Four Mindfulness Foundations Observational Practice Experience
Chapter 5 Q&A on Contemplative Practice
1. Q: Do the body's chakra diagrams actually exist?
A: The body does have chakras. Chakras are the main places where the body's various meridians converge. I have personally experienced the sensations of the qi channels passing through these chakras. When the qi channels first pass through any part of the body, there is a corresponding reaction. The worse one's physical condition, the more severe the blockages, and the stronger the sensation where the channels pass through the chakras; the more blocked the places, the harder it is for the qi to pass through. The chakra diagrams that have been passed down are fairly accurate.
In our practice, no matter which school or tradition we belong to, and regardless of whether it is a non-Buddhist teaching, if it is useful to us, there is no need to reject it. Other schools and traditions are not entirely without merit; drawing on their strengths to offset our weaknesses still brings many benefits. Our bodies and the bodies of non-Buddhist practitioners are constructed the same way, so during the stage of cultivating the body, the phenomena that appear are similar. Even if you are not deliberately cultivating the body but rather cultivating the mind, sitting meditation still involves the body—this cannot be avoided. Therefore, one should learn some methods useful for cultivating the body, so as to know what to expect and understand how to respond.
Since our bodies, the bodies of non-Buddhist practitioners, and the bodies of people in any tradition are all the same—same structure, same chakras, same modes and channels of qi circulation—there is no need to reject non-Buddhist teachings. Once you understand them, you will know the current condition of your own physical body, and when problems arise you will not be surprised or at a loss. Non-Buddhists focus mainly on cultivating the body, while we focus mainly on cultivating the mind. Yet cultivating the mind is inseparable from cultivating the body; we learn that knowledge of the body's qi channels and the methods for dealing with them in order to resolve our own problems. Beyond that, there is no need to concern ourselves with anything else.
2. Q: Previously I was breathing deliberately; starting yesterday I began breathing naturally, but the breath became shorter. Why is this?
A: Whether the breath becomes longer or shorter, do not concern yourself with it. As long as the mind is focused on the breath, both meditative concentration and contemplative practice will grow continuously. If the qi channels open up, the breath will naturally become deep, subtle, and long. As long as there is meditative concentration, everything becomes manageable, and the body's condition can be changed. Observing the breath means single-mindedly contemplating the condition of the breath; do not consider anything else, do not think about other matters—just understand your own breathing condition. The scriptures contain steps for contemplative practice; if the first step has not been done well, do not do the second step, do not proceed further. In any given period, contemplate only one dharma—no more. If there is too much, the mind will become scattered. When your power of concentration reaches a certain level, then gradually increase the content of contemplative practice, and the mind will not become scattered. During contemplative practice, apart from observing the breath, other things such as understanding of the dharma and reflections are of no use; do not think too much in the mind, so as not to interfere with observing the breath.
3. Q: During this period, I have begun to be able to focus on the breath even in daily life. Sometimes while walking on the road, I focus on the breath as I walk, and a feeling of joy arises in my mind for no apparent reason. I had this experience three years ago as well: after finishing meditation, I felt that every cell was joyful, and I could accept it no matter how others scolded me. But it lasted only a little over a month, and afterward I never had that feeling again—until recently, when this feeling appeared again. Why does the phenomenon of joy arise?
A: One of the merits of meditative concentration is that it can make the mind give rise to joy and inner delight. When the mind's thoughts are unified, they can transform the four great elements; the body becomes healthy, light, at ease, and comfortable, so the mind is influenced and gives rise to joy, the spirit is happy, and there are no afflictions. Mental joy is the joy factor of awakening (pīti-sambojjhaṅga), one of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment. After the joy factor of awakening, the tranquility factor of awakening (passaddhi-sambojjhaṅga) will arise—body and mind become tranquil and at ease. After the tranquility factor of awakening, the concentration factor of awakening (samādhi-sambojjhaṅga) will arise; after the body is tranquil, the awareness of meditative concentration will appear, and after the concentration factor of awakening, the equanimity factor of awakening (upekkhā-sambojjhaṅga) will appear. The joy factor of awakening can subdue afflictions and lessen them.
