Ask Lin: What is proper meditation?

[Adam West]

Hey Lin,

 

I have always found you to be very knowledgeable and insightful. You seem to impecibly embody the virtue of which you speak. And since you mentioned "proper meditation" in the Qinway Qigong thread as a method to Buddhahood, I wonder if you would be so kind as to define and describe proper meditation for us? What exactly does proper meditation consist of, and how does it assist in revealing our natural or original state?

 

As a side note, would you supply some biographical data on yourself: what tradition you practice in, teach in, how you came to be in that tradition and previous traditions and what were the principal influences that lead you to your present position and condition on the path?

 

Many thanks my friend!

 

In kind regards,

 

Adam.

Edited December 14, 2007 by Adam West

[林愛偉]

>>humbly bows<<

 

Proper meditation is the label of that which functions to reveal the original nature. Original nature is a label which points to that which is non-dual. We can keep goign on with the words, but really it is all word play. When associations are dropped, words are words, before they are dropped, they have meaning. Now, words only direct the mind to focus.

 

Meditation is the action, the practice inwhich one can realize their potential in patience, awareness, mindfulness, and as a result wisdom. The "Proper" of proper meditation refers to the techniques utilized during the act of meditating (contemplating, concentrating) which lead to putting down views of ego, self others and life, methods to recognize the cause and conditions of the mind.

 

The techniques are simply directives for the mind. For example; keep mind on the breath only, being aware of the in and out flow of breath. THen there are methods refering to emotions letting them arise, keep the mind on the breath, and investigate the cause of the arising emotion,, desire, thought, pain, memory, ego, views of ego, others, beings and a life.

 

So we can say that "proper meditation", or even cultivation, without a traditional background, is simply that which keeps one from indulging in their 5 senses, and mind, and develops patience, compassion and wisdom. Each sense organ; nose, mouth, eyes, ears, touch and mind all pull the mind and energy to it, thus resulting in attaching to those sensations and experiences with a regard to the labeling of what is real and not. This is pointing to how the senses are all empty. --Another thread..lol

 

Any technique that assists in turning the light inward to reveal one's original nature is proper, and those techniques, or methods, include anything which drops the attachments to senses, purifies and illuminates the senses, and results in wisdom, patience and compassion. Revealing one's original nature is to enlighten, bring the light of the mind back in, instead of spreading it thin to all our sensations and attachments to the 5 sense organs. But once that is done, its not over. Enlightenment is one thing, but perfecting it is another..lol

 

You see, keeping in mind to receive, attain abilities, immortality, feelings of reassurance of one's progress actually hinder one's progress..lol With wisdom, attainment of abilities is easy, because you would have already known the function, cause and outcome of such things. Abilities without wisdom is like putting a loaded gun in a 5yr old's hands...high potential for hurting themselves and others.

------------------------

 

 

Some history on me; I was born in 1980, june 5th. My father cultivated Daoist philosophy, my mother cultivated spiritual abilities like seeing one's future, past, and present conditions, though she had them naturally, she didn't have a wisdom foundation, and thus experiences a life of emotional and physical suffering, as she still does.

 

My 2nd eldest sister taught me meditation at age 8. It was her experiment on telepathy which drove her to teach me. We worked daily for hours on telepathic abilities and only kept it to ourselves. She was my first teacher of mediation. She was just becoming aware of her own abilities, and had no tradition. She taught through whatever method resulted in compassion and wisdom.

 

Age 8 till 11 I cultivated sitting and lying meditation, and was taught about compassion. From that time,, I took a vow to teach about cultivation for my life's work, and that I wouldn't retreat from it. At age13 I learned fa gong (transference of energy for healing) through meditation only. No one taught me. I treated sick people, my mother included, friends and other family members. I began realizing more about Daoist practiced through my father's influence of Daoist philosophical studies.

 

I began Shen Gong, Intuitive Spiritual Cultivation, which I learned through meditation on my own. Through this, I received many teachings through meditation, and my teachers came and went as they pleased. By 19yrs old I began martial arts, Wing Chun and Taiji Quan. The reason was for mindful cultivation. I hated the fact of hitting my fellow brothers, but accepted it after my 2nd yr. I learned Taiji Quan from Sifu Rudy Curry Jr. in Queens, as well as Yi Jin Jing, and several manners of standing Qigong, Neigong. From Sifu Rudy I also learned some Bagua Zhang, but from his disciple Novel Bell ( aka Black Taoist; BT) I learned 8 Qigong palms of Yin Style Bagua Zhang.

