Just like students there are various levels of masters and different categories of meditation practice. A few days ago, one had an opportunity to chit chat with two Buddhist spiritual masters on meditation. One was at the Buddhist temple to get a blessing from Buddha and to check whether everything was alright arising from my self taught practice. After the blessing and confirmation that nothing was wrong with me, one of the masters asked what type of meditation I was practising. When I had described the practice briefly, the senior master elaborated that one of her students had formerly learned the same type of meditation from a renowned Buddhist spiritual master in Singapore. After the student had learned her type of meditation, he no longer talked about the previous practice.
Meditation, both masters said, result in ‘stillness’. I verily agreed and added that it would eventually lead to ‘emptiness’. Not unlike what Guan Yin had mentioned in the Diamond Sutra on ‘emptiness and forms’. Having mentioned the Diamond Sutra, they tested me on what is meant by ‘forms’. Knowing little, one replied and pointed to ‘physical things’. The explanation seemed to satisfy them and we continued further. I elaborated on the aptitude affirmations Lu Dongbin mentioned in ‘The Secret of the Golden Flower’ which confirms Buddha’s earlier teachings in the ‘Leng Yen’ (Shurangama Sutra) on the ‘Songs of the Immortals’, just in case they thought it was all a delusion. The eventual sighting of the ‘Golden Buddha’ will be a great confirmation sign of a correct meditation practice. The senior master exclaimed: ‘You are practicing qigong”! Yes, one had simply answered.
You see, qigong could be the original term for ancient breath control meditation. And after all there was no any need to highlight the differences in our practices otherwise the student cannot learn from the masters.
And this was what I had learned from them:
Deviant thoughts, the senior master said lead to deviant practices and such practitioners easily succumb to demonic possessions during meditation. An important point highlighted here for fellow travelers to take note.
The following day, I had a brief discussion with my Daoist friend on the matters discussed at the Buddhist temple. We came to the same conclusion that the two Buddhist spiritual masters are at different levels of practice.
Discussions with like minded fellows are always good for our learning and studies. Resources are readily available on the web for students to read and extend their studies when they have a need or time for it.
Under the updated Resources link there are various sites where students can spend years to accumulate knowledge on the ancients. The revised recommended links are to places where scholars and experts discuss or gather to discuss the three doctrines, ancient books and Chinese classics. Sites of interest include blogs that link here and which may provide a refreshing perspective on life and things ancient.
Related topic: Of students and masters Oct 3
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