I. The Right Attitude for Meditation
Meditation should not be done for the sake of the practitioner alone. One who wishes to practice meditation must have the great kindness, compassion, and zeal of a bodhisattva.1 They must not be selfish and only wish liberation for themselves. Therefore, to meditate we must:
• Contemplate, reflecting upon ourselves and looking into our behavior.
• Improve, and constantly progress.
• Cultivate, without looking outside ourselves.
• Abandon all notions, and not be concerned with success or failure.
As one enters a meditation hall to begin to practice, one should put aside everyday concerns and be ready to receive instruction. Likewise, the rules and regulations of the meditation hall should be strictly observed, and one should not bend the rules or seek special privileges to make things easier. We should nurture the compassionate mind, for a compassionate person is gentle by nature and can more easily enter deep meditation. We must do what is right and refrain from doing what is wrong, repenting our misdeeds no matter how big or small. We should decrease our distractions and maintain regular habits of eating, drinking, and sleeping. Lastly, we should have faith, and believe that each of us, and all living beings, possesses Buddha nature, and trust that our teacher is a well-cultivated person.
II. The Benefits of Meditation
Chan is a flower for all mankind, shining its light on human life. Chan is wisdom, humor, and the true mind. It is our intrinsic nature; a treasure shared in common by the entire human race.Though Chan comes to us from the ancient past, it is a wellspring of happiness for modern people. Chan can expand our horizons, fortify our willpower, improve our health, enhance our wisdom, harmonize the spirit, transform bad habits, temper the mind, and enhance memory.
The Chan practice of meditation allows us to reduce the afflictions of daily life, and change our view such that it does not run in opposition to reality. Many contradictory and contrasting phenomena can actually be brought together. Meditation allows us to adopt the temperament of a wandering monk, who comes and goes as he pleases. Whether we are rich or poor, we are alright. We become able to see through the illusions of the world and attain the freedom of liberation. The benefits of meditation outshine everything else.
Meditation should not be done for the sake of the practitioner alone. One who wishes to practice meditation must have the great kindness, compassion, and zeal of a bodhisattva.1 They must not be selfish and only wish liberation for themselves. Therefore, to meditate we must:
• Contemplate, reflecting upon ourselves and looking into our behavior.
• Improve, and constantly progress.
• Cultivate, without looking outside ourselves.
• Abandon all notions, and not be concerned with success or failure.
As one enters a meditation hall to begin to practice, one should put aside everyday concerns and be ready to receive instruction. Likewise, the rules and regulations of the meditation hall should be strictly observed, and one should not bend the rules or seek special privileges to make things easier. We should nurture the compassionate mind, for a compassionate person is gentle by nature and can more easily enter deep meditation. We must do what is right and refrain from doing what is wrong, repenting our misdeeds no matter how big or small. We should decrease our distractions and maintain regular habits of eating, drinking, and sleeping. Lastly, we should have faith, and believe that each of us, and all living beings, possesses Buddha nature, and trust that our teacher is a well-cultivated person.
II. The Benefits of Meditation
Chan is a flower for all mankind, shining its light on human life. Chan is wisdom, humor, and the true mind. It is our intrinsic nature; a treasure shared in common by the entire human race.Though Chan comes to us from the ancient past, it is a wellspring of happiness for modern people. Chan can expand our horizons, fortify our willpower, improve our health, enhance our wisdom, harmonize the spirit, transform bad habits, temper the mind, and enhance memory.
The Chan practice of meditation allows us to reduce the afflictions of daily life, and change our view such that it does not run in opposition to reality. Many contradictory and contrasting phenomena can actually be brought together. Meditation allows us to adopt the temperament of a wandering monk, who comes and goes as he pleases. Whether we are rich or poor, we are alright. We become able to see through the illusions of the world and attain the freedom of liberation. The benefits of meditation outshine everything else.
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