From This Moment On

Author: Linmu

I have long wanted to systematically summarize the methods of true practice, but have been unable to do so. This is partly due to limited wisdom, making it difficult to clearly analyze the true Dharma succinctly, and partly due to poor expression skills, making it hard to put my thoughts into words.

I drafted many articles but was never satisfied, fearing that any inaccuracies might mislead others, so I stopped writing and continued meditating. After starting and stopping many times, I never managed to publish anything. During this time, many friends eager to end suffering urgently hoped I would share how to practice. Especially some older friends who have meditated for most of their lives without significant achievements felt their lives were running out and were very anxious. I also hoped to find someone who truly teaches the right Dharma to introduce to everyone, but so far, I haven't found anyone among the major sects and many folk practitioners who truly understands the right Dharma, let alone teaches it. This made me feel it was urgent to write an article that is easy to understand, unlikely to be misinterpreted, and can be practiced immediately by anyone.

Fortunately, in the past six months, many key issues have been resolved through meditation progress. Although this article is not perfect, after much reflection, I believe it at least won't mislead anyone. I trust that if readers seriously read, think over, carefully examine, and practice according to my methods, they will achieve something. Even if there are some errors in the article, readers will be able to correct them themselves.

Theory

Let's start with the basics. Humans have five senses, each stimulated by different phenomena to produce five types of cognition. The eyes are stimulated by color to produce cognition of light and dark, colors; ears by sound to produce cognition of sounds; nose by smell to produce cognition of fragrances and odors; tongue by taste to produce cognition of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, and savory; body by touch to produce cognition of soft, hard, light, heavy, rough, smooth, cold, hot, pain, and itchiness.

Besides, the mind recalls and thinks about past experiences, which are referred to as "dharmas." Thus, humans have six senses that interact with six phenomena to produce six types of cognition.

Here, we name cognition as consciousness, briefly saying: eyes and color produce eye consciousness, ears and sound produce ear consciousness, nose and smell produce nose consciousness, tongue and taste produce tongue consciousness, body and touch produce body consciousness, and mind and dharmas produce mind consciousness.

There are six important characteristics in the process of consciousness arising:

1. Each sense only interacts with its corresponding phenomenon to produce consciousness and cannot interact with other phenomena. For example, eyes only interact with color, not with sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas; the mind only interacts with dharmas, not with color, sound, smell, taste, or touch. The same applies to other senses, each only interacting with its corresponding phenomenon.

2. Although we can produce six types of consciousness, only one type arises at a time. Like a tug-of-war, the side with greater force pulls the cloth in the middle towards itself. The phenomenon that attracts the most attention interacts with the corresponding sense to produce the corresponding consciousness.

3. When consciousness arises, we feel as if "I am perceiving the phenomenon," "the mind or consciousness is perceiving the phenomenon," or "the sense is perceiving the phenomenon."

But in fact, cognition is a new phenomenon produced when the senses are stimulated by phenomena, and it is not about knowing or recognizing anything.

Just like light is a new phenomenon produced when electric current passes through a light bulb, it is not the light seeing the electric current, nor is it the light bulb or anything else seeing the electric current.

Light is just a new phenomenon produced by the light bulb and electric current. When each sense and phenomenon produce cognition, it is accompanied by the arising of feeling, perception, and thought.

If all material qualities of the senses and phenomena are classified into one category and named form, then in the process of the arising of cognition, there are a total of five categories of phenomena: form, feeling, perception, volition, and cognition. These five categories encompass our entire body and mind.

Here, they are traditionally named the five aggregates: the aggregate of form, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of volitional formations, and the aggregate of consciousness. The five aggregates arise and then cease immediately. But as long as life is not over and the body and mind are healthy, the five aggregates will continuously regenerate, arising and ceasing, the old ceases and the new arises, until death.

At the moment of death, if the last ceasing consciousness has not exhausted ignorance and attachment, then a new set of five aggregates will be reborn, that is, a new life, thus continuing endlessly in the cycle of rebirth.

Just like having a sore on the body, it hurts when touched, hurts when cold, itches when touched, and itches when hot, often suffering various pains. Only when scratching with the right amount of force during itching can it bring temporary pleasure. The five aggregates accompanied by attachment are like a body with a sore, more suffering than joy.

When encountering undesirable phenomena, one suffers from the pain of aversion; when unable to obtain the sought-after happiness, one suffers from the pain of seeking but not obtaining; when what is obtained is lost or changed, one suffers from the pain of separation from loved ones; if one regards the five aggregates as "self," then one suffers the pain of birth, aging, and death when the five aggregates arise, abide, and cease, all of which are constantly accompanied by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.

