, much like the ocean, which, despite its inherent fluidity, can appear with a surface so still and serene that it seems utterly motionless. This is the result of meditative concentration (dhyāna). Combined with the wisdom of contemplative practice (vipaśyanā), samādhi arises easily.

For example, when riding an electric bicycle, if there is no wind, one feels no resistance; the stronger the wind, the greater the perceived resistance, and the stronger the sense of the physical body's presence. Similarly, with the human mind: the less one seeks, the more open, relaxed, and free from entanglements one becomes, and the less one feels the existence of the self. Conversely, when the mind is filled with entanglements, the sense of self-existence grows stronger. The stronger the sense of self-existence, the more one fixates on oneself, the more one cares about others' opinions and attitudes toward oneself, the more one indulges in self-esteem, self-love, and self-pride, and the more judgments, conflicts, and disturbances arise, leading to greater agitation.

When the mind is obstructed, judgments and conflicts multiply; when the body is obstructed, sensations intensify.