Light Afflictive Obstructions Easily Give Rise to Meditative Concentration

Lantian's Contemplative Practice Journal: Day 46 of Sitting Meditation — Observing the Breath In the evening, upon taking my seat, I did ten deep breaths, then observed the breath at the nostrils, gradually entering abdominal breathing. During this period, in the initial stage of abdominal breathing, the contraction of the abdominal muscles when inhaling was no longer so intense, but today the abdomen contracted very strongly when exhaling, and the dantian was very hot during breathing. I continuously observed the breath at the nostrils without moving my attention elsewhere. 

After sitting for about half an hour, I felt the qi-mechanism about to stir upward. Following my master's teachings, I let it take its natural course and did not stop it. I felt the qi-mechanism instantly reach the chest area, and it did not rise further. The entire area below the chest felt as if electrified, and then it vanished in an instant. I continued observing the breath at the nostrils; at this point it was still abdominal breathing. After another ten minutes or so, the qi-mechanism surged upward again; both ears rang simultaneously for a moment, and the pores over the entire head and face stood on end with a tingling, numbing sensation. The feeling quickly subsided. Slight sweat appeared on the front and back of the torso and on the abdomen. The deep breathing stopped. Looking at the clock, there were still ten-plus minutes left, so I actively did deep breathing until the sitting session ended. 

In the morning, upon taking my seat, I did ten deep breaths, then observed the breath at the nostrils, and soon entered abdominal breathing. This morning the dantian area was also very hot, especially when inhaling — I could feel the airflow entering the dantian from the upper abdomen like a stream of heat. Sometimes with one inhalation, I could feel the tops of my thighs were cool, as if cool air were entering through the thighs. After sitting for about half an hour, I again felt the qi-mechanism surging upward. This time it was slower and not as intense; it surged up to the chest and head and would not go down. The qi distension in the chest caused the breathing to become short, and the head also felt somewhat swollen, though not very noticeably. This lasted ten minutes. Only after placing my attention at the dantian did the above discomforts gradually dissipate; the breathing became smooth, both shoulders sank down, and the abdomen felt soft and comfortable. 

Assessment: The emptier the mind, the faster and longer the qi-mechanism stirs, and the deeper the meditative concentration (samādhi). Those with afflictive obstruction (kleśāvaraṇa) blocking them find it difficult to stir the qi-mechanism, and even when it arises, it quickly falls away. In the future, when the first dhyāna arises, there will be a similar stirring of the qi-mechanism. The emptier the mind and the lighter the afflictive obstruction, the faster and more deeply the qi-mechanism stirs, the more it can pervade the whole body, the longer it can persist, and the deeper the meditative concentration. What is called afflictive obstruction is that the mind has attachments — clinging to the body and clinging to self, holding onto many dharmas, with ceaseless grasping at conditions, taking all worldly phenomena as real and refusing to let them go.