How to Change the Habits of the Manas

Since beginningless kalpas, the manas has been accustomed to eating and drinking, accustomed to eating and drinking at fixed times and in fixed amounts, and accustomed to delicious food and drink. If you want the manas to fast and abstain from grains, changing its dietary habits, you must reduce food intake little by little; you cannot cut off food all at once. You must give the manas a process of adaptation, allowing Him to be psychologically prepared. Only after the manas has adapted to a small amount of food should you cut off food entirely; then He will not resist or oppose. Even if you do not eat for seven days, half a month, or one or two months, neither body nor mind will develop problems, and your spirit may even be vigorous.

The habits of the manas are so deep, subtle, and fine that they are difficult to perceive. He clings excessively to familiar people, affairs, objects, and principles. Only by step-by-step, imperceptibly shifting His habits and lightening His habits can one imperceptibly change His habits and lessen attachment.

Using the same method, one can also cultivate the pratyutpanna-samādhi (the meditative absorption of walking constantly), achieving ninety days without sleeping, lying down, or sitting, changing the manas' habit of sleeping, nestling, and sitting, and being constantly diligent in recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti), transforming body and mind and resonating with the Buddha, thereby seeing one's true mind and attaining enlightenment. In cultivation, first begin by practicing one day and one night without sleeping, lying down, or sitting; then practice three days and three nights without sleeping, lying down, or sitting. After adapting, practice seven days and seven nights, then twenty-one days and nights, then forty-nine days and nights. Finally, ninety days without sleeping, lying down, or sitting can be sustained. Because the mind is recollecting the Buddha with single-minded focus and no second thought, and with the Buddha's power blessing and supporting, one can persevere until seeing the true mind and realizing enlightenment.