 

Basically, all my cultivation came out of meditation. One technique, and with proper guidance of not getting attached to states and abilities, I was able to further my cultivation.

 

I moved to China in 2003, with a lot of cultivation methods in my bag, and hopes for China. I get here and my mind shatters for its not China anymore. I cultivate patience and compassion. After 1 year in China my Buddhist Shifu appeared and taught me that all I learned was good, but there was a missing foundation of humility, and proper wisdom of the mind. once I went deeper into his teachings, everything changed instantly, and I saw the conditions of the mind which at one time led me to go up and down throughout my younger yrs.

 

Soon after I realized that Daoist and Buddhist cultivation are only different by the cultivator. Once one realizes the functions of their illusions, their emotions, desires, thoughts, and sees them as empty, there is no real difference in Daoism and Buddhism. Soon after I took discipleship with my friend in the Daoist nunnery. She accepted me as a disciple of Quan Zheng Dao which cultivates Buddhist, Daoist and Confucian methods. She took me as a disciple as a form of sharing the lineage with em, but the teachings I already had through my younger yrs of cultivation and the entering porper Buddhist cultivation. So my Quan Zhen Dao Shifu only certifies what I have been doing. She told me she doesn't have to teach me anything...I have access to it already.

 

So, my tradition started with no tradition, just mind. The causes were quite clear; my parents had ill relations with eachother, arguing, and craziness, but I never got effected by them negatively. I would say, "Wow, i don't want to be like that when I get older.." lol My parents were my greatest teachers in compassion and patience, my sister laid a path of cultivation out for me Everything else flowed right in.

 

In Beijing 3yrs ago , I met one of my disciples, a Chinese girl, Buddhist. I described how I teach. She wanted to learn, and told me if I knew that it was all Buddhist teachings. I said no, and realized how it was all pretty much similar.

 

Now, it is cultivation. You can say it is Buddhism without culture...simply cultivation. Daoist cultivation had the Chinese culture, and now anything that doesn't bare a mark of chinese flavor in Daoism is seen as not being Daoist. Buddhism mixes into the cultures.....because they were originally techniques, not religious cultural practices.

 

My traditions now is Buddhism. Just Buddhism. In this, there is cultivation of wisdom, compassion and patience, spiritual abilities, Qigong and the like.. all because it is in Buddhism. Its just that energy and abilities aren't something we worry about. It is within our practices as a whole, not something to practice afterwards.Yet, not everyone cultivates it that way.

 

Abilities come with wisdom, safely, so in this manner a "Buddhist" shouldn't go praising spiritual abilities only.

 

This is a long post. Maybe I misunderstood, and didn't have to write this much.. haha I'm a simple person you know.

 

All of my cultivation, all things I attained, are only results from cultivation... I didn't really attain anything. Its nothing special about me. It is the method. The cultivator only practices, and gets results, but it is the teachings which are the foundation, not the cluttered mind of the cultivator. I take no credit in it all. It is all the outcomes of proper Buddhist cultivation.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

Edited December 15, 2007 by 林愛偉

[mat black]

Lin, i feel you sister is wonderful. i got something when i read about her

 

i like how you say that it's the intent of the cultivation that is important = my feeling too.

 

if the intent is sincere for understanding, clarity, compassion, then, what comes comes.

 

a foundation of virtue naturally produces nice fruit.

 

the fruit of love and compassion. it's in everyone.

[林愛偉]

 

if the intent is sincere for understanding, clarity, compassion, then, what comes comes.

 

a foundation of virtue naturally produces nice fruit.

 

the fruit of love and compassion. it's in everyone.

 

 

Intent is very important, concentration and intent; will and intent, very important. YET, one may practice something that would eventually lead to their hurting other people while in the beginning of the practice be told it was good and compassionate, and proper. Their intent is to get good things, but the road they are taking is not pointing in the direction of wholesomeness.

 

This is why the Buddha said to question everything and if it makes sense to logic and reason, after your own investigating, then follow it, cultivate it.