Only when satisfying attachment can one obtain temporary happiness. It is particularly important to note that many people think that attachment produces suffering because this attachment leads to the regeneration of the five aggregates, and because of the regeneration of the five aggregates, there is suffering.

Thus, they believe that the five aggregates are suffering, and therefore direct the way to extinguish suffering towards extinguishing the five aggregates. But in fact, attachment is the direct cause of suffering in the present, not in the future. Whenever there is attachment, there is suffering; whenever there is no attachment, there is no suffering.

If the five aggregates that arise in the present are accompanied by some form of attachment, and the object of attachment is not as desired, then the five aggregates accompanied by this attachment will appear as suffering in the present. If in the next moment, the newly arisen five aggregates do not have this attachment, then there is no such suffering.

For example, if someone loves a person of the opposite sex, seeing them with someone else can cause annoyance. Later, if the heart changes and love is no longer there, then there will be no more annoyance for any behavior of the other party. Therefore, whenever there is love for it, there may be suffering for it; whenever there is no love for it, there will not be suffering for it.

If this point is not clear, one will go in the wrong direction, thinking that to extinguish suffering is to extinguish the five aggregates. But in fact, we do not need to extinguish any of the five aggregates, nor do we need to extinguish any attachment. The five aggregates arise and cease on their own, even if one wishes to keep them, they cannot be kept, let alone the attachment within the five aggregates.

Therefore, there is no need to do anything extra to eliminate them. If this principle is understood, then it can be understood that to extinguish suffering is to prevent the arising of attachment in the five aggregates that are to be reborn. The past five aggregates have already arisen and ceased, love has already arisen and ceased, suffering has already arisen and ceased.

But if there is no attachment to the five aggregates that arise in the remainder of one's life, then the remainder of one's life will not be troubled by birth, aging, sickness, death, resentment, separation from loved ones, unfulfilled desires, etc., leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. This is called "Parinirvana with remainder."

When the five aggregates of this world are extinguished, ignorance has ended, attachment has been severed, and the five aggregates will extinguish like a flame that has run out of fuel, not leading to the rebirth of new aggregates, completely cutting off the root of suffering.

This is called "Parinirvana without remainder." Some might wonder, if the five aggregates are completely extinguished, doesn't that mean annihilation? What is the meaning of such an outcome? In fact, no matter who it is, whether or not one severs attachment, the fact that the five aggregates arise and then disintegrate cannot be stopped, not even for a moment, both now and at the time of death.

Just like a flame is a phenomenon that arises and extinguishes, but because the fuel keeps supplying, the flame keeps arising. If one ignores the fact that the flame is actually constantly disappearing, one might mistakenly believe that the flame is the same throughout, until the fuel is exhausted and it disperses and extinguishes.

If people do not realize that the five aggregates arise and then completely extinguish, followed by the successive generation of new aggregates, they might mistakenly believe that the previous and subsequent aggregates are the same, from birth to death, and even believe that the rebirth is the same entity. And they regard these aggregates as "self," thus fearing their extinction.

But in fact, they are not the same, nor are they "self," and there is no "self" within or outside the aggregates. Therefore, rebirth is just the rebirth of new aggregates, and not being reborn is just not giving rise to new aggregates.

Some might wonder, if there is no "self," then who is without suffering, who is suffering, and who is liberated, attaining Nirvana? The reason for this doubt is also because people do not fully understand that the five aggregates arise and then completely extinguish.

Although one set of aggregates can lead to the arising of another, the previous and subsequent aggregates are completely different and independent phenomena.

Because of the mistaken belief that there is something unchanging that runs through from one set of aggregates to another, from birth to death, from this life to the next, people think it is this unchanging thing that suffers and does not suffer. But in fact, there is no such unchanging thing. When the aggregates arise, it is merely the aggregates arising. When the aggregates cease, it is these aggregates completely disappearing.

If there is attachment in the arising aggregates, and the object of attachment is not as desired, then the attachment will transform into the form of suffering, and these aggregates are suffering. Similarly, when suffering arises, it is merely suffering arising. When this suffering ceases, it is this suffering completely disappearing. In this process, there is nothing that bears suffering, nor is there anything that bears the absence of suffering, it is just suffering arising and ceasing.

