Chapter Seven: Meditation and the Material Body's Channels and Winds

1. Why is it said that sitting quietly for a short moment surpasses building stupas of the seven jewels as numerous as the sands of the Ganges?

The statement that sitting quietly for a short moment surpasses building stupas of the seven jewels as numerous as the sands of the Ganges holds a certain rationale. Why is this said? Building stupas of the seven jewels as numerous as the sands of the Ganges is merely an act of material generosity (dāna). While it can bring immeasurable, indescribable merit, this merit benefits only the giver personally, not involving other sentient beings. Moreover, such merit will eventually be exhausted. Furthermore, this is purely meritorious virtue (puṇya), lacking within it the merit of wisdom (prajñā), and thus cannot eradicate ignorance and afflictions to attain liberation and great liberation. The merit of wisdom is the achievement of prajñā, capable of eradicating ignorance and afflictions to attain liberation and great liberation. Only when both merit (puṇya) and wisdom (prajñā) are perfectly accomplished can one achieve the wisdom of all modes (sarvajñā); lacking either, one cannot attain Buddhahood.

Meditation is the most effective path for cultivating the body and mind. Sitting quietly itself not only generates the merit of concentration (samādhi), but also brings the benefit of wisdom. Not only does the practitioner gain this merit and benefit, but they can also influence others around them; those connected will also receive merit and benefit. This is because the bodies and minds of sentient beings possess a certain magnetic field effect, capable of mutual permeation and influence, similar to the relationship between cold and hot water. The result is a mutual integration: the heat from the hot water permeates the cold water, warming it and even melting solid ice. A person with meditation and cultivation is like hot water, while a person without meditation or cultivation, or with very shallow cultivation, is like cold water or solid ice. Consequently, the merit of the meditator is imperceptibly transmitted to the non-meditator, enabling those without meditation or cultivation to also feel physical and mental ease, reduced afflictions, a softened heart, and even the elimination of karmic obstacles and suffering.

Of course, when the heat of the hot water is transferred to the cold water and ice, the heat diminishes and cools down. The meditator may feel physically and mentally exhausted, afflictions may increase, and illness or suffering might also increase. This weakens the power of cultivation, requiring greater effort to maintain the original state of body and mind, or to deepen meditation and cultivation further. Therefore, practitioners should choose their cultivation environment wisely, select their company carefully, and stay away from places heavy with karmic obstacles. If possible, avoiding crowds altogether is best. Everyone needs virtuous friends; without them, one must dwell alone.

However, this does not mean that leaving the crowd prevents sentient beings from being influenced by one's merit. Influence still occurs. Originally, the merit was transmitted only to the very few people nearby. Once these people are no longer present to obstruct, the magnetic field and energy can transmit further, benefiting more people. There is no need to let a few individuals block the sunlight and warmth needed by the many. A person with extremely profound cultivation power can influence the surrounding area for hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of li, affecting a city, a province, a country, or even the entire globe and the whole Buddhist community, bearing upon the prosperity, decline, and survival of Buddhism. In any group, large or small, the presence of such a person brings peace and prosperity. Once such a person is absent from the group, karmic obstacles can no longer be suppressed, leading to frequent disputes and conflicts, and the group will gradually decline.

Sitting quietly for a short moment ceases disputes, conflicts, and distracting thoughts. Body and mind become tranquil, purifying one's own and the surrounding magnetic field. Humans, animals, birds, and ghosts and spirits will all feel momentary peace and bliss, instantly ceasing the heat of afflictions. Such merit and virtue are indescribable; building stupas of the seven jewels as numerous as the sands of the Ganges cannot compare. Especially in the present Dharma Ending Age, where sentient beings are generally afflicted by intense greed, hatred, and delusion, karmic obstacles flow constantly, disasters arise everywhere, and suffering abounds, the merit of ceasing afflictions for even a short moment is indescribable. Of course, this refers to correct concentration (samyak-samādhi). Wrong concentration (mithyā-samādhi) only has a negative influence because the mind is unwholesome, and the influence of the mind is also immense, albeit imperceptible.

