So
only the Quan Yin Method is logical for it's not Zen riddles or some
kind of chant, which will only add more to our brains. Instead, we
cleanse it. That's why I tell you that, although I've instructed you
to recite the Holy Names and meditate on the Light, it's not effective
if you don't practice "Sound meditation." This is so because
chanting the Holy Names and meditating on the Light also add extra
things; although these additives can control other things and make
us forget worldly vexations. Suppose we're angry with someone and
want to get even or scold him. Now when we recite the Holy Names,
we forget the hostility. It means that we can use these benevolent
Holy Names to control our distracting thoughts and stop them from
troubling us. It doesn't mean that they've vanished, or been cleansed
by chanting the Holy Names or Amitabha Buddha. No! We add tens of
thousands of repetitions of the Holy Names every day, to control the
distracting thoughts. After that, we should use the "Sound meditation"
to erase them, including the Holy Names! (Applause) I'm very glad
that you understand.
That's
why I say, if someone doesn't practice Sound meditation every day
and yet claims that he's been completely enlightened or become a Buddha,
he's lying. Some people also say that when one becomes a Buddha, meditation
becomes unnecessary. It means not doing the ordinary kind of meditation,
where we tax our brains chanting the Holy Names, just reciting two
names and forgetting the rest, or reciting one and forgetting the
other four, or reciting the first and forgetting the fifth, or struggling
with distracting thoughts. "Good grief! I have so many distracting
thoughts. My God! I hate that person. My God! Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha
Buddha. Good grief! That person is really disgusting. Amitabha Buddha,
Amitabha Buddha.... Oh! I'll surely get even with him tomorrow. Amitabha
Buddha, Amitabha Buddha...." Oh! What a painful struggle it is.
This is called meditation because we're training our minds and suppressing
our distracting thoughts, hatred and habits.
It's
not true that a person doesn't meditate after becoming a Buddha, but
he meditates without struggling. He still meditates without having
to sit in meditation so we say he doesn't meditate. Now, when we meditate,
we know that we're meditating. A Buddha doesn't know that he's meditating;
he meditates effortlessly. This is what Lao Tze meant by "doing
without doing." He didn't mean that we should sit the whole day
long, remaining oblivious to the world, not managing the country,
not taking care of the family, not bathing our body or doing the laundry
and not even eating. This isn't "doing without doing"; it's
being insane. (Laughter) Thus, when some people say that once we become
a Buddha we don't need to meditate anymore and instead we just enjoy
gambling and singing karaoke all day long, this is becoming the devil.
This is becoming a negative Buddha instead of a Buddha like the Amitabha
Buddha.
So
when you notice that someone isn't meditating or reciting the Holy
Names, you know he's ignorant. This is only befitting for the lowest
Astral realm; he's been deceived! A Buddha (Enlightened Master) doesn't
meditate, yet he does meditate. Why? He has to bless the world; he
has to bless his disciples. If even we ordinary humans can derive
such great merit from meditation, imagine what happens when a Buddha
meditates. He can't shirk his responsibility. If a Buddha comes here
and doesn't meditate, then what does he want to do? Besides, he also
needs to replenish his inner spirit and vitality. Don't we feel physically
comfortable and mentally happy when we meditate? Though we don't have
a desire for inner levels, we attain them all the same!
We
cannot remain physically healthy just by eating. Many people eat,
yet their bodies are weak. For us, we only have to meditate for an
hour or two, and we're happy in spirit, and can work tirelessly throughout
the day. Therefore, even a Buddha needs to meditate to restore his
power. Eating food alone cannot sustain his body. If he were only
an ordinary person, then even if he ate a lot, he still wouldn't be
able to take on the numerous responsibilities of a Buddha. Since a
Buddha eats very little and has to shoulder so many responsibilities,
how can he not meditate?
He
does meditate, except that he doesn't struggle hard like we do or
meditate with so much effort. A Buddha meditates in a very relaxed
way. He enters samadhi soon after he begins to meditate and he's in
samadhi even when he's not meditating! He's in samadhi twenty-four
hours a day and he can meditate at any time. This is called meditating
without meditating. Spiritual cultivation is not all about meditation.
Even then, he still meditates to set an example for his disciples.
Otherwise, everyone would think that he had become a Buddha and didn't
need to meditate anymore, but just enjoyed worldly pleasures. In that
case, everyone would be the same, and everyone could do it. Since
there would be no need to meditate, lazy people could also claim that
they had become Buddhas. What a wonderful excuse! No way!
Remember
that after Shakyamuni Buddha became a Buddha, He meditated every day.
That's why the scriptures mention that every time Shakyamuni Buddha
came out of samadhi, He would begin to give a discourse to His disciples.
They never mention Him giving a discourse after coming out of the
washroom, or after enjoying karaoke, singing, dancing or gambling.
Never! Therefore, reading the scriptures without really understanding
them will bring us harm. Our spiritual practice will be impaired.
We'll boast and thirst for fame and gain, and thus hurt ourselves.
