Master Xian Zong - On Applying Ch'an to Everyday Life

[Shi Da Dao]

The Importance of Ch’an Meditation in Everyday Life

By Dharma Master Xian Zong (贤宗法师)

(Translated by Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD)

Special RHACS Introduction:

The Chinese Ch'an School (and its unique method) has never been stuck in the past, but has always served as a radical counter-narrative to all prevailing and existing paradigms, be they socio-economic, religious, cultural or political. Of course, practising meditation with the aim of achieving enlightenment has always been the essence of the Buddha's teaching - even if the term 'meditation' can be defined in various ways (including chanting and carrying-out hard-work, etc). Ch'an Master Xian Zong is of the Linji Ch'an Lineage and does not discriminate when teaching others. Whether you are a Buddhist monastic sat on a mountain - or a business executive sat in an office - the empty mind ground underlies it all. Anyone can practice Ch'an free of the usual constraints that serve to define conventional existence.

Peace in the Dharma

Shi Da Dao

Translator’s Note: This is an English translation of the original Chinese language text entitled ‘静心的修习’ (Jing Xin De Xiu Xi) which is available from various websites on the Mainland Chinese internet (accessed through the ‘Baidu’ search-engine). This text can be literally translated as ‘The Practice of Stilling the Mind’. The author is the highly-respected and modern Chinese Ch’an Buddhist monk known as Master ‘Xian Zong’ (贤宗) – or ‘Virtuous Ancestor’. This venerable monk is also known as ‘Xian Chong’ (贤崇) – or ‘Virtuous Nobility’. In his youth, he diligently studied both Confucian and Buddhist texts, and in 1991, Master Xian Zong received full Buddhist Ordination at the ancient ‘Meifeng Guangxiao Si’ (梅峰光孝寺) – or the ‘Plum Peak Light of Filial Piety Temple’, situated in the ‘Putian’ area of eastern Fujian province. Master Xian Zong is the 45th Generation inheritor of the Linji (临济) Lineage of Ch’an Buddhism. He is renowned not only as a very learned Ch’an Buddhist monk, but is also considered a very capable academic within China’s secular educational establishment (he graduated from Jiaotong University, and is now associated with Nanjing University as a teacher). In September 2008, he was appointed President of Jiaxing Buddhist Association, and is the Founder of China Buddhist Forum. Master Xian Zong emphasis that ‘everyone’ should practice meditation on a daily basis, regardless of life-style. He has been particularly active in reminding those people who have been successful in business not to neglect the cultivation of virtue and wisdom in their lives, and transform their material success into a means to help others. (ACW 22.9.2017)

“When the root is weak, it must be strengthened. When the mind is impatient, it must be ‘stilled’.” Through the practice of meditation, the material reality of the world can be fully penetrated and understood. Through the practice of meditation, the inner reality of one’s own being can be fully penetrated and understood. If the mind can be developed in this manner, then the awareness will be bright, expansive, and embrace all things. This attainment of Ch’an training generates a state of boundless abundance because the mind is stripped of all greed, hatred and delusion, as its empty nature is fully cognised. On a more mundane level, regular meditation sharpens the abilities of the mind, which can think in a more progressive and creative manner. This is because regular Ch’an meditation strengthens the essence of life (ensuring good health), and enhances the spiritual foundation of existence. This is a comprehensive and all-round development of the mind and body that benefits each individual and the entire nation (through collective and selfless action). However, if you want to achieve these radical benefits for yourself, you must adopt a serious and dedicated attitude, and realise that such development does not happen over-night. Ch’an meditation must be practised regularly without fail, and to do this, one’s determination must be considerably strengthened. Half-hearted effort leads nowhere and achieves nothing worthwhile.

Ch’an meditation is the practice of realising one’s spiritual essence. This means that the practice must be taken seriously and the method applied exclusively without hesitation, or any breaks in practice. The Ch’an method demands that each practitioner must find their own way, and cannot get anywhere through a superficial practice that merely ‘imitates’ the outward practice of meditation. You must seek-out good and reliable instruction from a legitimate Ch’an Lineage – develop a sound Ch’an daily practice – and never give-up! This is different to mimicking the outer practice of others and assuming that this superficiality is ‘good’ Ch’an practice – it is not. It is laughable to copy others in a shallow manner, and such behaviour is to be pitied. If you do not develop the strength to look into your own mind – no one else can do this for you. Others may look ‘beautiful’ when they meditate, but this is a product of their own inner development manifesting in the outer world. The essence of the beauty you seek lies within yourselves and not in the outside world. You may learn from others, particularly those who have achieved the various states of enlightenment and understanding, but this is a matter of ‘inner direction’ rather than outward structure. Of course, the inner journey can only be undertaken if the mental attitude and sitting posture are correct, but once this is attained, the physical body must be ignored and an attitude of ‘non-attachment’ to the physical plane developed.

