When Wisdom and Dharma Do Not Align, It Cannot Be Called Vipaśyanā

Shi Ruyuan: I started practicing step by step by contemplating the impurity of the body according to the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Once, I happened to see thirteen magnified pictures of human skin enlarged by a hundred million times. I carefully examined them repeatedly many times and also compared them with my own body through repeated observation. This truly greatly benefited my insight into the illusory nature of the physical form. I usually wake up around three or four in the morning to contemplate the Dharma principles. At this time, it is very quiet, and in meditative concentration, I carefully observe how the five aggregates use the four great elements to form the physical body, then combine to form the five sense faculties—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body. This five-aggregate physical body, together with the six dusts (objects) and six consciousnesses, constitutes the sentient beings of the eighteen dhatus (realms). The five-aggregate physical body is also composed of tiny particles, atomic nuclei, subject to birth and destruction. I simply contemplate the Dharma principles in this straightforward manner.

These days, I have been diligently cultivating concentration, earnestly contemplating how the physical body is assembled and how it deteriorates, decomposes, and disperses. In meditative concentration, I observe that the physical body is composed of tiny particles, atomic nuclei. Combining this with the White Skeleton Meditation I practiced before, I strive to dismantle my view of self and attachment to the body. The deeper the concentration, the subtler the mind becomes, and the thirteen analytical diagrams manifest more clearly. I also involuntarily analyze the four great seeds: earth, water, fire, and wind. When analyzing the earth element, I analyze the bones, flesh, tendons, and other parts of this five-aggregate body; all the hard parts are entirely the earth element. When analyzing water, fire, and wind, I also contemplate them realm by realm.

Now, when I wake up in the morning, I don't need to deliberately think about these states; the thirteen diagrams and the white skeleton involuntarily slowly manifest. When contemplating the white skeleton, I regard the body as wood, which slowly breaks, crumbles, and disappears. Then I contemplate how the realms of water, fire, and wind also gradually dissipate. The body's heat slowly disperses, the wind element within the body vanishes, and the flesh becomes rigid. The physical body of this lifetime then transforms into atomic nuclei, particles, and dust, all disappearing. The four great seeds return to their original places.

Now, this Dharma principle constantly reappears in my mind. After contemplating it for a long time, I feel as if the mind and body are separated. While riding an electric bike on the road, I feel no sense of the body's existence, as if the body is suspended in mid-air, feeling extremely light. While walking, I lose track of time and cannot distinguish the conditions of the people coming and going. My mind is very clear, but I am uninterested in the external world and do not wish to know anything.

Comment: Overall, it seems your concentration is quite deep and fairly well-established. The concentration before reaching the first dhyāna (anāgamya-samādhi) has long been attained, approaching the first dhyāna. With a little more cultivation, the first dhyāna will arise. Among the five hindrances, the hindrance of sleep has already been subdued. Check the condition of the remaining four hindrances yourself.

In terms of observational practice (guānxíng), you have eliminated the Mahayana methods, reducing the mixing of Mahayana and Hinayana contemplation. Your focus has improved slightly, but it is still not sufficiently concentrated and orderly; it remains a bit chaotic. You are not fixed on contemplating one Dharma; you cannot penetrate deeply into one method. Instead, you contemplate whatever comes to mind, with unclear thinking. This results in slightly scattered contemplation, and wisdom increases slowly. If you cultivate the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, then focus exclusively on cultivating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Perhaps you can sever the view of self without needing to practice subsequent methods. Actually, there is no need to comprehensively observe all Dharmas; finding a breakthrough point is entirely sufficient to sever the view of self. After learning all the Dharmas, focus on contemplating the key and crucial points, using a point to lead to the surface, so that all aspects can be eliminated. This reflects a lack of experience in observational practice.

