September 14, 2003

It is very important to implement the Six Perfections in our daily practice.  If we do not utilize the Six Perfections as the foundation of our daily practice, then our practice will not progress.  There are many people who like to meditate but if the first five perfections--giving, keeping the precepts, endurance, diligence, meditation, and wisdom - are not implemented in our daily practice our practice will not be strengthened.  Therefore, you should practice giving, keeping the precepts, endurance, diligence, and wisdom while practicing meditation in your daily life.  We cannot eliminate any one of the Six Perfections in our practice as one is dependent on the other.

Meditation is one method of practice.  If our mind is not affected by any phenomena or situations, then we will have a good meditation.  So-called "There is no mind when facing any phenomena" is that your mind is not affected by any phenomena but is crystal clear.  The most fearful thing in practicing meditation is falling into "Nothingness".  If you fall into "Nothingness" your wisdom will not be revealed and you will not be able to attain the ultimate liberation.

Su Dong Po and Master Fo Yin were friends.  One time Su Dong Po asked Master Fo Yin: "Master, what do I look like?"  Master Fo Yin answered: "You look like a Bodhisattva".  Su Dong Po was very happy to hear that.  Then Master Fo Yin asked Su Dong Po the same question: "Mr. Dong Po, what do I look like?" Su Dong Po replied: "You look like a pile of cow dung".  Master Fo Yin did not have any reaction after he heard what Su Dong Po said.  Therefore, Su Dong Po was very happy about it because Bodhisattva is much better than a pile of cow dung and he thought he won today.  Su Dong Po went home very happy and told his sister Su Xiao Mei what had happened.  But his sister told him: "Brother, you shouldn't be too happy.  You lost today because all phenomena are created by your mind.  Master Fo Yin has a Bodhisattva's mind so he sees everybody as a Bodhisattva but your mind is just like a pile of cow dung and that is why you see everyone like a pile of cow dung".

What is meditation?  Meditation is that you are not affected by the Eight Winds.  What are the Eight Winds?  The Eight Winds are gain, loss, defamation, compliments, praise, criticism, sorrow and joy.  These are the obstacles to our practice.  Gain, compliments, praise and joy are good situations but usually we do not have enough awareness when we are in these good situations.  The assertion that "The Unfavorable Conditions Reinforce Our Practice" in Buddhism is that we progress while facing unfavorable conditions.  If we bumped into the Eight Winds on our way to practice, we should clearly know what directions these Eight Winds are going and we should know how to use the antidote to respond.  We should practice diligently to prevent being attacked by the Eight Winds.

One day Su Dong Po was meditating at home and felt that he had a very good meditation.  Immediately he wrote a poem to describe the good experience that he had and asked his servant to cross the river and to deliver his poem to Master Fo Yin.  The content of the poem that Su Dong Po wrote was: "Meditating is the heavenly heaven.  The majestic lights illuminate the universe.  Eight Winds will not affect my mind.  I am peacefully sitting on a golden lotus seat".  Master Fo Yin answered Su Dong Po's poem with a letter that had only two words "Bull Shit" and asked the servant to take the letter back to Su Dong Po.  Su Dong Po became very angry after he read Master Fo Yin's letter.  He immediately took the boat and crossed the river to argue with Master Fo Yin.  Master Fo Yin asked his attendant to deliver a note to Su Dong Po.  The note contained only one sentence: "Although the Eight Winds have no effect on your mind only one letter with 'Bull Shit' has the power to make you cross the river to argue with me".

If your meditation is good then your mind will not be disturbed by any phenomena.  In Sanskrit, meditation is Dhyana and Samadhi.  What is Dhyana and what is Samadhi?  Dhyana means tranquil contemplation without wandering thoughts arising in our mind.  Samadhi is a mental state of concentration without falling asleep or unnecessary thoughts.  Our wisdom will be revealed because we practice meditation.  There are ten benefits acquired from practicing meditation.

1.  We will be settled by following good conditions for meditation.  We can practice meditation as many times as we want because we will peacefully reside in concentration.

2.  We practice meditation and our mind is continuously full of loving kindness.  Our compassion will be spontaneously initiated.

3.  There will be no defilements.  Practicing meditation makes our body, speech and mind pure.  Our senses are calm.  As a result greed, anger, ignorance and other defilements will not arise.

4.  Practicing meditation can prevent our six senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and thought) from being deluded.

5.  We will be filled with joy and satisfaction because the wonderful experience of meditation is similar to eating a delicious meal.

6.  We will depart from desire.  We will not be affected by emotions or phenomena after practicing meditation.

7.  We will not fall into nothingness from practicing meditation.  The result of practicing meditation is to realize the true emptiness of all phenomena.

8.  We will be liberated from demonic webs, which are our defilements and the Cyclic Existence.

9.  After practicing meditation, we will be unshakably set in Buddha's teaching.

10. We will attain ultimate liberation.  Practicing meditation will not only help us to mature and to be a better person but it will also let us achieve ultimate liberation.

The benefits of practicing meditation are not only limited to these ten benefits.  You have to experience meditation yourself to receive the benefits from the practice.  Wishing you all a good practice.