Chapter Three   The Relationship Between Samādhi and the Form-Body

I. The Relationship Between Bodily Sensation and Samādhi

The sensations of the body consciousness (kāyavijñāna) only disappear upon attaining the fourth dhyāna, thereby becoming unaffected by the sense object of touch. Even non-Buddhists can overcome and eliminate the sensory perceptions of the form-body as long as they attain the fourth dhyāna. The sensations of the mental consciousness (manovijñāna) must be subdued and eliminated only after the view of self (satkāyadṛṣṭi) is severed. The sensations dependent on the five sense consciousnesses can be eliminated through samādhi, but the sensations of the mental consciousness must be eliminated by relying on wisdom. The sensations of the five sense consciousnesses can also be suppressed by methods like diverting attention, which is also related to samādhi. If attention is not focused on the place of pain, the pain sensation cannot be felt. Some phenomena can be resolved solely through samādhi, while others must rely on the wisdom gained from severing the view of self and the wisdom of realizing the mind (明心, mingxin). Still others require a combination of both samādhi and wisdom to be resolved.

II. What Sustains the Form-Body in the Fourth Dhyāna

What phenomena occur in the body when one cultivates to the fourth dhyāna? Originally, we breathe through the mouth and nose, but now breathing stops. Not only does breathing stop, but the beating of the heart and pulse also ceases; the phenomena of qi and blood circulation all cease. What function do the heart and pulse serve? With each contraction and expansion, the heart pumps blood throughout the body, nourishing it. For the body to function normally, it requires qi and blood; qi drives the blood to circulate continuously throughout the body. Blood is nourishment, the sustenance needed by the body, this machine. Without nourishment, the machine cannot function. Generally, the faster this bodily machine operates, the more nourishment it requires, the more qi and blood it needs, necessitating a more robust heart function to ensure normal bodily operation. This qi and blood constitute the four great elements (四大, caturmahābhūta) required by the body, composed of the seeds of the four great elements.

When samādhi is very deep, the body's functioning slows down, the internal organs consume less nourishment, and less qi and blood are needed. When the body consumes nourishment at a minimal level and metabolism slows, requiring less of the nourishment of the four great elements, breathing stops, and the heart and pulse cease beating. However, a small amount of qi and blood is still needed to sustain the existence and operation of the living body, only now it is no longer obtained through coarse nourishment like breathing and eating. The pores of the body absorb the subtle particles of the four great elements from the surrounding air, which is sufficient. Waste matter in the body is also expelled through the pores. If a person in samādhi were placed in a sealed container, they would suffocate due to the lack of supply of the four great elements from the air.

The form-body is also composed of the four great elements. The form-body and the surrounding environment interpenetrate and mutually influence each other. Matter can also transmit particles of the four great elements to each other. Therefore, the four great elements of matter are constantly radiating outward and have a mutual influencing nature. That is to say, external matter can transmit these material particles through every cell of the body, which are then absorbed to become matter within the body. Simultaneously, matter within the body also radiates particles of the four great elements outward. When this input and output reach a state of balance, the body can function normally. The form-body can absorb the nourishment of the four great elements from the external environment to sustain its operation; thus, the external material environment can influence the form-body. Similarly, the body's four great elements also radiate outward, so the body can also influence the external material environment. Therefore, there is a certain connection between the bodies of sentient beings, and they can influence each other. This phenomenon is provisionally called collective karma (共业, gòngyè).

After beings of the desire realm (欲界, kāmadhātu) enter the fourth dhyāna, the body relies on the surrounding environment for nourishment. Beings of the form realm (色界, rūpadhātu) in samādhi also rely on subtle four great elements for nourishment. Beings of the formless realm (无色界, arūpadhātu) have no form-body, so they do not require nourishment from the four great elements of matter. Without samādhi, the body consumes a great deal of nourishment from the four great elements. The more bodily and mental activities, the more the four great elements are consumed, and the more qi and blood are needed. People with many distracting thoughts consume more qi and blood, needing to eat more than others. Those with fewer distracting thoughts consume less, and those with less bodily activity also consume less.

We should regard the form-body as a machine; indeed, it is a machine. The operation of this machine requires the consumption of nourishment. To function normally, it must be supplied with sufficient nourishment. The faster the machine operates and the greater the workload, the more nourishment and energy it requires. The energy humans need comes from food and the material living environment; machines need lubricating oil to operate. If you want this machine to have a long life, you must reduce its operation and workload. Because when the machine operates, there is wear and tear; the more it operates, the more it wears out, and the machine gradually ages, with various functions declining. It is the same for humans: the greater a person's activity level, the greater the wear and tear on the human machine, and the shorter the lifespan.

