練習東華禪，可從散盤、單盤、雙盤練習。這個散盤呢通常就是我們說的這個左右腳岔開，這就是散盤。手或者說搭在膝蓋上，或者手大拇指交合放在丹田下，肩自然垂直。這樣練習一段時間以後，就自然練單盤，把左腳放在右腳的大腿上，右腳壓在左腿下面，還是左手端著右手，大拇指碰觸在一塊，這個肩還塌下去。

To practice Donghua Chan meditation, you can start with the easy[1], half-lotus[2], or full-lotus[3] pose. The “easy pose” is what we usually refer to as the cross-legged sitting posture. Place your hands on the knees, or stack your palms on the lap with your thumbs touching gently, just below the elixir field, [which is the area a few fingers below your navel]. Naturally relax your shoulders.

After you have practiced this posture for a while, you will naturally try the half-lotus pose. [To do so,] place your left foot on the right thigh, with your right foot pressed down by the left leg. Your left hand holds the right hand on top, with the thumbs touching each other. Keep your shoulders dropped.

這個下巴微微的低一點點，但它不是駝背，脊柱立直了以後，整個人的身體往前面傾一點點。單盤練習一段時間以後，可雙盤，就是在這個基礎上把右腳拉上來，左手還是托著右手，通常在盤腿的時候，這個臀部是往後翹的往後撅，而這個中心是落在兩個膝蓋上，這個尾巴骨啊也就是臀部是虛的。整個脊柱立直之後，身體往前面微微一傾，臀部就是虛的。

         Keep your chin tucked in slightly, but do not slouch. Once you have straightened your back, your whole body leans forward slightly. After you have practiced the half-lotus pose for a period of time, you can try the full lotus. Building on the foundation of the half lotus, you pull up the right foot and place it on the left thigh. Your left hand still holds the right hand.

         Usually when you cross your legs, your hips are tilted backward, and the center of your body rests on your knees. The tailbone and your hips are hanging. Once your spine is elongated, tilt your torso forward slightly, leaving your hips hanging as before.

如果說整個人直起來，那麼重量呢落在了臀部，把尾巴骨壓久了以後，脊背他就會缺血，腦供氧就不足。通常在盤腿的時候這個肩要開也要開，同時要往下沉。

         If your entire body sits straight up (perpendicular to the floor and without leaning forward), your body weight will fall on the hips. After the tailbone sustains pressure for a long time, your spine and back will suffer from poor blood circulation, resulting in insufficient oxygen supply for the brain. Usually when this happens while sitting cross-legged, you need to draw your shoulders open while letting them drop lower. 

那麼如果你在昏沉的時候在靜坐，眼睛可以睜開打坐；如果說你今天很有精神很散亂，在靜坐的時候眼睛可以閉著。通常年輕人在打坐的時候，舌頭不需要舌頂上顎，那麼更年期過的人打坐的時候可以舌頂上顎。那麼舌頂上顎不是這樣頂，而是舌頭回來以後舌頭的底部頂著上顎，它不是這樣頂，是這樣頂，頂著上顎。通常在飯後半個小時或者說是一個小時靜坐，這個吃的太飽了，在打坐的時候容易昏沉，如果說褲腰帶勒得很緊的話，可以把它舒展開。通常我們出家人在靜坐的時候，這個褲腰帶都是鬆緊帶的，都是很鬆的。

         If you feel groggy during the sitting meditation, you can open your eyes; but if you feel distracted on a particular day, you can keep your eyes close during meditation. Normally, when young people practice sitting meditation, they do not need to let the tongue touch the upper jaw. However, for those beyond menopause, they can let the tongue touch the upper jaw. How should you let your tongue touch the upper jaw? Do not let the upper part of your tongue touch the jaw. Roll back your tongue and let the bottom of the tongue press against the upper jaw. It is not like this, but like this – press against the upper jaw. 

Usually, you can meditate half an hour or an hour after a meal. If you eat too much, you will easily fall asleep during meditation. If your trousers are too tight, you can loosen the belt. For us the monastics, when we sit in meditation, we use elastic waistbands and make sure they are very loose.

