​Strictly speaking, the philosophical Buddhist view is that human awareness (and consequential habit of thought and behaviour) is a product of a certain orientation of the onging stream of consciousness. This is to say that the Judeo-Chrstian habit of affixing a permanent identity to speech-patterns and bodily-actions does not apply - and herein lies the chasm which divides the Buddhist and Christian view of the world. The same can be said to be true even within a modern (secular) society that has evolved out of the Judeo-Christian tradition - which is dependent upon the false dichotomy of good and evil. 

All thought, speech, and action is a result of a temporary congealing of conditions within the mind and body of the individual which generate certain modes of expression. If a particular cycle of expression keeps repeating within the life of a particular individual - then regardless of the nature, import, or complexity of these expressions - the individual should NOT be permanently associated with these behaviours - on the grounds that their expressions only seem permanent from a deluded viewpoint that is misunderstanding what is happening.

As the Judeo-Christian tradition does not understand the Buddhist assessment of the ever-changing Five Aggregates (a process occuring from moment to moment - according to the Abhidhamma) - such a theistic tradition cannot grasp the fact that an individual only temporarily exists - and that there is no underlying "soul" (psyche) or "atma" which serves to link materially living beings to an immaterial divine entity. There is no permanent spiritual foundation that can be punished by an unseen sky-spirit. Given that this is true, the entire edifice of Judeo-Christian dualistic notions of "justice", "law", and "punishment" simply does not make sense. How can an ever-changing being be punished - when there is nothing permanent to be punished?

​Contemporary Western society insists that its citizens should be punished or "corrected" if their speech and action violates the current definition of what such a society thinks is acceptable. The consequence of Buddhist philosophy completely disagrees. Compassion and loving kindness recognises the continuously changing nature of an individual (which is a combination of ever-changing processes) and therefore never holds such a person as being negatively anchored to any (or specific) sets arising out of his or her own thought-stream, speech-pattern, or behavioural habit. Just as the Buddhist is free of all (dualistic) judgementalism - the non-Buddhist individual should be made free of all attachment to their own patterns of repetitive expressions that define their existence. 

Dear T

Thank you for your interesting email and much appreciated kind words.

If you can see the essence of each letter - then we have no business together. Master Xu Yun (1840-1959) exuded this understanding every moment - just in case. The 'hua tou' (word head) is the method whereby the 'essence' (or 'beginning') of each word-letter is clearly perceived as forming, emerging and presenting from within the empty mind ground. As the enquiry requires a certain investigative power - usually this is provided by the question 'Who?' - deployed in any manner that suits the individual. Master Xu Yun used the hua tou 'Who is dragging this corpse around?' Another effective hua tou is 'Who is hearing?' - the latter arising from the instruction contained within the Surangama Sutra (translated by my grand-teacher - Charles Luk).

Hearing in this context is not only everything that is heard with the ears - but all sensual stimulation - as all sensory stimulation arises (and returns) to the empty mind ground. Silent Illumination is nothing more than the empty mind ground - when it is fully realised, stabilised and the mind is fully extended. The hua tou 'stills' the mind (so that 'emptiness' within the head-mind is realised) - then, with further training - this realisation of 'emptiness' expands to penetrate the entire body and the environment. This is the extension of this realised 'emptness' throughout the interaction of the six-senses and the six-sense objects (that comprise the physical environment). 

The three stages of Ch'an training within the Caodong School are:

1) Surface-mind movement - delusion and confusion (guest).

2) Realised 'stillness' and 'emptiness' of mind (host).

3) Expanded awareness - whereby 'stillness' and 'emptiness' expand to incorporate the 'form' (material world) and 'void' (underlying empty mind ground). (Host-in-Host).

These three basic levels of attainment can be further subdivided into five, eight, ten or even more stages - depending upon tradition. Another way of interpreting these three stages is:

a) Delusion (the normal everyday mind).

b) Relative enlightenment ('still' mind) a sense of 'peace' limited to the individual mind - Hinayana.

c) Complete enlightenment (fully 'expanded' and permanently purified mind and senses) - Mahayana.

None of this should be of too much concern for you. If the words and letters are not returned to the empty mind ground - then we can exchange words all day long - and nothing much will happen. Recently, I was given a 'dust whisk' - imagine that! Utter madness - and yet I did not refuse it - even more unbelievable!


