Question: Why is it necessary to meditate when studying Buddhism?
Master: We need to learn from the infinite scriptures and infinite wisdom within our own nature. There are countless Dharmas in human nature, but people ignore the essentials and pursue trivial things, looking outward, not knowing how to reflect with their hearts and find the original light.
Question: I often hear people say that sitting in meditation can cause the soul to leave the body. What exactly is sitting in meditation?
Master: Regarding meditation, Ji Gong once said, "If you are greedy, you will be hungry; if you are hungry, you will be thin." If you are greedy, it is because you are hungry; if you are hungry, you will be thin. Sitting meditation is to calm your mind. You sit there, and you know when your soul leaves your body; you also know when it cannot leave your body. I don't think about this. I don't think too much about whether my soul is out of my body or not, and when I eat I don't overeat.
Question: Master, do you have any way to teach someone who is not yet your disciple a method of meditation? Convenient method.
Venerable Master: If you want to learn this, you must first eliminate desire and cut off love, and then practice sitting in the double-lotus position.
Question: Why is it necessary to sit in the double-lotus position to enter into meditation? Is there any other way? If that leg can't be like that, is it okay to just sit quietly?
Master: That's fine too. It's just that this "Vajra Posture" is a little more solid.
Question: Sitting cross-legged with one leg is a silver pagoda, and sitting with two legs crossed is a gold pagoda?
Venerable Master: If you don't cross your legs at all, there will be no pagoda.
Question: What should I visualize in my mind when meditating?
Master: There is no specific place, one should not dwell in attachment to dharmas, but should develop the wisdom to realize that dharmas cannot truly dwell. If there is a place, you will dwell there. Don't be obsessed with anything, don't think about good or evil, just work hard on this point.
Question: When I am meditating, I suddenly feel drowsy and my hands and feet cannot move. How can I overcome this?
Master: To learn meditation you need the guidance of a good teacher; you cannot just practice blindly.
Q: My question is about Zen. When people talk about sitting meditation, they mean it can be done while walking, standing, sitting or lying down. It is nothing but Zen. However, they only tell us to meditate without giving us any methods. How to practice Zen while walking, standing, sitting or lying down? There is only sitting meditation. I have never heard of walking meditation, standing meditation, or lying meditation.
Master Hsuan-Hua replied: "Walking is Zen, sitting is Zen, when speaking and when silence, in movement and in stillness, the body is all at peace, even if you encounter a sharp knife, you will remain calm, even if you encounter poison, you will be at ease." Isn't this very clear? Walking is Zen, sitting is Zen. For example, if you are contemplating "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" When you practice, you should also think "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" instead of "Who is reciting the money?" When you are sitting, you should also be thinking "Who is chanting the Buddha's name?" instead of "Who is eating?" When lying down, also meditate on "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" When you contemplate "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" you are looking for "who" , not "reciting".
Question: What are the basic methods of sitting meditation?
The Master replied: The basic methods are, first, do not be greedy; second, do not be angry; third, do not be ignorant.
Q: What's the next step to meditate?
Master: Of course, the first thing to do in meditation is to clear your mind and reduce your desires. A pure mind means no delusions; few desires mean not having so many love affairs.
Question: Please give us a brief introduction to the method of sitting meditation taught at Jinshan Temple.
Master: You will know when you go to Jinshan Temple. To get started, you must first practice sitting in the double-lotus position. The Fruit Monk also sits with his legs like this. This posture is called the Vajra Posture and it can subdue demons.
(Fruit Monk: means Master Guang-Qin(釋廣欽))
Question: What I regret most is that I don't have enough time to sit in meditation.
Master: You must take time out from your busy schedule and not waste time in chaos. Practicing Taoism does not just mean sitting with your eyes closed. Zen is everywhere and at any time.
Question: Sitting in meditation for a few days has caused increasing pain in my legs, especially in my left knee. The pain has gradually turned into a round ball and stayed in my knee. Yesterday when the pain got worse, it suddenly burst into life and turned into a pure yellow warm air current that rose from my knees along my spine to my upper body. This warmth did not make me sleepy, but made me feel comfortable and happy. Afterwards, I saw a white lotus at the seat. The outside was unclear, but the purple pistil was visible in the middle. It looked like an inverted wide-faced wine glass, and suddenly it turned into a treasure mountain with a dazzling precious color, which had never been seen before. It was like a fortress in Europe, or a bodhisattva sitting on a lotus with a flat-headed snake coiling up from behind and onto the top of his head. Sometimes it was like a transparent film, flashing by and I could not remember where I was. I only remember that it was like walking alone on a seashore where no human beings had ever been. It was peaceful, beautiful and refreshing. Only the sound of seagulls would occasionally break the silence and quiet. What I want to know now is the difference between the real state and the function of consciousness?
Master: If you have the delusion and greed to see Buddha or flowers, this is false. If you see whatever you want to see, this is also false. The main thing is that the state you see before a thought arises is real and somewhat interesting, but sometimes it is still an illusion. It is best not to have any state of mind when practicing Zen. There should be nothing, just emptiness. Do not be surprised or happy. Surprise and joy will lead to possession, such as the fifty kinds of demons listed in the " Śūraṅgama Sūtra".
Question: You just mentioned the golden pagoda, the silver pagoda, and the double-cross-legged sitting. Could you tell me about sitting meditation?
Master: Don't just be greedy for quick results, as you will not be able to digest too much if you bite off more than you can chew. If you cannot practice the double-cross-legged sitting, you can practice the single-cross-legged sitting. Haste makes waste. You study day by day; you can't graduate from university all at once.
Q: I do want to learn more.
Master: If you want to learn more, you have to empty your mind. If you don't empty your mind, there will still be a lot of delusions in it, and no Dharma can be contained in it.
Question: You just refuse to give me the Dharma.
Master: Your mentality is that you are never satisfied. When you build a house, you must first lay a good foundation. Without a good foundation, the house will not be solid and will be useless even if you put it aside.
Question: Now that we have reached this step, what is the second step?
Master: Take your time with this. You may not be able to understand what I am saying now. Wait until you can understand what I am saying. Then you will be able to understand even if I don't say anything.