那麼東華禪靜功，它是分三步來完成：調姿勢，調呼吸，調意念。剛才我們把姿勢調完了，那麼現在就是調呼吸。通常是用鼻子吸，用嘴巴呼，用鼻子吸，用嘴巴呼，鼻子吸進來了以後，經過咽喉到胸腔到丹田，停留丹田3-5秒鐘再呼氣。在呼氣的時候把丹田的氣呼乾淨，微微的稍作停頓，然後再吸氣。直接吸到丹田，停留3-5秒鐘，再呼出去，用嘴巴呼。調完呼吸以後，如何對治散亂心、意念如何處理呢？

          The Donghua Chan static yoga[4] is achieved in three steps: (1) adjusting the posture, (2) adjusting the breathing, and (2) adjusting the mind. We have just adjusted our posture. Now, we should adjust our breathing. Usually, we inhale with our nose and exhale with our mouth. [To repeat], inhale with the nose, exhale with the mouth. When the air is inhaled into the nose, it passes through the throat, into the chest, and reaches the elixir field. The air should stay in the elixir field for three to five seconds before it is exhaled. When we exhale, make sure all of the air in the elixir field is emptied out. Then take a pause before inhaling again. [To repeat], inhale the air directly into the elixir field, allow the air to remain for three to five seconds, then exhale through the mouth. Once we have adjusted our breathing, how do we overcome our discursive mind?

把我們的意念全部集中起來，透過眉間往外面看，把意念集中為眉間往外面看。

         We should collect all of our thoughts at the area between the eyebrows. Through this area, we look at the outside world.

我們東華禪的功法有句話叫做：閉目開眼往前看，有眼無珠人不識，一目了然觀大千，（如果能夠理解這幾句話，就會真正意義上用功。）剔目瞠眉黑變白，綿密不絕，能所脫空知已滅。這是一個用功的次第。八萬四千法門都離不開覺照，同樣我們今天東華禪也是在覺照二字上面下功夫。覺是覺察，照是照顧。對自己的起心動念能夠覺察到，同時也能夠照顧住起心動念。

         Our Donghua Chan method has a saying as follows:

“Eyes shut, the wisdom eye open, looking straight ahead,

Possessing the wisdom eye, but no eyeballs[5],

Unbeknownst to ordinary people,

With one glance, one sees a chiliocosm clearly.”

 (If you can understand these lines, you will exert meaningful effort [in practice].)

“Pluck out the eyes, stare with eyebrows, 

Darkness turns into light. 

Through thick and thin, do not concede, 

Until duality is emptied and the self is ceased.”

The verse above describes the stages of our practice. 

The eighty-four thousand Dharma gates are inseparable from awareness-illumination. Similarly, our Donghua Chan method today also exerts effort on these two words – “awareness” and “illumination.” Awareness describes the state of being aware; illumination describes the state of keeping careful watch. That is, we should be aware of every one of our thoughts or ideas that arises and stirs; at the same time, we should also be able to attend to our thoughts and ideas.

一個修行者能覺也能夠照。如果說你能夠覺察到而照顧不到自己的起心動念，任由起心動念漫天飛，那說明還不夠功夫，真正夠功夫是能覺能照。當功夫成片成勢了以後，才是所謂的能所脫空知已滅。這個時候整個人的身心都變成了覺知，已經沒有能覺的和所覺的，能照的和所照的。在閉著眼睛的同時，想像眉間就是一個視頻，它不是守在這個地方，而是透過地方看出去，同時觀想這個頭頂就是一朵開放的蓮花，整個脖子脊柱身體就是一個荷花桿，身體已經消失了，已經空掉了，變成一束開放的蓮花。念頭來就讓它來，去就讓它去，我們保持覺照，能夠看得到它，但不跟隨它，不要作為一個參與者。所謂的無念並不是不起念，而是起念心中不停念，我不跟隨念跑掉。

A practitioner should be able to maintain awareness and illumination. If you claim you can be aware but not be able to attend to your thoughts, and you allow your thoughts to drift everywhere, it just means that your effort is not yet sufficient. With true accomplishment, you will be able to maintain awareness and illumination. Once your effort reaches the mature stage, you can then say you have achieved the state where “duality is emptied and the mind is ceased.” At that time, your entire body-mind complex transforms into awareness, and there are no such things as “that which cognizes” and “that which is cognized,” or “that which attends” and “that which is attended.” When you close your eyes, you can imagine that the area between your eyebrows is like a television screen. This screen is not there to guard [the area between the eyebrows], but through it, you can observe the outside world.   