When a person is happy and joyful, they become kind and gentle toward others, no longer angry or resentful, tolerant and magnanimous—their temperament changes. Only with mental joy can there be goodness, a goodness born of merit. Therefore the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment are the necessary path of practice for both the Great and Small Vehicles. Without cultivating the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, the mind-ground cannot change, afflictions cannot be eradicated, and one cannot attain the fruits of realization or see the mind. Why is it that after the mind becomes focused, one feels that every cell in the body is joyful? Because the transformation of the four great elements begins with the most basic particles of the cells. When the four great elements of the cells change, the mind will feel comfortable, pleasant, and joyful.
4. Q: In my last two sessions of sitting meditation contemplating emptiness, the pressure on my body was extremely intense; I could not move and almost lost control. Moreover, today the qi is blocked in both arms, and now both forearms are sore and numb without stop, as if I had done heavy labor. Do I need to make adjustments?
A: Soreness, numbness, and swelling in the arms indicate there are blocked places where the qi and blood cannot easily pass through. When not meditating, the qi circulates poorly and you do not feel anything; once the qi becomes sufficient, when it encounters blockages there will be reactions, and disease-obstacles will appear. Once the blockages are opened, the disease-obstacles will disappear. Feeling pressure on the body and being unable to move indicates the qi is abundant. The more abundant the qi, the easier it is to open up the body and both arms. If you can persist, persist; I estimate the arm channels will soon be opened. Know that any phenomenon appearing in the body during meditation is a matter of the qi channels and the circulation of qi and blood. If any phenomenon appears in the body again, do not worry; regulate it slowly and everything will get better. Do not take these matters too seriously.
5. Q: If the qi mechanism keeps activating during meditation and stays in the head without passing through, what will happen?
A: If the qi channels stay in the head, it means the activated qi is abundant and forceful, but there is an obstruction in the head and the qi mechanism cannot yet pass through. If there were no obstruction and the channels were unobstructed, there would be no such thing as a qi mechanism. At this time, if you can persist, persist; when you cannot persist any longer, visualize the qi exiting from the Baihui acupoint at the crown of the head, or get off the cushion and pat the head to disperse the qi. But after dispersing, it will still strike the head; only complete opening can solve the problem. Even if the head is not completely opened, the qi mechanism will pass through or dissipate, then circulate to the front Ren channel, from the Ren channel to the Du channel, and then to the crown of the head. Until it enters the central channel and exits from the crown, the body's qi channels will not be completely opened. Once they are completely opened, the body will have no more obstructions, and from then on the practice of meditative concentration will proceed unimpeded.
When the qi channels of the head can be opened and the circulation of qi and blood is good, thinking becomes extremely clear, energy is abundant, and wisdom can be opened. Even opening part of them is quite good. When the qi channels are opened and the mind is pure, the body will emit a fragrance—very fragrant—and the mood will be pleasant, happy and carefree. All of these are conditioned and subject to arising and ceasing; do not become attached. Now that meditative concentration has already arisen, being able to engage in contemplative practice is enough. Do not take the matter of qi channels too seriously—just let it be.
6. Q: When I meditate, my mind rests on a single point. If I add another object of attention, is the mind resting on two points simultaneously?
A: "Adding an object of attention" means that at the beginning, when the power of concentration is not yet strong, it is enough to observe only the phenomenon of the breath flowing at the nostrils. Once the power of concentration has strengthened, then following the movement of the qi, continue observing all the way down, observing the qi entering the windpipe, chest cavity, dantian, and other areas. If the power of concentration has strengthened, you can lengthen this channel of observation a bit, letting your attention follow the breath. If the power of concentration strengthens further, you observe in accordance with the movement of the qi, while also observing and knowing the condition of all parts of the body; when the breath disperses, contemplate in the same way. This is progressive contemplative practice, depending on the strength of concentration. If concentration is insufficient, just observe the breath within the nasal cavity. You should increase or decrease the objects of contemplative practice according to the strength or weakness of your own concentration.
