Purple Lotus Publisher > Journal > Volumn NO. 11

How to Enter Samadhi, Balance and Middle View

A discourse delivered by Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu on June 26, 1990
in the True Buddha Tantric Quarter

Translated by Janny Chow from the transcribed text published on pp. 24-29 of
The Great Rainbow Accomplishment

There are three methods for entering into samadhi. The first is breathing, the second is conceptualization, and the third is frequency. In fact, the integrating of these three me becomes one method.

When we try too hard to enter into samadhi, we often find that we are unable to do so. The greater the force one uses to stop one's thoughts, the greater becomes the opposite force: one's thoughts continue and become more tumultuous. When one labors too much, one's breath turns coarse and, without a subtle breath, it is difficult to enter into samadhi. On the other hand, if one is too careless or relaxed, not thinking about anything at all, it is easy for one to become indolent. Therefore, entering into samadhi has to do with finding a balance between exertion and relaxation, it is an art of equilibrium.

For myself, between living in Ballard [1982] and now [1990], I have continued to work on this adjustment and balance issue. After working more than a decade on it, I have finally realized that, when one is able to achieve the balance point of equilibrium right between exertion and relaxation, entering into samadhi is very easy. This is a process that requires repetitive practice and prolonged training. For long time, while living in Ballard, I immersed myself in this training.

If you exert yourself too much, it is hard to stop one's thoughts and enter into samadhi, because breathing in that condition is coarse. If you let go of the body and mind too much, and are absolutely relaxed, you will fall asleep. Therefore, people who have a tendency to fall asleep have to be a little more alert and forceful, while those who are too forceful must be more relaxed. This is an art of balance, of equilibrium, which is also the art of the middle view.

The same principle may be applied to morality. Strict adherence to rules (to the point of rigidity) is ever-exertion and becomes a form of grasping. If one is too loose, casual, or relaxed, one will be swept away by the currents of the mundane world. To have a middle or non-dual view is to find the place of balance that is right between the two polarities. One should not blindly and automatically stick to rules, yet one should not ignore the rules too much , this is why the equilibrium is an art. To people who totally ignore the rules, we ask that they be more disciplined; to those who are too inflexible, we ask that they relax. This is advice from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. One must maintain this middle view regarding all the happenings in the world. When one is neither too forceful nor too relaxed, one will enter into samadhi.

My training has enabled me to master this art of balance. As long as I am quiet, I am able to enter into stability while chanting the mantras and moving the rosary beads. This stability is not confined just to the part where I am entering into samadhi. Stability occurs while I am chanting the mantras. Even after emerging from samadhi and ringing the bell, the stability continues when I make the dedications. Now, anywhere and anytime, I can enter into stability. I only need to pay a little attention to my breathing, to bring it into regulation, before I enter into the subtle mind. There I turn all the vying thoughts into one thought, and then one thought into nothingness. Then, after taking notice of the color of the incoming or outgoing breath, which is very refined and subtle, I instantly enter into stability. Immediately, a circulating event happens: light and energy from the universe is instilled into my body through the crown and, after flowing out of my body from the soles of my feet, it keeps on circulating. This is what is known as orbiting of the Dharma Wheel.

Many tasks may be accomplished while one is in this state of ?rbiting of the Dharma Wheel. In this state, one does not have to verbalize any special requests to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to render help to certain individuals. There is no need to. As long as one is able to keep the Dharma Wheel orbiting, tasks will be accomplished. While one is merely abiding in this stability, not doing anything else, miraculous transformations will manifest on their own. When one is in communion with the Ocean of Intents of the Universe, one is turning the Dharma Wheel and carrying out all tasks. Therefore, people make comments about such miracles but, in reality, it is not what they think at all! Basically what happens is that, when one enters into stability and is in communion with the Ocean of Vairocana, all tasks are spontaneously accomplished in accordance with the laws of karmas. That is just the way it is. There is certainly no such thing as demanding that events turn out in a certain way. It is never that way! First tell the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas what is in your mind, then enter into stability. While in stability, the Dharma Wheel will be turning totally and continuously on its own.