2. The Principle of Memorization

When the recitation of the Śūraṅgama Mantra reaches a very fast speed, memorization becomes essentially effortless. Why is this? Recitation is a function of the sixth consciousness (mano-vijñāna), while memory is a function of the seventh consciousness (manas). When the sixth consciousness can recite very skillfully, the seventh consciousness is gradually infused accordingly. At this point, if the mantra can be recited very quickly, not only does the sixth consciousness have no distracting thoughts or false thinking, but the seventh consciousness also has no distracting thoughts or false thinking, enabling exclusive focus on infusing the mantra. Naturally, one can memorize the mantra, allowing the sixth consciousness to recite it skillfully without deliberate practice; memorization occurs spontaneously.

This exclusive focus is meditation (dhyāna). Eliminating scattered thoughts and concentrating all energy on one thing without interference enables success in that endeavor. Therefore, with meditation, one can accomplish all things, and wisdom will also arise. The combination of the seventh consciousness (manas) and meditation (dhyāna) can accomplish all things. The accomplishment of all dharmas cannot be separated from the seventh consciousness and meditation. Thus, meditation primarily refers to the concentration of the seventh consciousness as the commander; the six consciousnesses, as attendants, must follow the commander in advancing, retreating, and settling. When encountering a problem, if the seventh consciousness can deeply focus, disregarding all other dharmas and states, concentration power rapidly increases, potentially reaching the root of the problem, causing wisdom to emerge.

Fast recitation can lead to meditation; slow recitation can also lead to meditation. When reciting a mantra very slowly, one also becomes extremely focused. The sixth consciousness has no false thoughts, the seventh consciousness has no false thoughts, and one can attentively receive the infusion from the sixth consciousness. The mantra slowly enters the heart of the seventh consciousness, imprinting it in memory, enabling later recitation. Very fast mantra recitation and scripture chanting, versus very slow mantra recitation and scripture chanting, both methods have advantages and disadvantages. Fast recitation may lead to scattering, while slow recitation may lead to dullness; adjustment is needed according to the situation. The two methods are applied in different scenarios; the appropriate method must be used for the specific situation. Each individual needs to personally experience and flexibly master this to achieve the best results.

3. Conditions Arising from Cultivating Profound Meditation

Question: For more than half a month now, when I go out, I cannot bear to hear any sound or movement. Whether at home or outside, if I am not careful, I get startled by sounds. It was particularly severe in the first two days; it felt like my body was about to float away, I couldn't maintain balance, and my body seemed out of control. It also felt like there was a hole in the top of my head letting wind in. Generally, I dare not go out for fear of being startled. My daughter says I ignore them and that I look like I've lost my spirit, absent-minded. She even took me to the hospital for a checkup, but nothing was found to be wrong. Sitting in meditation at home contemplating the Dharma meaning feels much better, but sometimes I feel anxious inside. This has never happened before. Is there something wrong with me?

Answer: You may not understand the workings of the body's channels and winds (nāḍī and prāṇa), nor know whether the wind has passed through the Ren meridian in the front of the body, passed through the Du meridian in the back, and finally, after circulating once around the body, entered the central channel (avadhūtī), preparing to rush out through the top of the head. When the Baihui point at the crown of the head is about to open, the top of the head feels very soft and sensitive to cold, hence the sensation of wind entering. The feeling of lightness in the body is because meditation has transformed the coarse four elements (mahābhūta) of the human body, making them subtler, closer to the material body of a desire heaven deva. After developing the first dhyāna, the four elements become even subtler, the body feels lighter, closer to the material body of a form heaven deva. When one reaches the fourth dhyāna, because the four elements of the body become extremely subtle, the feeling of lightness is particularly pronounced, enabling flight to heaven and earth, attaining the supernormal power of locomotion (ṛddhi). Simultaneously, the mind becomes extremely subtle, giving rise to the supernormal power of knowing others' thoughts (cetoparyāya-jñāna).

