The Realm of the Samadhi of Contemplation of Impurity and the Moonlight Samadhi

Shi Ruyuan: Recently, whether during meditation or contemplation of the Dharma principles, I have been producing an excessive amount of saliva. It flows out as if there were a spring beneath the root of my tongue, and I cannot swallow it all. Sometimes, I go for half a day without drinking water yet feel no thirst, while saliva continues to trickle from the corners of my mouth. I now understand the benefits and importance of meditative concentration (samadhi) and will no longer be lazy or indulgent, nor waste a single moment. I am fortunate to have encountered the teachings and guidance of my revered teacher. Following the teacher to cultivate meditative concentration and contemplate the Dharma principles, I aim to cut off the view of self, realize the mind, perceive the true nature, and attain wisdom—ultimately liberating sentient beings, repaying the kindness of the Buddha, and repaying the kindness of my teacher.

When the mental faculty (manas) attains concentration, the conscious mind becomes aware of it, and the mind feels heavy and burdened. Because the mental faculty is concentrated, contemplating the Dharma principles brings clarity and stillness to the mind, free from deluded thoughts and confusion. With meditative concentration, the body feels light, agile, and at ease—simply not wanting to move. Whether reciting the Buddha’s name, chanting mantras, or contemplating the Dharma principles, I engage deeply with the mental faculty. Now, whether my eyes are open or closed, images of white bones covering the ground—seemingly like robots—involuntarily appear in my mind. The bodies are entangled with things resembling tangled ropes or barbed wire, which then slowly fall away and disappear. Then, images of white bones lying horizontally and vertically reappear one after another. The skulls are also entangled with countless tendons and blood vessels, spreading throughout the body, until finally, all the body parts gradually vanish. Previously, I had seen illustrations of white bones and an image of my father’s skeleton, as well as the "black box world" described by the teacher. I often contemplated these images in my mind.

Once, I woke up before 3 a.m. and opened my eyes to see the sky outside the balcony—the moon was full and bright. At the time, I didn’t know what was happening. After one glance at the bright moon, it imprinted itself in my mind. Even when I turned away, the image of the bright moon remained vividly present in my mind. I experimented by opening and closing my eyes to observe the sensation of the moonlight. Even with my eyes closed, I could still perceive the round moon in the sky, my mind perfectly still and free of distracting thoughts. When meditating at night in a pitch-black room with the lights off, the moonlight continued to manifest in my mind. I wondered: Who is seeing this moonlight? It certainly isn’t the eyes, because I could still see the moonlight in my mind even with my eyes closed.

Sometimes, while standing on the balcony, I gaze blankly at the distant mountains, buildings, people, and cars—as if facing an endless screen or image. It feels as though this body is like a robot. During deep concentration, I no longer sense the existence of "me." My brain feels heavy and dazed, and I contemplate: Is this physical shell really me? I remain in a state of concentration throughout the day, with the Dharma principles and the sound of the Buddha’s name swirling ceaselessly in my mind. The power of meditative concentration is inconceivable. In truth, behind it all, an inconceivable inherently pure mind is at work, radiating great light at the gates of our six senses. Because we sentient beings are deluded and fail to recognize its wondrous functions, we must calm our minds, cultivate meditative concentration, and develop wisdom.

Commentary: The fluid produced during meditation is not saliva; it is called "Jinye" (nourishing fluid), or "Yulu Qiongjiang" (nectar and ambrosia). It is highly nutritious and not common among ordinary people. If you notice your mouth is full, swallow it directly; do not spit it out and waste it.

Whether Shi Ruyuan’s eyes are open or closed, images of white bones covering the ground involuntarily appear in her mind, seemingly like robots. This indicates that her practice of the White Skeleton Contemplation has now reached accomplishment, and she is in the samadhi of Impurity Contemplation. Because the white bones arise automatically, without processing by the conscious mind and beyond its control, this is a result of genuine cultivation and realization through the mental faculty. She should deepen her practice of White Skeleton Contemplation on this foundation. This single contemplation alone can cut off the view of self—why complicate things with so many other methods?

Waking up in the middle of the night, seeing the moonlight, and then automatically experiencing the moonlight in the mind—this is a very deep state of meditative concentration called "Moonlight Samadhi." With this level of concentration, practicing the first three contemplations from the Sutra on the Contemplation of Amitayus will surely lead to accomplishment. There is absolutely no doubt about attaining rebirth (in the Pure Land). If wisdom were further deepened, cutting off the view of self would be easy. Unfortunately, you have deep concentration but shallow wisdom; concentration and wisdom are not balanced. Your dependence (on the teacher) is too strong, preventing you from cutting off the view of self so far. It is also possible that you have already cut off the view of self but are unaware of it and cannot express it, making it impossible for me to discern.