Chan Heart

- a reply to Jim -

To be a Buddha, there are three steps: Awaken Oneself, Awaken Others, Fulfillment of Awakened Acts, as literally translated from Chinese sutra.  In English I would say Nirvana is rid of all sufferings.  Awakened to Buddha Nature is just as is.  Enlightenment is the combination of Nirvana & Awakening. To reach Buddhahood, then abundant merits is needed.  There is a saying in our lineage, Buddha’s heart is the hearts of all sentient beings.

Chi is in the energy domain, while words, concept, logic, theory is in the word domain.  These two domains don’t intersect. The word domain tries hard to describe the energy domain, it is risky and incomplete.  The world actually operates only in the energy domain - the planets, our body, molecules, fire, water, sunshine, happiness, etc. This is what Huandi-Neijing is trying to tell us in scientific language, focus on the energy, which is the enabler.  Similarly, Chinese doctors focus on the flow of chi, while western doctors focus on organs.

My witness with chi based meditation is that I can connect with others.  Many of us can “physically sense” the transmission from my Teacher.  We all can heal at some degrees.  At medicare age, I have not seen a doctor for 10 years and takes no medication.  My body seems able to rejuvenate itself. I am able to live as closely as to as is.  Every two three month, I discovered something new about my body, mind or spirit.

All these are occurring without trying to comprehend, analyze, thinking about it.  Chan is nothing but the law of nature.  Everything will gradually unfold to us as we transform our body from physical form into energy form and quiet our mind. Only then can we live in the energy domain and not be misguided by our mind.  Chan is a total experience of body, mind and spirit.  They are inseparable. And not just during meditation, but 24/7 in every moment.

As we quiet our mind and enhance our chi, we live closer to the will of the universe.  Inspirations and intuitions surface, by then brain becomes our slave instead of our master. Every phenomenon becomes clearer. Every moment becomes unique.

When there is no expectation, no assumption, no memory, our hearts open to a fresh horizon.

There is no exact equivalent of mindfulness in Chinese text.  I could only describe “being mindful” based on my personal experience as follows:

The term “To be mindful” is still a conscious activity, being reminded that we must be mindful.  My experience is…

When our mind are “completely quiet”, we reach a state of total, complete whole body experience.  We live our life as if we are in the zone.  Everything is spontaneous, natural and effortless.  Our body, mind and spirit are working as one.  We call this state, “connected, or in sync with our Buddha nature”.

Some call that ”complete surrendering”.

There is no English word equal to “xin” or “heart in Chinese”.  “XIN” means both the focus and the intuition as well as all the fact it is where our bodily chi intermixed with our inspirations and emotions.  It is also where our love, hatred and five poisons reside.  In short “XIN” dictates everything about us at the end.  Our logical decision are often changed by our “xin”.  Depending on the context, Chinese Buddhist text uses these hidden meanings interchangeably.

On the other hand, there is no true Chinese equivalent to mind, because mind is only part of ”xin”.

This is where the confusion is, if we study, comprehend and accept the teaching through words, we will never ”get it”.

As you said, “xin” is an energy, which directs, permeates, connects, manifests, heals, absorbs, etc. etc. every facet of our lives, physical, mental, and spiritual.

All formed way is not the way.

In addition to health benefits, what makes Chan meditation so effective, is its ability in cultivating focused and undisturbed awareness.

By observing on each chakra with undivided attention, we become more aware to our physical sensation.  And this well-focused awareness will also make us more aware of our thoughts, emotions, intentions, words, actions and spiritual well-being.

Then, this awareness will turn, beyond ourselves, to realize the true needs of others penetrating the veils of languages, logical minds, delusions and defense systems.

This awareness will allow all of us to be awakened to realize that we all have it, just some of us did not realize it.

That’s how Buddha is also called the Awakened One.

Just practice the original, traditional, orthodox, Chan meditation from China.

Buddha is enlightened while he was meditating under a Bodhi tree.  Not while he was reading.  Not while he is walking.  Not while he is talking or listening.

Perhaps, the key to enlightenment is sitting or meditation.

Perhaps, a solid understanding and technique, as well as relentless dedication and sacrifice, true abandonment of ego, absolute and constant detachment from all thoughts and forms, is just the beginning.

In Chan, we were taught “Purity, Wisdom, Fulfillment and Enlightenment.”