 

So the statement on intent must be looked at carefully, because people will turn around and say that they could practice anything they want because they believe it will result in good things for people and themselves...but it wont. There is a difference between intent and proper cultivation, and intent and not knowing what is proper or not. Of course anything can be taken as dogma, but when a teaching is telling you to be careful, why disregard it as useless because it was a teaching in what people claim is religion?

Investigate.

 

People all over the world are taught bad and evil practices of qigong, and other cultivation methods. THey are told its alright, and to forget religion, and to not bother with the teachings of the Buddha Mind because it is religious dogma...What fools!

One doesn't know something unless they investigate it fully, and still that knowing is of their own views. Unless the views have been put down. And if they have been put down from cultivation of good things, then that system of cultivation was proper.

 

People label and label and disregard because of it, and ego. Break down the image one has of them self. That it so important if one is to attain the fruits of Bodhi. Becoming a God, immortal...not important and not so easy...lol stopping karma.. another not so easy task which CAN NOT BE DONE BY QI GONG...lol

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

[joeblast]

Good stuff, Lin. I look forward to February!

[Bum Grasshopper]

>>humbly bows<<

 

Proper meditation is the label of that which functions to reveal the original nature. Original nature is a label which points to that which is non-dual. We can keep goign on with the words, but really it is all word play. When associations are dropped, words are words, before they are dropped, they have meaning. Now, words only direct the mind to focus.

 

Meditation is the action, the practice inwhich one can realize their potential in patience, awareness, mindfulness, and as a result wisdom. The "Proper" of proper meditation refers to the techniques utilized during the act of meditating (contemplating, concentrating) which lead to putting down views of ego, self others and life, methods to recognize the cause and conditions of the mind.

 

The techniques are simply directives for the mind. For example; keep mind on the breath only, being aware of the in and out flow of breath. THen there are methods refering to emotions letting them arise, keep the mind on the breath, and investigate the cause of the arising emotion,, desire, thought, pain, memory, ego, views of ego, others, beings and a life.

 

So we can say that "proper meditation", or even cultivation, without a traditional background, is simply that which keeps one from indulging in their 5 senses, and mind, and develops patience, compassion and wisdom. Each sense organ; nose, mouth, eyes, ears, touch and mind all pull the mind and energy to it, thus resulting in attaching to those sensations and experiences with a regard to the labeling of what is real and not. This is pointing to how the senses are all empty. --Another thread..lol

 

Any technique that assists in turning the light inward to reveal one's original nature is proper, and those techniques, or methods, include anything which drops the attachments to senses, purifies and illuminates the senses, and results in wisdom, patience and compassion. Revealing one's original nature is to enlighten, bring the light of the mind back in, instead of spreading it thin to all our sensations and attachments to the 5 sense organs. But once that is done, its not over. Enlightenment is one thing, but perfecting it is another..lol

 

You see, keeping in mind to receive, attain abilities, immortality, feelings of reassurance of one's progress actually hinder one's progress..lol With wisdom, attainment of abilities is easy, because you would have already known the function, cause and outcome of such things. Abilities without wisdom is like putting a loaded gun in a 5yr old's hands...high potential for hurting themselves and others.

------------------------

Some history on me; I was born in 1980, june 5th. My father cultivated Daoist philosophy, my mother cultivated spiritual abilities like seeing one's future, past, and present conditions, though she had them naturally, she didn't have a wisdom foundation, and thus experiences a life of emotional and physical suffering, as she still does.

 

My 2nd eldest sister taught me meditation at age 8. It was her experiment on telepathy which drove her to teach me. We worked daily for hours on telepathic abilities and only kept it to ourselves. She was my first teacher of mediation. She was just becoming aware of her own abilities, and had no tradition. She taught through whatever method resulted in compassion and wisdom.

 

Age 8 till 11 I cultivated sitting and lying meditation, and was taught about compassion. From that time,, I took a vow to teach about cultivation for my life's work, and that I wouldn't retreat from it. At age13 I learned fa gong (transference of energy for healing) through meditation only. No one taught me. I treated sick people, my mother included, friends and other family members. I began realizing more about Daoist practiced through my father's influence of Daoist philosophical studies.

