No matter what we do in the world, we can only hope for success after undergoing a period of smelting and refining. Practicing the Dharma-door of Chan meditation is even more difficult. We can make headway only after enduring toil and discipline in every way. Patience is the single most important requisite for meditators. You must patiently put up with the tasks you dislike doing. Unbearable suffering must be patiently endured. With this kind of spirit, you are qualified to practice Chan meditation. If you cannot be this patient, then there's nothing more to say. If your body is sitting in the hall, but your mind is out roaming far beyond the hall, your efforts will be entirely fruitless; you won't achieve any success.
參禪就是要鍛鍊金剛不壞身,既然心甘情願來受鍛鍊,那麼能受得了苦,更應該去受,所謂
受苦是了苦,享福是消福。
The purpose of investigating Chan is to smelt a Vajra-indestructible body. Since you have your heart set on smelting a Vajra-body, you should go ahead and endure as much suffering as you can put up with. Because, as the saying goes,
Enduring suffering ends suffering;
Enjoying blessings uses up blessings.
我們歡喜做的事情,更要努力去做,不要辜負了來打禪七的初衷。這一點,各位要特別注意。
As for the things we like to do, we should do them with even more alacrity, and not fail to fulfill the intent that brought us to the Chan Hall in the first place. Everyone should take note of this!