In samādhi, a person has very few distracting thoughts, or none at all, and the body is inactive. They need less nourishment, the internal organs function less, and there is less wear and tear. People with samādhi generally have healthy form-bodies and are long-lived. Modern people do not understand this; they emphasize living well, eating well, and enjoying themselves with food, not realizing that the more they eat and the higher the nutritional content, the greater the workload for the internal organs, the more severe the wear and tear, and thus the worse the body becomes, making longevity harder to achieve. Therefore, eating a lot and consuming high-nutrient food makes it very difficult for the internal organs to digest and absorb, requiring a huge workload. The internal organs consume heavily, making longevity difficult. To achieve longevity, one must reduce bodily wear and tear, reduce workload, reduce physical activity, and cultivate more samādhi to reduce distracting thoughts.

Samādhi allows the mind to become calm, reducing both mental and physical activity and wear and tear, thus leading to a long life. After cultivating to the fourth dhyāna, the length of life is determined by oneself. If one wishes to relinquish life early to go to other worlds, such as the heavenly realms, it is up to oneself. If one does not wish to relinquish life early, or wishes to live for a thousand or ten thousand years, it is also up to oneself, because within the fourth dhyāna, there are supernatural powers (神通, ṛddhi), and one can freely decide the body's coming and going; the time of life and death is self-determined. However, it is not yet completely free because the view of self has not been severed; one cannot escape the six paths of rebirth (六道轮回, ṣaḍgati). Only the life and death of this lifetime are up to you. Without the fourth dhyāna, life and death in this world are not free; to relinquish life early, one would have to commit suicide. Wanting to live an extra year, half a year, a day, or an hour is also not up to you.

The body is merely a tool for our practice. Viewing it objectively, regulating it well, without clinging to it, not regarding it as 'I' or 'mine' (我所, mamakāra), enables us to utilize the body well for cultivating the path. At the very least, we prevent the body from becoming a burden, dragging us into endless cycles of birth and death.

III. The Relationship Between Cultivating the Body and the Path

When bodily obstacles arise that affect samādhi, then one should specifically cultivate the body. If the body is healthy without obstacles, there is no need to specifically spend time and energy cultivating the body. When samādhi is unaffected and unimpeded, ignore the body; forgetting the body is necessary for samādhi to arise. If the mind is always preoccupied with the concept of the body, firstly, it hinders samādhi, and secondly, it makes the view of the body (身见, satkāyadṛṣṭi) difficult to sever. Emptying the body, forgetting the body, not thinking about or caring for it, allows samādhi to arise easily and the view of the body to be easily severed.

Modern people work in the opposite way compared to ancient people. Ancient people did not care about the body, did not pay attention to it, and did not spend time and energy on it. As a result, their samādhi was deep, and realization of the path was swift. Modern people almost universally cater to the body, treasuring it immensely, finding excuses that caring for the body is for the sake of cultivating the path. As a result, they fail to realize the path, and the body is not necessarily well cared for. After all, karmic obstacles (业障, karmāvaraṇa) are present; no matter how much one nourishes and preserves health, the body still has many problems. Even if the body is well-maintained, the inner view of the body increases considerably. Because the view of the body remains unsevered, suffering in future lives remains endless. Is it worth it? For the sake of a body lasting a few decades, neglecting the work of the path (道业, dàoyè), rejecting pearls and picking up sand grains – how foolish!

IV. Why Does Pain Still Occur Even When Knowing the Body is Illusory?

Sometimes when there is pain, for example, when the leg hurts, one tells oneself, "What you are touching is clearly an illusion (影子, yǐngzi), why do you keep feeling it over and over?" But the consciousness just won't obey; it still goes to feel the pain, grimacing at the illusion. Why is this? Because many problems are resolved through samādhi. Without samādhi, without the transformation of the form-body, problems cannot be resolved. Samādhi is a hard requirement. For example, the pain related to the five aggregates (五受阴, pañcaskandha) must be resolved through samādhi; it cannot be suppressed solely by wisdom, especially if this wisdom is only that of the mental consciousness. The mental faculty (意根, manas) has no wisdom and has not realized the emptiness of the body. Even if realized, samādhi is still necessary to eliminate pain sensations. The realm of the form aggregate (色阴区宇), the realm of the sensation aggregate (受阴区宇), the realm of the perception aggregate (想阴区域), and the realm of the volitional formations aggregate (行阴区域) all need to be broken through one by one with samādhi before the body of the five aggregates can be emptied, and then all sensations will become empty and cease.

