Preparations Before Enlightenment

Thoroughly comprehend the conceptual connotation of the five skandhas, then, in the immediacy of all your physical, verbal, and mental activities, separate each function and role of your five skandhas one by one, discerning what the form skandha is, what the feeling skandha is, what the perception skandha is, what the volitional formations skandha is, and what the consciousness skandha is.

After identifying all five skandhas, knock them down entirely—none of them are the self—and then engage in meditation!

When Zhaozhou placed his shoe on top of his head, which one was the form skandha, which one was the feeling skandha, which one was the perception skandha, which one was the volitional formations skandha, and which one was the consciousness skandha?

When Nanquan raised his knife to cut the cat, which one was the form skandha, which one was the feeling skandha, which one was the perception skandha, which one was the volitional formations skandha, and which one was the consciousness skandha? And what about the other one?

When I handed the knife to Nanquan, which one was the form skandha, which one was the feeling skandha, which one was the perception skandha, which one was the volitional formations skandha, and which one was the consciousness skandha. Then, what about that one?