Reasons Why Zen Meditation Practice Fails

There are many reasons for unsuccessful meditative concentration practice; one must carefully examine oneself, eliminate all undue habits of craving, and correct them. To cultivate meditative concentration well and maintain a pure mind daily, one should eat less and avoid greed for food. Do not overconsume nutrients from food, nor make the flavors too strong; keeping it light and plain will help purify the mind. Regarding human necessities—clothing, shelter, transportation, eating, drinking, excretion—one should strive to avoid attachment, and moderation is best. This way, it becomes easier to transcend human life, align with celestial existence, and meditative concentration will readily arise.

Attachment is the hardest to relinquish; begin by relinquishing desire, as desire is the easiest to let go. Celestial beings possess affection but lack desire; the desire of devas in the desire realm is very faint. We must start by relinquishing what is easiest to give up, for only then can we elevate the quality of life.

Devas of the First Dhyana do not eat, nor do they smell fragrances or savor flavors; they have no sexual relations. To attain the First Dhyana, we must not crave food, nor crave the color, aroma, or taste of food, nor crave its nutrients. Simultaneously, we should not mind the smells in our surrounding environment—neither pursuing pleasant scents nor detesting unpleasant odors. Be undiscriminating and indifferent to all smells, accepting everything as it comes, without preference. As for male and female forms, do not cling to them; treat them normally, recognizing gender as merely an illusory facade—a combination of the four elements, no different from pork, nothing worthy of greedy affection. Maintain such a mind, and there will be no worry about lacking meditative concentration. Then, by subduing sleep and scattered thoughts, the First Dhyana will easily arise.

In the Agama Sutras, the Buddha instructed bhikkhus: "Be diligent in the first watch of the night, without craving sleep; diligent in the middle watch, without craving sleep; diligent in the last watch, without craving sleep." Eat and drink little, avoid dullness and lethargy, reduce idle thoughts, and sleep will diminish.

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