At the same time, you can visualize a blooming lotus flower on top of your head. Your neck and spine form the stem of the lotus. Your body disappears, completely voided and transforming into a bunch of blooming lotus flowers. If a thought arises, let it arise. If the thought goes away, let it go away. As we maintain awareness and illumination, we can perceive the thought, but we do not chase the thought. That is, we are not participants of the thought. The so-called “thoughtlessness” does not mean we do not have thoughts that arise. On the contrary, when we have thoughts arising, we must remind ourselves that we are not led astray by the thoughts.

用覺照的功夫看著它，覺察到它。當調完呼吸以後，在靜坐的過程當中，呼吸都順其自然。

         We exert the effort of awareness and illumination to observe the thought, and we are aware of its existence. After we have adjusted our breathing, we will let our breathing take its course naturally during the sitting session.

如果說在靜坐的過程當中，感覺到胸悶或者說是打嗝啊胃脹啊，這個時候可以用粗狂的呼吸，呼的時候一定要把丹田的氣呼乾淨。如果你把吸進來的氣停留在胃部或者是胸腔，那麼坐禪以後就會出現胸悶、胃打嗝，如果吸進了氣沉到丹田，那麼我們越做眼前的光越明亮。通常人的呼吸，是吸進來以後到咽喉、到胸腔、到丹田，那麼對於一個禪定功夫好的人，他有可能順著腿的內側再到大腿到小腿再到腳，通過腳的外側再轉一圈再轉一圈，然後又回到身體的後面，也就是夾脊後背，然後從後背再升上來再沉下來。

During the sitting session, if you experience chest distress, hiccups, or a bloated stomach, you should breathe fiercely. When you exhale, be sure to empty out completely all the air in the elixir field. [On the other hand,] if the air you inhale stays in your stomach or chest, you will experience hiccups or chest distress during the sitting meditation. In comparison, if the air is inhaled and deposited in the elixir field, then the light in front of our eyes will become brighter as we progress in our practice. 

         For an ordinary person, the inhaled air first arrives at the throat, then flows to the chest, and finally reaches the elixir field. For an accomplished Chan practitioner, the air continues to flow along the inside of his legs, then to the thighs, to the calves, and to the feet. The air then flows to the outside of the feet, circles around them, then comes back to the back of the body, i.e., the spine. After that, the air rises along the back, then sinks back down again.

我們剛開始一下子做不到，只需要把每一口氣通過鼻孔吸到丹田。那麼在靜坐的過程當中，就是鼻孔吸也用鼻孔呼。剛開始在調呼吸的時候是用鼻子吸嘴巴呼，在處理意識的時候，想著自己的身體啊整個就消失了，空掉了，變成一束開放的蓮花，鎖定這個畫面不破壞不動搖。如果這個畫面散亂的話，再重新第二次觀想，也就是我們通常說的形象思維，你能夠在意識上鎖定這個畫面，不破壞不散亂就意味著看著我們的念頭，守住了這個心。念頭和呼吸是一體的，呼吸不錯亂，念頭也不會跑，念頭不跑，呼吸也不會錯亂。

We may not be able to achieve this step at the beginning; we just need to inhale the air from the nose and let it flow all the way down to the elixir field. During the sitting meditation, we should use our nose to inhale and exhale. At the beginning when we adjust our breathing, we inhale with our nose and exhale with our mouth. When we regulate our consciousness, we should visualize that our entire body has disappeared, emptied out, and transformed into a bunch of blooming lotus flowers. Have this image locked in your mind, do not destroy it, and do not waver from it. If the image becomes disorganized, restart the visualization for the second time. This is what we normally refer to as the “figurative thinking.” If our consciousness can freeze this image without breaking or scattering it, it means we are able to observe our thoughts and guard our mind. Thoughts and breathing are integrated. If breathing is not disturbed, thoughts will not wander; if thoughts do not wander, breathing will not be disturbed.

所以在東華禪用功的時候分了三個階段：調姿勢、調呼吸、調意念，在靜坐的時候面帶微笑。比如在打坐的過程當中要昏沉，也可以採用粗曠的呼吸，因為粗曠的呼吸能夠迅速產生氧氣，所以頭腦就不會昏沉。那麼在打坐的過程當中，出現任何身體不舒服、胸悶或者說眩暈、或者是上焦中焦有火、上焦有火，虛火上升，那麼都用深呼深吸的方式來對治。一直呼到丹田沒有氣，呼乾淨的不能再呼了，就嘴巴合起來用鼻孔吸，每一口氣必須沉到丹田，並且要停留3-5秒鐘。那麼在下坐的時候，也就是在收功要結束的時候，通常這個時候兩個腿已經是很麻木了，不要突然拿下來，要身體左右晃一晃左右晃一晃，讓氣血鬆一松，當氣血鬆了以後，再用這個手輕輕的把右腳搬下來，先不要動，稍作停頓，右腳都放下來了，就是保持了恢復的單盤，那麼手放在這個地方，開始往外又要呼氣，把剛才打坐過程當中產生的一些虛熱虛氣給它呼乾淨，清理乾淨，否則的話打完坐會出現打嗝啊，當然你是一個長期打坐的人就不存在了。如果說新學打坐的人，就需要按這個過程來調節。