7. Q: Last night while sitting in half-lotus, after reciting the Heart Sutra my mind calmed down, and I began observing the breath, gradually entering a state between sleep and wakefulness. After about 30 minutes, my body felt comfortable and weightless, and slowly my body began to vibrate, increasingly strongly... I could no longer control myself; there was no breathing, my body was swaying, my eyes would not open, my heartbeat quickened and I felt I was about to gasp my last breath... I knew it in my mind but could not control myself... I was very frightened, feeling I was about to die; I could not speak, cry out, or move. Only with great difficulty did I fall over, and it took a long time to regain calm. What is going on?
A: When first cultivating concentration, after the mind calms down and the qi channels run well, the phenomenon of the qi mechanism activating may occur. This is a good phenomenon of opening up the body's channels and can regulate the body very well. If your physical condition is very poor, do not enter concentration all at once; take it slowly, regulating the body little by little, to avoid being unable to adapt to something so sudden.
At the beginning, entering and leaving concentration happens involuntarily; the body is controlled by the qi mechanism and does not quite obey your own direction. After a long time it will ease considerably, and you will be able to control it and have the final say. When the body's qi mechanism activates, just relax and do not concern yourself with anything; the emptier the mind the better, the more "nothing happening" the better. Just let yourself empty out—be willing to be empty, dare to be empty; once empty, there is no problem.
8. Q: How should one deal with the various states that appear during meditation, such as seeing images of the Buddha?
A: All states are illusory. Whatever phenomenon appears during meditation, do not pay attention to it: do not welcome what comes, do not see off what goes. When you see an image of the Buddha, neither rejoice nor be afraid; even if you see someone coming to kill you, do not pay attention. There is no Buddha and no māra—all are merely illusory images. Just observe the breath. If you attach to states, taking them as real, it is easy to go astray, even entering demonic states, which are hard to deal with.
9. Q: I follow the breath in and out, with the mind consciousness on the breath. How can I contemplate the head?
A: When observing the breath, the object of observation is always the breath; there is no need to observe the head. The object of attention must be focused and sustained for concentration and wisdom to arise simultaneously and continuously; otherwise there will be distraction, no contemplative wisdom will arise, and it will be no different from not contemplating. Contemplative practice means observing facts: observe whatever is there, know things as they truly are; what is not there need not be imagined. Respect the facts; only on the dharma of direct perception can wisdom of direct perception arise—whatever is imagined is not it. Contemplative practice at first is merely training the attention to concentrate; it is not difficult.
10. Q: I now sit in full lotus for an hour and a half to two hours, using abdominal breathing—natural breathing without mental guidance. The breath is faint and it is easy to become drowsy; it is hard to still the breath and enter concentration. When I observe the breath, I inhale as slowly and long as possible. May I hold my breath as long as possible before exhaling? Are abdominal breathing and chest breathing both acceptable?
A: Both breathing methods can be used. When first practicing, if the method benefits the body, it is easier to enter concentration. But if you have practiced for a long time and want to enter concentration and engage in contemplative practice, deliberately holding the breath will not produce deep meditative concentration, nor can you contemplate and think. Only after the practice has become extremely proficient, when you no longer need to hold the breath, can you engage in contemplative practice.
11. Q: Today, at about forty minutes into sitting, waves of vibration and trembling appeared from my legs up to my waist, continuing until I got off the cushion. During the vibration there was a slightly pleasant feeling. I have never experienced this before. What is going on?
A: This is because after the mind quiets down, the qi channels in the body run smoothly, and the qi mechanism activates. The qi mechanism usually first arises at the dantian and spreads from the dantian throughout the body; the speed and path of its movement vary from person to person, from time to time, and according to physical condition. The arising of the desire-realm concentration and the first dhyāna of the form realm are inseparable from the activation of the body's qi mechanism—that is, meditative concentration is inseparable from the functioning of the physical body. Only when the physical body is free of obstructions can the desire-realm concentration and form-realm concentration arise.
In the future, when the first dhyāna of the form realm arises, it will likewise be the qi channels in the body moving of themselves. That force is not initiated by deliberate mental intention; it arises naturally when body and mind have quieted to a certain degree. Only when afflictive obstructions and afflictions and thoughts arise do obstructions appear, and only then will the body's qi mechanism recede and the first dhyāna disappear accordingly. Therefore the first dhyāna cannot be separated from sitting cross-legged; most of the time it arises during sitting meditation. In activity, meditative concentration lasts a short time and is not easy to maintain.