My entering into stability happens very swiftly. I close my eyes, start counting the breaths, start visualizing the colors of the breaths, and the breathing itself gradually becomes finer and more subtle until stability occurs. In an instant, one immerses; in an instant, one emerges, this becomes a state of equilibrium. While I was still living in Ballard, I was not able to reach this state, but now I am able to. With this skill, one can arrive at the first, second, third, and fourth dhyana heavens, the Realm of Formlessness, and Arhathood.

However, this balance is an art that needs to be perfected. When one abides in the middle view (equilibrium), wherein not a single thought arises until the state of thoughtlessness manifests, one then merges into the Ocean of Light. There is no door into it, you just have to bring your mind into a very subtle state to achieve this one-pointedness. Then, when you next release this one-pointedness, you will be in the Ocean of Light. That is why I know that, when I am about to die, I only need to close my eyes and enter into this subtle state of breathing. After bringing my mind into focus in that state, I will immediately enter into stability and be liberated.

The challenge is, of course, greater if one is being tormented by physical pains. Many people have grave illnesses at the time of their deaths and suffer great pain. If, at the final moment before death, one prays to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for blessings, and if one has had previous training in stability, one can definitely be liberated and reborn very quickly, even if one is in great pain. The worst case scenario occurs when one experiences a sudden death with no time to do any breath counting or entering into stability, or if the physical torment is so excruciating that it prevents one from entering into stability.

The most important thing is, during ordinary times, that we practice entering into the Nature of Mind. By perfecting our skill of stability, we can penetrate into the first, second, third, and fourth levels of dhyana heavens, ascend to the Realm of Formlessness, and attain Arhathood, Bodhisattvahood, and Buddhahood.

The method that I use is quite simple: breathing. I visualize an incoming breath that is white and an outgoing breath that is black. It is a breathing that is regulated by frequency (rhythm) and conceptualization.

In the past, when I engaged in visualization, I also followed a prescribed order, such as: the Bodhisattva first contracts to a miniature size, moves to my crown, enters into the central channel, the lotus at the heart chakra opens up revealing the HUM syllable at its center, the Deity sits on the lotus in my heart, the Deity enlarges and one becomes the Personal Deity while the Personal Deity becomes one. One then enters into stability. This is one way of visualization. But now there is no need to go through all these steps.

Now, I just pay attention to my breathing, visualizing the inhaled breath as pure white in color and the exhaled breath as black in color. White in, black out; white in, black out. The breath becomes gradually subtler while vibrating at its own frequency, until the mind becomes focused and one-pointed and enters into the Nature of Mind.

Put energy into doing this practice. It is not that hard! This is how I have worked and trained myself for more than a decade. When I enter into stability, the energy of the Universe is immediately instilled into me, like a bottle being filled up with water. It is like an empty bottle being filled with water to the brim, the entire body is full of spiritual energy. Earlier, during the meditation, there was also a swirl of fire. Starting from dan-tien, the fire moved to my head and, after completely burning it up, it went on to burn up my two upper limbs. The fire then travelled downward to burn up the two lower limbs. My entire body was in the midst of the fire. The body was completely consumed by fire and, when it was gone, I entered into the Nature of Mind. This is the kind of skill I have developed after more than a decade of experimentation and training.

Traditionally, Tantrayana has taught this visualization. For example, Amitabha manifests and transforms into a dot of light. This light moves to the top of one's head and enters the central channel. One's heart chakra opens up, revealing the seed syllable [hri]. Visualize the heart open to the shape of a canopy with the [hri] syllable in its middle. Then Amitabha sits on top of the seed syllable. He first contracts to a very small size, then gradually enlarges until he becomes the same size as oneself. Visualizing the self as Amitabha, one becomes Amitabha. This is a rational conceptualization that transforms one into the Personal Deity. Then, with the maneuvering of internal energy and emitting of light, one becomes a body of light. Immersion now occurs. This is Tantrayana's conceptualized visualization which combines with breathing and frequency to enable one to enter samadhi.

Today's subject is a very important formula.

Om Mani Padme Hum.