28.04.2015 Views

Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Lin Ji opened his eyes, saw his guru, <strong>and</strong> went to sleep<br />

again, not heeding the master's presence. Huang Bo then<br />

knocked on the mattress three times <strong>and</strong> turned away.<br />

When he reached his senior disciple's place, Huang Bo<br />

found him sitting erect in meditation. He then said, "Oh,<br />

over there is a young disciple who really knows how to<br />

practice Chan, while you," addressing the old monk,<br />

"only create delusion for yourself."<br />

Chan is not merely sitting <strong>and</strong> practicing.<br />

A monk once asked the patriarch Yuan An, "Making<br />

offerings to 100,000 Buddhas is not better than giving to<br />

a person who does not practice. Then what is the error<br />

of the Buddha?" The guru said, "It is just like a white<br />

cloud covering the mouth of a valley, so that many,<br />

many birds do not know their nests."<br />

Mr. Chen interpreted:<br />

The white cloud is like common practice, but Chan is<br />

not common, <strong>and</strong> without a cloud the birds can go back<br />

to their nests!<br />

Chan is truth itself <strong>and</strong> every meditation is aimed at this:<br />

Chan. It is within every meditation but transcends them<br />

all. That is why it always occupies the outer circle of<br />

our diagrams. Therefore, to treat Chan as very easy in<br />

daily life is quite foolish. It is the highest deception, <strong>and</strong><br />

those who believe that they possess such ability should<br />

548

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!