 

I began Shen Gong, Intuitive Spiritual Cultivation, which I learned through meditation on my own. Through this, I received many teachings through meditation, and my teachers came and went as they pleased. By 19yrs old I began martial arts, Wing Chun and Taiji Quan. The reason was for mindful cultivation. I hated the fact of hitting my fellow brothers, but accepted it after my 2nd yr. I learned Taiji Quan from Sifu Rudy Curry Jr. in Queens, as well as Yi Jin Jing, and several manners of standing Qigong, Neigong. From Sifu Rudy I also learned some Bagua Zhang, but from his disciple Novel Bell ( aka Black Taoist; BT) I learned 8 Qigong palms of Yin Style Bagua Zhang.

 

Basically, all my cultivation came out of meditation. One technique, and with proper guidance of not getting attached to states and abilities, I was able to further my cultivation.

 

I moved to China in 2003, with a lot of cultivation methods in my bag, and hopes for China. I get here and my mind shatters for its not China anymore. I cultivate patience and compassion. After 1 year in China my Buddhist Shifu appeared and taught me that all I learned was good, but there was a missing foundation of humility, and proper wisdom of the mind. once I went deeper into his teachings, everything changed instantly, and I saw the conditions of the mind which at one time led me to go up and down throughout my younger yrs.

 

Soon after I realized that Daoist and Buddhist cultivation are only different by the cultivator. Once one realizes the functions of their illusions, their emotions, desires, thoughts, and sees them as empty, there is no real difference in Daoism and Buddhism. Soon after I took discipleship with my friend in the Daoist nunnery. She accepted me as a disciple of Quan Zheng Dao which cultivates Buddhist, Daoist and Confucian methods. She took me as a disciple as a form of sharing the lineage with em, but the teachings I already had through my younger yrs of cultivation and the entering porper Buddhist cultivation. So my Quan Zhen Dao Shifu only certifies what I have been doing. She told me she doesn't have to teach me anything...I have access to it already.

 

So, my tradition started with no tradition, just mind. The causes were quite clear; my parents had ill relations with eachother, arguing, and craziness, but I never got effected by them negatively. I would say, "Wow, i don't want to be like that when I get older.." lol My parents were my greatest teachers in compassion and patience, my sister laid a path of cultivation out for me Everything else flowed right in.

 

In Beijing 3yrs ago , I met one of my disciples, a Chinese girl, Buddhist. I described how I teach. She wanted to learn, and told me if I knew that it was all Buddhist teachings. I said no, and realized how it was all pretty much similar.

 

Now, it is cultivation. You can say it is Buddhism without culture...simply cultivation. Daoist cultivation had the Chinese culture, and now anything that doesn't bare a mark of chinese flavor in Daoism is seen as not being Daoist. Buddhism mixes into the cultures.....because they were originally techniques, not religious cultural practices.

 

My traditions now is Buddhism. Just Buddhism. In this, there is cultivation of wisdom, compassion and patience, spiritual abilities, Qigong and the like.. all because it is in Buddhism. Its just that energy and abilities aren't something we worry about. It is within our practices as a whole, not something to practice afterwards.Yet, not everyone cultivates it that way.

 

Abilities come with wisdom, safely, so in this manner a "Buddhist" shouldn't go praising spiritual abilities only.

 

This is a long post. Maybe I misunderstood, and didn't have to write this much.. haha I'm a simple person you know.

 

All of my cultivation, all things I attained, are only results from cultivation... I didn't really attain anything. Its nothing special about me. It is the method. The cultivator only practices, and gets results, but it is the teachings which are the foundation, not the cluttered mind of the cultivator. I take no credit in it all. It is all the outcomes of proper Buddhist cultivation.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

 

 

Thank You so much for this!

 

I came upon this forum after I "discovered" Taoism a few months ago when I heard Wayne Dyer on PBS talking of the Tao Te Ching. After reading the posts, my reaction was just that of your screen name ??? !

 

Like you, but in a different way, I unknowingly started cultivating at an early age, in my own way. I got disillusioned along the way, not adhering to the traditions and not really knowing what I was doing was right.

 

After following this forum, I went back to meditating on a regular basis. I have since read many books (and threads) on cultivation and have once again come back to ???

 

It is ironic that ??? should bring me back to clarity.

[林愛偉]

Thank You so much for this!

 

I came upon this forum after I "discovered" Taoism a few months ago when I heard Wayne Dyer on PBS talking of the Tao Te Ching. After reading the posts, my reaction was just that of your screen name ??? !

 

Like you, but in a different way, I unknowingly started cultivating at an early age, in my own way. I got disillusioned along the way, not adhering to the traditions and not really knowing what I was doing was right.

