The Principles of True Zen Meditation Practice

During Chan meditation, the conscious mind is thoughtless, but the manas must never be without thought. Without thought, it is merely cultivating concentration, which cannot give rise to wisdom; thus, enlightenment cannot be attained, nor can one perceive the true nature.

When the power of concentration is very strong, the conscious mind may seem thoughtless, but in reality, there is still a thought suspended in the mind, hanging at the manas. The manas is engaged in deep inquiry, with the conscious mind cooperating. If the data is sufficient and complete, the manas takes the lead in the inquiry.

If the data is insufficient, the manas requests information and data from the conscious mind, and then proceeds with profound inquiry. This is the secret of genuine effort in inquiry. If everyone knew it, it would no longer be a secret. When the manas requests data from the conscious mind, the conscious mind must engage in clear thinking and analysis, then deliver the results of that analysis to the manas. The manas then uses this data to continue its inquiry. We have all had the experience of appearing to have no surface thoughts or reflections, yet deep within, the mind is not truly still—there are still profound, hidden mental activities, much like the ocean’s surface, which appears calm and still, while beneath the currents are swift and powerful. Such is the nature of manas: deep, subtle, difficult to trace, and unfathomable.

Attaining enlightenment through Chan meditation requires specific causes and conditions, depending on the respective states of the conscious mind and the manas. Therefore, experienced and highly responsible Chan masters observe whether their disciples possess the necessary conditions. If the conditions are not met, such as a lack of meditative stability, the master will not proceed with guidance to prevent the disciple from attaining interpretive enlightenment, which would leave them devoid of vitality for life. The wisdom attained under different masters varies greatly, and the level of realization differs significantly. Thus, the kind of master one encounters precisely reflects one’s own merit, virtue, and karmic conditions.