Contemplative Practice Generates the Power of Illumination and Reflection

Rutao's Meditation Journal: When I was in elementary school, I would get a stitch in my left side after every run, diagnosed by the doctor as intestinal spasm. Later, after meditating for extended periods, I discovered it was a meridian near the coccyx pulling on the intestine, causing discomfort throughout the lower body. At the beginning of this year, I participated in a fasting retreat organized by my teacher, abstaining from food for ten days, and this condition improved significantly. During this period, through meditation, the energy channels within my body continuously operated, impacted, and adjusted. The locations of soreness, distension, and pain also shifted repeatedly. Now, the meridians in my left waist and hip area are finally clear. No matter how much I twist or bend, or arch my back, there is no more pulling pain.

Regular meditation can make the body's energy abundant and cultivate observational awareness. Therefore, after sitting down, one quickly enters a state where coarse distracting thoughts diminish, the mind becomes soft, and one feels very light. It's like driving an electric vehicle; the driving state when fully charged is completely different from when the battery is low. The former is very light and effortless, while the latter is very sluggish and labored. This difference is due to energy. A pure mind is energy, and observational awareness is also energy. Meditating to cultivate concentration and wisdom is like recharging.

Placing the "knowing" of the conscious mind in the deepest part of the heart and using this "knowing" to continuously illuminate within, the internal defilements and heaviness will be constantly cleansed. This is my current method of practice. This "knowing" is also used to subdue the wandering of the mental faculty and consciousness. It's like trying to catch a small animal; you cannot just grab any part of it, like its tail or belly. That won't work; you won't catch it, and it might scratch or bite you. You need to grab it by the scruff of the neck; then it becomes docile and still. This method of subduing distracting thoughts may differ for each person; one must explore and find the way that suits oneself best.

Commentary: Meditation can pull the mind back from external objects, stopping its focus on the outside world. The mind withdraws inward, allowing one to perceive one's inner self with concentration. Only then can one introspect and reflect upon one's own mind, discovering one's own afflictions and habits, examining one's various shortcomings and deficiencies. Consciously or unconsciously, one will correct these flaws, make up for deficiencies, become humble and cautious, and improve moral cultivation. Some people specifically shine their light outward to illuminate others, not knowing to shine it inward upon themselves. Illuminating oneself is cultivating oneself and increasing merit. Illuminating others brings interpersonal conflicts, judgments, and afflictions, depleting merit. The darkest spot under the lamp is your own mind.

When meditation deepens, energy becomes abundant, and body and mind attain lightness and ease, the mind will soften. The capacity of the mind will open up, becoming inclusive of others and circumstances, no longer treating people as enemies or adversaries. One interacts harmoniously and happily, emotional intelligence improves, and interpersonal relationships become better. Constantly maintaining a sense of "knowing," concentration improves, the mind becomes increasingly refined and still, thinking becomes deeper, wisdom increasingly grows, afflictions naturally settle down more and more until gradually eliminated, and karmic obstacles also gradually diminish. Obstacles to practice are reduced. This is a process of thorough transformation, a comprehensive process of correcting oneself. Without this process, it is impossible to transition from an ordinary person to one aspiring to the first fruit (stream-entry) or a stream-enterer. Do not expect to become a sage out of thin air.