V. Why Does Tighter Leg-Crossing Lead to Better Samādhi Effects?

Generally, when sitting in meditation, the effect of samādhi is better with full lotus posture (双盘, shuāngpán) than with half lotus (单盘, dānpán), better with half lotus than with easy cross-legged posture (散盘, sǎnpán), and better with easy cross-legged posture than with legs stretched out. This is because when the legs are crossed, the qi and blood in the legs mostly gather in the upper body. When qi and blood gather, energy concentrates, circulation becomes smooth and forceful, the meridians throughout the body become unobstructed, and the body is easily regulated. When the body is well-regulated, the mind becomes comfortable and joyful, mental focus increases, and samādhi is attained quickly and deeply. Stretching the legs does not easily produce such effects; with legs stretched out, qi and blood are partially distributed to the legs, the force of circulation is more dispersed and insufficient, making it harder to open the meridians, the body is not fully regulated, and naturally the mind is less tranquil.

Does this mean that when legs are crossed, there is no qi and blood circulation in the legs, leading to paralysis? Of course not. When legs are crossed, there is still some qi and blood circulation in the legs to ensure their normal existence. Moreover, when qi and blood circulate in the upper body, they also flow to the legs. With strong circulation force, it is easier to open the meridians in the legs, eliminate leg diseases, and attain samādhi quickly and deeply.

VI. Sensations After Both Body and Mind Are Unobstructed

Question: After all the body's meridians are unobstructed, does the force of the dantian's contraction and expansion during breathing lessen?

Answer: After all meridians are clear, the body becomes extremely light and comfortable, without any burden, even to the point of not feeling the presence of the body. It is like the ocean, which, though flowing, has a surface that is calm and waveless, profoundly still. This is the result of samādhi combined with the wisdom of contemplative insight (观行智慧, guānxíng zhìhuì); samādhi (三昧, samādhi) easily arises. For example, riding an electric bike: if there is no wind, one feels no resistance; the stronger the wind, the greater the perceived resistance, and the stronger the sense of the body's presence. Another example is the human mind: the less one seeks, the more open, relaxed, and free from entanglements one is, the less one feels the existence of the self. Conversely, the mind has many entanglements, and the sense of self-existence is stronger. The stronger the sense of self-existence, the more one cares about oneself, the more one cares about others' views and attitudes towards oneself, the more self-respect, self-love, and self-pride arise, the more right and wrong there is, and the less peaceful one is. When the mind is obstructed, there is much right and wrong; when the body is obstructed, there are many sensations.

VII. The Relationship Between the Physical Body and the Four Great Elements

Time, this illusory dharma, is very strange. If a person could fly to a heavenly realm, stay for a few minutes, and then return, hundreds of years might have passed in the human world, several lifetimes of human lifespan, yet this person would still be as young as before, not aged at all.

Why is this? Aging depends on the physical body. The physical body is composed of particles of the four great elements, which are impermanent, arising, ceasing, and changing. The physical body will continuously mature, develop, and change. The four great elements constitute the qi and blood needed to sustain the physical body. If qi and blood are lively and flowing, the physical body receives sufficient nourishment and is less prone to maturation and aging; the person appears young. Qigong and various practices can make qi and blood active and flowing, nourishing the physical body. Therefore, people who practice well generally appear youthful. Time reveals the arising, ceasing, and changing of the four great elements. The longer the time, the more obvious the arising, ceasing, and changing, and the more mature and aged the physical body becomes. In short, youth and aging depend on the development and changes of the seeds of the four great elements.

Why do the form-bodies of heavenly beings (天人, deva) not age? Because the composition of the four great elements in the form-bodies of heavenly beings differs from that of humans. The four great elements of humans are coarse and heavy, while those of heavenly beings are subtle and wondrous. Heavenly beings can fly, but humans cannot. When humans go to the heavens, according to the living environment of the heavenly realm, they absorb the subtle particles of the four great elements from the heavens, and the four great elements of their form-body will also change, making the physical body closer to that of heavenly beings. When heavenly beings come to the human world, they absorb the particles of the four great elements from the human world, and their form-body moves closer to that of humans; the four great elements also change, becoming similar to humans. For example, when devas from the Second Dhyāna Heaven of Abhāsvara (二禅光音天) come to the human world and eat the earth's flavors (地味), the four great elements of their form-body immediately change; they can no longer fly freely and cannot return to the heavens.

