Why practice?

Week of Nov 7, 2004 – Why practice?

In the external world, our well-being is determined by the assets that we possess. However, in the internal or mental world, our worthiness is defined by our “Life Quality” – a term used by Master Hai Yun HeShang. High Life Quality indicates superior quality in character, personality, wisdom and manifestations. Low Life Quality is dominated by greed, hatred and ignorance. Buddhahood is the attainment of highest Life Quality.

To improve our Life Quality, one needs “Life Energy” – the resources. The Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment show us the ways to accumulate these resources. They are: The Four Bases of Mindfulness, The Four Right Efforts, the Four Occult Powers, The Five Roots of Goodness, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and the Eightfold Noble Path.

The Four Bases of Mindfulness are:

1. Mindfulness of the Body — breath, postures, parts;
2. Mindfulness of Feelings, Sensations — pleasant, unpleasant and neutral;
3. Mindfulness of States of Consciousness;
4. Mindfulness of all Phenomena or Objects of Consciousness.

This fourfold stage of mindfulness, thought, or meditation follows the Five-fold Procedures for Quieting the Mind, also known as The Five Contemplations for Settling (“stilling" or "stabilizing") the Mind. These Five-fold procedures are:

Contemplation on the impurity of the body;
Contemplation on compassion;
Contemplation on dependant originality;
Contemplation on the counting of breath;
Contemplation on Buddha.

What we have been working on in the meditation class is the counting of breath, one of the Five-fold Procedures for Quieting the Mind. It is the first entry level but a very important footstep. Without this basic practice, our foundation will not be solid. When we master the technique of the counting of breaths well, moving on to the fourfold stage of mindfulness will be smooth sailing. Thus, the counting of breath helps us to attain concentration as well as give us training on contemplation and mindfulness.

In our meditation class, we sense, observe, contemplate and then look for the ability to do all these actions.

See how we move from physical to abstract, from external to internal, from the worldly to natural. Do not feel that you are just sitting here and counting from 1 to 10, actually you are establishing your foundation for accumulating Life Energy and preparing yourself for the Buddha Path.

Give yourself a pat on the back for doing a marvelous job. Be appreciative that you have this opportunity to do something so meaningful for your Life. Thank all sentient beings from the past, present and future and from the ten directions for directly or indirectly providing you with this opportunity!

May we transfer our merits back to all sentient beings from past, present and future, from the ten directions!