Why Must Seeing the Path Be Fully Endowed with Preparatory Concentration?

Ru Chun: Fellow practitioner Lantian, being able to unblock so many parts of the body within three years is truly enviable. I am quite dull; after seven years of sitting meditation, I still cannot tell which parts are unblocked and which are not. What left a deep impression on me was one time when I went to sleep right after meditation and dreamed that I picked a small bee-like insect out of my nose. In a dazed, half-asleep, half-awake state, I felt my entire nasal cavity was extremely refreshed and comfortable. There was also a period when, as soon as I sat in meditation, a stream of qi would rise up, making my throat itchy and dry, and it would also dart toward the ear base, making the entire area around the ears pop and crackle, which was very uncomfortable. During this recent period, this situation has basically disappeared.  

There was also a time when I would break out in a sweat all over my head as soon as I sat in meditation. Since childhood I have also had a cold constitution and would not sweat even on scorching hot days, but during that period, shortly after sitting down I would be drenched in sweat on my head. I heard the master say that all kinds of bodily phenomena during meditation are normal and need not be minded, so I just continued practicing as usual. Now, whenever I enter a state of thinking, the top of my head feels swollen and tight, and I really enjoy thinking. I am a bit afraid that overly active thinking will affect my cultivation of meditative concentration, but sometimes the thinking arises spontaneously, so I can only let nature take its course.

Assessment: When the qi channels are unblocked at the back of the head, diseased qi will be expelled from the areas of the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue; once it is expelled, health is restored. Wherever the qi channels are unblocked, there will be problems there, and once the qi passes through, they will be resolved. Sweating is a manifestation of expelling dampness; once it is expelled, it is fine. When the qi channels pass through the head, the body has basically been cultivated to a considerable degree, and both body and mind will be transformed; at this point, seeing the Path is not far off. Seeing the Path is inseparable from the transformation of body and mind. For body and mind to be transformed, the qi channels must be unblocked: the Conception Vessel (renmai) must be fully opened, and the Governing Vessel (dumai) must at minimum reach the crown of the head, or both the Conception and Governing Vessels must be fully opened. At this point, meditative concentration will be cultivated to preparatory concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) and be complete, and the conditions for seeing the Path will basically be fulfilled. There is also one prerequisite: the dharmic principles required for seeing the Path must be thoroughly understood. This is the reason why seeing the Path requires the full attainment of preparatory concentration (anāgamya-samādhi).