When qi is full, one does not think of food. Qi is the material energy composed of the four great elements. After cultivating samādhi until qi is full, one does not feel hungry and can eat little or no food; the body feels light and comfortable. This is because the four great elements of qi differ from those of food. The four great elements of qi are fine and subtle; sufficient qi can make the physical body float and rise. The four great elements of food are coarse and heavy, making the physical body heavy. Therefore, eating less and cultivating more samādhi makes the body healthier. Even if food is highly nutritious, it is still coarse material form (色法, rūpa-dharma), not the best thing; it is not as good as the nourishment of qi.

VIII. The Result of Regulating the Breath

Usually, in an environment with relatively fresh air, do more deep breathing, and use the breath recitation method (呼吸念佛法, hūxī niànfó fǎ) to regulate body and mind. This makes it easy to open the qi channels (气脉, qìmài), purify the mind, clear the head, and make thinking agile. One can regulate during walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; body posture is not restricted. A person lives by one breath (人活一口气, rén huó yī kǒu qì). When the breath is well-regulated, it is equivalent to supplementing the nourishment of the four great elements, and the body becomes healthy. Simultaneously, combine this with meditation, visualizing qi circulating throughout the body, Buddha-light shining on the whole body, making the whole body light, comfortable, and healthy. Sick qi and karmic obstacle qi will be expelled from the body. Breath and body are both composed of the four great elements; regulating the breath is equivalent to regulating the body; contemplating the breath is equivalent to contemplating the body. Contemplating the body will ultimately lead to emptying the body and realizing no-body.

IX. Qi Sinks to the Lower Dantian, Distracting Thoughts Decrease

Excessive speech and distracting thoughts rob one of the wealth of merit and Dharma (功德法财, gōngdé fǎcái). When qi is cultivated to sink into the lower dantian, the mind becomes unwilling to think about things; distracting thoughts decrease, speech lessens, the mind becomes more focused, and memory improves. When qi sinks into the lower dantian, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, qi remains in the lower dantian without the need for deliberate breath regulation or mental guidance; even during sleep, qi is in the lower dantian. When qi is in the lower dantian, the mind is very steady, unperturbed, thoughts are deep, problems are considered profoundly, and afflictions are few.

X. The Difference Between Buddhist and Daoist Approaches to Cultivating Samādhi

There are certain differences between studying Buddhism to cultivate samādhi and Daoists cultivating samādhi because the purposes differ, so the methods must also differ to some extent. The purpose of Daoist practice is for the health and longevity of the form-body; they do not seek liberation from the suffering of birth and death. Therefore, when cultivating samādhi, they pay great attention to the form-body, focusing all their attention on it, and do not care about the wisdom of liberation. Buddhists should, based on cultivating samādhi, put more effort into wisdom. When cultivating samādhi, do not focus excessively on the body; it's sufficient to have a little contact with those Daoist theories on cultivating the body. We study Buddhism and cultivate samādhi to attain wisdom and liberation. As long as the body presents no obstacles and does not affect contemplation and meditation (参禅, cānchán), it can be ignored. Spending too much energy on the form-body is not very worthwhile.

XI. The Relationship Between Samādhi, Wisdom, and the Qi Channels

One often hears people say: "One must open the central channel (中脉, suṣumṇā) to attain enlightenment," or "Opening the central channel naturally leads to enlightenment." These statements are incorrect. There is no necessary connection between the central channel opening and enlightenment or seeing the path (见道, darśanamārga). However, seeing the path is not unrelated to the qi channels. So, what is the relationship between the qi channels and seeing the path? Cultivation cannot be separated from the form-body. By making full use of the form-body and eliminating its obstacles, it becomes easy to see the path. Seeing the path is the product of possessing both samādhi and wisdom (定慧等持, samāpatti). The arising of samādhi and wisdom cannot be separated from the harmonization of the four great elements of the form-body. The more harmonized the four great elements are, the more unobstructed the form-body becomes, the stronger the samādhi power, the more focused the mind, the stronger the thinking power, and the greater the wisdom.

