Chapter 2: Observation Practice Logs

I. Expedient Methods in Observation Practice

Lantian's Observation Diary: Sat down and took ten deep breaths, feeling the airway long and clear, the dantian heating up. Afterwards, silently recited the Heart Sutra, mentally reciting the sutra from the beginning to "ultimate nirvana," gradually focusing the mind on the sutra text, distracting thoughts decreasing, abdominal breathing deepening. Subsequently observed the breath, shifting the focus from silently reciting the sutra to observing the breath, placing the object of attention on the breath. While inhaling, knew "I am taking a long inhale"; while exhaling, knew "I am taking a long exhale." At this time, concentration was stronger than before, already able to maintain focus on the breath. With the breath, gradually felt both ears slightly swelling outward, which later naturally disappeared. The breath became naturally relaxed and also became long and slow. The abdomen felt warm, soft, and spacious. The mind was comfortable and at ease. After rising, body and mind felt joyful.

July 6, 2021

Comment: Observing the Dharma through practice can only be done when samadhi is stable and the power of observation-concentration is sufficient; it cannot necessarily be pursued single-mindedly at all times. If samadhi is not yet stable, one must first cultivate body and mind, accumulating concentration power. In the interim, various methods suitable to one's current state can be used to stabilize body and mind and enhance concentration power. Only after concentration power is sufficient should one engage in observation practice; this is correct observation. Otherwise, it is chaotic observation, wasting time without result.

II. What is Genuine Practice and Realization?

Rubin's Observation Log: Sat down this morning, regulated the breath for a while, feeling it wasn't very clear or focused. Then slowly recited the Heart Sutra silently and entered a state of shamatha-vipasyana (calm abiding and insight), the mind becoming relatively stable. Then tried to observe the incoming and outgoing breath. When the legs became numb and swollen, a sense of mental restlessness was about to arise, or distracting thoughts were about to emerge, so stopped observing the breath and again slowly recited the Heart Sutra silently, re-entering a state of shamatha-vipasyana, the mind becoming relatively stable.

When going to the restroom after rising, felt this body is just a "flowing" thing; where is there an unchanging body form? While eating, looking at the family member sitting opposite, felt it was merely a puppet composed of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and the five viscera and six bowels assembled on a skeleton. Yet she doesn't know she is such a puppet. I couldn't tell her this feeling, fearing she might be unhappy. While eating, looking at the rice and vegetables composed of the four great elements in the bowl, felt they enter this body and become part of it. The material body and material rice are no different; both are merely the four great elements, just like flowers on the balcony absorbing soil and water to grow into various plants.

Why then do I not consider the flowers to be myself? Yet cling to a material body of four great elements as "me"? Why does each person's body look different? What relation does it have to my mind-consciousness? Stopped thinking at this point, not continuing further down this line. Didn't want to impose previously learned doctrines for analysis and thought. Should leave this question for manas (the thinking mind) to ponder, continuously observing, investigating, and chewing over it to have "meaning" (insight). Holding doubt fosters the desire to delve deeper.

When going out for activity today, seeing people walking towards me on the street, felt their figures, movements, and speech were also animated puppets, yet they all don't know they are puppets. Greeted an acquaintance at the door, stared at the other's forehead, thought beneath the forehead is a skeleton, inside filled with the same stuff. Felt it truly had no meaning. Watching others speak, felt the sound of speech emitted is merely the collision of air currents with the material lips, tongue, throat, and windpipe, not much different from a person beating a drum or ringing a bell. The usual talk or arguments about right/wrong, true/false, beautiful/ugly all seem meaningless. Didn't want to speak, abided in the breath.

Comment: The above is a process of practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana). In this process, observation practice becomes increasingly profound and extensive, gradually expanding to all aspects and corners of life, from morning till night and into sleep, reaching uninterruption. The mind gradually detaches from worldly phenomena, becoming increasingly empty, gradually replacing the ordinary person's "bones," shedding the ordinary person's "shell." Persisting diligently like this, one day the carp will leap over the dragon gate and become a dragon.

