Chan is meditation throughout our lives. When we live with Chan, the taste of food and feel of clothes will change. We will not feel difficulty when dealing with our affairs. Any matter can be laughed away. The human world has its ups and down, but when we have a Chan mind it is like…
In the Sutra of Forty-Two Sections, the Buddha asked his disciples, “How long is one’s life?” One of the monks replied, “A few years.” The next one answered, “A few days!” Another one said, “Less than one day!” Another responded, “Between meals!” Finally, the Buddha said, “Life lasts for the duration of one breath.” Life…
In the practice of meditation, once you have developed meditative concentration it does not matter if you are walking, standing, sitting, lying down, carrying firewood, or bringing water—every single action can suddenly lead to enlightenment and seeing intrinsic nature. For true Chan practitioners meditation is whatever they see in their daily lives; it is everywhere.
All religions have their rules and precepts that must be followed. The Buddhist precepts are special because they are mostly concerned with the cultivation of morality. We can only attain inner wisdom and realize the highest levels of truth after we are good and moral people. For a Buddhist, the only way to truly respect the Buddha is by perfecting his or her human character.
Meditation is not about sitting quietly with your eyes closed—this is just one method for developing meditative concentration. What matters in meditation is being able to contemplate and focus the mind. To practice meditation, one must focus on the present moment, stop delusion, and see the mind. In China, the Chan School encouraged the development of meditative concentration through communal labor, like carrying firewood and water.
Offering lamps at Buddhist temples and stupas is a common practice. The Flower Adornment Sutra says, “The lamp of wisdom can break through all forms of darkness.”
As such, lamps represent the light of wisdom that pierces through the darkness of ignorance. This empowers sentient beings encumbered by confusion.
The Buddhist practice of offering lamps originates from the
actions of a poor girl named Nanda. Her story can be read in The Prophecy of King Ajatasatru Becoming a Buddha Sutra, which tells us that the merit for offering a lamp can ever lead one to become a Buddha.