The Body Undergoes Physical Regulation After Achieving Proficiency in Reciting the Buddha's Name

Yonggang asked: During my nap today, I continuously heard the four-character Buddha name, yet I was in a state that felt dreamlike yet not quite dreaming. My vision was blurry, and though I wanted to open my eyes, I couldn't. Yet, I was aware of my child speaking and leaving for school. This state lasted for over an hour. After 2 PM, I went out and rode my bicycle around the streets, then returned and did over forty minutes of recitation practice. After that, I sat in meditation, single-legged posture, chanting the Buddha's name. Today, I chanted the six-character Buddha name, a bit faster than usual and slightly louder. While chanting, I felt a tingling, numbness, and swelling throughout my body, especially noticeable in my head, and my chin trembled visibly. Since the latter half of last year, I've started belching during chanting. Up to now, whenever I chant the Buddha's name or prostrate, the belching is very intense; I don't belch when not chanting. Since the master mentioned wearing the Shurangama Mantra to ward off negative influences, I wore it during my nap. Please, Master, advise and correct me on what I should do next.  

Answer: Chanting automatically while half-asleep and half-awake is the initial stage of chanting with the mind-consciousness, indicating some level of meditative concentration. When chanting while sitting in meditation, feeling tingling and numbness throughout the body signifies the movement of qi channels throughout the system. If there is some dampness or obstruction within the body hindering the smooth flow of the qi channels, this tingling sensation occurs; the qi channels are also moving in the head. Belching during chanting or prostration is a phenomenon of the qi channels connecting with the stomach area. When the qi channels move, they push the cold-damp qi from the stomach upwards, causing belching. If the area below the stomach is clear and unobstructed, the cold-damp qi from the stomach will move downwards and be expelled from below, not upwards causing belching. When the qi channels move further up to the lungs, there might be a lot of nasal mucus. If the lower part is not blocked, the cold-damp qi will be expelled downwards, and there won't be nasal mucus.  

When there is meditative concentration, the movement of qi channels will automatically regulate the body, leading to various phenomena. These are all normal and good signs. If you wish to clear the path below the stomach, practice deep breathing, guiding the qi down to the lower dantian (elixir field), and then use dantian breathing, which is abdominal breathing. This will help clear the body faster. Once the qi channels reach the lower dantian, the back and legs will clear more quickly, the whole body's circulation will open up, meditative concentration will deepen progressively, and the effectiveness of Buddha recitation will improve. Poor meditative concentration is related to poor physical health, so one should strive to regulate the body as much and as quickly as possible. Searching online will reveal how to handle these issues. How convenient the internet is; use it promptly.  

Wearing a handwritten Shurangama Mantra on the body also has a blessing effect. Everyone can write one or two copies of the Shurangama Mantra and wear it on the chest or upper body. You can continue chanting the Buddha's name in the future, cultivating Buddha recitation samadhi, or using chanting to cultivate concentration. Once the Dharma principle of severing the view of self is understood, and meditative concentration deepens further, contemplate the five aggregates or practice skeleton contemplation, aiming to sever the view of self.