When observation practice extends to all aspects of daily life and reaches uninterruption, it is the initial state of samadhi. This samadhi contains both concentration (dhyana) and wisdom (prajna), though not yet perfected and ultimate. The perfected and ultimate samadhi is the samadhi at the time of enlightenment, the samadhi of the purified Dharma-eye, the samadhi of severing the three fetters, the samadhi of not falling into the three evil destinies. Such observation practice is merely a process, a process of physical and mental transformation. In this process, the five faculties (indriya), the five powers (bala), the four right efforts (samyakpradhana), the four bases of psychic power (rddhipada), the seven factors of enlightenment (bodhyanga), the Noble Eightfold Path (astangika-marga), and the practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness gradually become complete and perfect. Only when the conditions for realizing the path are complete will self-view be severed, entering the stage of path-realization and attaining the purified Dharma-eye.

This is what is called genuine practice: actualized in every corner and aspect of life, actualized in every mental state of the inner mind, every action, every moral observance, actualized in every step, actualized in all the practice processes and necessary conditions taught by the Buddha—meticulous and unhurried, actualized until afflictions (klesha) do not arise and mental formations cease. Of course, what ceases are the mental formations of the sixth consciousness (mano-vijnana). The pondering of dharmas by manas never ceases; thought-moment follows thought-moment without interval. Therefore, the final seeing of the path must be manas seeing and realizing the path. After realizing the fruit (attaining a stage of enlightenment), its mental states are also uninterrupted; its transformed mental activities and mental factors (caitasika) are also uninterrupted and continuous. The five coarse categories of heavy afflictions are also uninterruptedly eliminated. It cannot be that one is sometimes a sage and sometimes an ordinary person, switching back and forth, nor does it require the sixth consciousness to restrain manas back to the cognition of emptiness and non-self.

Realization by the sixth consciousness is the opposite. When the sixth consciousness is clear and bright, one is a good person. When circumstances arise, manas follows afflictions, manifesting defilements; the six consciousnesses, unaware, follow along and create defiled karma. Afterwards, the sixth consciousness feels it's improper and again supervises manas to suppress the afflictions. But once suppressed, the afflictions have already arisen, the fault has already been committed, the unwholesome karma has already been formed, and seeds have been planted. What about the future? Greedy thoughts appear frequently; hateful thoughts appear frequently; afflictions arise from time to time, precepts are broken, unwholesome karma is created—what kind of sage is this? Although one realizes the mistake afterwards and corrects it, this cycle repeats endlessly. What path is this that is so unreliable? So mentally exhausting? When the sixth consciousness feels fatigued, it will no longer endlessly supervise manas. Then the brakes fail. What are the consequences?

Every Buddhist practitioner who has encountered the method of liberation should practice honestly, steadfastly, and down-to-earth, without any opportunistic mentality, deceiving oneself and then deceiving others. Paper ultimately cannot wrap fire; a paper house cannot withstand wind and rain and will be destroyed sooner or later. It's better to find a permanent place of peace and cessation early on; this is the wise course.

III. How to Steer the Chariot of the Five Aggregates

Rutao's Observation Diary: In the initial stage of my Four Foundations of Mindfulness training, distracting thoughts during sitting were extremely severe, making observation practice strenuous. This hurdle is now past. When sitting down, there's no need to labor to handle coarse distracting thoughts; I can abide peacefully in the breath, even entering shallow samadhi, producing a slight sense of separation between body and mind.

