The Correct Realm of Buddha-Recollection and Breath Contemplation

Ru Kai's contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā): Master! This afternoon there was construction outside the house, and the sounds of electric saws and such were very loud, but I wanted to meditate, so I sat down. Listening to Master's recitation of the Buddha's name, I quickly quieted down. With only a single thought observing the breath—where the in-breath passed through, where the out-breath went—the whole process was very clear. I also heard the electric saw sounds, the honking of car horns outside, and people talking, loud and soft, but none of it affected my observation of the breath, and I did not feel the slightest irritation or any other emotion.

These sounds that normally affect me seemed to become background noise at that moment, and only Master's recitation of the Buddha's name was clearest. Finally, I opened my eyes and got down from the seat; the nearly one hour felt like having had a dream, yet my mind was very clear. After getting down, I walked a few steps and felt a bit top-heavy, as if the qi had all gathered at the top of my head. I felt a little dizzy and did not want to speak, but I still wanted to listen to Master's recitation of the Buddha's name. Master, does this kind of meditation count as having some meditative concentration (samādhi)?

Answer: This meditative power is quite good—there is both concentration and wisdom. The noisy sounds did not affect the observation of the breath; hearing yet not hearing, aware yet not entering in, not being turned by the noisy sounds—this is evident meditative concentration (dhyāna-samādhi). Within this concentration, one can concentrate on contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), can clearly observe the entire process of the breath's movement, not discriminating external sounds and not being disturbed—the power of wisdom (prajñā-bala) is quite good. It is precisely this kind of skill that can truly be used to generate wisdom, not the foolish concentration of single-mindedly entering samādhi while remaining ignorant of everything else. Because of focusing on the breath and not deliberating (manasikāra) about miscellaneous matters, time seemed to pass quickly. This kind of skill is the right path and right practice; over time, one will realize the Path.

The feeling of being top-heavy after getting down from the seat is caused by the qi and blood reaching the head but being unable to pass through, resulting from blockage in the head. As time goes on and the obstruction diminishes, once the qi and blood pass through, it will be fine. Normally you can tap and pat the head to soften the sinews and channels a bit, and the qi and blood will flow smoothly.

My recitation audio is the pratyutpanna-samādhi buddha-recollection method (buddhānusmṛti) (medium-speed version). Pratyutpanna-samādhi is precisely this very slow speed of reciting the Buddha's name, and later it becomes even slower than this—so slow that it almost comes to a pause—only then can one be within the samādhi of buddha-recollection.

Initially, the recitation speed should be even faster, because only when concentration is shallow is the recitation speed fast; a person without concentration cannot adapt to fast recitation either, finding it oppressive and stifling. I will try the fast recitation method again, so that those with shallow or no concentration can keep up.

If everyone finds the medium speed dull and oppressive to listen to, it shows that meditative concentration is still insufficient. Samādhi is concentration; concentration is stillness (śamatha). If the mind is to approach stillness, the sound must be slow and small, even to the point of nothing, and the tone must be low and deep. Only when the sound is low and slow can the mind be gathered in, not projected outward, not scattered, without emotional fluctuations, with the mind settled and calm. High and loud sound is dispersing, involves emotional fluctuations, and cannot still the mind.

Reciting the Buddha's name slowly and in a low tone, wandering thoughts do not easily arise; the mind has no leisure to attend to anything else and completely sinks into the state of buddha-recollection. This is also a method of cultivating concentration and stilling the mind—not appreciating whether the tone of the recitation sounds good. Do not concern yourself with whether the sound is pleasant and melodious, do not concern yourself with whether the sound of the Buddha's name is clear; being able to gather the mind and concentrate is the fundamental purpose. The more picky one is, the more scattered the mind becomes.

If the melody is beautiful and lilting, greed will arise in the listener's mind; immersed in the melody, the mind cannot become settled and calm, and thoughts cannot be stilled. Only the monotonous sound of reciting the Buddha's name leads the mind into the state of buddha-recollection, enabling one's mind not to crave sounds, without emotional fluctuations. Reciting the Buddha's name is not the appreciation of beautiful songs; it is the opposite of worldly music, going against its way. All who do not understand reciting the Buddha's name as practice like the sung recitations of musicians and singers, favoring beautiful, lilting melodies and pleasing sounds—but that cannot lead to samādhi.

Once one enters samādhi, the sound of reciting the Buddha's name is no longer of use, but in pratyutpanna-samādhi one must keep reciting the Buddha's name without stopping, reciting for forty-nine days; when pratyutpanna-samādhi is accomplished, one sees the Buddhas of the ten directions standing before one, attains enlightenment and sees the mind.