You must remember that although in the everyday world of business people run around ‘copying’ what they believe to be successful models of generating good products and achieving high profit margins, this is only a superficial approach to life, as each person is also an individual with their own unique abilities. Although for ordinary people being successful at business is important, it is an interesting paradox to consider that through practising Ch’an meditation – and loosening the bonds of material attachment – the process of participating in business can be greatly enhanced through depth of insight into the nature of existence. This is the use of the Ch’an mind that does not discriminate, as a practitioner may live on a mountain peak, or be engaged in business negotiations in a city – the empty essence is exactly the same despite the functions being very different. The point is to learn to value your life-span – which will not be as long as the tree in the courtyard – but could be as short as the spider now spinning its web in this hall. This is something worth considering. If you waste your life you are wasting an opportunity to realise enlightenment, and relieve the suffering of others. You cannot carry-on simply worrying about the superficiality of daily life – mistakenly thinking that this is all there is. You must develop the ability to see beyond (and through) the superficial (material) world that presents itself to the senses. You must develop a wise mind that sees directly into your essential nature and never loses sight of it. Through a dedicated Ch’an practice, you can change the way your mind functions. Its perspective can shift from attachment to the superficial, to emersion into the all-embracing (and empty) mind ground.

In fact, in the management of Peter Drucker, there is much to be admired. He says that every business (and its employees) should realise that it is part of the entire economic output of a country, and serves as an integral part of that entire process (like a small cog in a big machine). This means that an attitude appreciating this ‘collectivity’ must be developed so that a sense of ultraism is developed whilst still performing the tasks related with production and profit-making. Such a sense enhances efficiency and output, with excessive selfishness being considered ‘inefficient’ and a drag to business creativity and output. It is better not to be arrogant, as this obscures the greater creativity and wisdom inherent in the human mind. Obviously, employees with limited mind development are not able to perform in a manner that benefits themselves, their employers or their country. If the mind is full of greed, hatred and delusion, then it cannot perceive the environment correctly, and will make errors of judgement. This ‘unwise’ mind-set can cause untold misery and suffering in the world. Furthermore, it can cause failure within business and in this regard, I am reminded of the example of Shi Yuzhu (史玉柱), who very quickly wanted to build the first high-rise in Zhuhai (Guangdong province) – followed by the highest building in China. As his mind was full of anguish and anxiety, he was ‘dazzled’ by the prospect of success and wealth – and as a consequence, he did not think clearly and all his projects failed. I think that those who are in business should meditate regularly to understand that the more successful a business becomes, and the more praise that is heaped upon it, the more non-attached the owners and employees should be, by developing a profoundly calm and peaceful mind that sees things as they actually are. Do not be misled by material success and wealth – even if it is your function in life to create both. The attention of the mind must be turned inwards so as to contemplate its own empty essence.

The Buddha taught that the (external) material world (of atoms) is insubstantial and constantly changing from moment to moment – like a waterfall that is always crashing-down – but which is comprised of individual droplets. There is never a moment that is not changing. However, if you focus your mind to turn within, you will understand that each thought (and each atom) constantly comes into existence and out of existence without end – but that you can ‘see though’ this process – and into the empty mind ground that underlies the entirety of existence. The material world seems to be ‘real’ and ‘unchanging’ but this is not true. When you know this, you understand that there is nothing to be attached to. Although wealth and productivity are conventionally important for the health of the nation on the material plane – it is also true that both entities are empty from start to finish and are not ultimately real. Just as each droplet of a waterfall can be seen if a film is slowed-down, just so can a mind that is calmed and stilled directly perceive each atom as it comes into and out of existence (simultaneously). Therefore, the Ch’an method clearly reveals that the apparent flow of phenomena in the physical world is an illusion, and that we should not be attached to it.

Modern science supports this view. Max Planck – the German Founder of Quantum Physics – stated that material existence is not real, but is only thought to be real by a mind that has been conditioned to (falsely) view reality in a certain manner. The material world seems like a solid wall confronting the senses, but this is not correct, Planck taught that sub-atomic particles come in and out of existence all the time, but that ordinary human perception cannot see this or understand it. The material world is like a film on a movie-screen with 24 frames per second passing in front of the eye and creating the illusion of continuation and substantiality. The Buddha stated that atoms come in and out of existence at a tremendous rate (1600 trillion times per second), and that the deluded mind does not understand this. What the Western scientists do not appreciate is that through the practice of Ch’an meditation, the truth of Quantum Physics can be personally realised (after-all, the Buddha stated this reality thousands of years ago).