But I find the concentration and wisdom power of my manas and sixth consciousness are still quite meager. To use an analogy, it's like arriving in spring when the mountain stream has just passed the dry season—water flows murmuring, but it can only float a small bamboo raft, insufficient to carry a wooden boat, let alone like a great river with deep water and surging waves capable of carrying giant ships and large boats—nowhere near that strength. Now I seem to better understand the meaning of the two words "dry wisdom" (ganhui) often mentioned in Buddhism. Like an ordinary person like me who is new to Buddhism, the sixth consciousness understands a little of the principles of prajna (wisdom), but concentration power is still very shallow. The so-called "wisdom" is merely the emotional thinking and intellectual understanding of the superficial consciousness, without the slightest bit of meritorious effect or benefit. As the master said, this kind of so-called "awakening" is just the "awakening" of misunderstanding (a homophone for "mistake" in Chinese). I should sincerely repent for my past self-righteousness and boastful talk.

In the current training, subduing coarse distracting thoughts only means the manas-ox is no longer as wild as before; its temperament has become somewhat more docile, but it is still lively and active. Concentrating intently on observing the breath while sitting is like using the rope of breath to tie it down more firmly, letting it grasp less.

The reason this manas-ox is so active is fundamentally due to beginningless ignorance (avidya), taking the objects of the six senses (sad-ayatana) as real, treating them as its own food, eating with relish. Therefore, the sixth consciousness, the cowherd boy, when free, must constantly remind the manas-ox: the objects of the six senses are false; the six sense faculties are illusory; the six sense objects are illusory; when sense faculty and object contact, the consciousness that discriminates the object is merely a series of consciousness-seeds. Material phenomena (rupa-dharma) are empty; mental phenomena (citta-dharma) are also empty. The mountains, rivers, and great earth, the self-body-and-mind discriminated by the sixth consciousness are merely complex electrical signals of the inner six sense objects in the brain. Layers upon layers of distracting thoughts are merely the false "shadow-only" mental objects (mano-dhatu) conjured by the sixth consciousness itself. Not a single dharma has true reality... Bury this message deep within the heart, let the manas-ox chew and ruminate well, hoping it will one day suddenly become enlightened!

Comment: All coarse and subtle distracting thoughts are nothing but the habitual inertia force formed by manas taking objects as real since beginningless time, constantly clinging firmly. It's like a car speeding fiercely, hard to brake. The sixth consciousness finds it very strenuous to steer, and moreover, many people don't even want to steer it, indulging it recklessly, stepping on the accelerator harder. The consequences are something everyone should be able to imagine. How to steer this chariot so that it slows down gradually and runs safely and smoothly is an important topic we should ponder deeply.

It's good that we now have the objective of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness observation practice, which can let manas gradually shift its energy over, gradually abiding within it. The speed of the chariot slowly decreases, no longer bumpy. Withdrawing attention from troublesome trivialities, facing only this one matter of the breath, the mind quiets, afflictions settle, and the clear water on the surface will reflect the true appearance of the five aggregates (skandhas). Then one might discover that the five aggregates are not so real and reliable; all along, they were mistakenly perceived and clung to. From then on, ignorance and afflictions will gradually peel away from the heart, bringing lightness, ease, and the reduction and elimination of suffering.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are the good medicine prescription prescribed by the Buddha to cure physical and mental illnesses. As long as one takes it with confidence, physical and mental illnesses will be eliminated, and wisdom and liberation will be attained. Do not doubt. The Buddha is the Great Physician King, capable of rescuing sentient beings from suffering. Following the Buddha's guidance, one will surely reach the oasis on the other shore to rest and settle.

The sixth consciousness, throughout the entire practice process, acts like a guide, pointing the direction for manas. Once manas understands the direction and embarks on the right path, it must rely on its own mental strength and wisdom to face all circumstances, to contemplate, to investigate, to discover the truth, reversing previous erroneous cognitions. Only then can one attain new life. The sixth consciousness, this co-pilot, just needs to watch over and assist slightly from the side. Everything still depends on manas itself. After all, the chariot of the five aggregates must be driven by it personally; the sixth consciousness cannot take its place.

