What do we need to do in order to change this system of stored up memories and function of our consciousness, so that we can let our thoughts return back to our original mind? Many people may not agree with this, but our thoughts are not our original Self: they are just layers and layers of baggage. If we want to return to our origin, we need to let go of the baggage, throw it out, clear it out completely, over and over again. We practice Chan meditation to clear out the baggage. We simply do it over and over again, constantly returning home, persistently clearing out the baggage, steadily returning back to the origin. Our most original Self is called Nirvana, which is the realm of no birth and no death. Our original Self neither gets old nor dies. Why is that so? This is so because it is not a thing; it is without any form, any distinguishing marks or characteristics. It is just itself, and it does not die.

Now some may want to ask: “How is it possible to become a Buddha through meditation?” To answer this question I’ll give you story about Chan Master Mazu Daoyi, one of the great ancestors of the Chan tradition. He came from a very poor farmer’s family and became a monk at a very young age, unfailingly sitting in meditation every single day. One day his teacher asked him: “What are you doing?” Mazu answered, “I am practicing meditation – I want to become a Buddha!” Thereupon his teacher picked up a brick and started polishing it, day after day, day after day…. Mazu, sitting in meditation, started to wonder about this strange behavior of his teacher and asked him: “Master, why are you rubbing this tile every single day – what do you want to do with it?” His teacher responded: “I want to make this tile into a mirror.” “How can a tile become a mirror through polishing?” Mazu asked. “If my polishing cannot make the tile into a mirror, then how can your sitting make you a Buddha?” his teacher replied.

This is called “Wisdom Chan” or “Daily Life Chan.” My hope is that we can become enlightened through daily life, that it teaches us to understand, to let go and live fully and realistically. If we want a real life, we need to be able to really face ourselves. If we really want to face ourselves, we need to practice Chan, because it is in the practice of Chan that we find our true Self, our real home and return back to it, enjoying the life of the spirit.

The material world entices us to live our life in pursuit of material things, but material things can never truly satisfy us, because they don`t ever give our heart and mind a complete rest. Only the experience of spiritual joy can give us a true understanding of the problem of material culture. Therefore spend some time with yourself, spend some time to understand yourself, and spend some time to get in touch with yourself. Let yourself constantly return home, and become your true Self. That needs a bit of time and practice.

Dharma Master Hsin Tao
(Translated by Maria Reis Habito)

禪

禪是心的一個回歸，是一個經驗的傳承，不是一個知識的傳授！禪，不是用思考的，它需要的是一種直覺。我們人就是一個思維、意識、記憶體，這個記憶體儲蓄很多的記憶、想法，這些記憶和想法讓我們心靈一直不斷地製造、分析與差別而無法休息，導致我們的心變得非常凌亂。

所以，我們要如何改變這個記憶系統與意識的作用，好讓我們的思維是回到原本的心？或許很多人非常不能接受這種想法，但想法原本就是累積而來的、積蓄而來的，它並非原本就是我們自己的；如果我們要回到原本，就要丟、要捨棄、捨棄、不斷地捨棄！用禪修，讓它捨棄。然後一直做、一直回歸、一直捨、一直回歸。我們最原本的自己就叫做涅槃，涅槃就是不生不滅，不會老、不會死。為什麼呢？因為它不是某一種東西，它是無形的，沒有任何形象是它，所以它就是它，不會死。

有人會問：「為什麼打坐能成佛？」我們可以舉一個最厲害的老師──禪宗祖師「馬祖道一」的故事為例。最早他在家鄉生活的時候是很窮的，但是他很小就出家修道，每天坐禪；有一次他的老師問他說：「你在做什麼？」他說：「我在坐禪，我要成佛。」他的老師就拿一個磚塊就在磨，天天磨、天天磨。那個打坐的馬祖道一就覺得非常奇怪：「為什麼老師您每天磨那個磚？您要做什麼呢？」老師說：「我要磨這個磚呢變成鏡子。」「磚塊磨了怎麼可能會變成鏡子！？」馬祖道一問。「我的磨磚不能夠成鏡，那麼你的打坐怎麼能夠成佛呢？」他的老師說。

這就叫做「智慧禪」也是「生活禪」，就是希望我們在生活裡面能夠真正的去體悟、能夠瞭解、能夠放下、能夠很踏實地、真實地過生活。真實的過生活就必須很真實的面對自己，要很真實的面對自己，就必須要打坐禪修，從禪修裡面我們能夠找到自己、找回自己，真正的找回自己的本來，享受靈性。

在物質世界裡，我們一直跟著物質走，而物質永遠是沒有辦法滿足的，我們的心永遠停不下來；只有能真正找到靈性的快樂時，我們才能夠解決物質文明的問題。所以，花時間跟自己在一起、花時間去瞭解自己，花時間去touch自己，一直讓自己回到自己、然後變成自己，這需要花點時間。

─── 心道法師