The Twenty-Five Preliminary Ways & Means

The Twenty-Five Preliminary Ways & Means
for Observation of the Mind, Page Six

From The Calm-Observation, Volume Four...

Regulating the Five Activities - As described in the illustration of the master of pottery, without the proper regulation of clay and water, vessels cannot be made. If these five activities are not well regulated, one will not enter into meditation and Samadhi. The first two activities (eating and sleep) are outside of the sphere of meditation. The last three are regulated during entry into meditation, when abiding in it as well as when exiting from it.

Regulating Diet; One does not eat if it will increase disease, sleep or emotional distress. One should eat to pacify the body and heal disease. The regulation of eating entails neither hunger nor fullness. The Nirgrantha Sutra says: "If fasting is excessive, it will be difficult to stir the body. If the body is out of shape, it will fall into idleness and laziness and it will be difficult to stop eating, and one will lose benefits now and in the future." Being sleepy only brings on more suffering and and it will be difficult to awaken to the suffering. As described before, the spiritual food is joy in the Dharma and the contentment of meditation. Eating in terms of The Three Truths:

First one observes the absolute truth and produces mental concentration and spiritual insight. With too much entry into emptiness and the extinguishing and purifying of all things, there is the aspect of hunger.
Secondly one observes the mundane truth and produces mental concentration and spiritual insight. With too much of the mundane world and the establishment of all things, there is the aspect of fullness.
These two observations of hunger and fullness are not regulated. With the middle way there is the pleasure of meditation and joy in the Dharma. In regulating and harmonizing the mean suitably, everywhere one is without the two extremes and there is neither hunger nor fullness.

Regulating Sleep; Sleep is food for the eyes and it cannot be forcibly prevented. The distractions of the mind will increase and one will lose the efficacy of meditation. However one should also not indulge in sleep. Before, in the section on discarding the shrouds, we discussed the abolition of sleepiness in order to enter into meditation. Here, when the mind is distracted, it also involves the four elements of the body. Each of these has their purpose. Briefly, without restraining it or indulging in it, there is the regulation of sleep. Sleep in terms of The Three Truths:

The observation of emptiness does not destroy ignorance. With ignorance and emptiness joined together one sinks into emptiness and is certain to remain in it. There will be too much sleep.
With the arising of temporary distinctions ignorance is subdued but there is too little sleep.
Now one adjusts these with the observation of the middle way. If one detachs from all ignorance there will nowhere to produce that which is good. The offspring of one's dusts and toil are the seeds of The One That Has Come. Without being free from craving and stupidity there is illumination and liberation. However in indulging in ignorance, how can the supreme enlightenment be attained? The Sutra says "Ignorance is transformed and becomes illumination. Walking in the wrong path, one penetrates and reaches the path of enlightenment."

- 5. Regulating the Actions of the Body, the Breathing of the Mouth & the Thoughts of the Mind; These three are mutually dependent and cannot be separated from each other and therefore it is necessary to regulate them together.. They are first received in the womb as:

These three activities are entrusted in the womb where they grow and develop each week.
After thirty-eight weeks, these three activities emerge and are born, and it is called a baby.
These three activities remain and thrive, and it is called the prime of life.
These three activities decline and deteriorate, and it is called old age.
These three activities are broken and extinguished, and it is called death.

The Body is regulated to be neither too stressed nor too relaxed. Physical form is transformed and is the reason for the precepts of morality. The Great Nirvana Sutra speaks of the 'full and perfect body of the Six Paramitas'. To try to hastily practice all the Six Paramitas would be too stressing. To be unconcerned and indifferent about it would be too relaxed.
The Breath is regulated to be neither to labored nor too smooth. The breath is the door for entry into meditation. With the breath there is contentment in meditation, joy in the Dharma and the life-force of spiritual insight. The Long Chapter speaks of 'Prajna (spiritual insight) being neither dull nor sharp. If it is dull it is called too labored. If it is sharp it is called too smooth. In being neither dull nor sharp, there is that called 'regulated breath'.
The Thoughts are regulated to neither sink into inertia nor float in hyperactivity. The thoughts of the mind are the cause for the production of spiritual insight. With the Bodhi mind being to difficult to attain, there is sinking into inertia. With the Bodhi mind being too easy to attain, there is floating in hyperactivity. In being neither too difficult nor too easy, it is regulated.

Since July 9, 2001

FastCounter by bCentral