With attachment, suffering continues to arise and cease; if attachment is continuously reborn, suffering is endless. Without attachment, after the old suffering ceases, new suffering does not arise, which is liberation, Nirvana.

So, is there a way for us to reduce or even stop generating attachment in this life, right now, from this moment, to eliminate doubts and completely cut off the rebirth of suffering?

Distance Oneself and be Alone

Yes, the method of practice can be divided into two steps: one, to distance oneself and be alone. The places where modern people live are often filled with various comfortable and tempting sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches, which are called the five desires.

An untamed mind finds it difficult to resist the temptations of the five desires, thus encountering them leads to the continuous emergence of various cravings. To avoid these temptations and reduce the emergence of cravings, we should stay away from bustling places as much as possible.

Go to a quiet, undisturbed wilderness or an empty house, restrain the senses, moderate the diet, regulate speech and behavior, reduce affairs, and live a simple life. If conditions do not allow, you can arrange a quiet, simple room at home or nearby for solitude, and once entering this room, restrain yourself as previously mentioned.

Four Establishments of Mindfulness

Secondly, practice the four establishments of mindfulness. If six different animals, a dog, a bird, a snake, a wolf, a fish, and a monkey, are caught and tied to the same pillar in a square. The dog wants to enter the village, the bird wants to fly into the sky, the snake wants to burrow into a hole, the wolf wants to go to the wilderness, the fish wants to jump into the water, and the monkey wants to enter the forest, each has its own desired destination. But because they are tied up, they struggle continuously until they are exhausted and can only stay by the pillar.

The six restrained senses are like these six animals, constantly wanting to climb towards their preferred phenomena. To tame these senses, we also need to tie them to a pillar, which is the establishment of mindfulness of the body.

The establishment of mindfulness of the body means: focusing intently inward on one's own body as a whole or in parts, with enthusiasm, concentration, and discernment.

Just like when driving, if we focus intently on the road ahead, filled with enthusiasm, concentration, and discernment.

When there is a car ahead, we will know there is a car; when the car stops, we will know the car has stopped; when the car moves, we will know the car is moving; when there is a pedestrian ahead, we will know there is a pedestrian; when there is an obstacle ahead, we will know there is an obstacle; when there is a puddle ahead, we will know there is a puddle; when there is a traffic light ahead, we will know there is a traffic light.

No matter what road conditions appear ahead, we will know them immediately.

Similarly, if we focus intently on our own body as a whole, filled with enthusiasm, concentration, and discernment. Then when sitting, we will know we are sitting; when getting up, we will know we are getting up; when standing, we will know we are standing; when walking, we will know we are walking; when lying down, we will know we are lying down.

No matter what state the body is in, moving forward or backward, raising hands or feet, dressing or undressing, waking or sleeping, speaking or silent, eating or drinking, urinating or defecating, we will know immediately. When walking, if we focus intently on our feet, filled with enthusiasm, concentration, and discernment.

Then when lifting a foot, we will know we are lifting a foot; when the foot moves, we will know the foot is moving; when the foot is put down, we will know the foot is being put down; when the left foot steps out, we will know the left foot is stepping out; when the right foot steps out, we will know the right foot is stepping out.

No matter what state the feet are in, we will know immediately. When sitting, if we focus intently inward on our breath, filled with enthusiasm, concentration, and discernment. Then when exhaling, we will know we are exhaling; when inhaling, we will know we are inhaling; when exhaling deeply, we will know we are exhaling deeply; when inhaling deeply, we will know we are inhaling deeply; when there is breath, we will know we are breathing; when there is no breath, we will know there is no breath.

No matter what state our breath is in at any given moment, we will know it as it is immediately. It's like planting flowers and trees; all we need to do is water and fertilize them at the right time, and naturally, the flowers will bloom, and the trees will grow. The same applies to mindfulness of the body.

As long as we focus our attention inward, either on the body as a whole or on specific parts, with enthusiasm and concentration, thinking clearly and discerningly, then whatever we focus on, no matter what state it is in, will be naturally and truly known. If we can continuously focus inward on the body, we will always remain in the true knowledge of whatever state the body is in, without paying attention to other worldly matters.

Therefore, we will not be influenced by other worldly matters and can avoid arising desires and sorrows related to the world. When we see other old, sick, dead, decaying, incomplete, or skeletal bodies, we should also turn our attention to ourselves, contemplating that our bodies will also age, become sick, die, decay, become incomplete, and eventually turn to bones, in order to reduce our attachment to the body.