Your current state is one of extreme inner stillness, paying no attention whatsoever to the external world. States outside the mind and body cannot be focused on; you dwell only in the inner world. Therefore, any external movement startles you. At this time, try to avoid going out and avoid people to prevent being startled. After the crown opens, there are other matters requiring you to avoid people. At this stage, you need to carefully protect yourself from being startled and let others handle matters whenever possible.

Your meditation (samādhi) is already very deep and will deepen further. As long as you know these are meditation states, do not cling to appearances, abide in concentration according to conditions, and pay no attention to anything, you will be fine. Because you are unclear about these matters and lack confidence, you feel anxious.

4. How to Reduce Demonic Difficulties?

Question: In meditation, one has already transcended the constraints of the physical body, quietly contemplating the illusory nature of all dharmas, abandoning emptiness and consciousness, transcending internal and external states, and focusing on the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcanyāyatana). The mind is empty internally with nothing to rely on; all thoughts cease, abiding in peace and stillness. This is the typical concentration of the sphere of nothingness, the seventh level of the four formless attainments! It's incredibly profound. Has anyone attained such a holy state?

Answer: This is purely the realm of the four dhyānas and the four formless attainments (caturdhyāna and catvāro ārūpyasamāpattayaḥ), not the state of a saint (ārya). Because it does not involve liberating wisdom—neither the wisdom of severing the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) nor the wisdom of realizing the mind's nature (cittaprakṛti)—purely meditative states remain outside the Buddhist path. Therefore, it is called heterodox concentration (tīrthika-samādhi). During the Buddha's time, many heterodox practitioners attained this concentration; meditation was not rare then. Nowadays, heterodox practitioners can no longer cultivate even moderately deep concentrations, hence this is called the Dharma Ending Age (mòfǎ). In the Dharma Ending Age, even heterodox paths are not professional; how can the Buddha Dharma flourish? The Buddha descended in India two thousand years ago precisely because the wholesome roots of sentient beings had matured. Many sought liberation but did not know how to attain it, believing that meditation alone could liberate them from the suffering of birth and death. Thus, they diligently practiced concentration, becoming heterodox practitioners outside the Buddha Dharma. The Buddha, compassionate towards the world, descended to bestow the nectar of Dharma, eliminating the suffering of sentient beings.

If someone today were to attain the four formless concentrations and manifest supernormal powers, sentient beings who learned of it would worship them fanatically. If such a person harbored ulterior motives to dominate Buddhism, engage in other activities, and win over sentient beings, ordinary people truly could not resist or do anything about it; they couldn't even see through it, let alone have the ability to refute him. If such a demon arises in the future to disrupt the Dharma, only a Bodhisattva possessing the four dhyānas, the four formless attainments, and great supernormal powers can refute him, protecting sentient beings from entering the demonic path. The Buddha said in the sutras that all heterodox paths can only be refuted by great Bodhisattvas who have attained the stages (bhūmi). Eighth-stage Bodhisattvas (aṣṭamī bhūmiḥ) can refute all heterodox paths; Bodhisattvas below the eighth stage down to the first stage (prathamā bhūmiḥ) can only refute some heterodox paths. Ordinary beings (pṛthagjana) can only pay homage to heterodox paths and demons, lacking the wisdom to see through them.

5. The Relationship Between Afflictions and Meditation

Question: Is it that after cultivating to a certain level, one becomes more sensitive to the external world, easily perceives subtle ill-will from others, and thus becomes prone to anger?

Answer: It is because your body's qi mechanism is obstructed, the flow of qi and blood is stagnant, leading to emotional discomfort, which generates negative emotions. You mistakenly perceive others as having ill-will, which may not be the case; this is a projection and reaction of your own inner emotions. Due to emotional discomfort, encountering people and situations, you cannot help but want to vent emotions, hence becoming prone to anger. Some people, at certain times, find their temperament and temper easily influenced by their physical health. When the body is healthy and the mind is at ease, all bad emotions and afflictions disappear.

