The Relationship between Physical Body Repair and Thought

To make the qi sink into the dantian, one simply needs to breathe deeply so that the qi descends all the way down to the dantian; combined with visualization—visualizing the qi reaching the dantian—the qi can be guided to the dantian. The qi follows the mind: wherever the mind goes, the qi and blood will follow. This mind includes not only the mind of the manas but also the mind of the mind consciousness; however, only the mind of the manas can direct the circulation of qi and blood, while the mind of the mind consciousness can only direct the manas.

Regarding the functions and operations of the physical body, some are the sole operation of the tathāgatagarbha, while others are the joint functions and operations of the manas working in harmony with the tathāgatagarbha. In plain terms, most of the functions and operations of the physical body involve an element of attention (manaskāra) from the manas; where the mind of the manas does not reach, many things cannot be accomplished. At the dantian, the mind consciousness may attend to it and guard it as much as it likes, but there will be no real effect—unless the mind of the mind consciousness successfully guides the manas, and the manas also activates its mind, only then will there be an effect. When the mind consciousness guards the dantian, it is a false guarding; the qi will not follow it along. The mind consciousness cannot direct the qi and blood; it can only direct the manas—and this is the mind consciousness's greatest and most useful ability.

The repair and regulation of the tissues and cells of the physical body also partly involve the participation of the manas. If the manas cooperates actively, maintains an optimistic attitude, and is neither anxious nor impatient, the body's positive energy will rise and the body will repair itself more quickly. When the physical body is being repaired, there is a great difference between whether the manas participates or not. For example, during acupuncture, if one adds mental intention—adding it to the tip of the needle—the effect is very obvious and rapid, and the physical body can change at once. If someone has cultivated genuine qi and uses it in combination with acupuncture, the effect is even better, enough to rapidly transform the four great elements of the body; the physical body recovers quite quickly and may be restored almost immediately. If there is genuine qi circulating in the body, and one pours it into another person's back with one's palm, the stronger the mental intention, the more qi enters the body, and the faster the qi circulates within it; the body will improve immediately, and when the qi and blood fill the body abundantly, one is healthy.

Wherever the mind goes, the qi goes. Therefore, when the manas actively participates in the repair of the physical body, recovery is quite rapid; where the mind does not reach, the circulation is not smooth, or does not circulate at all. For example, when eating, if one's attention is scattered, the qi and blood are also scattered, and digestion is poor. Right after a meal, if one concentrates intently on thinking about problems, the qi and blood gather in the brain region, leaving insufficient qi and blood for the stomach, which also impairs digestion; over the long term, stomach illness will develop. Another example: when urinating or defecating, if one's attention is scattered, the elimination will not be smooth—where the mind goes, the qi goes; where the mind is, the qi is. Thus the force of mental intention is extremely powerful. How is this force of mental intention produced? When the power of meditative concentration (samādhi) strengthens, the power of the mind strengthens—and the power of the mind is precisely the power of mental intention.