It is extremely important to note that the mindfulness of the body discussed here is very different from what is commonly taught. The first difference: in the mindfulness of the body taught by others, many believe that if one hears a sound, one can note or observe the hearing, and the same goes for seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, etc.

However, here, the focus is on concentrating our attention on the body, constantly aware of every movement of the body. If distracted by other senses or objects, once aware, we should immediately shift our attention back to the body.

Remember the analogy of the six animals; the body is the pillar we rely on. Our focus on the body is precisely to prevent our attention from shifting elsewhere. To prevent our attention from unknowingly shifting, we also need to frequently check, recall, and remind ourselves to keep our attention on the body.

The second difference: in the mindfulness of the body taught by others, people are often instructed to carefully observe the phenomena produced by the body, to explore their nature and causes.

For example, when lifting a foot, one should observe the process carefully and in-depth, with the aim of studying the nature of lifting the foot, discovering the motive behind it, and seeing the truth of lifting the foot. Here, however, the focus is simply on being aware of the body, ensuring that its real-time state is truly known.

For example, when focusing on the foot, lifting the foot is just a phenomenon naturally known because we are focusing there, and what we need to ensure is the continuous, true knowledge of the real-time state of the foot, not exploring its nature and causes. Just like when driving, we don't focus on the road ahead to deeply study the nature or causes of cars, pedestrians, and traffic lights appearing on the road. We see them because our attention is focused on the road ahead.

The reason we need to be fully attentive, enthusiastic, concentrated, and discerning is to ensure that our attention is always directed towards the road ahead, continuously and truly aware of the real-time road conditions.

Similarly, we don't focus on the body to study the nature or causes of standing, sitting, lying down, moving hands and feet, seeing, hearing, feeling, breathing in, and breathing out. We know these phenomena because our attention is focused on the body.

The reason for being fully focused, enthusiastic, dedicated, and discerning is to ensure that attention is always directed towards the body, continuously and accurately aware of the body's real-time state. The third distinction: This is the most important and hardest to distinguish difference from the mindfulness of the body taught by others.

The body generates various tactile sensations due to contact, such as hardness or softness, cold or heat, pain or itchiness. In the mindfulness of the body taught by others, when the body experiences tactile sensations, one can focus on these sensations, closely observe them, or deeply explore their nature. For example, when experiencing pain, one can delve into the pain, observe it until it disappears. It can be said that this method is widely present in various meditation practices popular in the world today.

However, the focus here on the mindfulness of the body is always on the body itself, reminding us again not to forget the metaphor of the six animals. It is known that tactile sensation arises from the attention directed towards "contact," just as auditory consciousness arises from attention directed towards sound. Focusing on tactile sensations is no different from focusing on scenery or music.

The reason people immerse themselves in observing these tactile sensations of the body is because they mistakenly regard these sensations as feelings in the realm of feelings, thinking that observing these sensations is practicing the mindfulness of feelings. But in fact, they are external objects, "contacts," the same as "form, sound, smell, taste," and are "contact" among the five desires of "form, sound, smell, taste, contact." When people deeply observe these tactile sensations, they are actually being drawn away from the inner body by the five desires.

Therefore, when various tactile sensations such as cold, heat, pain, itchiness, lightness, heaviness, hardness, or softness arise, we should not delve into these sensations but remind ourselves to redirect our attention inward to the body. This distinction is difficult for beginners to discern, and only through practicing the correct mindfulness of the body can one more easily direct attention skillfully inward to the inner body.

However, this distinction is crucial; if people mistakenly regard these tactile sensations as feelings in the realm of feelings, then the true practice of mindfulness of feelings cannot be undertaken. So, what are the feelings mentioned in the realm of feelings? Just as different objects like sticks, stones, beverage bottles, fists, etc., hitting a drum will only produce loud, soft, or moderate sounds, when various tactile sensations like cold, heat, pain, itchiness, hardness, or softness touch the body, only three types of feelings are produced within: suffering, pleasure, and neither suffering nor pleasure. If we only focus on the inner body and not on other phenomena, we can gradually and accurately become aware of these three internal feelings.

Furthermore, when form, sound, smell, taste, and mental objects stimulate the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and mind, we can also skillfully grasp the feelings produced within. When we can skillfully grasp feelings internally, we can fully focus on these feelings, also with enthusiasm, dedication, and discernment. When suffering arises, we will accurately know there is suffering within; when pleasure arises, we will accurately know there is pleasure within; when neither suffering nor pleasure arises, we will accurately know there is neither suffering nor pleasure within.

