Curbing Desires Is Essential to Cultivating Samadhi

When an Arhat reaches the end of their life, the manas (mind faculty) ceases to generate mental engagement (manasikāra) towards all dharmas, and the mental factor of volition (cetanā) no longer operates. The five universal mental factors (pañca sarvatraga) cease to manifest. In this state, the Tathagatagarbha cannot perceive the mental activities of the manas and thus ceases to deliver the consciousness seeds (vijñāna-bīja) of the manas, causing the manas to cease to exist. If our manas continuously engages with and deliberates upon all dharmas without cessation, the Tathagatagarbha will continuously give rise to the six consciousnesses, and bodily, verbal, and mental actions will continuously manifest. The manas only engages with dharmas it finds interesting; the more things it finds interesting, the more it engages, causing the manovijñāna (mind consciousness) to become extremely busy and unable to become tranquil. Consequently, samādhi cannot be successfully cultivated.

To cultivate samādhi well, we must reduce desires for worldly dharmas, cease interest in all worldly matters, and minimize indulgence in worldly pleasures. When the mind of renunciation arises, samādhi can be cultivated quickly. If one is constantly perceiving certain people or affairs, harboring resentment, or clinging to attachments, it indicates that the manas is continuously clinging, engaging, and deliberating, causing the thoughts of the six consciousnesses to remain unceasing. In such a state, samādhi cannot be achieved. Reducing worldly desires makes the Kāmāvacara dhyāna (desire-realm concentration) easily attainable. With little or no craving for worldly dharmas, the heavenly realms will manifest. Always thinking everything in the human world is good, constantly fond of worldly people, affairs, and objects, prevents the mind from attaining stability. Reduce greed and desire; do not overly concern oneself with oneself. Do not let thoughts constantly revolve around oneself; strive to relinquish self-concern. Fill the mind with the pursuit of the Path (bodhi), and samādhi will arise easily.

Cultivating samādhi is also cultivating the mind. Subduing the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion is cultivating the mind. Cultivating the mind is cultivating samādhi. When the mind becomes pure and still, samādhi manifests. Those who fail to cultivate samādhi well surely have many unresolved worldly matters in their minds, causing the six consciousnesses to continuously generate thoughts, unable to stabilize on one point. Therefore, to cultivate samādhi well, one should frequently examine their inner mind, see what lies within, and strive to eliminate all unresolved attachments to people, things, or affairs. Then the six consciousnesses will become tranquil, and samādhi will arise.

Every day, whatever we do, the mind should focus on one dharma method without other thoughts, or let other thoughts be faint, discarding them after handling them. Merely attend to worldly affairs without being overly attached. During samādhi practice, if we can gather our mental focus and reduce clinging to worldly dharmas, samādhi in activity will certainly be cultivated well. The mind should strive to isolate itself from worldly dharmas. Actions can be performed, but let go after doing them. Do not let the mind cling; dwell less on things. Then samādhi will easily arise. Strive to ensure that every day, except during sleep, no matter when or what is being done, the mind is focused on one dharma method—whether reciting the Buddha's name, reciting mantras, memorizing sutras, contemplating practice, practicing Chan meditation, contemplating critical phrases (huatou), or contemplating gong'ans (koans). Over time, a comfortable sensation will naturally arise in body and mind, and samādhi will manifest.