Thousands of “Do Nots”

有几千万个不行

Those who investigate in Chan have to endure thirst, hunger and cold. They must use patience and cultivate whole-heartedly. In the summer, when it is so hot everyday, what use do we have for a blanket? This shows that you do not know the rules and are just dragging your heels. Meditation is somthing we can practice any time and any place. We do not need to bring a blanket everywhere to sit in meditation. That is a hangup and is not something that cultivators should have. You could simply wear extra trousers and your feet will not feel cold anymore. There is no need to bring blankets to the Hall and make it look like a blanket shop. That is wrong.

参禅的人要忍渴、忍饿、忍饥、忍寒，一切都要用忍耐心来用功修行。夏天天气这么热，要毯子做什么？这就是不懂规矩，拖泥带水，拖拖拉拉的。坐禅是随时随地都可以坐，不是到什么地方都带个毯子去打坐，那就是有所罣碍，这不是修行人该有的。你可以多穿一条裤子，腿就不冷了，不须要带着毯子到禅堂，弄得禅堂好像卖毯子店，这是不应该有的。

Do not pamper your stinking skin-bag, to the point that it cannot suffer being a little cold or a little warm, a little hungry or thirsty. Everyday, you have thousands of “cannots.” How can you cultivate? When genuine, hardworking cultivators sit in meditation, they do not doze off. If you want to sleep, you should stand up. Do not be stubborn and continue to sleep, thinking that you are sitting in meditation. That is wrong. Entering samadhi is not the same as falling asleep. If you are in samadhi, that is a different story altogether.

不要把自己的臭皮囊看得太娇贵，冷也不行，热也不行，渴也不行，饿也不行，一天有几千万个「不行」。这怎么用功呢？用功的人坐禅，绝对不可以睡觉的；你想睡觉就站起来，不可以任性「我在这坐禅呢！」然后就睡着了，这是不可以；入定并不是睡觉，你要是入定，那又不同。