The Troubles of Meditative Concentration

Liaoliao asked: Disciple, the world of material form (rūpa-dharma) in my eyes is now dissolving. The bowl is still a bowl, the cup is still a cup, but they are all dissolving. The tactile sense-objects that used to trouble the disciple the most are now also dissolving. When walking, the disciple often feels like walking on cotton, afraid that if I lift my foot too high, when I step down I will not land on solid ground, and therefore I have a feeling of an empty mind and a racing heart. At the most severe times, I break out in cold sweat, my hair stands on end, and my heart palpitations last a long while. The disciple is not quite sure how to explain it clearly: the whole underlying tone is quiet and unmoving, and everything is one whole. In addition, I am especially afraid of noise—a very small sound outside sounds like thunder to me, and it gives rise to afflictions, and even more, heart palpitations. The disciple's practice is recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti), that is, just silently reciting on and on. Please, Master, give your instruction.  

Answer: When meditative concentration (samādhi) arises and the mind becomes especially quiet, one will fear sounds and be easily startled. You must give yourself a psychological suggestion, reminding yourself that when you encounter this situation, you should try your best to empty out the sounds, not pay attention to sounds, abide in your own inner world, and just carry on with contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) and recollection of the Buddha. In addition, you can put earplugs in at your ears, keeping the sounds outside your ear faculty, and then you will not be startled by sounds. The dissolving of material form means that the mind no longer cares much about or pays much attention to material form, feels it does not matter, and it gradually becomes empty—this is a good phenomenon that appears after meditative concentration arises.

As for bodily touch, you also no longer care much about it or pay much attention to it; it has become empty and does not matter—this too is the merit of meditative concentration. Fearing this emptiness, breaking out in cold sweat, heart palpitations, and so on—this is because with meditative concentration, the qi meridians have opened through to the legs and feet, so the legs and feet no longer have any sensation of exerting force, as if it were not one's own legs and feet that were walking, and therefore one fears stepping into emptiness. After a long time, once you get used to it, it will be fine. It seems that many people are practicing quite well—their skill has improved, they have gotten onto the path, and they all have hope. I estimate that at least half of the people have had genuine practice experiences arise, and both body and mind have been transformed. This is truly gratifying and worthy of congratulation.