How to Quickly Attain Meditative Concentration and Investigate the Meaning of the Dharma

Now I will introduce to everyone a method that can both quickly bring you into meditative concentration and at the same time allow investigation and contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), enabling everyone to quickly enter the state of investigation.

To eliminate self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi), the "self" among the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) is crucial; deliberate (manana) on what this self actually is. If you are deliberating while sitting, after taking your seat and crossing your legs, adjust your breathing—generally take several deep breaths so that the Conception Vessel (Ren Mai) in front of the body is unobstructed and flowing freely, and the mind is clear without dullness. Then single-mindedly raise the notion of "self." At first, the word "self" and the meaning of "self" appear in the mind consciousness. Then let the mind consciousness transmit the questioning doubt about this "self" to the manas. After handing it over to the manas, the mental activity of the mind consciousness should gradually fade away, feeling as if the mind has emptied out, with no thoughts remaining.

Yet the mind has not actually emptied; in the manas, the question of "self" is suspended there, felt very deeply, seemingly present yet seemingly absent, as if it could be grasped, and yet as if it could not be grasped. At this time the mind consciousness should not stir up thoughts; let the questioning doubt about "self" in the manas become clearer and clearer, deeper and deeper, as firmly engraved in the mind as if carved there. In this way meditative concentration arises—single-mindedly investigating the self. At this point the mind consciousness seems to have gone blank and vanished, but the manas has not. That deliberation (manana) of the manas is not easy for the mind consciousness to grasp or to sense, but as the power of concentration strengthens and the mind becomes subtle, one can still sense the manas's deep deliberation—continuous and unbroken, profound and subtle, extremely profound and subtle.

At this time the mind should be utterly still; apart from that questioning doubt about the self, there should be nothing else in the mind. This is both profound meditative concentration and the single-minded practice of investigation and contemplation—the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā, impartial and balanced. Because the concentration is deep, the body feels extremely comfortable and the mind is extremely clear. During this, if you feel dullness arising, or are about to enter a thought-free state of concentration, the mind consciousness should again remind the manas to raise the word "self," placing all attention on the word "self," with the mind neither empty nor scattered. An hour will pass very quickly, and when rising from the seat, you will feel refreshed and clear-headed, full of energy, and mentally joyful. The result deliberated by the manas may be clear and definite, or may not be entirely clear and definite, but there is confidence in the mind—much clearer than before.

As long as a clear answer and result have not yet appeared, as long as the meditative concentration/meditative absorption (samādhi) of the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā has not manifested, and self-view has not been eliminated, continue practicing in this way thereafter until the result is satisfactory. Based on this method, then proceed to deliberate on other dharma meanings that are not yet clear. For example, deliberate on the aggregate of form (rūpa), deliberate on the aggregate of feeling (vedanā), deliberate on the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā), deliberate on the aggregate of formations (saṃskāra), deliberate on the six sense faculties, six sense objects, and six consciousnesses. Deliberate in this way on any dharma meaning, and doubts can be eradicated at their root, eliminating the three fetters.

At the beginning, when first taking the seat, the manas has no experience and cannot enter the role of the deliberator; even after entering the role, it does not know what to deliberate on. This requires the mind consciousness to remind and guide the manas toward which direction to deliberate—but one must not remind too much; each time only a little reminder is needed, vague and indistinct. Once the manas can deliberate with focus, it will become clearer and clearer, more and more penetrating. After emerging from concentration, the mind consciousness should organize and summarize, going through all the dharma meanings deliberated by the manas once again, which deepens the impression and brings confirmation.

Practice in this way during sitting meditation, and also practice in this way while walking and doing things—only it is somewhat more difficult, energy must be divided, and it takes much longer to achieve the same effect, but the method is the same. When the manas's questioning doubt is very deep, one can practice with single-minded focus whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. Why is this so, and what mystery lies within? You will come to understand the reason. When the ins and outs of the dharma have been thoroughly investigated, enlightenment is realized.