The circulation of the body's qi channels is divided into three types: the Conception Vessel (任脉, rènmài) in the front of the body, the Governing Vessel (督脉, dūmài) along the back, and the Central Channel (中脉, suṣumṇā) running through the center of the body, front to back. When the front Conception Vessel is obstructed, the internal organs always have illnesses and obstacles. When the mind enters samādhi, if the qi channels are blocked, the internal organs will experience pain sensations, the mind is immediately distracted by the pain, samādhi power disappears, and contemplation and meditation are interrupted. When the back Governing Vessel is obstructed, the entire back, neck, and top of the head will experience pain and discomfort. When the pain becomes severe, one exits samādhi, and contemplation and meditation are interrupted. Even if not interrupted, energy is dispersed, and wisdom power weakens. However, back pain is easier to endure than pain in the internal organs; samādhi power is less diminished. Therefore, obstruction of the Governing Vessel is better than obstruction of the Conception Vessel.

To enter deep samādhi, have stable meditation, and make contemplation and meditation effective, the Conception Vessel must be open. It's best if the Governing Vessel is also opened; at the very least, there should be no serious obstruction. The Central Channel does not need to be opened. When the mind becomes pure and one can often enter samādhi, the circulation of the qi channels will also become smooth, the four great elements will be relatively harmonized, major illnesses of the body will be eliminated, and factors affecting samādhi and contemplation will gradually be removed. When the body's qi channels are clear and unobstructed, it is easy to forget the body; the mind is not distracted by the body. At this time, samādhi is deep, and all energy can be used for contemplation and investigation; wisdom grows quickly. Understanding the relationship between samādhi, wisdom, and the qi channels, during the usual cultivation process, one should strive to eliminate bodily obstacles, keep the body healthy, and ensure the qi channels are clear and flowing. Then samādhi and wisdom will continuously increase, and ultimately, one can see the path.

XII. The Principle of Cultivating the Body

The human body inherently possesses innate qi (先天之气, xiāntiān zhī qì), which is mostly obscured by postnatal diet, preventing it from fully exerting its proper function. The more one eats, the more severe the obscuration, the more waste and garbage accumulate, the heavier the body becomes, and the harder it is to cultivate samādhi. To mobilize the innate qi inherently possessed by the body, one must focus the mind on the dantian (意守丹田, yì shǒu dāntián), allowing qi to gather there. When the dantian qi is sufficient, it will activate the qi mechanism, supplying qi to the whole body, driving the blood to circulate continuously throughout the body, thus stimulating and utilizing the body's functions.

Countless people never utilize the true qi (真气, zhēnqì) and functions inherently present in the body throughout their entire lives; they are all suppressed by dietary habits. When a baby is first born, the body's functions operate very well; the body is soft and elastic. During infancy and childhood, the body has high flexibility; both legs can be crossed well. As one grows older, the body becomes harder, legs become harder to cross, bodily garbage increases, and the circulation of qi and blood worsens. This innate qi within the body can only be released and exert its proper functional role by reducing food intake and practicing cultivation methods. Therefore, being able to fully mobilize the body's qi channels enables one to cultivate samādhi well, improve constitution, and prolong life. Only by cultivating the body and samādhi well can we ensure that our work on the path (道业, dàoyè) is unimpeded and progresses continuously. Otherwise, if the body is unhealthy, the mind is not at ease; if the mind is not cultivated well, how can there be the path?

We cultivate body and mind through fasting (辟谷, bìgǔ). During the fasting period, when we cannot eat, the body still needs energy. Therefore, we must transform and absorb other forms of energy, such as light energy (光能, guāngnéng) and qi energy (气能, qìnéng). Light energy ultimately also needs to be transformed into qi energy needed by the body. Qi energy drives the circulation and movement of blood to maintain the body's energy balance. To absorb light energy, one method is sunbathing; another is sitting in meditation, visualizing sunlight entering the body and becoming energy usable by the body. One can also recite mantras, visualizing Buddha-light entering the body to supply energy to the body. Simultaneously, expel the body's sick qi, cold qi, damp qi, and poisonous qi out of the body. If this visualization is done well, it will be extremely beneficial to health, purer and more beneficial than food, with no side effects.

Additionally, practice cultivation methods to supplement the body's energy and increase yang qi. Specific methods for practice are as follows: (1) Clasp both hands together behind the back and lift them upward; this can lift stomach qi and lung qi, stretch the bladder meridian, and straighten the back. (2) Raise both hands, clasp them together above the head, keep the body still, and rotate the upper part above the chest. (3) Place both hands in front of the lower abdomen, palms facing up, forming a ball-holding posture. Slowly lift them upward while taking deep breaths. Lift them to the top of the head, raise the heels, turn the palms over, pause for a moment until the breath is full, then lower both hands along the sides of the body, exhaling the breath, and lower the heels. This increases lung qi.

