This is the only sitting meditation method that Most Venerable and Zen Master Thich Thanh Tu teaches, and is being practiced by the Truc Lam Yen Tu Thien (Zen)School from Vietnam. It was made public and posted online from an internal teaching session in Truc Lam-Phung Hoang Monastery in Dalat on February 9, the year of the Cat (March 25, 1999). It has been used for all Truc Lam Yen Tu Thien (Zen) monasteries in Vietnam as well as in other countries in the world.
Purpose
Every day we have to be in contact with the world (sight, sound, smell, taste, sensation, all external phenomena)through six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body feelings, and ideas). Our mind, therefore, is always easily perturbed and changes from moment to moment. We hardly have inner peace. Our mind is crucial in determining our experiences, in terms of sufferings (dukkha) and happiness (Nirvana). The purpose of meditation is to help us develop the right thought.
While we are walking, standing, lying, or sitting, we have to learn to dwell in complete awareness, or to live with our True Nature and Wisdom in our daily activities.
Still, for beginners, sitting meditation is the most appropriate method, compared to meditation in other postures.
What You Need
1.A flat thin square mattress (Toa Cu) 80cmx80cm to place on the floor.
2.A thick round cushion (Bo doan) 20cm in diameter and 20cm in height (when you sit on it, it should be reduced to 10cm), stuffed with cotton. This cushion is to be placed on top and in the middle of the square mattress.
3.A small kerchief or little cushion to prop the hands (Goi ke tay). This is to be put on the hollow area where your hands rest on the two crossed feet.
Sitting Meditation
There are three phases in one sitting meditation session:
A.Entering Meditation (in Vietnamese: Nhap):
At the designated time and place, spread the square mattress on the floor, put the round cushion in the middle.
Sit on the cushion, so the end of your spine is in the middle of the cushion. After you feel stable and balanced, cross your two feet, so they rest on your thighs, in a lotus position (left foot on right thigh, and right foot on left thigh). The feet should be close to the trunk. You may also sit in half lotus position with your left foot on your right thigh, and the right foot under the left thigh.
Loosen your belt and the collar, so you feel comfortable, and make sure you are sitting with your backbone straight/upright.
The back of your right hand should be on your left palm. Both hands rest on the groove where the feet cross.
The fingers of one hand rest on those of the other; the tips of both thumbs touch each other right below the belly button.
If there is a hollow on either of your feet, use the small kerchief/cushion to prop, so you can feel more stable.
The elbows are close to the sides of your trunk, near your hips.
Move your body three times, first with some strength then gently.
Sitting with your spine straight, and your head a little bit forward, so your nose is above your thumbs. Your earlobes should be above your shoulders (head straight, not leaning toward any side). Your eyes can be open a bit (about 1/3), but do not fix your eyes further than 60 cm away from your feet. Your face should be relaxed.
Breathe in through your nose gently, imagine your breath is flowing throughout your body and clearing all the stagnant areas. Then breathe out through your mouth, and imagine all the pains, illnesses, impurities and sufferings are being flushed out with your breath. Practice this three times, reduce in strength gradually. After the third time, close your mouth, your tongue curved up to touch the roof of your mouth/the hard palate. From now on you will breathe regularly and gently through your nose.
B. Staying in Meditation (in Vietnamese: Tru)
There are three methods for beginners.
1.Focusing on counting your breath from 1 to 10. There are two ways to count. One way is to count your inhale 1, and your exhale 2. Continue to count up to 10, then return to 1 again. So on, so forth. The second way is to count 1 for both inhale and exhale. Continue to count up to 10. Then return to 1 again. If you miscount, you need to start counting 1 again.
2.Following/Observing your breath: with this method you just follow/observe your breath. You must be fully aware of your inhale and exhale. As you follow your breath, you know that your life depends on your breath and, like your breath, life is impermanent. Practice until you are following your breath well enough (i.e., without confusion). Then you may practice the next method, observing (being fully aware of) arising illusory thoughts.
