Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

only some functions of wisdom follow. One has to lay
the most stress on knowing the truth of sunyata
theoretically and to practice these methods diligently
until the abstract sunyata becomes concrete realization.
a. Meditation on the Four Negatives. In the
Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the Buddha taught the four
negative phrases. One should only use mind
well-trained in samatha in its right attitude, and
carefully meditate clearly upon the following negatives:
"Not born from a self,
Not born from another,
Not born from both,
Not born without conditions."
Take any thing or being and examine its ego or
origin—a flower, for example. Does this flower have a
self or ego or an origin? If so, in which part of it? In the
seed? When the flower is opened we cannot see its
seeds until it begins to fade. Is it the bud or the calyx
before the bud—what is its ego? The flower has no self
at all. Does the flower have its origin in the earth? Why
do other parts of the earth have no flowers? Thus the
flower is not born from things other than itself. Is the
flower born from both—itself and the other? If each of
the two cannot produce a flower, how can their totality
produce one? Zero plus zero equals zero.
However, a flower is produced—this is a matter of fact.
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