Since cultivating concentration cannot be separated from the body, it cannot be separated from sitting cross-legged. Sitting cross-legged is the foundation of cultivating concentration; the deeper concentrations that follow are even more inseparable from it, because crossing the legs allows the qi and blood to concentrate and circulate smoothly, and body and mind are both stable—concentration is then attained quickly and firmly. Then, taking the concentration achieved in sitting as the foundation, meditative concentration can arise and be maintained during the activities of the physical body. If you do not sit cross-legged and rely solely on cultivating concentration in activity, first, concentration will not easily arise; second, once arisen it will not be easily maintained; third, there will be no deep concentration; fourth, contemplative practice will not be easy.
Some say the Way is not in the legs—this is mistaken. If the legs cannot be subdued, the body cannot be subdued; if the body cannot be subdued, the mind cannot truly and lastingly quiet down; concentration will not easily appear, cannot be maintained long, and cannot deepen. The practice of the patriarchs of every generation and of students of meditative concentration has proven this, and the practice processes of all buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats, and pratyekabuddhas have proven this.
12. Q: For a person with deficient qi and blood, will meditation make the qi and blood more deficient, or will it improve?
A: Meditation itself has the effect of regulating qi and blood and improving physical constitution. If there is illness in the body, meditation will make the qi channels run in a regular pattern and the qi and blood become active; the illnesses in the body will then be expelled from the interior toward the surface. It may look as if the illness has worsened, but in fact the illness inside is being expelled outward, so the symptoms become more obvious. After meditating for a long time, all illnesses in the body will improve and physical fitness will be enhanced.
13. Q: While standing by the roadside waiting for someone, with the mind focused on a single thought: when I press my palms together, after 10 to 15 minutes I feel the body become empty, the breath subtle and long, the mind at ease. When standing with hands hanging down, I feel as if my body is clamped by some force and unable to move—especially both arms being fixed in place, gradually becoming imperceptible. After moving about, the mind loses mindfulness; after re-establishing mindfulness, there is a stabbing pain in the head. Is there something wrong with this unstable state? Is it because my meditative concentration from sitting is insufficient, and my body has developed problems?
A: This is an initial and rather good state of meditative concentration. When concentration has just been developed, the body in concentration cannot move about freely and easily; it feels very stiff and cannot turn or move. If you force movement, either the mind feels distressed or some part of the body feels distressed. After practicing concentration many times, you will adapt to it, and the body will be much freer—able to move when you want to move, unbound. For both body and mind to enter and leave concentration freely, you need to keep practicing concentration; with proficiency it will be fine. Static concentration is easy to cultivate and easy to maintain; dynamic concentration is not easy to cultivate, and even if present is not easy to maintain. Only when static concentration has deepened can some dynamic concentration be maintained.
14. Q: When I raise mindfulness to contemplate, there is always an object of attention in the mind, resting only on the breath. But the flow of qi is intermittent; moreover, the route of the qi's flow is not clear, and its speed is very fast—I cannot see the form of the airflow clearly; it passes in an instant. How should I handle this?
A: When the mind's attention rests on the breath, at the beginning an involuntary breath-holding phenomenon will occur, and while holding the breath it feels as if the breath's flow has stopped and been interrupted. When concentration is still insufficient, the mind is still somewhat coarse and cannot observe more numerous and subtler dharmas and phenomena; you do not know where the qi has run to, and you easily lose mindfulness, unable to keep up with the speed of the airflow. At this time you need to continue deepening concentration and the power of contemplative practice. Do not be anxious; do not rush for results. An impatient mind will become scattered and obstruct the arising of concentration. The skill of concentration needs to be gradually perfected and increased; only through quantitative change can there be qualitative change. When concentration reaches a certain level, the mind will become somewhat refined, and the dharmas observed will also become deep and subtle.
15. Q: While meditating, my cranial nerves seemed to be flicked, with a sensation of vibration. What is going on?
A: This is the qi channels reaching the brain, opening the qi and blood in the brain region. There is a blockage there, so when the qi passes through there is a sensation of vibration. The stronger the qi's movement, the more obvious the sensation and the better the unblocking effect. It is the same with other parts of the body: the more obvious the sensation, the more severe the blockage, and the stronger and more forceful the movement of the qi channels.