IV. What Exactly Are Thoughts and Notions?

Rubin's Observation Log: During these days of sitting, in the process of subduing body and mind, I have used methods like visualizing the Buddha, silently reciting the Heart Sutra, silently reciting the Buddha's name, reciting the Shurangama Mantra, observing the thirty-two impure parts of the body, and observing the arising, cessation, and change of mental objects (dharma-dhatu) to make the mind focused and no longer restless. It's like subduing a wild horse; one needs to use various methods to observe what it likes, what it wants, why it likes it, find out the reason, and then resolve this reason to eliminate desires and thoughts in this aspect.

Personally, I feel that after sitting down, observing the changing, arising, and ceasing of the thirty-two impure parts of the body one by one is very effective. As soon as I start with the intention: "Hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin" starting with "hair"... the mind begins to quieten. After roughly observing the thirty-two parts once, I then reflect inwardly: what is the nature of this mind that can perceive, observe, and discriminate? Where is it? What does it depend on? What does it rely on? What is its scope of function? What is the difference between it and mind-consciousness?

During observation practice, as long as I maintain a questioning thought: "Who am I?", then within the physical body and mind-consciousness, I repeatedly experience each dharma one by one, discerning the state, characteristics, scope of function, conditions, differences, etc., of each dharma. Then, at some unknown time, it suddenly coincides with the Dharma principles I have learned. I realize that the understanding from learning knowledge and the feeling after experiential observation are different, even if the conclusion is the same.

Sometimes, when distracting thoughts suddenly arise, instead of suppressing them, my method is to observe the cause of these mental objects (dharma-dhatu) appearing, to observe the essence, source, basis, and object of these mental objects. Later, I discovered that I had added a label to all of them: "you," "me," "him." Then I judged them as right/wrong, true/false, good/bad, and following that came emotions like joy/anger, agitation, depression/dissatisfaction, anxiety/desire—these emotions that cannot be let go, like dust, covering, suppressing, binding, and fettering the originally pure mind. Truly weaving a cocoon around oneself. Originally, these are merely mental objects left by past memories. They are not the mind, yet do not exist apart from the mind, inherently lacking self-nature; they are merely memory-concepts in one's own mind-field.

Having resolved the mental objects, I then understood the essence, source, basis, and object of the five sense objects (rupa-dhatu, sound-dhatu, touch-dhatu, etc.) along with them. This is the cause of the arising of distracting thoughts. At the beginning, one must frequently and repeatedly recognize and discern mental objects; only then can one let go of the grasping in the mind. After letting go, one feels relieved and collected. The method of suppression cannot solve the root problem. It's like only knowing the "what" but not the "why," making distracting thoughts hard to subdue.

Secondly, before observation practice, hearing and contemplation (sravana and manana) must mature. Otherwise, wisdom cannot arise; one won't know how to observe and discern. There might be calm abiding (shamatha) but no insight-wisdom (vipasyana-prajna). For example, every doctor has a certain direct observation (pratyaksa) of the body's birth, change, aging, and death, but the notion "the body is me" remains unchanged. There is no wisdom, nor any inquiry into the essence of life. Therefore, I personally feel that maturing hearing and contemplation is the foundation before observation practice.

Then, observe the mutual influence of the physical body and mind-consciousness. Then deeply believe that every arising thought and mental state bears karmic fruit; it's all self-created and self-received. The inner mind becomes increasingly peaceful. Finally, abide in the breath at the nostrils. Sometimes when the breath is very subtle, I only feel the entire physical body breathing; there is no boundary between inside and outside the body. When concentration is good, I feel body and mind are in a state of no-self and no-master. Gradually, the concept of the body ceases. Currently, I can basically maintain a single lotus position for one hour without changing legs. After rising, I feel mentally refreshed. However, when the legs become numb, swollen, and painful, mental strength weakens, requiring a change of legs to continue.

