Venerable Shi Jiu Neng's Pith Instructions on Chan Practice

The Zen practice methods all require us to use the root consciousness rather than the discriminating consciousness. Zen does not concern itself with whether you have wandering thoughts or not; it does not bother with such trivial matters. It only demands that you perceive this manas (the root consciousness). In Zen meditation, there is the method of "investigating the head of the thought" (can huatou), which is suitable for those of medium to superior capacity; those of inferior capacity find it difficult to engage with. Why? Look at this "investigating the head of the thought." What is the head of the thought? We say, "investigate: Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" or "investigate: What is our original face before our parents gave birth to us?" Many people investigate the thought-head by chanting "Who is reciting the Buddha's name? Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" and searching everywhere. This is not investigating the thought-head; this is chanting the thought-head. What then is investigating the thought-head? Investigating the thought-head means investigating what comes before the thought. What is before the thought? Do you want to speak or not? If you think "Namo Amitabha Buddha," that is like speaking. The thought-head, then, is what comes before reciting "Namo Amitabha Buddha."

Therefore, the skill in investigating the thought-head is like this: you want to recite Amitabha Buddha, but you deliberately do not allow it to be recited aloud. If it is recited aloud, it becomes the tail of the thought; once recited, it slips away. So you investigate what comes before the thought. You want to recite Amitabha Buddha, but you deliberately prevent it from being recited aloud. Then, observe what state this is. You want to recite it, but you prevent "Amitabha Buddha" from surfacing in your mind. If it surfaces, that is the tail of the thought. Can you do this? If you can achieve this, this is investigating the thought-head. Moreover, this investigation of the thought-head must be practiced with extreme continuity and subtlety. How subtle? It is said that in the past, Zen taught that investigating the thought-head is like this: the method of exertion is to not allow the phrase "Amitabha Buddha" to be recited aloud, while simultaneously fixing your attention on what comes before this thought. This is quite difficult.

When you become anxious while investigating the thought-head, it is like swallowing a very hot glutinous rice ball. You hold the extremely hot rice ball in your mouth; swallowing it would scald you to death, but spitting it out is unthinkable because it tastes too good. So it gets stuck in your throat. There is a metaphor: it is like a cat stalking a mouse. Watch a cat stalk a mouse. The cat chases and chases the mouse until the mouse darts into its hole. Then the cat crouches with all four paws on the ground, tail raised, utterly focused on the hole. Why? So the mouse doesn't get out? No, so that the moment it emerges, the cat can pounce. It’s about guarding your own mind. You do not allow this Buddha-name to surface, yet you must still think of it. The cat, on one hand, prevents the mouse from coming out, yet on the other hand, wants it to come out so it can catch it. But if it comes out, it might escape again, so you cannot let it out. Yet if it doesn't come out, you wait in vain, so you still want it to come out.

This "like a cat stalking a mouse" is precisely how the Zen practitioner investigating the thought-head must be. You want to recite the Buddha's name yourself, but you do not allow it to be recited aloud. Then you fix your gaze, observing what state this is. Can you conceive of it? If you can conceive of it, you are certainly of medium or superior capacity. If you cannot conceive of it, then be honest with yourself and first work on eliminating wandering thoughts. If, after your wandering thoughts gradually diminish, and your recitation practice deepens, your mind will gradually become calm. Once calm, you will slowly begin to perceive this manas. Therefore, investigating the thought-head is essentially working directly on the manas. When wandering thoughts have not yet arisen, and your mind is clear, lucid, and aware—this is the manas.

Commentary: Venerable Shi Jiu Neng described the diligent state of Zen meditation very accurately and precisely. He clearly pointed out that during Zen meditation, it is precisely the manas that is there, single-mindedly investigating. That effort is primarily the work of the manas in Zen practice. When you cultivate to the point where you can use the manas to ponder and investigate the thought-head, you will feel that investigating the thought-head is indeed full of subtle flavor and profound meaning, truly captivating and compelling. Therefore, Zen practitioners can practice tirelessly day and night, diligently applying effort continuously, causing the practice to intensify steadily. Investigating Zen is like a cat waiting for a mouse. Seeing the mouse scurrying near the hole, the chance of catching it is very high; success is imminent. Thus, the cat remains vigilant, carefully guarding, never leaving, never abandoning, waiting for the moment to seize it decisively.

Why is it said that the moment just before a phrase or the four words "Amitabha Buddha" emerges—when it is on the verge of emerging but not yet emerged—is the thought-head, the state of manas investigation? Because the thought of the manas has no form of language, words, or sound. At the moment the thought-head is about to emerge but hasn't yet formed into language, words, or sound, this is precisely the thought and pondering of the manas. The next step, when language, words, and sound appear, it falls into the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna). This is no longer the state of investigating the thought-head but rather chanting the tail of the thought; it is the state of the conscious mind's emotional thinking and intellectual understanding. Therefore, among all dharmas, the thought of the manas always comes first, and the thought of the conscious mind comes afterward. The thought of the conscious mind can also revert back to the thought of the manas, except that the thought of the manas is extremely difficult to observe and grasp.

In all states during waking consciousness, there is knowing and thinking by both the conscious mind and the manas. However, in different states, the knowing and thinking function of one or the other may be stronger or more prominent. The functions and operations of these two consciousnesses are difficult to distinguish clearly. Suppose the manas is A, and the conscious mind is B. Our knowing is the knowing of B. When we try to discern the manas (A), it is B trying to discern A. How can B know what A knows or does not know? How can B know what thoughts, feelings, or ideas A has? How can B, the conscious mind, understand or comprehend the mental state of A, the manas? How can B's judgment about A be accurate and without error? When B does not know the psychological state of A, it means B lacks the wisdom to judge A. When will the conscious mind (B) gain wisdom? When will it be able to directly and correctly observe the functioning of the manas (A)? Only after attaining realization and gaining the wisdom of the path (道种智, mārgajñāna) can it do so.

For now, let us not concern ourselves with whether the conscious mind can correctly observe the psychological state of the manas. We should first establish the correct view for Zen meditation. Comparing it to the effort and state of diligence described above, we should cultivate the correct practice of investigating the thought-head. This is the most urgent task at present. As long as you cultivate this practice of investigating the thought-head, even if you do not attain realization in this life, in future lives you will know how to apply effort. You will again cultivate this Zen practice, not straying onto wrong paths. Attaining realization will then be merely a matter of time.

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