The Luminosity of the Mind

Every being has the “original face”. This beautiful place of origin is where we should abide. Through consistent practice of sitting meditation, Chan will eventually emerge. Make sitting meditation a regular habit. If you never give it a try, you'd only become more indolent. As a result, it'd be more challenging to enter that state of Chan. As long as you're willing to exert in Chan practice, you will certainly benefit.

Some of us are very fortunate to assume monasticism and Dharma practice this lifetime. In a wonderful bodhimanda like this, we could only describe it as "heaven". Yet, to experience the joy, one must obtain virtuous causes and conditions. If we lack any appropriate condition, we wouldn't have the opportunity to experience it. To be in a blissful environment requires virtuous deeds. The virtuous acts that we engage in now are minuscule and insufficient. To be free from the three realms,Chan practice is vital.

Through Chan practice, a practitioner can attain the level of the Form Realm. With a deeper and insightful meditative stabilization, one could even attain the level of the Formless Realm. In the end, if we surpass the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm – it is the state of non-abiding in the three realms. So, where do we abide? With non-abidance, such mind comes forth.

What does “non-abidance, such mind comes forth” mean? It is our essence of luminosity. Through Chan practice, we can return to our essence of luminous awareness. Call it the beautiful place of origin if you like, it is none other than our original face.