2b.Meditation Methods in the Mahayana (Developed) Buddhism Tradition:
These methods have been taught in China. Master Chih-k'ai [Zhiyi(Trí Di), also called Chih-k'ai (Trí Khải)],founder of the eclectic T'ien-t'ai [(Japanese: Tendai) Buddhist sect] taught thiền based on The Six Noble Practice Methods (Lục diệu pháp môn), which originally belonged to Theravada Buddhism, but which had been skillfully modified and became a Mahayana method.
The Six Noble Practice Methods
2b.1.Breath Counting: The practitioner breathes normally, and gently, while counting his/her breath from one to ten. By focusing on counting, the practitioner calms down the monkey mind naturally without much effort. His/her breath gradually becomes regular and gentle (refined), calming down arising thoughts step by step. If the practitioner does not want to focus on breath counting anymore, s/he may drop counting, and only focuses on breathing.
2b.2.Observing one’s breathing: After the practitioner stops counting breath, s/he focuses the mind on breathing in and out, so that the mind is no longer wandering with other thoughts and outside phenomena. When s/he realizes that the breathing itself is still too unrefined and disturbing the mind, s/he may stop focusing on breathing, and dwells on inside calmness only.
2b.3.Calming the mind: The practitioner’s mind remains calm —no more thought about breathing in and out, only inside tranquility. This is called “calmness.” The practitioner knows that inside his/her mind is calm, and that outside phenomena can no longer interfere this calmness. Although this calmness brings some joy and peace, the practitioner knows that it cannot help develop wisdom, and cannot help to liberate him/her from birth and death. Therefore, s/he continues to practice, and begins to use wisdom to observe.
2b.4.Observe phenomena: While dwelling in calmness, the practitioner observes his/her breath flowing in and out gently like a wind in an empty space; thirty six objects in the body as unreal, like a raft (or a babana trunk to help drowned people afloat and get ashore); the mind of transient illusory thoughts as impermanent; in every moment there is no subject (the “I”/the observer) and no object (the “other”/the observed). Once there is no perception of the “I”/the subject, where may concentration dwell on? Observing that way, the practitioner realizes the breath flow in and out in every hair on the body. His/her mind realizes that, the inside and the outside alike, the whole body is impure, impermanent in every moment. Even the observing mind is transient, unreal. Therefore, the practitioner abandons observing (xả quán), and starts practicing returing (hoàn).
2b.5.Looking back/reflecting: Because the practitioner realizes that the observing comes from the mind, and the analyzing phenomena also comes from the mind, and that both do not belong to the True Mind, s/he starts to reflect on the mind, trying to find out how it develops. This phase is called returing/reflecting (tu hoàn).
2b.6.Calmness/ tranquility: At that time, the mind is calm, not driven along with breathing, or reflecting. This phase is called calmness/tranquility (tịnh).
2b.7The Three Foci of Observation/Reflecting
Master Chih-k'ai (Trí Khải) also taught the method of Three Foci of Observing/Reflecting, namely, emptiness, unreal, and the middle.
(To be continued)
Sources:
Most Venerable Thích Thanh Từ
http://www.daophatngaynay.com/vn/phap-mon/thien-dinh/to-su/3355-Gioi-thieu-duong-loi-tu-thien-cua-Phat-giao.html
