How to Enter Samadhi with Wisdom

After adjusting their breath, the practitioner mentally summons the question requiring contemplation. Having clarified the connotation of the question with consciousness, they refrain from analysis, reasoning, conjecture, or imagination, avoiding superficial conscious thought. Instead, they mobilize the manas (root mind), deeply implanting the question into the core of the manas, keeping the question suspended within it. At this point, neither the consciousness nor the manas contains words, language, or sounds. Thus, profound samadhi arises, and concentration power is generated. The manas remains in a state of pondering the question. If there are no physical hindrances and the mind is free from distracting thoughts, the deeper the manas contemplates, the more focused it becomes. The samadhi deepens, wisdom unfolds more profoundly, the state of body and mind grows increasingly harmonious, and spiritual joy intensifies.

Contemplating the Dharma meaning within such profound samadhi is entirely equivalent to deep contemplative practice (Vipassanā), Chan meditation (Dhyāna), and profound investigation. The understanding of the Dharma meaning within the mind becomes progressively clearer. Once the contemplation penetrates to clarity, the mind becomes utterly certain, free from doubt, and eliminates perplexity. If one contemplates the content concerning severing the view of self (Sakaya-ditthi) and the realization of the self-nature’s inherent clarity (Mingxin) in this manner, once the contemplation and investigation lead to clear understanding, the three fetters (Samyojana) will be severed, and the fetter of doubt (Vicikicchā) will inevitably be broken. If, however, it is derived merely from conscious reasoning and conjecture, the manas remains unenlightened, the fetter of doubt remains unbroken, karmic obstacles are not removed, and one cannot end the cycle of life and death.

Most people only know how to use the superficial thinking mode of consciousness and do not know how to employ the deep contemplative mode of the manas. Consequently, they are incapable of diligently practicing Chan meditation or profound investigation. This leads to mere conceptual understanding (情思意解), where the state of doubt (疑情) is not extinguished, and the fetter of doubt remains unbroken. At the slightest disturbance, doubt flares up intensely, and the Dharma principles previously deduced are overturned. Even if not overturned, they are not experiential realization or personal proof, lacking any practical utility. Therefore, among those who now consider themselves enlightened, the ratio of false enlightenment is like the genuineness ratio of pure gold, or even higher – certainly not less. This is the reality of the Dharma Ending Age (Mofa). Regardless of how many people feel unwilling to accept it, this is the fact. It corresponds and aligns with the faculties of sentient beings and the background of this era in the Dharma Ending Age. It will not be better than in the Period of True Dharma (Saddharma) or the Period of Semblance Dharma (Pratirupaka Dharma); absolutely not.