2c.Thiền Schools:
These meditation methods originated in Chan(Thiền) Schools in China. Bodhidhamma came from India to Shaolin (Thiếu Lâm)Temple, China, and sat in meditation facing the wall for nine years without talking or meeting with anyone. One winter day, Shénguāng (Thần Quang), a thiền practitioner, came for Dharma learning. He silently waited outside, until snow accumulated high up to his knees (waist? --Wikipedia). In the morning when Bodhidhamma knew that, he turned his head around, and asked:
“What do you expect when you came here and had to endure such hardship?“
Shénguāng replied, ”Would you please open the compassion door to teach us?”
“Even when one has spent many lives diligently practicing Buddhas’ noble and exalted Dhamma, made great efforts to accomplish things that are very hard to accomplish, endured ordeals that are difficult to endure, one can hardly achieve the ultimate goal. Not to mention begging for the True Dhamma with your little effort standing in the cold snow.”
Shénguāng, upon hearing this, used his own sword to cut his arm and presented it to Bodhidhamma. The latter knew this was not an ordinary man, but a strong-willed Dhamma disciple. He said, “In the beginning, Buddhas would sacrifice their bodies for the Dharma. You have cut your arm and presented it to me, you must have a strong will for the Dhamma.”
This story first tells us Buddhist Dhamma is highly exalted for it liberates us from birth and death; second, those who chose to follow the Buddha have to have a strong will and courage, and must be ready to sacrifice their bodies for their ultimate goal. Those practitioners who do not have such a will won’t make any progress.
After that Shénguāng asked, “ What is the core of Buddhist Dhamma? May I ask?”
“It cannot be obtained from others.”
"My mind has no peace. Please pacify my mind.”
“Bring out your mind; I will.”
Shénguāng reflected for a long time, but could not find his mind. He said, “I tried to, but couldn’t find it.”
“Then I have pacified your mind.”
Shénguāng immediately understood, and realized the True Mind. Bodhidhamma gave him the name Huike(Huệ Khả).
We have always thought that the monkey mind, full of one after another illusory thought, is ours. Therefore, we never have peace. Bodhidhamma told Shénguāng to bring his restless mind to him, that means he wanted the disciple to self reflect, and to find where that mind is from. Once Shénguāng reflected on his mind, all the restlessness was gone, and the mind was pacified (the True Mind appeared). That is the method of pacifying the mind, and of developing concentration. This is also called self reflection; we reflect inward on our minds.
Bodhidhamma’s teachings were very clear, simple, and practical. It is not too difficult to accomplish.
Later, Huike (Huệ Khả) also taught Shengcan (Tăng Xán) in the same way. One day a lay person came to the Patriarch and said, “I have leprosy, please have pity and compassion on me, and allow me to repent."
The Patriarch said, “If you could bring your sins out here, I would help you repent.”
The lay person was stunned for a while, then said, “ I could not find any.”
“I already let you repent.”
In the first case, the practitioner tried to find the mind; in the second case, the practitioner tried to look for the sins. Repentance is also a way to self reflect.
Later on, Shengcan taught Daoxin (Đạo Tín) in the same way. Daoxin came to prostrate in front of the Patriarch, and said, “Would you please teach me the method of liberation?”
The Patriarch said, “ Who tied you up?”
“Nobody, Your Respected Most Venerable.”
“If not fettered, you need not be liberated.”
Daoxin immediately got enlightened.
Those masters who got enlightened always looked inward and self-reflected or examined to see if illusory thoughts, karma, sins, and fetters were real. Realizing that they all were illusions, unreal and unsubstantial, the masters got enlightened, and attained the ultimate goal of meditation practice. Such method is called self examination or self reflection.
Before the Song Dynasty, Chan (Thiền) had not had Koan meditation methods. Since the Song Dynasty, many Chinese Chan masters in the Linji School noticed that most monks and nuns might have understood Chan theoretically, but actually did not practice it. Therefore, they started to teach Koan, so as to stop monks and nuns from studying without practice, and from theoretical talking.
Koan methods are those in which the practitioner has to focus his/her concentration on the koan which the master gave until s/he got enlightened.
Because at present, the majority of our monks, nuns, and Buddhist lay people have not understood the ultimate goal of meditation practice well enough, so I did not want to introduce Koan methods; I simply teach how to meditate first, so that later on, once they have understood it, they may know the path to follow and practice correctly. That is we have to use the method that is the most appropriate to our current situation and our time, as well as to suit contemporary practitioners’ spiritual levels.
C. Conclusion
Thiền is a practical method that suits modern scientific spirit. Our mind is full of arising illusory thoughts (sufferings). If we know how to observe them, we will help our minds calm down, and have no sufferings any more, but filled with tranquility. The more/longer we practice meditation, the more benefits we may gain – very clear, straightforward, and not farfetched at all. Illusions and sufferings are unreal, while our Buddha Nature is real, but covered by illusions and sufferings. If we unveil the clouds of illusions and sufferings, our True Nature will appear. Such is the essential of our meditation practice.
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
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huike