All Best Wishes


Adrian 

133. He converts his body to accord with his mind: he takes the body and mounts it on the mind. He makes its going swift to coincide with that of the mind; for the mind’s mode of going is swift. 

He arrives at blissful perception and light perception: he arrives at perception of bliss and perception of lightness that are canascent with the supernatural-power consciousness whose object is the material body. The rest should be understood in the way already described. But here there is only the going of consciousness. (21) 

21. “’There is only the going of consciousness’: there is only the going that is the same as that of the mind. But how does the body whose going [being that of matter] is slow, come to have the same going as the mind, which quickly passes? Its going is not the same in all respects, for in the case of converting the mind to conform with the body, the mind does not come to have the same going as the body in all aspects. For it is not that the mind then occurs with the moment of a material state, which passes slowly instead of passing with its own kind of moment, which is what establishes its individual essence. But rather the mind is called ‘converted to accord with the going of the body’ as long as it goes on occurring in a continuity that conforms with the body until the desired place is arrived at. This is because its passing occurs parallel with that of the body whose going is slow, owing to the resolution. ‘Let the mind be like this body.’ And likewise, it is while the body keeps occurring in such wise that its arrival at the desired place comes about in only a few quick passes of the mind instead of passing slowly, as in those who have not developed the roads to power – and this mode of occurrence is due to the possession of the perception of lightness, to say nothing of the resolve, ‘Let this body be like the mind,’ not because it arrives at the desired place in a single consciousness moment. And when taken thus the simile, ‘just as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm, or bend his outstretched arm’ (Vin 1 5) can be taken literally. And this must be accepted in this way without reserve, otherwise there is conflict with the Suttas, the Abhidhamma and the Commentary as well as contradiction of natural law (dhammata). Bhikkhus, I see no other one thing that is so quickly transformed as the mind’ (A 1 10) - here it is material states that are referred to by the word ‘other’ because they do not pass quickly. And in the Abhidhamma only matter is called pre-nascence condition and only consciousness post-nascence condition. And wherever states (dhamma) arise, there they dissolve. There is no transmigration of dhammas by force of the roads to power. But it is possible to affect alteration of the mode in which they are present (bhava)” (Vism-mht 397) 
​
Visuddhimagga – The Path of Perfection – The Classic Manual of Buddhist Doctrine and Meditation – Part 2: Concentration (Samadhi) - Chapter XII – The Supernatural Powers - Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Nanamoli, BPS, (2010), Page 397 

Dear B
 
The Phowa technique involves the expansion of consciousness from being confined to the inside of the head and body - to fully embracing the entire external world. The 'inner' and 'outer' are fully integrated - but not limited to this 'integration'. This is reflected in Stages Four and Five of the Cao Dong Prince and Minister Schemata. Therefore, the individual consciousness can only pass through the Brahma-Chakra (at the top of the skull) at the moment of physical death if full enlightenment (and an all-embracing mind) has been realised by the practitioner beforehand. Charles Luk sought-out a Mongolian Lama to clarify this issue as most Chinese Ch'an Masters remained 'indifferent' to questions of 'death', 'dying' and 'after-life', etc. Although Phowa is interesting, and represents a realised state that is part of the full Ch'an enlightenment - it is not required as a separate teaching. How to transition between the apparent states of 'living' and 'dying' is clearly exhibited within the Ch'an Records Charles Luk translated. However, as individuals we are 'free' to seek spiritual instruction from whatever spiritual tradition suits our needs at the time of enquiry. For instance, it strikes me that 'humility' is the spiritual power behind genuine 'internal' martial arts - and represents a vast reservoir of universal power above, beyond and below the entirety of existence - and that's just my preference!   

Avoiding the Ten Evil Acts (Dasa Akusala) 

A) The Three Evil Acts Associated with the Bodily-Action: 1) Killing 2) Stealing 3) Adultery 
B) The Four Evil Acts Associated with Speech: 4) Lying 5) Slander 6) Harsh Words 7) Profitless Talk 
C) The Three Evil Acts Associated with the Mind: 8) Greed 9) Hatred 10) Delusion 

As Buddhism is a Form of Mental Hygiene – the Following Must Be Uprooted through Meditation: 

1) Greed (Abhijjha), 2) Hatred (Vyapada), 3) Ill-Will (Kodha), 4) Enmity (Upanaha), 5) Belittling (Makkha), 6) Pretension (Palasa), 7) Envy (Issa), 8) Jealously (Macchariya), 9) Hypocrisy (Maya), 10) Craftiness (Satheyya), 11) Obduracy (Thambha), 12) Vieing (Sarambha), 13) Conceit (Mana), 14) Haughtiness (Atimana), 15) Infatuation (Mada), and 16) Unheedfulness (Pamada).  