By the same token, only in joy can one have an open mind and eradicate afflictions. Meditation precisely produces joy, enabling physical and mental comfort and delight, thereby eradicating afflictions. The depth of concentration varies, the degree of joy produced varies, and the level of afflictions eradicated varies. The concentration of access (anāgamya-samādhi) and the first dhyāna are concentrations of different levels—one attained within the desire realm (kāmadhātu), the other within the form realm (rūpadhātu). The degree of joy attained in the desire realm's access concentration is low, so the depth of afflictions eradicated is shallow. The degree of joy attained in the form realm's first dhyāna is high, so the depth of afflictions eradicated is deep.

Why is it that sentient beings, after attaining the fruit (phala), cultivate to the first dhyāna before they can eradicate the root afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion? This is because the first dhyāna is a concentration of unified joy and bliss (prītisukha). While abiding in this concentration, the mind is extremely joyful and blissful. Because this bliss surpasses the greed of the human desire realm, it abandons and eradicates the greed, hatred, and delusion afflictions of the human realm, thus enabling the attainment of the third fruit (anāgāmin).

Although the access concentration cannot eradicate the root afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, it can eradicate some of the afflictive hindrances (kleśāvaraṇa) within the desire realm, enabling the severance of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and the attainment of the first fruit (srotāpanna) and second fruit (sakṛdāgāmin). Therefore, the fruits of the Śrāvaka path are not only related to the wisdom of selflessness (anātman), but also to meditation and the eradication of afflictions. Having concentration and wisdom ensures that afflictions can be eradicated. Afflictions are closely related to the presence or absence of concentration and wisdom: with concentration and wisdom, there are no afflictions; without concentration and wisdom, delusion gives rise to afflictions. Thus, it is said that upon severing the view of self and attaining the fruit, those afflictive hindrances are eliminated, and bodily, verbal, and mental actions become pure. One no longer creates major unwholesome karmas; grave unwholesome karmas are certainly not created again. As long as a person still creates relatively major afflictive unwholesome karmas in the world, with defiled bodily, verbal, and mental actions, it can be determined that this person has not severed the view of self, has no fruit of the Śrāvaka or Bodhisattva paths, and is certainly not a Bodhisattva on the stages (bhūmi). Regardless of how eloquently or logically they may speak the Dharma, as long as their conduct is flawed and shows even slight defilement, it can be determined that this person is an ordinary being (pṛthagjana). Therefore, refuting the false and revealing the true is not something ordinary people can do. The general populace lacks the ability to refute the false and reveal the true; not becoming an accomplice is already quite good. Sentient beings can only increase their knowledge and understanding, enhance rationality, reduce emotions, lessen mindless worship, thereby giving demons less opportunity and reducing demonic difficulties for sentient beings.

6. How to Approach Issues of the Body's Channels and Winds

When the channels and winds are in the head, causing headaches, toothaches, or eye pain, how should this be resolved?

Yaoling's Answer: If the qi truly cannot settle down, you can place your attention on the heart center (manipūra cakra), or on the Mingmen point in the middle of the lumbar spine on the back, contemplate the white bone at the lumbar region, or place your attention on the big toe of the left foot. Actually, if you truly practice the contemplation of the impure (aśubha-bhāvanā) or the contemplation of the skeleton (aṣṭhisaṃjñā), the mind naturally relaxes, and the qi will certainly settle down. Later, it is best to only maintain the right mindfulness (samyak-smṛti) that "All phenomena are illusory" (凡所有相，皆是虚妄 - yad rūpaṃ sā śūnyatā). Do not hold onto anything else. Naturally, all conditions will be relinquished, not a single thought will arise, and the channels and winds will clear very quickly. When you completely let go of this body, it will recover automatically very quickly.

