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Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

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Mr. Chen briefly explained:<br />

If the breath in the right yogic channel (of which the sun<br />

is a symbol) is kept pressed down, then the suspended<br />

state produced in the yogi's body is reflected in<br />

corresponding events in the exterior world. Hence the<br />

sun was unable to set.<br />

"This little story," said Mr. Chen smiling, "is just to<br />

enliven the discourse amid so many lists. It<br />

illustrates very nicely the dependence of the three<br />

times on the breath."<br />

e. Function. If we meditate <strong>and</strong> count the number of the<br />

inhalations, then this prolongs life. We know thus that<br />

life depends on the breath, recognize the doctrine of<br />

impermanence, <strong>and</strong> so cut off doubts <strong>and</strong> distractions.<br />

f. No person breathes: the breath just comes in <strong>and</strong> goes<br />

out without any real self—it is dependent on the<br />

conditions for life.<br />

g. <strong>Practical</strong> realization:<br />

i. As we have said, our life depends on breath, for if<br />

only one breath does not come in, then death occurs.<br />

It is the quality of the Buddha's personal instruction<br />

that the length of one's life is really the duration of<br />

one breath.<br />

264

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