The first two words can be combined into just “detach from all forms”.  The second two words can be combined into just “in sync with Buddha”.

Then these last two phrase can be just “Be Buddha”.  Any teaching short of this state of being, is partial and incomplete.  

“Be Buddha” is not a mental state of attainment or visualization.  Be Buddha is a complete, total, integrated being of body, mind and spirit.  Or as our Teacher would say, the body, mind and spirit of all six trillion cells in everyone of us.

When they are all enlightened, then we are.

As we all know, the universe is nothing but a single harmonious energy. Matters are just energies in vibration.  The universe, as is, is perfect, beautiful and true.

Life is like waves in the ocean.  We only see the waves, but not the current below or the wind on top.

Chan teaches us to be directly in sync with the wind and the under current and be complete detached from the waves.

Or in Buddhist term, detach from all forms and be in sync with the Heart Of Buddha. Heart of Buddha is where both the life energy and the wisdom resides.

This way, we’ll be directly in sync with the waves.  No more need to rationalize, theorize, explain, comprehend, yell or whip.

Chan practice is the absolute practice, the direct practice, the most effective practice to let our heart shine through.

Our Teacher visited us on the Second Day of Chinese New Year and reminded us that it is time to share our practice to more people in need.  Our Teacher suggested to us to utilize terms and approaches familiar to the western culture.  The goal is to reach 10,000 practitioners in California and setup our first meditation center in Los Angeles.

At the moment when I heard this, I was so grateful.  I said to myself, “It is time.”

The first thing we needed to do is to place our heart at the Realm of Bodhisatva.  That is the realm without ego and without attachment to human methodology.  There is only compassion and joy in that realm.

Then we must march forward with our fullest efforts within the availability of our resources.  There is no need to question our ability, nor worry about success, for these belongs to the lower Realm of being Human.

When we place our heart in the Realm of Bodhisatva, we could then surpass our human inadequacies.  When in the Realm of Bodhisatva, we shall receive Bodhisatva’s wisdom and power to fulfill the will of Buddha.  Every thing we do will be supported by Buddha.  If we drop back down to the Realm of Human, our work for Buddha may be hindered by our human mind and our human ways.  These ways as you know are just incomplete forms.

Now is the perfect time to practice, what our Teacher taught us, instant placement of our heart in the Realm Of Bodhisatva and skipping over the Realm of Deity, Realm of Sravaka and the Realm of Pratyeka.

When we are at the realm of Bodhisatva, then we are no longer bothered by the forms.  Whatever people think, or say or argue with are all but forms.  Falling into these forms is reincarnation and endless suffering.   Let us place our heart on top of it.  Now is time.

Reminder means to wake up now and just do it.  As we all have heard; we absorb; we wake and we do.

各位師兄師姐大家好，

師父在年初二的當日，來到洛杉磯看我們，并同時提醒我們，是開始大力行接引功德的時候了。

師父開示，可以用美國文化熟悉的名稱與方式，加州地區要以一萬名同修為目標，并且要我們盡快在洛杉磯成立第一所道場。

當我聽到這句話的時候，當下我就感到無比的感恩。我了解師父是在提醒我們大家，『成就的時機到了』。

我們需要做的第一步，就是先把自己的心，定在菩薩界。那是一個沒有我執，法執，只有慈悲，法喜的境界。

然後，在資源許可之下，盡全力往前走。不要懷疑自己的能力，不用擔心成功與否。因為這些思維都是『人界』的。

當我們把心定在菩薩界，才能超越自己，超越到菩薩界，用菩薩的智慧與力量。如此與佛相應，做佛事，一切都會得到佛的庇佑。如果停留在『人界』，用『人』的方法， 用想的，來做佛事，不容易真正『覺他』，不容易『覺行圓滿』。

師父一直都在教導我們，我們只要『當下』把『心』定在菩薩界，就一頓超越了『天』，『聲聞』，『圓覺』。不再被相所轉。無論他人如何說，如何想，如何罵，都是相，不要被轉，一旦進入相的輪迴，就苦了。

而師父就是在提醒我們，現在正是超越，進入菩薩道的時候了。

所謂的提醒，就是趕快醒過來。我們都要，如是解，如是醒，如是行。

感恩
精明合十頂禮。