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（8）-----金山腿高旻香
「金山的腿子高旻香，海潮寺的哩啦腔」，中國佛教有這麼幾句話。「金山的腿子」金山的江天寺不准翻腿，你要是把腿翻一翻，就要用香板打。你就再痛，都要咬著牙挺著，不可以翻腿，也不可以動；時間一久，腿就變得聽話不痛了，所以金山的禪和子坐得最好。「高旻香」高旻寺坐香的時間一分鐘也不錯，到開靜的時候一定開靜；到止靜的時候一定止靜，一秒鐘也不錯，坐香的時間守得最嚴；「海潮寺的哩啦腔」上海有個海潮寺，一天到晚哩哩啦啦隨隨便便講話、不守規矩。
（9）-----為什麼要坐單？
坐單的用意就是不睡那麼多覺，你躺著睡八個鐘頭還覺得不夠；你坐著睡四個鐘頭就已經夠了，很有精神也容易入定。坐單你要不怕苦，不怕腿痛不貪舒服，不要說：「我把腿伸開，躺在那個地方很舒服，坐著實在不太舒服了。」坐著當然不舒服，但是你考察過去的祖師，都是在不舒服裏邊成就的；要是儘貪舒服，吃的好睡的好，怎麼能表示出你修行的真心呢？所以在印度的脅尊者，他一生脅不著蓆，也就是不躺著睡覺；中國也有很多是坐單，發願脅不著蓆的也有很多。在美國，佛教是剛剛開始，剛剛種下種子，所以我提倡日中一食，又長坐不臥，這是十二頭陀行的其中兩種。
（10）-----不要吃太飽了
你願意不吃東西，還能有氣力支持用功，這是可以的；你要是不吃東西，坐也沒有氣力，跑也沒有氣力，那還是吃一點東西好。修道的人吃東西不要吃太飽，否則胃會受傷，像持午的人，尤其日中一食的人往往把胃都撐壞了，所以吃東西要取乎中道，不要太過也不要不及。我們為什麼用功不能相應呢？就是一天到晚忘不了吃，忘不了穿，忘不了睡覺，總想著：「不夠睡，沒吃飽！今天應該再多吃點。」或者忘不了「我有病，我病得這麼厲害。」因為忘不了這些，所以妄想就不能停止，真心就現不出來。好像水很渾，你搖搖幌幌的，它就沒法清淨；除非你停止不動它，所以說：「心清水現月」你心裏清淨就好像水裏現出明月一樣；「意定天無雲」你的意念要是不打妄想，就好像天上沒有烏雲，自性的智慧光明就現出來了。
（11）-----靠著牆坐會吐血
旁人吃飯你不會飽，旁人是沒法子幫助你開悟，善知識只能告訴你怎麼樣用功修行，怎麼樣打坐；雖然指示你這條路，可是這條路要你自己去修行，要你自己去走，你自己不走，那還是沒有用的。你打坐的時候，不要依靠著牆上，以為牆是很硬的「我靠也靠不倒它，靠不出窟窿來；我就是睡著了，也掉不到地下。」你靠牆靠得多了，我先警告你這會吐血的、會生毛病的，所以不要生這種依賴心，不要往牆上靠，或者在背後邊墊上一個墊子，以為靠著舒服一點，這也是錯誤的！
（12）-----不要像小孩子
結雙跏趺坐，你要忍著腿痛，為什麼會痛呢？因為氣血過不了關，你忍著忍著，它衝過去這關，你就不痛了。所有修道的人都應該會跏趺坐，你要想真正開悟、真正成佛，那一定要學的。最初你當然要忍著一點，你不要怕腿痛，不要像小孩子，痛一點就忍不了哭起來了，再不就叫媽了。我們現在都要學大丈夫，大丈夫就要忍人所不能忍的，越痛我越要忍著，要有一種忍耐心，要有長遠心。坐禪的人沒有什麼巧妙，你只要常常坐，坐久了自然就會得到好消息。你不常坐「一日曝之，十日寒之」你修一天，休息十天，那不會有什麼成就的。
（13）------定有什麼好？
為什麼要常打坐呢？就是一點一點在修定。初學的時候，你的心裏沒有定力，一會兒跑到天上，又一會兒跑到地獄；忽而跑到佛那兒，忽而又跑到菩薩那兒，不久又跑到馬牛羊雞犬豕裏邊。它不需要買車票，天堂地獄隨意都可以到，什麼地方都去，就因為沒有定。現在不要你的心東跑西跑、南跑北跑、上跑下跑，這是在修定。有人說：「『不定』那是最好的，你看跳舞都是跳跳鑽鑽的，哪有個定？定有什麼意思，像個木頭似的，木雕泥像坐在那個地方，有什麼好？我覺得這太死板了！」定有什麼好處？本來定是沒有什麼好處，不過你們想要修定的人，想要開智慧，就一定要修定；你沒有定，就沒有智慧。你的心散亂，就是沒有定，也就不會有智慧，智慧是由定那裏來的。你想要不愚癡嗎？就要修定！
（14）-----你要保住本錢
在禪七期間，有人發願不講話，這是最好的辦法，因為你一講話，妄想就會多。有人說「不講話，妄想就會少了嗎？」不講話妄想也不會少，但是你可以保持住你的本錢。什麼叫本錢呢？你不講話，氣就不會散，「口開神氣散」你一張開口，氣就跑出去了；「舌動是非生」你舌頭一動彈，不是講是就是講非。總而言之，你講一句話，就有個是、有個非；你在沒講話的時候，沒有是沒有非，你用功應該不講是非。有人發心不講話，我是最歡喜的，這就是勇猛精進。有人說：「法師，你不也是講是講非嗎？」不錯，我講是講非，但是這個「是非」是叫你知道什麼是「是」，知道什麼是「非」，而你只知道講卻不知道哪個是，哪個非。如果我不說這個方法，你也不知道從什麼地方用功修行，你要會講你也可以來講。
待續
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8. Gold Mountain legs, Gaomin incense
