The Manifestation When the Dharma's Meaning Perfumes the Manas

Lantian's Contemplative Practice Journal

November 19 Contemplative Practice Diary, 220th Day of Sitting Meditation, Contemplating the Breath

Last night while sitting in meditation contemplating the breath, the breathing was fairly smooth, and my chest and abdomen felt warm and comfortable. As the contemplation of the breath continued, I perceived the warm current of the breath continuously spreading through the body, gradually extending from the abdomen toward the back, and finally the warm current surged into the back of my head. The breathing became smoother and smoother, the energy channels were unobstructed, and everything before my eyes was clear, with very few wandering thoughts; my attention was concentrated on the sensations throughout the whole body. So I prepared to contemplate the Dharma meaning, and the phrase "form is impermanent, form is without self" spontaneously flashed up in my mind. At that moment, my whole body's muscles suddenly tensed, my breathing deepened sharply, and my body twisted as the muscles contracted. This state lasted for about two minutes, and then gradually returned to calm.

After that, I continued contemplating the breath, perceiving the sensations throughout the whole body. After the earlier tension and contraction of the whole body's muscles, the meridians throughout the body opened up further, especially the head, which became even more unobstructed. In this way I contemplated for a period of time; my head was clear and there was peace before my eyes. So I once again actively let "form is impermanent, form is without self" flash up in my mind. This time the whole body still reacted, but not as intensely. I slowly contemplated the specific Dharma meaning of form being without self before my eyes. During this contemplation, my attention was concentrated, without wandering thoughts, without any agitation or unprovoked disturbances—peaceful and profound. Before long, the alarm rang and I got off the cushion. This morning's sitting was entirely devoted to contemplating the breath, without contemplating or reflecting on Dharma meanings. The energy channels throughout the body were unobstructed, and I kept enjoying the pleasure throughout the whole body.

Assessment: When the thought "form is impermanent" appeared, the muscles of the whole body tensed and the body twisted—this shows that the manas was touched by the impermanence of form. Previously, when the Dharma of impermanence had not touched the manas, such shaking phenomena would not occur. Many Dharma meanings that the mind consciousness has understood, when they have not yet permeated the manas, will not stir the body and mind; only when the manas faces the Dharma meaning directly does the shaking appear. Only after continuing contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) and investigation can the manas realize it, and then meditative absorption (samādhi) or the purity of the Dharma eye will follow. Deep-level mental activities such as shock, astonishment, panic, and disorientation are all manifestations of the manas being touched.

When contemplating the breath, one should single-mindedly experience the impermanence of the breath. While experiencing it, there is no need to think; just observe objectively, without deliberately bringing up the huatou "form is impermanent." In contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa), one naturally, through the entry point of the breath, comes to experience the impermanence of form and the impermanence of the body, and then, through the contemplation of feeling, the contemplation of mind, and the contemplation of dharmas, objectively comes to experience the impermanence of mind and the impermanence of dharmas, thereby eradicating the view of self. When the skill has matured, one observes and experiences naturally; it is not about deliberately flashing up Dharma questions different from the current contemplation. This is natural realization of the fruit—realization of the fruit by the manas.

Contemplative practice is also called direct perception observation: whatever dharma is present now, observe that dharma; whatever state the dharma is in, observe those states just as they are. When contemplating the breath, just observe the breath as it is, observe the breath in direct perception; the scene of the breath simply presents itself before you. As for how the manas recognizes it and what conclusion it draws, that is the manas's own affair. Form is impermanent, the body is impermanent—one should let the manas itself draw this conclusion, let Him confirm it Himself, without the mind consciousness reminding Him. The mind consciousness is only responsible for presenting the phenomena truthfully to the manas; everything else is the manas's affair. There is no need to be anxious on the manas's behalf, no need to make decisions on the manas's behalf. Whoever's problem it is, that person solves it; helping is of no use. The result of this is direct, real realization—without sentiment or intellectual interpretation, without reasoning, deduction, imagination, or speculation.