16. Q: There is a lot of dust in a room that cannot normally be seen; only when sunlight shines into the room can the dust be seen. Meditation is the same: normally one is unaware of how many wandering thoughts one has; only when the mind quiets down in meditation does one become aware of them, like a ray of sunlight shining into the room. Why can one observe one's many wandering thoughts during meditation?
A: Everyone normally has many wandering thoughts—big and small, fine and fragmentary, countless—coming and going, going and coming, unable to stop. Because the mind's attention is not concentrated, or the mind is not pure enough, one cannot observe the arising and ceasing of these thoughts. When the mind is pure, has the power of concentration, and thoughts are focused, one will discover that the mind contains many thoughts, just like sunlight shining into a room. When the mind is quiet it emits light and has wisdom, able to illuminate wandering thoughts and afflictions. Therefore meditative concentration is a good thing: it can concentrate energy, give us the power of introspection (pratyavekṣā-bala), and make the mind refined, thereby discovering problems that normally cannot be discovered. Once problems are discovered, there will be ways to solve them, and thus wisdom arises.
Everyone also normally has very many afflictions; because they have become habitual, one does not feel them. Only when one has free time and the energy to observe oneself over and over does one discover that one's mind is full of afflictions. Knowing that you have afflictions makes things easier—sooner or later a sense of shame will arise, and when the mind's power is sufficient, these afflictions can be subdued. Not knowing your own afflictions does not mean you have no afflictions; it is because your mind is still very scattered, with no intention to quiet down and introspect on your own mind. When the mind has not yet awakened, one is also unwilling to discover and admit that one has afflictions.
17. Q: Why does the body feel as light as if it had lost several pounds of flesh after meditating?
A: This is because the qi channels in the body run smoothly, causing the four great elements in the body to change. Qi floats upward; when the qi is abundant it pushes the body upward, so the body feels very light, no longer heavy. Walking becomes buoyant, light and silent, appearing spirited and vigorous, and naturally a dignified bearing arises. Moreover, when qi and blood circulate freely, excess waste and moisture in the body are expelled, causing the body to slim down and become relaxed and comfortable.
18. Q: I feel the body is especially lazy and do not want to move. What should I do?
A: Laziness and unwillingness to move are because cold-damp qi is pressing within the body: among the particles formed by the seeds of the four great elements, there is much water element and little fire element, so the body feels heavy and lacks the strength to move; upon waking in the morning one cannot get up. Find a way to expel the cold-damp qi and it will be fine. Also, when qi and blood do not circulate, the body feels heavy, and so one is lazy and unwilling to move. Meditate more to unblock the qi and blood and expel the cold-damp qi, and it will be fine.
19. Q: Recently my legs have been cramping. Could meditation cause arthritis in the ankles?
A: Meditation is not the cause of illness but a method of uncovering hidden ailments. Certain parts of the body already had illness that had not yet manifested. During meditation, when the qi channels reach the afflicted area and are obstructed and cannot pass, the hidden illness manifests. Arthritis and leg cramps are both temporary phenomena appearing during meditation; once the qi channels pass through, the afflicted places such as the legs and feet can heal. But if the illness is rather serious, use medicine to treat it, hoping to conquer the disease soon; do not force yourself to endure it.
20. Q: Previously, following the deep-breathing method taught by my master, when using abdominal deep breathing I would first fill with breath, then hold it, then exhale, pause a moment, and repeat the practice—this was deliberate breathing. Yesterday, after deliberate breathing for a while, I began observing the breath naturally entering and leaving the nostrils, and felt the breath becoming lighter, gentler, and subtler, no longer deep and long. Is this correct?
A: When first observing the breath, if the breath is rather short and there is obstruction, use the deliberate deep-breathing method to regulate the breath. Once the breath is regulated evenly, the mind is pure, and body and mind are tranquil and at ease, then switch to natural breathing. This way you can enter the normal mode of observing the breath, with the physical body free of obstruction. When breathing naturally and the mind is very quiet, the breath feels faint, as if there were no breathing at all. The breath not being so deep and long is because the skill is not yet sufficient and body and mind are not yet tranquil enough; when the practice becomes proficient, it will be fine.