No matter what feelings arise internally at that moment, we will accurately be aware of them immediately, and this is the practice of mindfulness of feelings. If we can continuously focus inward on feelings, we will always remain in the accurate awareness of what feelings arise within, without noticing other worldly phenomena. Therefore, we will not be affected by other worldly phenomena, and at that moment, we can avoid arising greed, sorrow, and distress related to the worldly conditions.

Only after being fully informed can we grasp our inner selves. The same applies here; without a thorough understanding of the subject, one cannot correctly grasp the mind. When we can skillfully grasp the mind, we can focus inwardly on the mind with enthusiasm, concentration, and discernment.

When anger arises, we will know for sure that there is anger within; when anger dissipates, we will know for sure that there is no anger within; when greed arises, we will know for sure that there is greed within; when greed dissipates, we will know for sure that there is no greed within.

No matter what state the mind is in at the moment—confused, concentrated, pure, liberated, etc., we will know it immediately and accurately, which is the practice of mindfulness of the mind. If we can continuously focus inwardly on the mind, we will always dwell in the accurate knowledge of what mind arises, without paying attention to other phenomena in the world.

Therefore, we will not be influenced by other phenomena in the world, and can avoid the arising of worldly desires and sorrows. When we can clearly know the mind, we can gradually grasp the dharma in the mind, just as following a sound leads us to its source.

For example, when we know anger well, we can gradually understand anger itself; when we know greed well, we can gradually understand greed itself, and here greed, anger, etc., are the dharmas.

If we focus inwardly on the dharma with enthusiasm, concentration, and discernment. When there is anger, we will know for sure that there is anger; when there is no anger, we will know for sure that there is no anger; knowing accurately when anger that was not there before arises, and knowing accurately when the arisen anger ceases and does not arise again.

The same applies to greed, sloth, restlessness, doubt. When form arises and ceases, we will know for sure: this is form, this is the arising of form, this is the cessation of form; when feeling arises and ceases, we will know for sure: this is feeling, this is the arising of feeling, this is the cessation of feeling; when perception arises and ceases, we will know for sure: this is perception, this is the arising of perception, this is the cessation of perception; when formations arise and cease, we will know for sure: this is formations, this is the arising of formations, this is the cessation of formations; when consciousness arises and ceases, we will know for sure: this is consciousness, this is the arising of consciousness, this is the cessation of consciousness.

No matter what dharma appears inside at the moment, the six senses, dependent origination, the seven factors of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path, the four noble truths, etc., we will know it immediately and accurately, which is the practice of mindfulness of the dharma.

If we can continuously focus inwardly on the dharma, we will always dwell in the accurate knowledge of what dharma arises, without paying attention to other phenomena in the world. Therefore, we will not be influenced by other phenomena in the world, and can avoid the arising of worldly desires and sorrows.

During this period, we start with mindfulness of the body, step by step, gradually knowing and cultivating the body, feelings, mind, and dharma. When the practice of mindfulness of the dharma is complete, the four foundations of mindfulness are complete; when the four foundations of mindfulness are complete, it is the completion of the enlightenment factor of mindfulness; when the enlightenment factor of mindfulness is complete, wisdom arises; when the enlightenment factor of wisdom is complete, diligence arises; when the enlightenment factor of diligence is complete, joy arises; when the enlightenment factor of joy is complete, tranquility arises; when the enlightenment factor of tranquility is complete, concentration arises; when the enlightenment factor of concentration is complete, relinquishment arises; when the enlightenment factor of relinquishment is complete, it leads to the relinquishment of all that is acquired, the end of desire, desirelessness, cessation, nirvana.

If people do not correctly grasp the mindfulness of the body, then they cannot touch the true mindfulness of feelings, let alone the mindfulness of the mind and dharma. If the mindfulness of the dharma is not correctly practiced, one cannot accurately know what are the five hindrances, the five aggregates, the six senses, dependent origination, etc.

If the Dharma is not truly understood, then it is impossible to perfectly realize the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path, and the Four Noble Truths.

However, as long as one can skillfully master the correct mindfulness of the body, then one method will lead to another, with the completion of one method facilitating the entry into another, progressing step by step until liberation and Nirvana are achieved.

Therefore, I hope everyone can start from this moment, leave environments full of temptation, and focus wholeheartedly on the inner body, valuing mindfulness of the body as much as one's own life. Using the body as a pillar, grounded in the inner body, to embark on the path of practice.