As these ‘darken the mind’ they must be ‘uprooted’. 

Ten Moral Acts (Dasa Kusala) 

1) Giving (Dana), 2) Moral Conduct (Sila), Meditation (Bhavana), 4) Respecting the Worthy (Apacayana), 5) Ministering to the Worthy (Veyvavacca), 6) Offering Merit (Pattidana), 7) Partakingbof Merit (Pattanumodana), 8) Hearing the Teaching (Dhammasavana), 9) Teaching the Dhamma (Dhamma Desana) and 10) Rectification of False Views (Ditthijjukamma). 
​
The reality of living in the material world is entirely a matter of casual circumstance. Most people make their way through life in any way they can, regardless of the inherent conditions (good, neutral or bad, etc). The Ch’an masters in the old days were very strict and did not care whatsoever about casual circumstance. Their main emphasis was only to direct the attention ‘inward’ so that the empty mind ground can be fully cognised and integrated with. There is no gossip or discussion tolerated about the nature of the times, with only ‘looking within’ viewed as a valid approach to existence. The Ch’an masters advised that we must ‘adjust ourselves to circumstance’, whilst the mind is turned inward and the interior of conscious awareness illuminated through continuous concentration. This is the essence of the Buddha’s method. Master Xu Yun (1840-1959) lived an extraordinary life and was involved in very important times in historical development, but he was continuously ‘indifferent’ to what was happening around him, whilst taking every ‘correct’ action that was required at the time. Looking within with strength and purpose is not a denial of material reality, but is the acknowledgement of the Buddha’s method. The Ch’an method is nothing but the direct realisation of the empty mind ground so that it becomes the place of permanent abode – an abode which generates loving-kindness, compassion and wisdom!  

The Buddha explains clearly, in every expression of his teaching, that consciousness and physical matter are not two different things, even though they may be viewed as two distinct expressions of the same underlying reality. This understanding avoids the traps of ‘idealism’ and gross ‘materialism’, which are both declared errors by the Buddha. It is not that the mind does not exist, or that the physical world does not exist – both definitely do within an interpretive context – but that attachment to one view or the other is unhelpful when it comes to meditational development and the cultivation of wisdom. Furthermore, within the Four Noble Truths, it is clear that ‘consciousness’ in the chain of becoming has ‘physical matter’ as its basis (I.e. matter, sensation, perception, thought formation and conscious awareness). If this was not the case, this chain would read ‘conscious awareness’, ‘thought formation’, ‘perception’, ‘sensation’ and ‘matter’ - but it does not. This is the error made by DR DT Suzuki in his commentary upon the Lankavatara Sutra, which is perpetuated by those who think the Yogacara School is ‘idealist’ - when in fact the founders of this school begin their analysis by firmly stating that they agree with the Buddha when he says that the human mind is ‘impermanent’. Besides, genuine Buddhist training is as much in the mind as it is in the body, with ‘sila’ (morality) being the control of thought and physical behaviour. The ‘stilling’ of the mind is as important as the ‘stilling’ of the body, although the former supersedes the latter with regard to transformation and perception thereof. However, for a human mind to be functional, it must be existent within a living body.  As to what might happen ‘before birth’ and ‘after death’, the Buddha remains ‘silent’, with many people utilising the metaphysics of religion to fill in this void... 