Shi Ruyuan has not clearly understood the distinction between observational practice (guānxíng), observation (guānchá), and thinking (sīkǎo), nor has she understood the difference between direct perception (xiànliàng) and imagination (xiǎngxiàng). Observational practice is observation; it is the application of wisdom through direct perception. When wisdom is insufficient, it is thinking, analysis, understanding, and imagination—it is not observational practice, nor is it observation. The matter of the physical body being composed of subtle particles cannot be observed without concentration at or above the fourth dhyāna. Even with concentration at or above the fourth dhyāna, if wisdom does not reach the level of a bodhisattva on the bhūmis (grounds), it is equally impossible to observe it. First and second bhūmi bodhisattvas probably cannot observe it. Those who have not attained enlightenment are even less capable; they would still need to cultivate for an immeasurable kalpa to have this possibility. Including the issue of observing the four great seeds—none of this is observational practice or observation; it should more appropriately be called thinking, analysis, and understanding.

Shi Ruyuan said that when a person dies, the physical body turns into particles and dust and disappears. This statement is theoretically incorrect. While a person is alive, the physical body is composed of minute particles, subject to momentary birth, destruction, and change; it does not only become particles and disappear after death. Moreover, she imagines that the four great seeds on the physical body return to their original places and hide away. This idea is entirely wrong; it is theoretically incorrect. The correct teaching is that while a person is alive, the four great seeds on the physical body are constantly being born and destroyed without cessation, flowing from the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature storehouse) into the physical body and then flowing back instantaneously, circulating back and forth; they do not return only after death. Correct Dharma principles are not matters of observational practice, and incorrect Dharma principles are even less so.

What does it mean that the four great seeds return to their original places and hide away? This is purely based on her own imagination. Shi Ruyuan currently cannot observe this fact at all; even if she cultivates to the first bhūmi, she cannot observe it. Matters concerning the four great seeds, through studying the Dharma, are all her own analytical understanding based on what she has learned, which can be right or wrong. Many Dharma principles cannot be observed at present, but studying them helps in understanding and recognizing the illusory nature of the five aggregates, aids in severing the view of self, and helps reduce attachment to the five aggregates—that is all. Such dedicated contemplation of the Buddha Dharma can also enhance concentration, deepen meditative absorption, naturally improving the body's condition and bringing feelings of comfort and joy. Although your concentration is deep, you still have not avoided intellectual understanding (qíng sī yì jiě); there is considerable conscious thinking involved. The manas (intellect, the seventh consciousness) has not fully exerted its proper function because wisdom is severely insufficient and does not yet match the Dharma.

Shi Ruyuan: Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, I contemplate one Dharma principle. When awake, I am not scattered. My mind is no longer as confused and heavy as before, when even doing small tasks felt directionless. It feels as if there is a force inside pulling the body along. While walking, my body and legs feel remarkably light and agile. If I use the eyes to discriminate, it becomes laborious; I feel very tired, unable to open my eyes. Turning the awareness inward feels relaxed and at ease, without feeling tired. For this, I must be grateful to our rare and hard-to-encounter great good-knowing advisor, Venerable Shengru, who teaches us to cultivate the correct Dharma and concentration. We must also be grateful to our parents, who bestowed upon us the tool of the five-aggregate physical body for cultivation.

Now, I constantly remind myself to diligently cultivate concentration and contemplate the Dharma principles, and it’s quite effective! I sleep less now, only three or four hours at night, after which I cannot sleep. If I try to sleep more, I feel uncomfortable all over, anxious and unsettled inside. Getting up and sitting to contemplate the Dharma principles resolves it, and the mind even gives rise to a sense of joy. From time to time, I smell fragrance. In the past, whenever I read your Dharma principles, Master, I always smelled fragrance. For the past two years, since family matters caused distraction, I stopped smelling it. Now I smell fragrance again. Whether reading sutras or contemplating Dharma principles, my mouth, teeth, body, and hands emit fragrance. That fragrance is hard to describe in words; deliberately sniffing for it, I cannot smell it. When the fragrance appears, it feels like encouragement, urging me to diligently advance in practice without doubt or interruption.