In sum, Donghua Chan meditation is trained in three stages: (1) adjusting the posture, (2) adjusting the breathing, and (3) adjusting the mind. Keep a smile on your face when you sit quietly. If you feel lethargic during the sitting meditation, you can try to breathe fiercely because it can help you produce oxygen quickly and drive away sleepiness in the head. 

         During the sitting meditation, if you experience any bodily discomfort, chest distress, dizziness, inflammation of your upper and middle burners[6], or rising asthenic fire[7], you should counteract it with deep breathing. When exhaling, the air should be breathed out completely until the elixir field is emptied, with not even an ounce of it left. Then, with your mouth close, inhale with your nose, and ensure every breath is sunk to the elixir field. Allow the air to stay there for three to five seconds.

         When you are ready to conclude the sitting session and end the meditation exercise, your legs are usually quite numb at this point. Do not release them suddenly. Sway your body a few times, allowing your vital energy flow and blood circulation to ease up. Afterward, use your hands to gently release your right foot [from the full lotus]. Do not move yet, take a pause, and move the right foot down. You are now in the half-lotus position. Leave your hands on the knees. Start exhaling again to clean out thoroughly the asthenic heat or asthenic air produced during the sitting session. Without doing so, you could experience hiccups after the session. Of course, if you have been practicing sitting meditation for a long time, you will not face this kind of problems. Beginners, however, should follow this process in practice.

至於說呼幾口氣為標準，你根據你自己身體的承受力，感覺到裡面還有脹氣，還有虛氣，可以多呼幾下。如果說你感覺到沒有虛氣，呼一兩口就可以結束了，然後再把左（右—口誤）腳拿下來，就保持這個姿勢，之後就可以下來結束了。

As to what is the rule of thumb for how many times you should exhale, you can evaluate based on your own bodily tolerance. If you still feel that you have passing wind or asthenic gas, you can exhale a few times more. If you do not feel such gas, then one or two times may be sufficient. After that, you can release your left foot and sit cross-legged. You can maintain the “ease pose” [for a while], then you can come down from your seat and finish the session.

“東華禪”源於釋迦牟尼佛的思想——以人為本（尊重人、包容人、理解人、服務人），眾生平等，以做人為基礎，以成佛為目標。

Donghua Chan originated from Shakyamuni Buddha’s philosophy, which advocates (1) a people-oriented principle (meaning respecting people, tolerating people, understanding people, and serving people), (2) equality for all, (3) right conduct as the foundation, and (4) Buddhahood as the goal.

“東華禪”源於祖師禪的手法——不怕妄念起，只怕覺知遲，在行住坐臥中培養覺知，成為覺知，運用覺知。

Donghua Chan originated from the techniques of Patriarch Chan, which teach one not to fear the arising of delusional thoughts but fear the belated accomplishment of mindfulness. One should develop mindfulness while traveling, abiding, sitting and lying down. Then one can achieve mindfulness and apply mindfulness.

“東華禪”以人為本，借事練心，覺悟人生，奉獻人生。目的是落實佛教人間化，開創人間淨土，成就人間菩薩。

Donghuan Chan builds on the people-oriented principle and trains the mind through worldly affairs. [It calls on disciples to] live an awakened life and devote themselves to a life of service. Its purpose is to bring about the humanization of Buddhism, to create a pure land on earth, and to become bodhisattvas in the world.

“東華禪”將信仰落實於生活中，將修行落實於當下，將佛法融入世間，將個人融入大眾，在工作中修行，在修行中工作，在盡責中修福報，在覺照中修智慧，在奉獻中修解脫。

Donghua Chan calls for applying faith in everyday life, practicing in the very present moment, integrating the Dharma with the world, and assimilating individuals into the community. [It calls on disciples to] practice while working, work while practicing, accumulate merit when taking on responsibility, cultivate wisdom while remaining aware and observant, and seek liberation while serving others.