The body is disciplined so that the mind may be ‘focused’. The Buddha teaches a type of Yoga, or at least a path that is recognisably ‘Yogic’ in origination. One of the first lines of the Patanjali Sutra reads ‘Yoga is the restriction of the fluctuations of consciousness.’ (Feuerstein 1989). Yoga is also an umbrella term used to describe a profound mind and body training that generates a permanent psycho-physical transformation. This is not a ‘subjective’ delusion, as the Buddha warns against this misidentification of inner awareness, and neither is it a hedonistic attachment to external pleasures (or pain) depending upon the conditionality of an individual. The Buddha advocates a non-identification with thought (and feeling), and a detachment from all physical sensation. Although there is a stage whereby the mind becomes free of surface thought (and a ‘stillness’ is experienced), nevertheless, eventually the process of thought is re-born in the mind but in an entirely ‘new’ manner which no longer ‘obscures’, ‘confuses’ or induces any form of ‘suffering’, etc. (The post-enlightenment situation is controversial and open to debate.) 
​
Being a ‘Bodhisattva’ requires an individual to become truly ‘universal’ in perception, understanding and empathy. The conundrum of personal suffering must be solved before the suffering of the entire world can be taken on without any form of hindrance. To be a genuine Bodhisattva, is to be able to take responsibility for every single mode of suffering that exists in this world and the worlds beyond. Universal suffering is not limited to only that which humans feel – but necessarily includes ALL suffering everywhere. Furthermore, the committed Bodhisattva willingly takes on the suffering of past, the present and the future. The ‘intention’ is to be with those who are experiencing suffering, and to spiritually offer support and sustenance to help them through that which most would find difficult to experience or even face. How this is to be achieved is entirely dependent upon circumstance as there is no single method that meets all requirements. This is not an easy ability to achieve or function to perform. This is why Buddhist monastics in China take the ‘Bodhisattva Vows’ as well as the ‘Vinaya Discipline’ as part of their spiritual responsibilities.  

Demystifying the enlightening experience is not a trivialisation of this experience, on the contrary, it is a clarification. As an exercise in logical thinking it also seeks to uproot and exclude the pretensions associated with pseudo-enlightenment and the exploitation contained therein. Is enlightenment a real experience? Yes – in my experience it is – but this statement should not be taken as a support for religion or religious dogma of any sort. It is a subjective experience which marks a radical shift in how an individual consciously perceives and interacts a) with consciousness itself, b) their physical body, and c) the material environment (and everything within it). I used the hua tou method for years (1989-1992) in an intense and dedicated manner, whilst living in relative isolation and receiving instruction from numerous individuals (with the guidance of Richard Hunn proving decisive). What happened? Through seated meditation throughout the day and night, I looked for certainty in a mind that was forever moving. My root consciousness would grasp this fleeting state, or that fleeting state which temporarily passed before it as being ‘the one’, as I had no real knowledge of what I was seeking. The act of regular meditation pursued through a highly regulated and disciplined outer lifestyle granted me security and stability in the physical world, so that I could direct all my available energy into the interior of my being. Endless thoughts and feelings traversed the surface of my mind and led to all kinds of vivid imaginations, usually as opposite and equal responses to the Vinaya Rules. (For instance, a complete lack of sexual activity in word, deed ad thought, led, for a time, to an intensification of thoughts and feelings premised upon ‘desire’). Initially, the surface mind would ‘quiet’ and a dull emptiness would appear – similar to a mirror made dull my smears and layers of still dust. On other occasions, this admixture of filth would manically swirl around. I could sense the true void behind this interchanging activity, but could not quite see through to it. (Later, I learned that this is stages ‘1’ and ‘2’ of the Caodong School methodology). After two years of meditation, and having my words ‘turned’ by Richard Hunn, a major (and permanent) breakthrough occurred. Whereas my words of enquiry were invariably jumping from one aspect of externality to another, Richard Hunn would expertly switch the emphasis away from the external (objective) to which I was attached – back toward the ‘root’ of the word-thought nexus, and into the empty mind ground. He performed this duty for me continuously and without fail. There was no pretence, no attachment to the external world – just Ch’an function returning to principle. 

Eventually, after being shown the empty mind ground enough times, my mind-state radically shifted. A deep and profound ‘emptiness’ manifested that was nothing but complete ‘bliss’ to experience – like a continuous sexual orgasm throughout the mind and body, but completely divorced from the sexual function. Richard Hunn explained this as stage 3 of the Caodong School – further describing this awareness as ‘relative enlightenment’. The temptation was to stay in this magnificent state and never come out of it (once described as ‘samadhi suicide’). I could imagine living in a forest or on top of a hill, and permanently experiencing this ‘bliss’ for as long as my physical body existed. However, Richard Hunn warned me against this, and stated that the journey was not yet over. Being attached to this state of ‘oneness’ and ‘bliss’ was like being detained on a journey by a deceptive gold chain. This was also the stage of being sat atop of a hundred-foot pole – the key now was to ‘jump off’ - but how to do this? Although my mind had ‘cleared’, I still subtly mistook the now calm (and reflecting) surface mind (guest), as being the profoundly empty mind’s eye (host) – without knowing at the time that I was doing this. Stages ‘4’ and ‘5’ of the Caodong School explained this, but it was a difficult teaching to understand. Richard Hunn explained that I could meditate or not, and that he was saying nothing more about any of this.  

