3-8-2011 The Active Original Spirit

The Art Of Meditation 

By Master Sheng-yen Lu
Translated and published by Lei Zang Si Singapore

This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 45th book, 坐禪通明法.

CHAPTER 5 - The Active Original Spirit

Many people have asked me: "What is invocation?" "What is the relationship between invocation and meditation?" I offer the following explanation: At first, my change from a believer in Christianity to Buddhism started with "the invocation of spirits". I had never formally practiced invocation, but when I knelt down the first time, I felt a movement of the spirits; in the twinkling of an eye, I received responses and understood what it was all about.
Spiritual invocation is a body-training method of the Taoist Dan Ding Sect, headed by the Golden Mother of the Yaochi Pond. The Golden Mother was one of the Five Reverends in Taoism which include: Mr. Dung Hua-di in the East (God of Wood), the Golden Mother of the Yaochi Pond in the West, the God of Fire in the South, the God of Water in the North, and Huang Lao in the Center. The Golden Mother of the Yaochi Pond was instructed by Mr. Dung Hua-di, who learned it from the eminent priest, Xuan Xuan.
At first, the Golden Mother was teaching the body-training in Hua Lian; that was the beginning of invocation. As soon as I learned it, I begged instructions from her, who gave me the permission to spread it so that every practitioner, on account of their first invocation, attains some initial responses. In this way, many people will be shown into the Dharma gate for the Ling Xian Sect. (True Buddha School). So this body-training method is very popular at the moment. Many temples and monasteries practice it to encourage the first awakening of aspiration for Bodhi.
The present writer is aware that, because many people did see gods and ghosts during invocation sessions, they abandoned all attachments in the mundane world, and made up their minds to leave home for spiritual cultivation. The method is still widely used only for the first awakening of aspiration for Bodhi at the elementary stage.
The "movement' during invocation is caused by the "air stream". The "air stream" whirls around the practitioner, causing him to shake or jerk. In a session for spiritual movement, one sits patiently with his eyes fixed on the tip of the nose, hands on the chest, while chanting the name of "Golden Mother of the Yaochi Pond". If the mind can slowly and gently go into tranquility, after some time, an outside force will suddenly enter the body. (When the air stream of the gods goes into the practitioner's body, his own power and the outside power become one, making the original spirit active. At this point, the air stream appears to cause his body to move, resulting in "spiritual movement".)
As far as I know, "spiritual motion" has the following advantages:
First, the body-training method was originally designed to keep one healthy and strong. Some people are too weak or suffer from chronic diseases. The "spiritual motion" from invocation sessions sets the body to exercising, thus curing the disease. This exercise is still used today, which is called "external cinnabar" method. (Cinnabar is what Taoists use in preparing Chinese medicine.) The "external cinnabar method became a popular practice after the invocation of spirits was introduced.
Second, invocation of spirits can help you to overcome "daze and distraction". "Daze and distraction" can be a serious hindrance in meditation. Distraction means too many distracting thoughts that flash across your mind. Daze comes from the fact that your original spirit is not active, clean or clear because it is insensitive and apathetic. Generally, when the original spirit is befuddled, it is because the "Pure Yin" dominates. If you feel sleepy in your mediation, it is a state of daze; when this happens, your breathing is not real meditative breathing, but that of ordinary people. So if you are in a state of "daze and distraction", it is better to invoke the spirits to wake you up. In this, "external cinnabar" comes before "internal cinnabar", since invocation of spirits can cure your "daze and distraction".
Thirdly, during invocation, if you carefully analyze the frequency of the responses, you can attain spiritual powers. This is to discover, by careful distinction, how frequently the air stream goes into your body. When "your own thinking" unites with the "god's thinking", you can get "knowledge of the most delicate". That is, when the Universe and man become one, he knows all about the past and the future.

Amituofo

Lotuschef

Pure Karma

True Buddha School