 

After following this forum, I went back to meditating on a regular basis. I have since read many books (and threads) on cultivation and have once again come back to ???

 

It is ironic that ??? should bring me back to clarity.

 

 

Now learning cultivation without a physical being, only intuition and non physical guidance, takes alot of faith on the cultivator to trust what they are doing is proper...sometimes things can go wrong, but if your heart is compassionate, and you act on it, if you make sure to keep patience very close, and check your thoughts, you will be alright. Have no doubts, but always question and investigate your mind, thoughts, emotions towards things.

 

It took me a long long time to have someone turn and say what I was doing is good, and proper. It took a big heavy worry off my shoulders. Though I knew what I was cultivating was wholesome, I received it all through meditation, not through a person. So I had to have a lot of faith during my younger years till I received certification of my methods, and guidance. It takes faith, yet it also requires patience, compassion, forgiving, no anger, no greed and not doing things that cause you to have emotional problems, etc.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

[Aspirin]

---

Edited June 24, 2016 by Aspirin

[林愛偉]

Good stuff, Lin. I look forward to February!

 

 

Me too! Its going to be interesting indeed.

[Adam West]

Hi Lin and all,

 

Thanks a lot, Lin, for your reply and all that generous sharing! I tend to find a deep intuitive harmony with the spirit of what have said and your other posts I have encountered. I enjoyed it very much and will keep an eye out for more in the furture.

 

In kind regards,

 

Adam.

[林愛偉]

Hi Lin and all,

 

Thanks a lot, Lin, for your reply and all that generous sharing! I tend to find a deep intuitive harmony with the spirit of what have said and your other posts I have encountered. I enjoyed it very much and will keep an eye out for more in the furture.

 

In kind regards,

 

Adam.

 

 

maybe I wrote too much..hahaha

 

I would have never wrote all that if no one asked. And since you asked, it felt like an honest inquiry, it was alright to post it.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

[voidisyinyang]

Hi Lin -- I'm just curious. You have spoken in terms of religion so you consider yourself an ordained lay monk I would think. Did you stay at the nunnery (I would think not) or how long have you stayed in a monastery for training? Also the classes you teach are religious classes then but I didn't get that impression from your website. Maybe I didn't notice it but you are requiring the taking of religious vows for your students I would think.

 

Please share more so I can be corrected. Also obviously the website doesn't have a religious focus so....

 

I personally find the cross-over between the secular and religious fascinating.

 

I myself have taken the tantra route of full secularization even though this clearly makes the accomplishment of compassion and practice to be a radical experiment.

 

For example I've found that eating one meal a day is best for keeping a more energized level -- more chi and shen and jing transduction -- even though this is more of a eastern monk practice. Even most western monks eat three meals a day! haha.

 

Also I rely on full-lotus to "empty" out emotions -- so that the mind can become peaceful and that solutions to practical problems can find their way into my brain. haha.

 

Full-lotus though is a practice that does not require religion although it does require a very strong "fanatical" focus to be successful.

 

My level of practice is not as strong as when I was receiving energy transmissions from qigong master Chunyi Lin and he does teach Buddhist sutra meditation as well, as can be found on his website:

 

http://springforestqigong.com

 

He states that religion makes qigong easier but religion is not necessary. He even goes to a Christian church once a week as well.

 

This is obviously true but even more obvious is how very few people are seriously religious anymore. When I took his classes I had my costs provided for (as if I was a monk) and worked very rarely, close by where I lived, so I was able to really focus on practice. But people really disrespect religion now.

 

Basically I quickly lost my innocence in terms of spiritual powers! haha. Then I've had to start all over again to integrate my new psychological and moral knowledge that I developed AFTER I obtained spiritual powers. So now I'm building up my spiritual powers again but with conscious awareness of transforming the obstacles that at first I innocently was unaware of.

 

I think that religion tends to REPRESS a lot of psychological-practical issues based on physical distance and reliance on military protection, etc. Buddhism was spread through imperialism. Even in China the Taoists criticized the Buddhists for relying on imperial tax money.

 

For example a strict diet -- not just vegetarian -- but no salt even -- is what I first practiced for my qigong training, as per the book "Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality" translated by Charles Luk, the Ch'an lay monk.