After rising, went out for activity, practiced Tai Chi. Felt it was the same as sitting meditation observation practice—very quiet, very slow, very relaxed, entering the state of observation practice. Body and mind were in a state of no-self and no-master. Breathing was even. There was no "who" present. Only arms, only legs slowly moving in the air. Only bird songs rising and falling in the emptiness. Only the formless, locationless mind was aware. There was no "who" present. In daily life, I try to keep the mental impression of the thirty-two impure parts of the body present, not looking at the body as a whole, thus observing the impermanence and lack of master in the physical body. Currently, I cannot yet form uninterrupted attention. June 2, 2021

Comment: All thoughts, notions, and concepts originate from ignorance (avidya). And ignorance has no source, no destination; it is an illusory dharma. Since distracting thoughts, notions, and concepts originate from ignorance which has no source, there's no need to take them as real. See through them, penetrate them. Do not follow the rising and falling of deluded thoughts. Remain unmoved, like suchness (tathata). Gradually, these ignorant thoughts will disappear by themselves. The mind will become pure and peaceful. Then, when observing the object of attention, it will be clear and bright. Ignorance becomes thinner. Human thoughts and notions come and go; one cannot hold onto them even if one tries. They are always changing incessantly; they cannot be fixed. See through them, ignore them, do not move with them, and the mind will naturally be cool and clear.

V. Light Hindrances Facilitate the Arising of Samadhi

Lantian's Observation Log: Sat down in the evening, did ten deep breaths, then observed the breath at the nose, gradually entering abdominal breathing. During this period, in the initial stage of abdominal breathing, the degree of abdominal muscle contraction during inhalation was not very strong. But today during exhalation, the abdominal contraction was quite strong. During breathing, the dantian was very hot. Continuously observed the breath at the nose, not letting the thought move elsewhere.

After sitting for about half an hour, felt the vital energy (qi) about to rise upward. Remembering the master's teaching, I let it happen naturally without stopping it. Felt the vital energy instantly reach the chest area but didn't rise further up. The entire area below the chest felt like an electric current passing through, then instantly disappeared. Continued observing the breath at the nose. At this time, it was still abdominal breathing. After another ten minutes or so, the vital energy surged upward again. Both ears rang simultaneously. All the pores on the head and face stood up, feeling tingly and numb. The sensation quickly subsided. The front and back of the heart and abdomen sweated slightly. Deep breathing stopped. Seeing there were still over ten minutes left, I actively did deep breathing until the sitting session ended.

Sat down, did ten deep breaths, then observed the breath at the nose. Soon entered abdominal breathing. This morning the dantian area was also very hot, especially during inhalation. Felt the airflow like a stream of heat entering the dantian from the upper abdomen. Sometimes when inhaling, I could feel the area above the thighs was cool, as if cool air was entering from the thighs. After sitting for about half an hour, again felt the vital energy surging upward. This time it was slower, not as intense. It surged to the chest and head and didn't go down further. Chest distension due to qi caused the breath to become short. The head also felt slightly swollen but not very obvious. After enduring this for ten minutes, I placed the thought on the dantian area, and the above discomfort gradually disappeared. Breathing became clear, both shoulders sank down, and the abdomen felt soft and comfortable.

Comment: The emptier the mind, the faster and longer the vital energy arises, and the deeper the entry into samadhi. Those hindered by karmic obstructions (kleshavarana) find it difficult for vital energy to arise; if it does arise, it quickly subsides. In the future, when initial dhyana (first jhana) arises, there will be similar vital energy activation. The emptier the mind and the lighter the karmic obstructions, the faster and deeper the vital energy arises, the more it can permeate the whole body, the longer it can last, and the deeper the samadhi. So-called karmic obstructions refer to the mind having attachments—attaching to the body, attaching to self, thinking about many dharmas, grasping without cease, taking worldly dharmas as real, unwilling to let go.

