How to Enter Zen Meditation with Wisdom

After adjusting his breath, the meditator brings forth the question to be contemplated in his mind. After clarifying the question's meaning with the conscious mind, he refrains from analysis, reasoning, speculation, or imagination, avoiding superficial conscious thought. He then activates the manas (the mental faculty of deep discernment), deeply implanting the question within the heart of manas, allowing manas to hold the question suspended. At this point, there are no words, language, or sounds in either the conscious mind or the manas. In this way, concentration (samādhi) arises, and meditative absorption (dhyāna) manifests. While the manas is in this state of contemplating the question, if the physical body experiences no hindrances and the mind is free from distracting thoughts, the deeper the manas contemplates, the more focused it becomes. The deeper the meditative absorption grows, the more wisdom unfolds. The state of body and mind becomes increasingly harmonious, and the spirit becomes more joyful.

Contemplating the meaning of the Dharma (truth, teachings) within such profound meditative absorption is entirely equivalent to deep vipaśyanā (insight meditation), Chan (Zen) investigation, and profound inquiry. The meaning of the Dharma becomes increasingly clear in the mind. Once one contemplates it thoroughly and gains penetrating understanding, the mind becomes utterly certain, free from doubt, and eliminates perplexity. If one uses this method to contemplate the content related to severing the view of self (sakkāya-diṭṭhi) and seeing the self-nature (realizing one's true nature), once the contemplation and inquiry lead to clear understanding, the three fetters (saṃyojana) will be severed, and the fetter of doubt (vicikicchā) will inevitably be cut off. If, however, it is merely reasoned out, speculated upon, or conjectured by the conscious mind alone, and the manas does not clearly understand, then the fetter of doubt remains unbroken, karmic obstacles are not removed, and liberation from the cycle of birth and death (saṃsāra) cannot be achieved.

The vast majority of people only know how to use the superficial thinking mode of the conscious mind; they do not know how to use the deep contemplative mode of the manas. Consequently, they are incapable of effectively practicing Chan investigation or profound inquiry. This leads to mere intellectual understanding driven by emotions and thoughts, where the state of doubt persists unresolved and the fetter of doubt remains unbroken. When encountering the slightest disturbance, doubt flares up intensely, and the Dharma principles previously deduced may be overturned. Even if not overturned, such understanding is not experiential realization (pratyakṣa-pramāṇa) or personal verification; it has no practical benefit. Therefore, among those who currently consider themselves awakened today, the ratio of false awakening is like the purity rate of gold (meaning very high, with many false claims), or even higher—certainly no less. This is the reality of the Dharma-ending Age (mòfǎ shídài). Regardless of how many people feel unwilling to accept it, this is the fact. It corresponds and aligns with the faculties of sentient beings and the background of the times in the Dharma-ending Age; it will not be better than during the periods of the True Dharma (zhèngfǎ) or the Semblance Dharma (xiàngfǎ). Absolutely not.