There is a saying in Chinese Buddhism, “Gold Mountain legs, Gaomin incense, and the chatter at Ocean Tide Monastery.”
Gold Mountain legs—Jiangtian Monastery at Jinshan (Gold Mountain) will never allow you to flip or adjust your legs. If you do so, you will be hit with a board. You have to endure and keep still no matter how much it hurts. With time, your legs will not hurt anymore. That is why Chan practitioners from Gold Mountain sit with the best posture.
Gaomin incense—The meditation periods at Gaomin Monastery are never off by a minute. When it is time for the sit to end, it will definitely end. When it is time for meditation to begin, it will definitely begin. They are not off by a second. Thus Gaomin Monastery keeps the time of the meditation periods very strictly.
The chatter at Ocean Tide Monastery—In Shanghai, there is a monastery called Ocean Tide (Haichao) Monastery, where people chatter nonstop all day long and don’t follow the rules.
9. Why should one sleep sitting up?
The reason one sleeps sitting up is so that one will sleep less. If you sleep lying down, you can sleep for eight hours and still feel like you haven’t had enough sleep. On the other hand, you only need four hours if you sleep sitting up; you will feel energized and also be able to enter samadhi easily. Do not be afraid of hardship when it comes to meditation; do not be afraid of the pain in your legs and do not crave comfort. Do not say, “I’ll be really comfortable if I stretch my legs out and lie down; it is just too uncomfortable to sit.” Of course sitting is uncomfortable. However, look at all the Patriarchs of old; they achieved great things by enduring discomfort. If you crave comfort, eat well and sleep well, how can you show your sincerity in cultivation?
In India, there was the Venerable Xie (“Ribs”), who never lay down to sleep throughout his entire life. In China, there were also many cultivators who meditated and vowed to never lie down to sleep. In the United States, Buddhism is just beginning. The seeds have just been planted. That is why I promote eating only one meal per day and never lying down. These are two of the twelve ascetic practices.