Now, because I am constantly in concentration, the deeper the concentration, the clearer and more lucid the inner Dharma principles become. Cultivating concentration is truly extremely important. With profound concentration while contemplating Dharma principles, external sounds do not enter the ears; I cannot hear the sounds clearly. In concentration, it feels as if I have forgotten the physical body, forgotten this world and relatives, and so on. Without concentration, the mind is scattered and clinging, hence caring about familial affection. When observing the selflessness of the physical body, profound concentration is also necessary to thoroughly perceive the selflessness of the physical body, to realize that the physical body is originally a false body composed of atomic nuclei and particles. The heart feels an indescribable sense of stirring emotion.

Such an important matter as cultivating concentration—you, Master, have painstakingly instructed us many times! Therefore, now my mind does not go to the external world. In the past, as soon as I sat down to meditate, I would involuntarily enter concentration. If there was the slightest noise, it would sound like a loud bang in my ears. Like before I was tonsured, I had to tie up the bangs on my forehead. Sometimes, the sound of a few strands of hair falling felt like loud clapping right next to my ear, causing my eardrums to vibrate for a long time, making me afraid to sit idly without mindfulness. Lying down was fine.

Comment: The appearance of fragrance in various parts of the body is related to concentration. Concentration unblocks the body's energy channels (nāḍīs). When the flow of energy and blood in the channels is very smooth, without blockages, the body is naturally fragrant. Where there are blockages, it's like stagnant water—decay and foulness appear, emitting unpleasant odors. Fragrance is also related to mental purity and clarity of intention. When both body and mind transform towards purity, fragrance naturally appears. The mouth, teeth, throat, nostrils, seven apertures, and even the pores all over the body can emit fragrance. The purer the body and mind, the more the body is filled with fragrance. Even without bathing for a long time, the body remains fragrant, without foul odor.

No matter how you contemplate, you fundamentally cannot observe the four great seeds, regardless of how deep your concentration is, because wisdom is severely insufficient. This can only be considered intellectual understanding. Remove the habit of intellectual understanding as soon as possible and honestly observe the facts that appear. If you don't perceive the facts, do not imagine. Wisdom is always more important than concentration. Cultivating concentration is precisely to give rise to wisdom. If, within concentration, one does not discern useful methods for the world, and worldly wisdom in handling affairs is very weak, that is also stupidity. Concentration coexisting with stupidity is not the realm of a bodhisattva; one cannot become a bodhisattva. A true bodhisattva is fully endowed with both merit and wisdom. Wisdom includes wisdom beyond the world, but it equally includes worldly wisdom; it includes the wisdom of the manas (intellect) and also the wisdom of the mind consciousness. It is all-encompassing wisdom.

A practitioner can temporarily be uninterested in worldly affairs, not paying any attention to them, but cannot disregard worldly affairs long-term or fail to enhance the various wisdoms within worldly matters. If one does not pay attention to worldly matters long-term and remains ignorant of them long-term, at best, one is a Hinayana follower, concerned only with liberation and nirvana, indifferent to everything else, lacking the wisdom to respond, and the final outcome is to proceed towards nirvana, extinguishing the body and annihilating consciousness, disappearing from the world, not doing the slightest beneficial thing for the world, wasting precious life. Not engaging in activities in the world, not creating stores of merit and virtue (puṇya-saṃbhāra), yet continuously enjoying others' offerings and help—the accumulated merit and virtue become less and less. A person without merit or with little merit likewise cannot become a bodhisattva.

After learning some Dharma principles, during observational practice, act as if you haven't learned them, observing only the Dharma that can be observed right before you. Do not mentally supplement or imagine what cannot be observed. Learning too many Dharma principles, mixing them together, also causes hindrance. How many people, month after month, year after year, are just learning, learning everything, learning this and that, until a lifetime is over, and at the end of life, they are nothing? Some people place the hundreds of books of the Buddhist Canon (Dàzàngjīng) in front of them and become old scholars. Who has ever heard of a scholar attaining realization? A scholar is merely a scholar, nothing more.