| The Great Saint Arya Bodhidarma is the greatest | | | | eyes, one may think that he sees light, but |
| teacher of meditation of the past. He meditated | | | | actually it is merely the light seen through the |
| for nine years in a cave in China before he found | | | | eyelids. Just as one closes the eyes when looking |
| his successor to carry on the Lineage of Tao | | | | at the Sun, a bright red light seems to fall into |
| according to Tao of Heaven. The questions were | | | | sight. As all humans have an inborn nature, all will |
| asked by serious meditators and below the | | | | be able to see this guiding light. If one wishes to |
| answers explained by him: | | | | seek further into this, try to concentrate on the |
| Q1: How can a person know whether he has | | | | light that you see with every effort and try to |
| made progress in his meditation and can | | | | centralize this light together and one day you will |
| meditation be practised anywhere and anytime? | | | | feel its presence. |
| Ans: Meditation is the practice of stillness of the | | | | Q5: During meditation, sometimes I feel some |
| mind and one may try at any place. If one finds | | | | movement of heat inside my body. May I know |
| that the mind is less and less clouded like a cup of | | | | why it is so and whether it is good or bad? |
| water, then one has made progress on stillness. | | | | Ans: Meditation does not only aim at controlling |
| Do not be over-anxious or too excited at seeing | | | | the mind to a stillness stage. The breathing that |
| certain things, but let a calm mind progress with | | | | takes place during meditation may control the |
| practice. As one moves on, one will see different | | | | vitality (Chi). As it moves along the meridian point |
| stages. If in doubt, seek the necessary | | | | one may feel certain jerking of the flesh, but |
| clarification. If illusion is too great, evil may get the | | | | when the concentration is not on the breathing, |
| better of you. Therefore stillness must first be | | | | one may not easily feel the movement of the |
| achieved before practising in any other way. | | | | vitality. |
| Q2: Why are there so many types of meditation | | | | Q6: Why are there many images distracting one's |
| and how effective are they? | | | | mind when one starts to meditate? |
| Ans: Why are there so many roads? All lead to a | | | | Ans: Human, human, even without meditation, |
| centralized place. The distance and the lighting are | | | | your mind is already obstructed by many objects. |
| different, but all will still lead to the same | | | | If a person can really be free from greed, hatred |
| destination that one wishes to go. But one should | | | | and delusion then man will be free. Objects do not |
| not try too many roads at one go or one will lose | | | | obstruct you but your own illusion is doing the |
| time. Concentrate on one and be familiar with this | | | | work. |
| very road. Then you will know all its corners and | | | | Q7: When a person is in deep meditation, will his |
| pits. | | | | body be attacked by evil spirit? |
| Q3: What is the prayer for one to meditate? | | | | Ans: Whether a person is in deep meditation or |
| Ans: Prayers to most people are merely to | | | | not, the evils are always working around him. |
| steady the heart and to feel the protection of | | | | Given the chance, he will be pulled back. A person |
| the above. If the heart is pure, where will evil | | | | who can enter into a deep meditation, has |
| come from? One is his own protector and must | | | | attained stillness to a certain degree. The |
| not always be too dependant. Just like a man who | | | | Heavenly Being dwells in a pure heart and anything |
| is dying, if he begins to pray, does that mean he | | | | can dwell instead in an unsteady heart. |
| will not die? | | | | In the teachings of Tao of Heaven, all men are |
| Q4: When I sit down, close my eyes and stay | | | | Buddhas and they have the seed, but the seed |
| calm, I tend to see a purple light. May I know | | | | has not taken root and that is why men are not |
| whether it is an illusion or a true light. If it is a true | | | | Buddhas. If one wishes the seed to take root, |
| light, what is the significance? | | | | work hard at it. Cultivate the right seed and plant |
| Ans: The brilliant light with its beauty can be seen | | | | it in the right soil. Look after it well and let it |
| by all. All beings see the light but it depends on | | | | bloom and it is called the Attainment of Tao. |
| whether one knows how to make good use of | | | | Author: T. |
| this light. In a room brightly lit up, upon closing the | | | | |