“東華禪”首在發心，重在修證，滿於行願——發四無量心，修四攝六度，行十大願王。虛空有盡，行願無窮。

Donghua Chan starts with generating the aspiration, emphasizes practice and realization, and fulfills [its goals] by putting the goals into action that include (1) developing the four immeasurable states of mind, (2) cultivating the four ways of attracting sentient beings and six perfections, and (3) practicing according to the king’s ten great vows. Sky may have limits, but actions and aspirations are limitless.

“東華禪”功法——目前無法意目前，閉目開眼往前看，有眼無珠人不識，一目了然觀大千，剔目瞠眉黑變白，綿密不絕，能所脫空知已滅。

The practice of Donghua Chan: eyes see no phenomena but the consciousnesses sees. Eyes shut, the wisdom eye open, look straight ahead. Possessing the wisdom eye, but no eyeballs, unbeknownst to ordinary people, with one glance, one sees a chiliocosm clearly. Pluck out the eyes, stare with one’s eyebrows, darkness turns into light. Through thick and thin, do not concede until duality is emptied and the self is ceased. 

原來家風依舊，學佛做人，做人學佛。

The original family tradition remains the same; one must learn from the Buddha to behave well and behave well so as to learn from the Buddha.

“東華禪”心法——善護念，清淨心，常覺無住。

Mind training of Donghua Chan: skillfully guard the thoughts, purify the mind, always be aware but do not abide.

修學“東華禪”所依據的經論——《普賢菩薩行願品》《圓覺經》《維摩詰經》《心經》《六祖壇經》《金剛經》《楞嚴經》 《楞伽經》，龍樹菩薩六論：《中觀論》《精研論》《回諍論》《七十空性論》《六十正理論》《寶鬘論》。

The doctrinal basis of studying and practicing Donghua Chan: 

·     The Chapter on Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s Practices and Vows; 

·      The Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment, 

·      The Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa

·      The Heart Sūtra, 

·      The Sixth Patriarch’s Platform Sūtra, 

·      The Diamond Sūtra, 

·      The Śūraṅgama Sūtra, 

·      The Lankāvatāra Sūtra,

·      The six treatises by Nāgārjuna

o   Mūlamadhyamaka-kārikā (Fundamental Verses of the Middle Way),

o   Vaidalyaprakaraṇa (Pulverizing the Categories),

o   Vigrahavyāvartanī (The End of Disputes),

o   Śūnyatāsaptati (Seventy Verses on Emptiness),

o   Yuktiṣāṣṭika (Sixty Verses on Reasoning),

o   Ratnāvalī (Precious Garland).

通過學修“東華禪”的精神，融通人生四大關係：我與家庭的關係，我與社會的關係，我與國家的關係，我與自然的有關係。

Through studying and practicing the spirit of Donghua Chan, one can harmonize four major relationships in life: (1) the relationship between one’s family and oneself, (2) the relationship between society and oneself, (3) the relationship between one’s country and oneself, and (4) the relationship between nature and oneself.

[1] 散盘: Skt. sukhāsana; Eng. easy pose.

[2] 单盘: Skt. ardha padmasana; Eng. half lotus.

[3] 双盘: Skt. padmāsana; Eng. full lotus.

[4] [Translator’s explanation] The Donghua Chan methods include both static (静功) and dynamic (动功) yoga. Typically, a static yoga focuses on one’s internal energy and involves with little bodily movements, whereas a dynamic yoga also trains one’s external muscle strength. Please refer to Master Wanxing’s separate instructions on the Donghua dynamic yoga.

[5] [Translator’s explanation] In the typical Chinese parlance, “possessing the wisdom eye, but no eyeballs” (有眼无珠) has a negative connotation and is usually used to scold others for “being blind as a bat.” In the Chan context as explained by Master Wanxing, however, this idiom is complimentary and is used to praise a practitioner for their clairvoyant ability.

[6] “Burners” refer to the “the three burners” (san jiao, 三焦) – a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) concept. The upper burner corresponds to organs in the thorax, which are concerned with breathing function. The middle burner relates to the organs above the stomach and is concerned with digestion. The lower burner relates to the organs below the abdomen, which are concerned with the urogenital and gynecological systems.

[7] “Asthenic fire” (xu huo, 虚火) is a TCM term that refers to excess internal heat due to poor general conditions caused by an imbalance of the two mutually interconnected forces known as yin and yang.