I decided to continue to meditate and to read the sutras (particularly the ample Ch’an literature translated by Charles Luk), as previously I had not read a word for a few years. When I first read a Buddhist text (the first of any text for two years), it was like the words were tumbling from mind, through my eyes and onto the paper...  Surely an indication of what the Lankavatara Sutra terms the ‘turning about’ in the deepest recesses of the mind. This is where genuine Ch’an literature (and recorded dialogue) come into play. These enlightened (I.e. ‘non-inverted’) utterances orientate the mind and clear away confusion (although for the ego the opposite effect is observed). I altered my practice to periods of intense Ch’an meditation interspersed with elongated periods of worldly activity, as this entire affair appeared to turn on how ‘stillness’ and ‘activity’ was understood and undertaken. Richard Hunn simply advised that my ‘virya’ will carry me through. 

My mind in my head remained ‘still’ in the face of the ‘moving’ external world. For about a year I endeavoured to ‘balance’ this reality in various ways (the ‘not one’ of the ‘4th’ Caodong stage), always seeking the ‘not two’ (‘5th’ stage of the Caodong School). This is how it seemed to me then, with Richard Hunn stating that no genuine Ch’an master would say anything beyond the ‘3rd’ Caodong stage. Try as I might, I could not get beyond the duality of my ‘empty’ mind and the ‘moving’ world. I decided that the key lay in finding the ‘emptiness’ within the ‘empty’ mind. All of this was the world viewed from the ‘3rd’ stage of the Caodong School - looking inward and looking outward – there was the basic duality that I could not transcend. In the meantime, my hua tou practice matured. Whereas I had ruthlessly pursued ‘Who is hearing?’ - using the hearing capacity to control, organise and transcend the stream of thoughts in my mind, I now used this practice to simultaneously ‘return’ ALL my six senses (simultaneously) to the empty mind ground – although I always remained just this side of a major breakthrough. I began to see that ‘subject’ and ‘object’, although expediently disconnected, where in fact (and in some way) intrinsically connected. There was ‘oneness’ and there was ‘twoness’ all at once – but Richard Hunn (out of his compassionate wisdom) would not affirm or deny any validity to my observations – an I was always thrown back upon my own devices. 
​
Since my initial realisation there had been a tension of sorts. This provided the inner power to continue the journey. An ‘inner potential’ built-up through right intention, and correct meditational effort. One day, I was sat meditating out-doors, as I found the open air conducive to expanding the mind’s awareness. Whilst ‘returning’ all sensation to the empty mind ground, a gentle breeze blew across my face and front of my body. At this exact moment (around August, 1992), my perception finally altered and I adopted the ‘host’ and ‘host in host’ position – an integration of stages ‘4’ and 5’ of the Caodong School. My awareness, which had been confined only to my head, suddenly ‘expanded’ to encompass the entire environment. The awareness penetrated through my body and united the sense organs with sensory stimulus and sense objects into a profound (and empty) oneness and was vibrant and diverse. Reality was both ‘empty’ and yet ‘full’, and there was no contradiction to this understanding.  My mind finally ‘turned’ so that I now perceived the world directly through the mind’s eye (host), rather than through its reflection in the surface mind (guest). Around 8 years later (in summer, 2000), Richard Hunn confirmed this experience as being genuine and correct (although in the years between 1992 and 2000 I had travelled to Hong Kong and Mainland China to visit relatives and meet various Ch’an monastics and lay practitioners, all of whom issued the appropriate recognition).  As the ‘guest’ became the enlightened function of the ‘host’, the delusive quality was transcended so that the ‘guest’ became the ‘host’, or reality was now comprised of ‘host in host’. The ‘form’ and ‘void’ were clearly distinguishable (hence ‘not one’), and yet the ‘form’ and ‘void’ exist simultaneously integrated without contradiction, boundary or limit (hence ‘not one’). Everything continued as it was before (with Richard Hunn becoming my friend), and yet my mind was permanently (and radically) altered.