VI. What is Ge Wu Zhi Zhi (Investigating Things to Extend Knowledge)?

Eighty-Second Mouth's Observation Log: I practiced stillness-concentration as the master instructed, starting by observing the breath. After letting the mind quieten, I placed the thought "the material body is not me" in the mind to watch over. Simultaneously entered a state of mental blankness, divorced from language. Gradually felt the body seemed to be distancing itself from the perceiving mind, feeling a bit unsteady. After rising, felt the body light, comfortable, and at ease, like waking from a deep dream, not feeling as tired as before. Only the head felt a bit tight and numb, and this continued for over ten minutes. Thankful for the master's teaching. Learning Buddhism means first resolving to change the habits of one's own manas. After having a goal, the mind felt much lighter.

Comment: There is a saying called "Ge Wu Zhi Zhi" (Investigating Things to Extend Knowledge). It means that as long as the mind separates from the object (visaya), does not adhere to it, does not cling to it, it will not be tainted or limited by the object. It will then jump outside the object and look back at it objectively, thus arriving at objective conclusions and views. When the mind and object are stuck together, the mind is often obscured by the object, seeing only the phenomenal appearance of the object, not the truth and facts.

Observation practice in samadhi is precisely to "Ge Wu Zhi Zhi"—to detach the mind from the dharma, thereby re-examining and observing the dharma objectively, without language or words, without subjectivity. Gradually, there will be objective discoveries different from before. Recognizing objective truth, one can then give birth to the wisdom of the liberation state. Subjective initiative belongs to the sixth consciousness. Objective perception and examination belong to manas. "Ge Wu" (investigating things) means letting the sixth consciousness remain still, letting manas perceive personally. Only then can there be fair, objective, and principle-conforming discoveries—realizing things were not like that before, realizing it was all mistaken.

Without cultivating samadhi and observation practice, one will never "Ge Wu Zhi Zhi," never change manas's self-view and self-clinging, forever remaining in ignorance. Liberation will have no prospect. The barrier of samadhi and observation practice, no matter how difficult, must be crossed, and one must be determined to break through it. Only then is it worthy of one's lifetime (or many lifetimes) of learning Buddhism. To truly realize and attain liberation, there is no other path—only this one. It cannot be bypassed; sooner or later it must be walked. Walking it early is much better than late, sparing much suffering.

VII. The Merits of Samadhi

Ruzhao's Observation Log: Today sat in half-lotus (left leg over right) for half an hour, then half-lotus (right leg over left) for half an hour. After sitting down, first recited the Shurangama Mantra once. Then concentrated the mind, calmed the breath, and observed the breath. Soon the whole body continuously heated up. Limbs and face had sweat. Mouth continuously secreted saliva. Didn't feel the dantian heat up, but each breath was inhaled very deeply; the lower abdomen naturally swelled out. As observation deepened, the inhalation seemed even deeper. The body's sensations and the amount of air inhaled through the nostrils seemed different between left-leg and right-leg half-lotus positions; the bodily feelings weren't entirely the same. Personally, currently, with left-leg half-lotus, the mind settles more easily, and observation time is longer.

In daily life, very sluggish, very slow. Most things don't enter the mind; many trivial matters are hard to remember. Sometimes when it's time to use the brain, it seems to suddenly jam, not knowing what the mind is thinking. When talking to people, can know what the other wants to express or vent, but cannot say words of agreement or even don't want to speak. When oneself or others experience suffering, contemplates the origin of suffering, wanting to thoroughly eradicate the cause and extinguish suffering.

Comment: The more concentrated the mind, the more concentrated the vital energy (qi) within the body, the more concentrated the energy, leading to vital energy activation and the whole body heating up. Those with very deep samadhi are insensitive to cold and heat in their bodies. In winter, they don't need to wear much; in summer, wearing more doesn't feel hot. They wear the same robe in winter and summer, not needing to change clothes frequently. Samadhi can eliminate some restless energy. Unimportant matters are no longer paid attention to, let alone currying favor with the powerful. Initially, speech and actions seem clumsy; initiative is weak but observation is deep and penetrating. The mind is fine and sensitive. Seeing people and events is more precise and detailed than before, harder to deceive. A bit like "great wisdom appears foolish." Actually, the mind is not used on small matters; true wisdom is gradually increasing.