The Process of Practicing White Skeleton Contemplation

Question: In recent days, while visualizing and comparing the image of the entire skeleton and viewing full-body skeleton photographs, the mental image of the bones throughout my body that appears in my mind is as clear as various household objects. When my body moves, the mental image of the entire skeleton also moves along with it. My mind feels very settled, and mental distractions have lessened considerably. Is this contemplation practice of mine correct? 

Answer: This is the initial preparatory work for the White Skeleton Contemplation, all performed by the conscious mind (mano-vijnana). The conscious mind collects data, organizes, categorizes, and analyzes the data, then deduces and visualizes the image of the white skeleton. However, no matter how much the conscious mind deduces and visualizes, samadhi will not arise, because these practices are not based on direct perception (pratyakṣa). How can the mind be certain that the skeleton is like this? Moreover, no samadhi state based on direct perception arises. It is just like how, no matter how much one visualizes the Sixteen Contemplations from the Sutra on the Contemplation of Amitayus Buddha, the samadhi state of any one of those contemplations based on direct perception will not appear. Even the simplest samadhi of the sunset contemplation will not arise, because the manas (root mind) has not matured in contemplation, or the manas has not yet initiated the contemplation. 

The work of data collection done by the conscious mind is like that of a minor secretary. After meticulously organizing this data, it is submitted to the manas, the leader. Then, there is not much left for it to do except await the leader's next instructions. After the manas reviews this data and deems it important, it will set aside other tasks and focus specifically on studying this material. Concentrating its energy and focusing on contemplating the data, the manas gradually gains clarity about the specific content of the material, discovers the truth, and wisdom arises. This is when samadhi appears. 

The preliminary work done by the conscious mind as described above is basically correct. When comparing and viewing skeletal diagrams and visualizing the skeleton, you are transmitting information to the manas, influencing it, and shifting the manas's attention towards the contemplation of the skeleton. There seems to be some initial effect now, but it is necessary to further strengthen the conscious mind's visualization. The manas needs further influence so that its clinging and distraction decrease, its attention becomes increasingly focused, and its meditative stability (samadhi power) grows stronger. When the conscious mind's visualization is very clear and its meditative stability is strong, the conscious mind no longer needs to exert much effort in visualization, nor should it continue performing simple, preliminary tasks like thinking, analysis, organization, and categorization—this becomes unnecessary. It simply needs to remain still. The manas will then engage in focused contemplation. Effort needs to accumulate bit by bit; gradually, the samadhi state will arise naturally when conditions are ripe. 

Those who regard the most elementary functions of the conscious mind—reasoning, organizing, categorizing, analyzing, etc.—as the ultimate method for realizing the fruit (attaining enlightenment) are profoundly mistaken. The gap between these functions of the conscious mind and the realization of the fruit (enlightenment) involving the severance of self-view is far too vast. All methods that rely solely on the conscious mind's effort are precisely the "emotional thinking and intellectual understanding" (qing si yi jie) that were vehemently denounced by all Chan (Zen) patriarchs in the past. Those with wisdom do not consider this to be the ultimate truth. If the thinking methods of the conscious mind become prevalent, whether in Mahayana or Hinayana, Buddhism will inevitably go astray. The practice and realization of Buddhism will certainly perish. Without practice and realization, only some intellectual knowledge remains. Gradually, even that knowledge will become incomplete, and Buddhism will be destroyed. 

Therefore, people nowadays lack the merit and wisdom. They dig up what the patriarchs discarded into the trash heap and revere it as a treasure. But promoting the idea of realizing the fruit (enlightenment) through the conscious mind is an act that destroys the Buddhadharma. One should repent and correct this mistake promptly, and should not continue down this erroneous and deviant path. Otherwise, the consequences are unimaginable. A true person of integrity can stand firm between heaven and earth. When wrong, one should correct it immediately, without seeking empty fame. Whether the fruit is attained or not is not up to anyone to decide; it is solely determined by the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature). If it accords with the facts of realizing the fruit, the Tathagatagarbha will naturally manifest the karmic retribution corresponding to a sage; no one's denial is of any use. Similarly, if it does not accord with the facts of realizing the fruit, the Tathagatagarbha will only manifest the karmic retribution of an ordinary being who has not realized the fruit. No matter what, it will not manifest the karmic retribution of a sage who has realized the fruit. No one's certification of the fruit stage is of any use, and there will also be the undesirable karmic retribution for the grave false claim [of attainment], resulting in a net loss in the end. Wise practitioners should ponder this carefully.