 

That diet really made a difference because I found out that potassium is crucial to open up the brain channels, versus sodium.

 

Anyway people really gave me trouble about my diet and so I just went the opposite way -- now I just scavenge whatever food comes my way. I mean even a little bit of salt tasted like poison to me when I did an 8 day "energy fast" -- on only half a glass of water and lots of full-lotus, small universe practice.

 

Now I take herbs to counteract the sugar, etc.

 

I really don't see "harmony" or even "social justice" as a practical possibility on the planet although I do pursue these goals -- only because it's the logical truth. In other words I'm no longing trying to "save the planet" or anything.

 

The only real harmony is the empty awareness and this is the logical reason for doing anything else, because we are always already empty awareness.

 

I rely on music as the model to explain the full-lotus practice or the small universe practice or simplified tai-chi or morality and just about anything else.

 

I think you understand what I'm saying because since you come from a martial arts background with psychic training it's similar to what I'm doing. It does take PHYSICAL strength to process emotional energy so that it can be turned into spiritual energy that is stored in the body. There's a reason religion literally means TO BIND and yoga means TO YOKE. It's physical.

 

It's easy for energy to be scattered through the third eye but to me this is really not a loss -- it's just part of the greater harmonization process.

 

As Qigong master Chunyi Lin states -- the two main sources of energy blockages are

 

1) emotion

 

2) nutrition

 

There -- now you haven't talked too much! haha.

 

thanks for sharing.

 

Back to my original question though -- did you have any lengthy monastery or solitary meditation training? I think this is really the key -- for example your teacher did a 3 year retreat when his mom died. Master Chunyi Lin did 40 days straight of nonstop full-lotus without taking food and water and without sleep!

[林愛偉]

 

Back to my original question though -- did you have any lengthy monastery or solitary meditation training? I think this is really the key -- for example your teacher did a 3 year retreat when his mom died. Master Chunyi Lin did 40 days straight of nonstop full-lotus without taking food and water and without sleep!

 

 

Nice questions..

 

No, I'm not a lay monk in any fashion, and donot require any students or anyone coming to learn what I wish to share to take any kind of religious acts, or what not. How I have cultivated has been in the world within society, and all of everyone's ways. Keeping mindful and strict in not doing certain things led to how things are now for me.

Taking vows isn't religious. Maybe the wording presents the attachment a lot of people have to it. I should say, Making promises to oneself towards attaining the desired result of their cultivation.

 

My parents are both alive. My retreats in the monasteries have been just like my life outside the monastery. I wake up early, meditate and the whole day stay in the mindfulness of what is being done. Still dealing with my own desires, thoughts, and whatnot in the monastery as I do at home.

 

As a lay person, as a monk is all the same, because where ever the mind is is where "you" are.

 

I don't present anything of a religious tradition, because religious traditions bare the culture of the land it develops in. What I have is no different from secular and non secular Buddhist cultivation.... BUT I only present methods, not culture. Foundation for patience, compassion and wisdom, not marks of a specific culture and tradition.

 

So, how I was raised in cultivation was to be of no marks... "be" is just to point to the focus of the meaning. Just No Marks.

 

Every day meditate, every moment in meditation; eating, sitting, sleeping, cooking, walking, learning in school, teaching english, on the computer...all of it is cultivation. Keeping the mind in "check" watching for rising of emotions, views, desires.

 

My training wasn't anything profound like the teachers you mention. I simply take what is presented and use it to cultivate the mind.

 

We say, Cultivation is to eat the Bitterness of all things.

 

How I teach the Mantra cultivation isn't of any cultural tradition, like Vajrayana of Tibet, and what not. It is simply sitting, meditating, reciting, and learning the meaning, discussing its functions and the like, and memorizing. To the best of my ability to comprehend the Buddha's teachings, I teach Buddhist cultivation...no traditions, not cultures...just simply cultivation.

 

I learned everything at home, out in the street, talking to people, observing/being mindful of what passes through the mind and mind. I never locked on to religious ways...and though Buddhism has a percentage used as religion, it is only one method of cultivation of the Buddha's teachings.

 

So, taking vows is not religious, adhering to precepts in Buddhism is not religious, bowing to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is not religious, lighting incense to them as well isn't religious also. It is people's minds which make something what it is, and build on it with ceremony and formalities within the culture. Though there is nothing wrong with culture and traditions, people tend to attach to them and make them...Dogmatic.