If you harbor a thought like "I want my body to feel more comfortable," it means you are clinging to the sensations of the body, discriminating and grasping. What you need to do is contemplate that "All phenomena are illusory," that these bodily sensations are empty and unobtainable, and then let go of the bodily sensations. Do not cling to or discriminate them; do not let the mind stick to the bodily sensations. This is called letting go of bodily sensations. Similarly, let go of other various states, such as external sounds, in the same way; do not let the mind stick to them. At this time, you are clearly aware within your own mind that you are not clinging to these phenomenal states and discriminating them. In this way, the qi will settle down very quickly, and the body will soon achieve the harmony of water and fire (i.e., balance).

Of course, it is best not to skip the contemplation of the impure and the contemplation of the skeleton. Otherwise, if you cling to the people around you as real, it will be impossible for you to let go of clinging to them. When the mind returns to the source, the qi returns to the source. If you grasp any state as real, it becomes a demonic obstacle (māra-paryāya), preventing you from returning to the source. Therefore, contemplate "All dharmas are without self" (诸法无我 - sarva-dharmā anātmānaḥ) to eliminate inverted views.

7. The Principle of "When the Essence is Full, One Does Not Think of Lust"

Disciple's Question: One morning, while practicing walking meditation (caṅkramaṇa) and contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness (smṛtyupasthāna), I suddenly had the thought to relax the dantian (lower abdomen). When I relaxed the dantian, a warm current filled it, feeling warm and hot. Even today, the dantian still feels warm. With the appearance of this warm current, I noticed something special: upon seeing the opposite sex, I no longer have lustful thoughts, nor do I need to use counteractive methods. It's like seeing someone of the same sex or an ordinary object; the dantian area also does not stir. (Normally, upon seeing the opposite sex, there would be uncontrollable improper mental formations, and physiologically, the dantian area would stir, requiring a second thought to counteract it.) Please advise me on my situation.

Answer: Through sitting meditation and walking meditation cultivating concentration, you have unblocked the qi and blood in the dantian area. The sign of warmth (uṣmagata) has appeared; the dantian is warm, the whole body's qi and blood flow smoothly, and body and mind become soft. This causes the dantian area to be full of qi, spirit (shen), and essence (jing), no longer needing supplementation from external energy. Therefore, physiological needs decrease, leading to less eating, less sleeping, and no need for sexual desire. Only when the essence, qi, and spirit are insufficient does one need external energy supplementation, and physiological needs are greater.

These physiological needs belong to the necessities of life in the human desire realm. When cultivation transcends the human realm, the five hindrances (pañca nīvaraṇāni)—such as desire for food, sleep, lust, etc.—are gradually removed, and one ascends to the realms of the desire heavens (kāmāvacara-deva) and form heavens (rūpāvacara-deva). That is to say, the access concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) of the desire realm is perfected, and the first dhyāna of the form realm is nearly attained. After human desires are subdued, meditation ascends to the first dhyāna. Within the first dhyāna, greed and desire are eradicated.

Devas of the form realm's first dhyāna heaven and above have no male-female desire; thus, they have no gender, being neither male nor female. Because they do not need food, they lack the nose consciousness for smelling scents and the tongue consciousness for tasting flavors. They only have eye consciousness, ear consciousness, body consciousness, mind consciousness, and the manas (seventh consciousness). Therefore, consciousnesses (vijñāna) are established for the needs of sentient beings. Without needs, consciousnesses need not exist. For example, in the concentration of cessation (nirodha-samāpatti), only the manas exists, without the six consciousnesses, and even the manas has extinguished the mental factors (caitta) of feeling (vedanā) and perception (saṃjñā).

