Self-Control – Meditation – Wisdom – Selfcultivation – Everthing stays in Order!

Self-Control means to discipline body and mind.

Discipline Body and Mind means, ‘everthing stays in order’; this means, cultivate the body and mind eagerly and unchaotically.

It also implies, ‘protection’; that is, righteously upholding the conduct of the precepts; disallow the six carnal bad feelings, control the three poisonous minds, awaken enthusiastically; be alert; and keep it pure.

Then if all is done, we can call it maintaining disciplines.

Contemplation - Self-Control

If the mind still is not moved at all, then the mind has become unhindered just like the white ox, free in the open field, not damaging the crops. That is the reason why, from long ago, there have sometimes been ones who cursed Buddha and God and reviled the Patriarchs in order to bring their minds in accord with their understanding, be re-examining it under these conditions. However, some students who just began patriarchal Zen study, without knowing their distance from the Truth and reviling the Patriarchs which is just premature cunning.

Facing the outer perspectives with a deluded mind entails having knowledge with which one either agrees and goes along with or disagrees and goes against. Then, greed, hatred and ignorance are raised. Since the three poisonous minds are already raised, then you would know clearly that is the deluded mind. So, a Patriarch said;

Mind disease comes from conflict, whether you go along or go against.

So, therefore, you should know that thinking that this is right or that this is not right is the deluded mind.

Meditation

After struggling and exerting themselves in this way for a while some people reach such a point of exhaustion that they consider giving up altogether. Although they have tried to practice, they cannot see any progress at all. But one should definitely not give up at this stage. Others will try to alleviate this sense of frustration in turning to another kind of practice. They engage in all those activities other than the practice of meditation in order to remove their feelings of frustration.

Meditation center

Here you get more information about the monthly meditation retreat.