Blue Sky Contemplative Practice (Vipaśyanā-Caryā) Journal: September 16

This morning when I sat down to meditate and contemplated the breath, I observed the inhalation beginning from the moment air entered at the tip of the nose, following wherever the airflow reached: the nasal cavity, throat, trachea, and chest cavity, then downward through the upper abdomen and middle abdomen, finally arriving at the dantian; when exhaling, it started from the dantian, and the airflow passed out through the aforementioned channels. I could feel the airflow passing through every breathing location; while inhaling, I could perceive the condition of the areas where the head of the airflow reached, and while exhaling, I could detect the tail of the airflow contracting upward from the dantian to the chest. Wherever the airflow passed in and out, there was a tingling, numbing sensation. 

This morning my attention during sitting was fairly concentrated; there were no phenomena such as head pressure or qi surging. My mind was clear, my breathing even and relaxed, without the resistance of the previous period. Not long after entering the contemplation of the breath, the sternum area felt as if it had opened up, with some warmth that was very comfortable; then both shoulders were the same—the bones felt as if they had opened, extremely comfortable. This is perhaps what is called tranquility (praśama). The abdomen was warm, not as hot as before. As the contemplation of the breath continued, the depth of breathing increased; when inhaling, the airflow could reach the bottom of the abdomen, and while breathing, I could also detect airflow moving in and out at the ankles. Without my noticing, the time for the sitting session came to an end; now I feel the sitting time was a bit short. 

Assessment: All of the above contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) observed are phenomena. The main question is: what truth have you discovered in these phenomena? What insights do you have regarding these phenomena? For example, a child playing with toys will, after playing for a while, feel it is boring—why does it become boring? For example, someone who repeatedly does one thing for a long time will, after doing it for a while, feel it is boring—why does it become boring? For example, eating every day—after eating and eating, one should feel that eating is boring, only that one has no choice but to eat. Of course, the vast majority of people would not have such thoughts. For example, in this human life, with birth, aging, sickness, and death, love and enmity, and the five desires without end, some people, as they go on living, will feel that life is just so-so, and suddenly feel it is meaningless. Of course, the vast majority of people would not have such thoughts. 

These are still not ultimate; by probing further inward, there will be new discoveries, and discovering emptiness/voidness (śūnyatā) is what gives birth to wisdom. To be aware of arising and ceasing is wisdom; to be aware of emptiness is true wisdom. A person without wisdom, even after experiencing setbacks their whole life, will not feel that life is empty. A person with wisdom, even if their whole life goes smoothly, will not feel that life is meaningful. Through long and sustained observation, one will come to realize the arising and ceasing of phenomena, and realize the emptiness of phenomena. Once one phenomenon is seen as empty, other phenomena related to it will also be seen as empty, and further, all five aggregates (pañcaskandha) are empty.