The lack of stirring in your dantian area indicates that the essence (jing) is full, naturally eliminating the need for lust and interest in it. When the essence is not full, it's like half a bottle of water that always stirs, needing more water poured in from outside. When the water is sufficient and full, it no longer stirs. When the dantian's essence is full, it also does not stir and does not need supplementation through lust. In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Buddha, speaking of the state of severing desire, said that for someone who has severed desire, engaging in sexual intercourse feels like chewing wax—utterly flavorless—a sense of humiliation that must be endured, merely fulfilling a duty.

You are currently in the stage of eliminating the obscurations of the five hindrances. The access concentration is perfected, and the first dhyāna is about to arise. Within this concentration, the conditions for severing the view of self and realizing the mind's nature are present; the conditions of merit, wisdom, etc., await perfection. If, after severing the view of self and realizing the mind's nature, you also have the foundation of the first dhyāna's concentration power, you can eradicate the root afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, becoming a Śrāvaka third-fruition attainer (anāgāmin). The future is bright; continue your efforts!

People who lack desire or have little desire—partly due to their own physiological and psychological issues, partly related to past life cultivation. If one was a third-fruition attainer in a past life and had already severed desire, then in this life, regardless of whether they study Buddhism or not, they will have no desire or extremely faint desire, almost none, though some worldly affection may remain, but not much. People who were between the first and third fruition in past lives also have faint desire in this life, making cultivation easy and rapid.

If meditation does not keep pace, these [states] belong to control by the sixth consciousness. Afflictions subdued in meditation will reappear as concentration wanes, let alone afflictions subdued without meditation, which are even less firm. Only the eradication of afflictions after severing the view of self is permanent and does not reappear.

8. The Circulation of Qi in the Ren and Du Meridians (Small Heavenly Cycle)

Lantian's experience of qi circulation during concentration practice observing the breath: In recent days, while sitting in meditation observing the breath, the breath strongly impacts the perineum area. The perineum, coccyx, and lower back show noticeably increased warmth. Around February last year, when the qi passed through the location of the transcendental root (胜义根 - possibly referring to a subtle center in the brain) at the back of the head, my left ear had been ringing for over five months. After the qi passed through the brain area, the tinnitus in my left ear stopped. In May last year, during sitting meditation, because the tip of my tongue was not fully pressed against the upper palate and front teeth, when the qi passed between the upper right and lower right teeth, it caused inflammation of the entire upper gum, damaging three upper teeth.

This is a phenomenon appearing as the qi enters the Du meridian. When the qi circulates in the Du meridian along the back, it also has a regulating effect on the internal organs and the whole body. The qi enters the back through the coccyx, and when rushing to the back of the neck, it encounters some obstruction. Breaking through this point to enter the transcendental root at the back of the head may present greater obstruction, but the sense faculties of eyes, ears, nose, and tongue will be effectively regulated, becoming sharp and clear; diseases of the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue will be eliminated. Once the qi reaches the back of the head, it is essential to intensify sitting meditation to make the qi more abundant, enabling it to pass quickly through the Baihui point at the crown. This will also improve the healing effect. When the qi is circulating at the back of the head, you can visualize karmic obstacle qi leaving through the Baihui point at the crown. This also helps eliminate diseases and allows the qi to pass through the back of the head quickly, entering the junction of the Ren and Du meridians to facilitate the opening of the small heavenly cycle.

The gum inflammation occurred because the qi was strongly blocked at the gum area; the heat scorched the gums, causing inflammation. If the connection between the Ren meridian at the tongue tip and the Du meridian at the gums is good, the qi smoothly passes through the gums to the tongue area, thus entering the Ren meridian and completing a small heavenly cycle circulation, avoiding such incidents. Among the three channels (nāḍī), the qi first clears the Ren meridian, then the Du meridian. After the Ren and Du meridians' circulation is open, it enters the central channel (avadhūtī). The central channel is the most difficult to open; once opened, all diseases vanish.