10. Do not eat too much.
If you wish to not eat and still have the energy to continue practicing, that is permissible. However, if you choose not to eat but do not have the energy to sustain yourself for sitting or walking, it would be better to eat something. Cultivators of the Way should not eat too much or they may end up hurting their stomachs. Those who eat only once a day before noon are especially prone to injuring their stomachs. That is why we must accord with the Middle Way even when it comes to meals, which means not eating too much, nor too little. Why do we not get a response despite our rigorous cultivation? It is because if we forget to eat, wear enough clothes, or sleep, we keep thinking all day long, “I didn’t get enough sleep! I didn’t get enough food! I should have eaten more today.” Or we keep thinking, “I am really ill.” If we cannot forget about these minor things, our false thinking will not cease and the true mind will not manifest. This is analogous to murky water. If you keep stirring it, it will never be clear. That is why it is said, “When the mind is clear, the moon appears in the water.” If one’s mind is clear and pure, it is indeed like still water reflecting the moon. “With thoughts quieted, there are no clouds in the sky.” If there are no false thoughts, it is indeed as if there were no clouds in the sky, and your own nature’s light of wisdom will manifest.
11. If you lean against the wall, you may vomit blood.
When the person next to you eats, it does not make you full. Likewise, no one but yourself can enable you to become enlightened. Good teachers can only teach you how to cultivate and how to meditate. Although they may show you the path, you yourself must walk upon it. If you choose not to, it will not be of any use. When you meditate, do not lean against the wall. You may think that the wall is hard and sturdy: “The wall will not fall if I lean against it, nor will I make a hole in it. Even if I fall asleep, I will not fall to the ground.” Well, let me warn you first—by doing this, you may get sick and vomit blood. Do not be so dependent and lean against the wall or anything else, thinking that this is more comfortable. This is a mistake!
12. Do not act like a child.
When you sit in full lotus position, you have to endure the pain in your legs. Why does it hurt? It is because qi energy and blood cannot pass through the joints and circulate. If you can endure this, it will eventually get through and will not hurt anymore. All cultivators should learn how to sit in full lotus. If you really want to become enlightened and become a Buddha, it is essential that you learn this. In the beginning, you will have to endure the pain in your legs. Do not act like a child and cry or shout for your mother when it hurts. You must have an attitude of perseverance. There is no special technique to sitting in meditation; if you meditate regularly, with time, you will see the results. However, if you cultivate for one day and rest for the next ten, then you will not see any results.
13. What is so good about samadhi?
Why should we meditate regularly? We are slowly cultivating samadhi. When you first begin to meditate, of course your mind cannot enter samadhi. In an instant, your mind travels to heaven, to hell, to where the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas are, and before long you are back with horses, cows, sheep, or dogs. It needs no bus ticket and travels wherever it pleases. It is because you cannot control your mind—you have no samadhi. Now, when you do not want your mind to travel wherever it pleases, you are cultivating samadhi.
Someone may say, “It is good not to have samadhi! For example, look at dancers; they are always happily jumping around. What is the use of cultivating samadhi? You become like a log or a statue sitting there. It is too rigid!” What is good about samadhi? Originally there was nothing good about samadhi, but you cultivators who want to open up your wisdom must cultivate samadhi. Without samadhi, your wisdom cannot shine forth. If you have a monkey mind, you then have no samadhi and you will not have any wisdom at all. Wisdom comes from samadhi. If you do not want to be ignorant anymore, you have to cultivate samadhi!
14. You must preserve your treasures.
During a Chan session, some people take a vow of silence. That is the best way! Once you talk, your false thoughts multiply. Someone may ask, “If we do not talk, will our false thoughts diminish?” If you do not talk, your false thinking will not decrease, but you will preserve your treasures. What is meant by treasures? If you do not talk, your energy will not dissipate. There is a saying, “Once you open your mouth, your energy dissipates.” Indeed, once you start to talk, your qi will scatter. “Once the tongue moves, rights and wrongs arise.” When your tongue moves, when you speak, you will be saying that this is right and that is wrong.
In a nutshell, once you speak, the judgments of right and wrong arise. If you do not speak, there will be no judgments or gossip. When you are cultivating, you should not discuss rights or wrongs. It makes me the happiest when someone takes a vow of silence. This is being diligent in cultivation! Someone may say, “Dharma Master, aren’t you speaking about rights and wrongs yourself?” Indeed I am. However, I am telling all of you what is right and what is wrong. You only talk, but do not understand what is right and what is wrong. If I do not explain, you will not know how to apply effort in your own cultivation. If you know how to explain this, you are welcome to come forward and speak too.
To be continued
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