XIII. How to Visualize to Eliminate Illness

All dharmas are mind-only (一切法唯心想生, yīqiè fǎ wéi xīn xiǎng shēng). The mind can create all dharmas and can also change all dharmas, including the present form-body. As long as merit (福德, puṇya), samādhi power, and wisdom power are sufficient, changing the form-body can be as fast as in a single thought, or as slow as over a lifetime. This is the result of the combined operation of the eight consciousnesses (八识, aṣṭavijñāna), with the sixth and seventh consciousnesses (第六识, manovijñāna; 第七识, manas) producing mental fabrications (妄想, vikalpa), and the five aggregates (五蕴, pañcaskandha) consequently moving and transforming. If the form-body fabricated by mental fabrications is not to one's liking, then use mental fabrications again to transform it. When one's mental power is insufficient, one can rely on reciting Buddha's name, reciting sutras, or reciting mantras to receive the blessings (加持, adhiṣṭhāna) of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma-protecting deities to change the form-body, eliminate diseases. Among these, the power of mantras (咒力, zhòulì) is the strongest, and the mind can concentrate the most.

How to recite mantras and visualize? First, choose a mantra. There are many mantras that can eliminate illness; indeed, all mantras can eliminate illness, with some differences in effectiveness. Among them, the Medicine Buddha Mantra (药师咒, Bhaiṣajyaguru-mantra) is a mantra conveniently given by the Medicine Buddha to sentient beings to eliminate illness; reciting it is very effective. The Śūraṅgama Mantra (楞严咒, Śūraṅgama-mantra) is the king of mantras, capable of solving all problems; its effectiveness in eliminating illness is also excellent. One can choose either, reciting it sincerely and slowly while combining it with visualization. When reciting mantras and visualizing, the mantra can be long or short; it's not necessary to recite the entire mantra. Reciting any number of lines is fine. Once the mental intention is sent out, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas receive the signal and will come to bestow blessings. Just slowly and attentively recite the lines of the mantra; the slower, the better, because when slow, one has the energy to visualize.

Visualization is the most important part. Only the movement of the mental intention can change the current state of the form-body. When the sixth and seventh consciousnesses move, one's own storehouse consciousness (如来藏, tathāgatagarbha) will cooperate with the mental intention; what is thought becomes reality. The storehouse consciousness naturally cooperates with the seventh consciousness, the mental faculty (意根, manas). Therefore, when the mental consciousness recites the mantra, samādhi must be deep enough to induce the mental faculty to also recite; then the matter is almost accomplished. If samādhi power is insufficient and cannot induce the mental faculty, then there will be little effect. If one's visualization power is very strong, even without reciting Buddha's name or mantras, one can change oneself and change others; the key lies in one's own mental power (念力, niànlì). If one only recites the mantra well but lacks visualization power and mental power is not strong, there will still be little effect; it mainly depends on visualization power.

How to visualize? Visualize white Buddha-light or yellow Buddha-light shining on the afflicted area of one's illness, focusing on the internal organs, or shining on the whole body. Visualize Buddha-light entering from the crown of the head (百会穴, bǎihuìxué) into the whole body, limbs, down to the soles of the feet. Buddha-light enters from the crown, the brain is filled with light, especially the location of the subtle cognitive faculty (胜义根, *indriyādhiṣṭhāna?) is filled with light. This way, the functions of eyes, ears, nose, and tongue will be sound, and the brain will be clear and healthy. Then, further down, the neck and all internal organs are filled with light, and the illness gradually disappears. Wherever visualization is directed, light appears, sick qi recedes, and the form-body improves. If the illness in a certain part is more serious, then concentrate mental power to visualize only that part. For example, if the nose is blocked, visualize the lungs; Buddha-light enters the lungs from the front chest, the entire lungs become a field of light, the sick qi inside gradually discharges outward, and breathing returns to normal. The spleen, stomach, and other organs are visualized in the same way.

For example, if there is a tumor, lump, cyst, or cancer cells in the body, visualize Buddha-light shining on that place, black sick qi discharging bit by bit; the tumor or lump will become smaller and smaller, the color of that place becomes the same as healthy skin tone, or becomes luminous, and the illness is cured. Stones in the body can also be eliminated through visualization; visualize the stones becoming smaller and smaller, finally exiting from the nearest body part, and the stones disappear without a trace. People with strong visualization power find stones gurgling away a few times, vanishing miraculously without a trace, impossible to find. All diseases can be handled according to this method. However, the Dharma has no fixed method (法无定法, fǎ wú dìng fǎ); visualization methods are not limited to this one. Gradually exploring, one will discover many methods, but the ideas are mostly similar.