9. The Relationship Between Nourishing Qi and the Path

Nourishing qi is nourishing the path (Dao). When qi is sufficient, the mind abides in concentration; when the mind is concentrated, wisdom arises, and afflictions subside; seeing the path becomes easy. Nourishing qi involves, first, supplementation, and second, protection—not expending it lightly. The second point, preventing leakage, is most important. Because supplementing while simultaneously consuming and leaking qi renders supplementation meaningless, may even lead to erroneous supplementation, causing illness and obstacles.

In which aspects is qi in the human body prone to leakage? First, during defecation and urination, qi is leaked, consuming liver qi, lung qi, spleen qi, stomach qi, etc. If these qi are insufficient, defecation and urination become difficult. Therefore, frequent defecation and urination lead to more qi leakage. Physically weak people feel weak after defecation or urination. Therefore, the Buddha instructed disciples to know moderation in eating, to eat once a day (ekāsanika), and to refrain from eating after noon (vikāla-bhojanā-veramaṇī). This is to avoid, first, consuming merit; second, wasting cultivation time; third, increasing greed; and fourth, preventing frequent defecation and urination. Thus, the Buddha's precepts have scientific rationale and also aid the cultivation of the path.

The second most significant source of qi leakage is sexual desire, which also consumes a lot of the body's qi. People with frequent sexual desire have poor physical constitution. Emperors in the past often needed to take tonics, yet supplementation could not keep up with leakage. Taking too many tonics also harms the body, ultimately leading to physical depletion and premature death. Only emperors with restraint had the possibility of longevity, but they were few. The Buddha established the precept to sever sexual desire because sexual desire is the root of birth and death in saṃsāra; without lust and desire, one transcends the desire realm. In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Buddha said: Practicing the path with a lustful mind is like trying to cook sand to make rice—it will never succeed, because sand is not the substance of rice. Practicing the path with a lustful mind is demonic conduct; it will never lead to enlightenment. Therefore, the Buddha established the precept to sever lust. Those who sincerely vow to attain enlightenment, for the sake of their own liberation, should also consciously subdue the affliction of lust.

The third major source of qi leakage is speech. Speaking consumes dantian qi. When the manas (seventh consciousness) generates the thought to speak, dantian qi arises, flowing upward through the chakras to the tongue root, where the sixth consciousness and body consciousness manifest, producing speech. In this process, much qi from various internal organs is expelled with the speech. Therefore, people deficient in qi speak weakly, even unable to produce sound. Some feel weak and exhausted after speaking a lot. People who speak excessively every day consume too much qi; such individuals generally lack meditation, and even if they had it, it would fade. Therefore, Buddhist disciples cultivating the path generally prefer silence, speaking only when necessary. This serves to gather qi and prevent the mind from scattering.

The fourth major source of qi consumption is unrestrained, fanciful thinking. Too many mental thoughts cause internal mental exhaustion; qi is also consumed, making meditation difficult to arise and easy to disappear. "Opening the mouth scatters the spirit and qi; moving the intention chills the fire work" (开口神气散，意动火工寒). Speaking causes the qi within the body to scatter and vanish. When the manas moves a thought, the fire cultivated within the body disperses. After the sign of warmth disappears, the body becomes cold. Thoughts also consume energy. People who are physically very weak cannot concentrate to consider problems; their minds may go blank. People who overthink easily become fatigued and hungry. People who frequently use their brains easily develop spleen deficiency and also become hungry easily. As energy dissipates, meditation also disappears.

The above are the main channels for the body to leak and consume qi. All nine orifices easily consume qi and blood. Prolonged looking scatters liver qi, leading to liver blood deficiency. Prolonged listening scatters kidney qi, leading to kidney decline. Prolonged smelling, tasting, and touching all cause loss of qi and blood, preventing sustained meditation. The pores on the body's surface can also emit energy. Prolonged bathing or excessively high temperatures cause loss of qi and blood. To cultivate the path well, worldly activities must be moderated and kept within limits. Without greed for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects (rūpa-śabda-gandha-rasa-spraṣṭavya-dharma), the path is easily accomplished.