 

 

Peace and Blessings Brother.

Lin

Edited December 16, 2007 by 林愛偉

[林愛偉]

 

 

As Qigong master Chunyi Lin states -- the two main sources of energy blockages are

 

1) emotion

 

2) nutrition

 

There -- now you haven't talked too much! haha.

 

 

 

haha You are a good person Peace and Blessings !

[voidisyinyang]

This is great. I remember that qigong master Chunyi Lin invited his students to a western piano recital performed by a Canton virtuoso -- Master Chunyi Lin's hometown. When I went Master Lin was going across the parking lot with his wife, another teacher. I was walking behind them -- on my own. Then before the show I went to take a leak. The bathroom was way across a big room and no one else was going there -- except Master Chunyi Lin, following me! haha. So we're in the bathroom and he looks at me and states, "I think you'll enjoy the show."

 

Now here's someone who regularly transmits energy for healing -- long-distance healing even. All I could think of was that finally I can kow-tow to him. haha. We were alone and I'd never seen anyone bow down to him, on their knees, forehead to the bathroom floor.

 

Well I didn't do this because I didn't trust my own thoughts -- they seemed too contrived even for something like kow-tow.

 

Anyway the blending of West and other cultures is pretty wild.

 

Dogmatic -- there's a biology of religion book that states:

 

Dog is to Man as Man is to God.

 

That, of course, refers to the "Alpha Male" structure of both religion and complex social interactions in mammals.

 

This structure is harmonized by the inner ear method. Thanks Lin!!

 

haha You are a good person Peace and Blessings !

[林愛偉]

 

I can picture that story.. lol My goal is to take the culture from the Chinese and Indian, and Japanese, from Buddhism and filter it out to a degree. Those cultures are beautiful indeed, but it develops a mark of what Buddhism should look like. Which is no problem if one can see past tradition and go directly to cultivation. But that is rare, and sometimes not even supported. If Buddhism doesn't resemble Chinese, or specifically other cultural traditions, it is disregarded, etc, etc etc.

 

So I am taking it all and looking at what people popularize. Then I get rid of it, and present just the cultivation. If something from another culture of Buddhism seems to benefit others, then I'll find a way to integrate it and explain the functions of such so it doesn't make things flashy and "mysterious". The thoughts of mystery always steer people in swervy directions.

 

Any who... lol I like your story brother Drew. Made me laugh and painted a nice picture of Master Chunyi Lin.

 

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

[.broken.]

I moved to China in 2003, with a lot of cultivation methods in my bag, and hopes for China. I get here and my mind shatters for its not China anymore. I cultivate patience and compassion. After 1 year in China my Buddhist Shifu appeared and taught me that all I learned was good, but there was a missing foundation of humility, and proper wisdom of the mind. once I went deeper into his teachings, everything changed instantly, and I saw the conditions of the mind which at one time led me to go up and down throughout my younger yrs.

 

 

I was most intrigued by this paragraph. You mentioned that you did much cultivation before reaching this point. May I ask as to how your cultivation practices changed as a result of turning your awareness to the missing foundation? How did you train humility and wisdom of the mind?

 

Yours humbly,

.broken.

[林愛偉]

I was most intrigued by this paragraph. You mentioned that you did much cultivation before reaching this point. May I ask as to how your cultivation practices changed as a result of turning your awareness to the missing foundation? How did you train humility and wisdom of the mind?

 

Yours humbly,

.broken.

 

Good question!

 

Before I arrived in China, I was cultivating since 8,9yrs old formally, meaning regularly, daily.

At age 18, 19, I began creating views of what China would be like. Before that age I never gave China a thought. I imagined China to be a place of virtue, and character, moral and respect. Ofcourse, I was ignorant to many things and decided that was China through the movies, and philosophers that came out of there, not to mention the cultivation...lol

 

When I arrived at the airport in China, it wasn't at all what the movies showed, nor was it at all what was depicted in the books by ancient philosophers; I never read heavily about Chinese culture, or philosphers of China, but I knew what the lifestyle of China was through friends(Chinese) and paintings of old China. I truly didn't realize that China changed so much. I was in culture shock... In shock that the culture I left was the culture I returned to!