The Buddha stated that human suffering is the consequence of ‘grasping’ that which does not exist. The deluded mind becomes enmeshed with all kinds of false states of being, and as a consequence, nothing but all-round suffering is generated. Even good states that are the product of a deluded mind are ‘suffering’ because they are impermanent and not ‘real’. Therefore, human suffering is the product of the mind not possessing any developmental wisdom. The Buddha said: “To practice the Dharma is to learn to see through the illusion of (duality and) oneness in relation to the world – which is insubstantial like a bubble in a dream.” The Buddha also said that no matter how the material world and the drama of everyday life may seem, it is all fundamentally ‘empty’ of any reality. Even being born, maturing and dying are all ‘empty’ from beginning to end, even though it all seems so real. When you understand this, you can begin to see the business world in a Dharmic context. Business can be bad and full of greed, but if you practice Ch’an meditation, your business can be transformed as your mind calms down and its empty essence is perceived, and your physical life improves. This happiness permeates your mind and body, your family, your business and your country – and knows no bounds! Focus your mind, calm your emotions, and look directly into your true nature – what else is there to do? There is no permanency in the material world, but to understand this reality, you must penetrate the empty mind ground and in so doing, develop the correct wisdom to directly understand this. This is how Ch’an meditation can be effectively used in everyday life – even in the heart of the modern world.

©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2017.

Original Chinese Language Article:

blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4dd366470102vooi.html

静心的修习

“重为轻根，静为躁君”，静心地面对世界，面对自己，心就会无限敞亮、无限丰足。静心的时候，心中十分敏锐，性灵独具，胜于往常。但静心的养成，绝非一朝一夕，而是靠日积月累修成的。

静心的修习在于独抒灵性的思考， 这并不是一个模仿的过程，不是说树立一种好的模式，然后跟着去做就行了。正如东施效颦的可笑在于东施只知道西施捂着自己的胸口楚楚可怜，样子很美，却不知道这种美是因人而异，不可复制的，同样的动作发生在她身上就显得很丑。盲目去模仿别人，会失去自己应有的特色，所有对于他人的成功和经验，只能借鉴而不可照搬。
同样，无论在生活中或是事业上，不要一味去模仿别人，攀援别人，有些人老是在和别人做比较，把别人当参照物来定位自己。其实，活出你自己才是最重要的。

生命何其短暂， 为什么要在攀援和比较上花掉那么多时间呢？如果真要比较，我们生命的长度甚至不如庭院中的那棵树；勤奋程度，也比不上任何一只日夜吐丝结网的蜘蛛。还有什么值得去计较？一个人最可贵之处就是活得清醒、明白。人往往会被名利冲昏头脑，忘却了本性。如果能够改变自己的思维方式，就可以使躁动的心沉淀下来。

在德鲁克的管理学著述中， 有一个思想很值得敬佩，那就是将每一个企业视作是社会大转盘中的一个小齿轮。这种思想教人消除傲慢和自矜，客观地看待自己，自己的工作，自己的行业。当人生起不可一世之心时，所做的举动往往是浮躁的，不理智的。就像史玉柱发愿要在几年之内修建珠海第一高楼，甚至要修建中国第一高楼。他当时被许多溢美之辞冲昏了头脑，结果终归失败。企业成长得越快，赞美之辞越多，就越应该要有宁静之心，时时反思自己的状态。
在这个人欲横流物欲滔天的旋转轮盘中， 迷失自己太容易了。别人有一套房子你没有，别人住别墅你住筒子楼，别人开跑车你骑自行车……这些都足以使一颗充满名闻利养的心失去宁静，一颗被世俗所迷的心失去平衡，从而失去了自己的灵性，失去反观自照的能力。

世间的一切事物，俱是因缘和合而成。佛教认为，外在世界是一直变化、流动不居的。如同看到瀑布，觉得它一直这么流，看了一天没有变化。但是深入理性分析它，便会发现瀑布中的水不断流下来，其中没有一滴流过后再回来，前面的水不是后面的水，此刻的水也不是下一刻的水。

德国量子物理学奠基人普朗克认为， 物质并非真实存在，而是意念累积连续所产生的幻象，人的意念连续，所以看到的物质也是连续的。物质世界的真相就像银光幕上放映的电影，底片以每秒24 张的速度连续播放，人眼被欺骗，误认为看到了真实的存在。组成“物质”的“意念”所相续的速度更快。佛说， 弹指间32亿百千念（每秒1600兆），如此快的速度，虚假的念头就被人当成真实的物质存在。

把迁流变化的物质、思想认为是永恒的时候， 你就会被事物的表象迷惑。困扰的原因就是因为众生没有智慧，就是佛教说的“般若”不足。
佛陀讲到“一切有为法，如梦幻泡影”，“有为法”指有所造作的万事万物，这一切有生之物、有相之物都是如梦如幻。我们的青春年华，家庭的幸福，所做的事业，与朋友交往，与亲人共处，都是一个短暂的过程。这些实存的“有”最终都指向究竟的“空”，终极的“无”。这世间如真有不朽，就是“空性”。
因此， 禅修是要把散乱在外的意绪收摄回来，观照自己的内心，让它进入宁静的状态，只有这样，你才能了解事物的本原。

文/贤宗法师