The Direction of Chan Meditation

The direction of investigating Chan should be: amid all the activities of the five aggregates in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, at the moment each dharma manifests, inquire into what its substance really is. It is said that the five aggregates are illusory; since they are illusory, how can they still appear? The aggregate of formations in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down are all illusory transformations—how exactly are they transformed, and who transforms these marks? When sitting in meditation, is there a person who is meditating? Who is meditating? The eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, does not meditate; the seventh consciousness, the manas, does not meditate; the mind consciousness does not meditate; the first five consciousnesses do not meditate; and if the body had no conscious mind, it would not meditate either. So let us think: is there a person who is meditating? Who is meditating? How does the dharma of meditation come into being? This is investigating Chan; when the investigation is penetrated, enlightenment occurs.

When we are speaking, we should think about it: who is speaking? Is there a person who is speaking? How does the dharma of speaking come into being? The eighth consciousness, the tathāgatagarbha, does not speak; the seventh consciousness, the manas, does not speak; the mind consciousness does not speak; the first five consciousnesses do not speak; and if the tongue had no conscious mind, it would not speak either—otherwise, dead people could also speak. Who exactly is speaking? And how does one speak—how does language come into being? This is investigating Chan; when the investigation is penetrated, enlightenment occurs. In reciting the Buddha's name, who exactly is doing the reciting? In reading the sutras, who exactly is reading them? Toward all matters one should raise a questioning doubt; when the conditions ripen, the doubt can be resolved, breaking through delusion and awakening to enlightenment.