 

I was devastated for about 6 months. People making fun of me, laughing and cursing at how I looked because I wore robes, Chinese ones, I carried a sword on my back, for dispelling evils...lol seriously, and every where I went, there were cars driving recklessly, people not caring for each other if they were hurt in the streets, bikes and pedestrians just pushing their way, oblivious to the next person. And the pollution, smoking.. Unbelievable! That was my hell.

 

I never left my home. Cursed them till days end, and stayed depressed every day at what had become of China. No culture amongst the city people, country side was getting close, but still has humility and humanity..to an extent. Out here people dress in fashion and expensively to go to KFC. They cream over anything that looks western, "modern", and try to fit into an image of what development and modernization should look like...which is exactly like the western countries.

 

I was so sad. Especially when I finally realized that they disregard their own Medical Science...Chinese Medicine. People are disbelieving it, because they are brainwashed by commercials. They overload themselves with everything we have in the west...simply because it is "modern".

 

This is when I almost decided to leave, in jan of 2005, I was ready to take off and quit China. Then I felt this overwhelming pity for everyone here. I realized that it is a great place to learn to cultivate. Deciding to stay it out, I kept investigating the anger thoughts, and everything I felt, all my views about China and Me. THen I met my Shifu of Buddhism, Master Xuan Hua. And from that point, everything changed. All my views began to fall away through constant investigation into their natures, which were none, meditation even moreso, and eating more of the bitterness of what is considered bitter in this world.

 

After that, up until this past summer I was up and down, in and out of the views I once held. This summer was a break through, and the last of them towards my views since childhood up till I arrived in China. There is patience that is unmoved, Compassion for them all, and all thoughts are no thoughts now.

 

I teach my students how to change themselves, their views and control their emotions..they are young..17,18, 19. I use English as the vehicle, and they are awakening.

 

That is the story behind my cultivation in China, and taking the conditions around us as the catalyst and method for dropping them. All of that was cultivation developing Patience, Compassion and Wisdom. I have so many stories of what was experienced, In the Martial Arts World, to Chinese Medicine World, to daily living and Government.

 

Now all is finally still. Quiet. Work, simple... only 16hours a week, but cultivation never stops.

 

Enjoy!!! haha

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

Edited December 18, 2007 by 林愛偉

[mantis]

in the words of jiddu krishnamurti

 

"Meditation is one of the greatest arts in life-perhaps the greatest, and one cannot possibly learn it from anybody, that is the beauty of it. It has no technique and therefore no authority. When you learn about yourself, watch yourself, watch the way you walk, how you eat, what you say, the gossip, the hate, the jealousy-if you are aware of all that in yourself, without any choice, that is part of meditation."

Edited December 19, 2007 by mantis

[林愛偉]

What a wonderful explanation of meditation.

[Shen Ming-Kuan]

Lin Shifu, thank you for sharing.

 

Out here people dress in fashion and expensively to go to KFC.

I found this a bit strange. (I've never been to China.) Getting all dressed up to go to a fast-food restaurant ... ?

 

But I am glad you were able to set down so much and learn from Xuan Hua Shang Ren.

[Adam West]

in the words of jiddu krishnamurti

 

That is true, but it is more than that. Meditation is that which leads to the conscious, volitional realisation of the natural state, one's true nature or being. It is much more than just being mindful, yet that is basically it. Some people can access the fundamental essence of awareness, being and reality, most cannot. Being mindful of one's delusions and limitations, is just that, mindfulness. Mindfulness can and may lead to realisation, often however, without a more structured practice, it does not lead anywhere much at all - just circles within circles habitual cognition.

 

In kind regards,

 

Adam.

[mantis]

i'm sorry if this offends you but that just seemed like a whole bunch of ego jibberish to me.

[林愛偉]

... thank you for sharing.

I found this a bit strange. (I've never been to China.) Getting all dressed up to go to a fast-food restaurant ... ?

 

But I am glad you were able to set down so much and learn from Xuan Hua Shang Ren.

 

 

Yes, getting dressed up to go to a fast food restaurant because it is foreign. lol

 

It was some work...and still, it doesn't stop.

[.broken.]

Lin, I thank you for your reply. Unfortunately you did not answer in a manner that satisfied my intellect. I shall rephrase my initial question: What had you failed to do in previous cultivation practices that Master Xuan Hua instructed you to take up? What was it (i.e. which practice) that helped give you that foundation that Master Xuan Hua said you lacked?