Using this method, one can visualize successfully for someone far away at the ends of the earth. This person could be at any location on Earth, or outside Earth in the sky, in the universe, or in any realm of the six paths. One can visualize as long as one remembers the other's appearance and visualization power is sufficient; the other person can receive benefit, change their current situation, and even be liberated from the three evil paths (三恶道, durgati). This method can be used continuously to benefit countless people. However, bearing karmic retribution (背业, bèi yè) is inevitable. When one's own karmic obstacles are still relatively heavy, or when cultivation is at a critical stage, it's best to focus only on oneself. The work of the path is most important; after all, one person's accomplishment can save countless people.

Visualizing like this, once the mind becomes subtle, one can use this visualization samādhi as a foundation to practice Buddha-recollection by visualizing the image (观像念佛, guānxiàng niànfó) and Buddha-recollection by visualization (观想念佛, guānxiǎng niànfó). Visualize the Buddha image clearly and meticulously; then one can attain the samādhi of Buddha-recollection (念佛三昧, niànfó sānmèi) with equal balance of samādhi and wisdom, thereby realizing the mind and attaining enlightenment (明心证悟, míngxīn zhèngwù).

XIV. How to Make Visualization More Effective?

To make visualization more effective, direct perception (现量, pratyakṣa) is naturally best. Having an actual object to touch and refer to, approaching direct experience, requires less effortful imagination, thus saving mental energy and being more relaxed. This means that visualization relying solely on the solitary mental consciousness (独头意识, *pratyekamanovijñāna?), detached from the actual objects of the five senses (五尘境, pañcaviṣaya), is relatively difficult. If there is an actual object to touch and refer to, the five sense consciousnesses and the sense-based mental consciousness (五俱意识, *sahaja-manovijñāna?) also join the visualization. This is closer to reality, making things seem easier, and visualization effects more obvious and rapid.

For example, when practicing Buddha-recollection by visualizing the image, if there is no actual Buddha statue in front for comparison and reference, and one relies only on the imagination of the solitary mental consciousness, it is quite laborious and requires very strong samādhi. When samādhi power is clearly insufficient, to save mental energy, place a Buddha statue in front for reference. This way, visualization becomes easier to engage with; with the five sense consciousnesses and the sense-based mental consciousness joining the visualization, the power is greater and more realistic, helping to enhance samādhi. Visualization skill will gradually strengthen. Finally, when using only the solitary mental consciousness for visualization, one will be proficient and gradually enter a superb state.

Another example is using visualization to open the Conception Vessel. When samādhi power is insufficient, relying solely on the solitary mental consciousness to imagine Buddha-light or some other light energy starting from the lungs and pouring down to the dantian, the root chakra (海底轮, *mūlādhāra?), etc., is quite strenuous. Often, the consciousness becomes scattered, and visualization is ineffective. It's better to place the hand on the Conception Vessel, let light emit from the palm, shine on the various internal organs, pouring down from the lungs, or let Buddha-light penetrate from the palm into the internal organs. This makes it easier to open the organs, clear the Conception Vessel, and quickly regulate the body. Visualizing to eliminate illness follows the same principle. Place the hand on the afflicted area, let light emit from the palm to shine on it; the six consciousnesses (the body consciousness and the sense-based mental consciousness) follow the palm, adding tactile sensation. It's targeted, relatively effortless, direct, and easy to produce effects. In short, the principle is to first use the six consciousnesses to assist in enhancing samādhi power. Finally, when samādhi power is sufficient, use only the solitary mental consciousness. Adjust the state well, enter the visualization realm step by step, and success becomes easier.

XV. Why Does Cultivating the Body Nourish the Nature?

Some people have psychological obstacles and afflictions, such as heavy suspicion, timidity and fearfulness, anxiety, irritability, etc. These are afflictions and also psychological obstacles. For some people, these problems arise purely from psychological factors, that is, karmic obstacles and habitual tendencies carried from past lives. For others, they are directly related to physical health, caused by bodily reasons, possibly due to illnesses like spleen deficiency, heart deficiency, liver stagnation, gallbladder disease, etc.

