On the Sequential Progression of Eradicating Self-View and Chan Meditation

There is no definitive conclusion as to whether one should first sever the view of self before engaging in Chan meditation or directly engage in Chan to seek realization. This depends on individual capacity, as there is no fixed method in the Dharma—it varies from person to person. For most people, it is advisable to first seek to sever the view of self. Once the false self composed of the five skandhas is clearly recognized, one will not confuse truth with falsehood or mistake the false for the real during subsequent Chan practice. For those with superior capacity, whose afflictions related to the view of self are relatively mild and whose meditative concentration is exceptionally strong—free from entanglement in the thinking consciousness—they may directly engage in Chan meditation. In the process of Chan practice, they can first sever the view of self and then realize the truth.

This is because Chan meditation involves investigating and realizing within the five skandhas, which cannot be separated from the eighteen dhatus. During the process of inquiry, one can also clearly discern, one by one, the impermanent and unreal nature of the five skandhas, thereby severing the view of self. Ancient Chan masters attained enlightenment in this way. However, it cannot be guaranteed that there were none who attained only intellectual understanding. Among the 1,700 Chan gong’an (koans), not all represent genuine realization. If meditative power is slightly deficient, the functional efficacy of the conscious mind will overpower the manas-root, leading to intellectual understanding. At this stage, the perception of the true mind remains vague—merely a rough shadow. The wisdom arising from contemplative practice fails to emerge, afflictions cannot be alleviated, and the view of self remains unsevered. This, in turn, hinders progress on the path. Haste makes waste, achieving the opposite effect.

The meditative power of modern people is generally much weaker than that of ancient practitioners. The thinking of the conscious mind is not easily subdued, causing the function of the manas-root to become feeble. Genuine realization thus becomes exceedingly difficult, and severing the view of self is equally challenging. While intellectual understanding may come easily through extensive theoretical study, genuine realization becomes even harder to attain. Therefore, it is more prudent for us to first contemplate and practice the selflessness of the five skandhas before engaging in Chan meditation.