One of the great advantages of sitting meditation is that you can take it with you wherever you go. Whether you are in a forest deep in the mountains or beside a stream among the grass and reeds, you can develop meditative concentration just by sitting down and crossing your legs. But what is meditation?…
The Buddhist precepts are here to protect us from wrongdoing, lead us away from what is bad, and towards what is good. Vinaya Master Daoxuan of the Tang dynasty composed the Simplified and Amended Handbook of the Four-Part Vinaya [Sifenlü Shanfan Buque Xingshi Chao], in which he analyzed the precepts in terms of their “rules,”…
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.
Prajna allows us to truly know how life comes and goes, and it is only with prajna that we can have the strength to face the realities of life. To survive in this world we need both wisdom and power to alleviate our hardships and overcome adverse situations. Patience gives us both wisdom and strength.…