People often say "cultivate the mind and nourish the nature" (修心养性, xiūxīn yǎngxìng). A person's character, temperament, disposition, etc., are manifestations of the mind-nature (心性, xīnxìng). Temperament and disposition are psychological emotions. Some psychological emotions are linked to physical health. If various internal organs have problems, it can lead to problems with psychological emotions, which ordinary people see as problems with cultivation. In reality, as long as physical quality improves, psychological quality follows suit, and cultivation improves. It is bodily problems that cause psychological problems; this is temporary, not a fundamental problem. As long as a person has not cultivated to the fourth dhyāna and has not transcended the realm of the form aggregate (色阴区宇), they will be affected by the form-body and also influenced by environmental factors like surrounding magnetic fields. After transcending the realm of the form aggregate, no matter what the body is like, it will not affect the mind; even being hacked by knives and axes is no problem; the face doesn't change color, and the heart doesn't race.

Therefore, there is another saying in the world: "Cultivate the body to nourish the nature" (修身养性, xiūshēn yǎngxìng). However, there are extremely many people with exceptionally good physical fitness whose mind-nature is not good. Such people are those who truly have psychological problems, whose mind-nature is truly not good. Those whose emotional problems are influenced by the body are not necessarily people with bad mind-nature, nor necessarily people without cultivation. For example, originally a very gentle-tempered person, if suddenly disabled, may undergo a drastic change in temperament, becoming irritable and hot-tempered due to an inability to accept this harsh reality internally. Once the body is cured, they will return to being the gentle-tempered person they were. A person suffering from liver stagnation similarly affects temperament and temper; people with liver fire (肝火, gānhuǒ) also become irritable, hot-tempered, and easily angered. Once liver stagnation symptoms disappear and liver fire is gone, they return to their original gentle temperament. The form-body needs samādhi to regulate; the mind-nature also needs samādhi to harmonize. As long as one has samādhi, both the form-body and temperament will transform to a very good state.

XVI. Changes in the Form-Body When Profound Samādhi is Cultivated

Question: For more than half a month now, when going out these days, I cannot bear any noise. Whether at home or outside, if I'm not careful, I get startled by sounds. The first two days were particularly severe; I felt as if this body was about to float away, unable to maintain balance, as if the body was out of control. I felt as if there was a hole in the top of my head letting wind in. Generally, I dare not go out, afraid of being startled. My daughter says I ignore them, that I seem like I've lost my soul and have no spirit, and she took me to the hospital for a checkup, but no problems were found. Sitting in meditation at home contemplating the Dharma principles feels much better, but sometimes I feel flustered in my heart. This situation never happened before. Is something wrong with me?

Answer: You probably don't understand the matter of the body's qi channel circulation, so you don't know whether the qi has passed through the Conception Vessel in the front of the body, passed through the Governing Vessel in the back, and finally, after circulating once around the body front and back, entered the Central Channel of the body, and the qi is about to rush out from the top of the head. When the crown of the head (百会穴) is about to open, the top of the head is very soft and sensitive to cold, so one feels wind entering the crown. The feeling of the body being light and floating is because samādhi has transformed the coarse and heavy four great elements of the human body, making them more subtle, approaching the form-body of desire realm devas. After cultivating the first dhyāna, the body's four great elements become even more subtle, the body lighter and more floating, approaching the form-body of form realm devas. When cultivating to the fourth dhyāna, because the body's four great elements become extremely subtle, feeling exceptionally light and floating, one can fly up to the heavens and enter the earth, attaining the supernatural power of locomotion (神足通, ṛddhi-sākṣātkriyā). Simultaneously, the mind also becomes extremely subtle, and the power of knowing others' thoughts (他心通, paracittajñāna) appears.

Your current state belongs to an extremely still mind, utterly unable to pay attention to the external world. Phenomena outside the mind and body cannot be attended to; one dwells only in the inner mental world. Therefore, any movement outside startles one. At this time, try not to go out, avoid people, to prevent being startled. After the crown opens, there are still some matters where one needs to avoid people; at this time, one must carefully protect oneself from being startled. If there are matters to attend to, let others handle them as much as possible.

Your samādhi is already very deep. Because the qi channel circulation is clear and there are no blockages in the body, the body has no major illnesses. Samādhi will deepen further in the future. As long as you know that these occurring conditions are caused by the state of samādhi, the mind does not cling to appearances, abides in samādhi according to conditions, and pays no attention to anything, then it will be fine. Because you are unclear about these matters and feel unsure inside, that's why you feel flustered.