It Makes No Difference...

[Shi Da Dao]

Most (if not all) questions are asked about a) what the body is doing, or b) what is being done to the body. None of this matters. The Human mind, that is the capacity of the human mind to be 'consciously aware' - must look directly into the empty mind ground without distraction. This is the only genuine Ch'an method. The surface mind must be 'stilled' so that it takes on the constituent form of the empty mind ground it is designed to reflect - as it is only through 'stilling' the surface mind that the human awareness capacity is able to 'see through' into the underlying empty mind ground. When the surface mind actively (and genuinely) interfaces with the underlying empty mind ground - then the empty mind ground is fully 'perceived' and 'integrated' with. Now, whatever your body happens to be doing in your life, or whatever 'life' happens to be doing to your body - none of this matters and anyone who says that it does are teaching a 'false' Ch'an. All must be firmly 'put down' and completely 'forgotten' about so that the change (explained in the Lankavatara Sutra) can occur in the deepest strata of the mind. This is the 'turning about' of human perception which unfolds from deep within the human mind and which puts a permanent end to ALL inverted thinking. The ridge-pole of ignorance is broken (Dhammapada) and human perception is never the same again. Then it becomes a matter of 'adjusting this new awareness to circumstance' so that whatever situation you inhabit, or regardless of the type, state or condition of the body you possess, the awareness of the surface mind no longer strays from the deep and empty mind ground whilst remaining forever integrated with it!