3.Awareness of arising illusory thoughts
First, you follow your breath for a couple of minutes, then you no longer have to follow the breath, but let your mind remains calm. If there is any thought arising, you should recognize it, but simply let it go. Do not go after the thought. When the thought disappears, the mind will again calm down. Gradually fewer and fewer thoughts arise, until they die out completely.
Problems?
If you feel sleepy, you should open your eyes, and be aware of the body’s posture.
If during the sitting session, you feel heavy on the chest, or any sharp pain in the heart, it could be because you are sitting too straight, or too tensely. Be more relaxed.
If there is any pain near the end of the backbone around the waist, the back must possibly have been curved/bent a bit. Make sure our back is straight.
If there is pain on one shoulder, it is because the two shoulders are not balanced, one side could have been lower than the other.
If you feel pain on both shoulders, then both hands must be too tense, loosen them a bit.
In short, the whole body should be relaxed, and feels comfortable.
C. Ending (Getting out of the State of) Meditation (in Vietnamese: Xa)
Before ending (getting out of the state of meditation, you should chant the following stanza to dedicate the merit of your sitting meditation practice:
I wish to dedicate
the merit of this sitting meditation
to all beings;
May they attain
the ultimate goals on the Path to Enlightenment.
Breath:
After chanting, use your nose to breathe in, and your mouth to breathe out three times (increasing in strength from the first to the third). When breathing in, imagine your blood circulates well all over your body. When breathing out, imagine you are cleansing your body from all sufferings, illnesses, and impurities.
Movements:
Start to move your shoulders five times.
Then bob your head up and down five times. Turn your head to the right,and to the left five times. Then bob your head up and down five more times.
Move your fingers by holding them together and stretching them out five times. Move your trunk seven times; the last time, move the hands to the knees, and press them down on the knees.
Massage:
Massage your face 20-30 times.
Massage your head 20-30 times.
Massage your nape the same amount of times.
Massage your neck 20-30 times.
Use your right hand to massage from the left shoulder to the arm.
Use the left hand to massage the left side of the trunk from the armpit down to the hip. use both hands to massage both sides in the same manner 10 times.
Put the right palm on the chest, the back of the left hand on the back. Use both hands to massage across the trunk (the front and the back) 5 times. Do that across the chest first, then across the tummy, and finally, the lower part of the tummy.
Use both hands to massage across the back of the waist.
Massage the buttocks. Massage the thighs as many times as necessary.
Massage the middle fingers to make them warm before putting them on the eyelids five times.
One hand holds the toes, while the other hand pulls the foot gently out and put it down.
Both hands massage from the thighs down to the feet. Massage both feet to warm them as many times as necessary.
Stretch both feet.
Getting up:
Move the trunk forward, so the fingers can touch the toes five times.
Move the whole body out of the round cushion, but sit still for a couple of minutes, then gradually stand up to prostrate in front of the Buddha.
Note (by nttv):
At the end of each sitting meditation session, you need to massage for balance and good health, but you should do it in a refined manner, and do not cause noises. After sitting still for a long time, all your movements and breathing should gradually change from immobility and stillness to normal daily activities. The massage method introduced here is based on the popular oriental medicine (called "duong sinh," a method for healthy living. For more information, please contact the National Institute of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacology in Vietnam). This traditional method has been used for generations in Vietnam.
Sources:
In Vietnam
Thien vien Thuong Chieu--Long thanh--Dong nai
http://thuongchieu.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24&Itemid=319
Thien Vien Truc Lam-Dalat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELLS_m3m-4Q&feature=related
In Australia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jJPYOSmBB0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBuQXdTFn7s&feature=endscreen&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBuQXdTFn7s&feature=related
In the USA
Thien Vien Dai Dang, CA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7djPzKQGbAc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7djPzKQGbAc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUYlRUtKV7E
