Going Beyond Body and Mind, One Step at a Time

Venerable Dianwu’s Personal Account of Practice

滇悟禅师中文原文开示见后

Ven. Dianwu Meditating in the Wild

Editor’s Note

This article is shared as an encouragement for sincere practitioners.

In this personal account, Venerable Dianwu speaks about practice not as an abstract idea, but as something tested through the body and mind: sleepiness, hunger, pain, fear, solitude, walking pilgrimage, and long periods of sitting. His experience reminds us that the path is not always comfortable, but it is possible to grow stronger through steady effort, patience, and right mindfulness.

The purpose of sharing this article is not to ask everyone to imitate these practices literally. Rather, it is to offer an example of courage, discipline, and perseverance. For those who are facing difficulties in meditation or daily practice, Venerable Dianwu’s story can serve as a reminder: progress is often made one small step at a time.

The following article has been adapted from Venerable Dianwu’s teachings on different challenges in practice, together with his own personal experiences of training, pilgrimage, and meditation.

On Recollection

The simplest method is to practice recollection every day.

From the moment we wake up in the morning, many things we do are quickly forgotten. By the time evening comes, we should make a simple review of the day. Where did we go today? What did we do? We should bring these things back to mind clearly, one by one.

Then we should go further. We should also recollect what passed through our mind: what we could not forget, what we loved, what we hated, what we were attached to, and what was difficult to let go of.

If we make this kind of daily review, it is already a real form of practice.

Many methods seem too simple, so we do not take them seriously. But because we overlook these simple methods, we often lose the most important part of practice, and then we cannot make real progress.

On Impermanence

When we sit in meditation, we must first understand impermanence clearly. After understanding it, we must learn to apply it in daily life.

We can begin with one day.

From waking up in the morning, to noon, afternoon, early night, middle night, and late night, our bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions pass away so quickly. Most of them we cannot remember. We forget them completely.

When we do remember, usually only two kinds of things remain: what we liked and what we disliked.

This is impermanence.

What happened today has already happened yesterday in another form. The same bodily, verbal, and mental patterns that appeared today will appear again tomorrow.

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow reflect the past month, this month, and next month. They reflect last year, this year, and next year. They even reflect past lives, this life, and future lives.

This repetition is what we call saṃsāra. And this saṃsāra is impermanent.

When we sit quietly and observe the breath, we should not only observe the breath mechanically. If we observe the breath without contemplating the meaning of the Dharma, the mind may simply wander, or we may fall into dullness and drowsiness. The mind becomes restless and unstable because it is not established in mindfulness and clear knowing.

Our own bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions are where we must truly apply our effort.

If you have old photos, look carefully at the pictures of yourself from childhood until now. In truth, that is not the same person.

The Buddha taught us to contemplate impermanence by looking at life in periods of ten years.

From one to ten years old is a period of dullness, a time of ignorance and confusion.

From ten to twenty years old is a period of play. “Play” means being caught up in fun, still young and ignorant. At that age we may not understand how to be filial to our parents. We may be rebellious. We may have more unbeneficial and incorrect behavior and thoughts. We may hurt others more easily.

Then we look at each ten-year period after that. Every ten years, the body changes. The actions of body, speech, and mind also change. The simplest thing to see is the body itself: it is completely different.

Then the Buddha leads us to look more finely. The previous moment and the next moment are not the same. In the snap of a finger there are said to be many moments. In each moment, this body is changing through metabolism and transformation.

The Buddha also taught that this body is not a single solid thing. It is made of many parts and many living processes. It is said that there are countless organisms in the body, countless pores, bones, flesh, and internal parts. The body is a collection. It is not one complete, permanent whole.

Some parts of the body may die while other parts still function. Half the body may become paralyzed, and a person can still live. A limb may be lost, and the person still continues. The body is not whole in the way we imagine. It is unstable, dependent, and impermanent.

We must contemplate the truth of impermanence clearly.

Truth is what is real. It is not something we invent. Whether we like it or dislike it, whether we think about it or do not think about it, it remains true.

On Feeling

The body is just the body.

Because we do not understand the body, because we do not purify it and go beyond it, our whole life is often nothing but feeling. We receive contact, and then we are influenced by the feelings that arise through the body.

When painful feeling arises, we reject it, dislike it, and hate it. When pleasant feeling arises, we crave it and want more of it. In this way, feeling influences our entire life.

Therefore, we must thoroughly contemplate feeling.

Contemplation of feeling is one of the most important parts of the four establishments of mindfulness. Without mindfulness of breathing, contemplation of feeling is difficult to sustain. But once we can truly contemplate feeling, liberation becomes possible. A person’s emotions, afflictions, and inner agitation can naturally be purified.

If a person knows how to contemplate feeling very carefully, even bodily pain can become a kind of joy. When a cool breeze comes, I observe it and there is joy. If some part of the body becomes uncomfortable, I observe that too, and it can also become joyful.

Why? Because when you observe feeling, you see that feeling is not “me.” It is only vibration, movement, burning, heat, arising and passing away. You observe it as it really is.

The more you observe, the more joyful it becomes. Before, you did not know it, so you were controlled by it. Now you know: it arises and ceases, arises and ceases. It is not a solid thing.

Feeling is easy to go beyond if you can observe it directly.

Then you can sit for as long as you wish. When pain comes during sitting, do not be controlled by the pain. You should train with it and overcome it.

If you do not train and subdue the body, the body will subdue you.

On Sleep

Take sleep, for example.

If you cannot even master sleepiness, then you are still being controlled by the body. When sleepiness comes, the body wants comfort. It cannot sit anymore. It wants to lie down. Even when lying down, it turns back and forth, looking for comfort.

This sleepiness controls us. It wastes time. Sometimes one sleep takes half a day. Sometimes we sleep the whole day and still feel it is not enough.

Sleep consumes precious time.

I made an effort to overcome sleep. From the time I was young, I looked for ways not to sleep so much. Eventually I was able to do it. I used many methods, and it was very difficult. It was painful. Training with dullness and drowsiness is harder than many other forms of training.

Ven. Dianwu Walking

On Hunger

Hunger is also difficult.

I trained with hunger too. When I was traveling on foot, I often walked more than a thousand kilometers. Once I walked from Mount Emei to Mount Wutai, more than a thousand kilometers. Sometimes I passed through several villages where people were not friendly to monks or Buddhism, and there was no food at all. Then I had to endure hunger.

When I was hungry, I walked faster. I forced myself to walk faster. Sometimes I walked until tears came.

The body felt wronged: “Wouldn’t it be better to stay somewhere comfortable? Why make me suffer like this?”

It was bitter.

But slowly, while walking, I would forget the hunger. Once I forgot it, the body became comfortable. It was no longer caught in suffering or pleasure. It became at ease.

In this way, I also trained with hunger. Even if I did not eat for one or two days, I could still walk.

This body must be thoroughly trained, subdued, and gone beyond.

When I crossed the Himalayas, it was the same. I was extremely sleepy. I was so sleepy that I dreamed while walking. The dreams were strange. Sometimes it seemed I saw the Buddha. Sometimes I heard sounds. Strange scenes appeared.

I thought, “No wonder some books speak of being possessed or disturbed by visions.”

But slowly I learned not to believe them. Do not believe whatever appears before you. Believe in your mindfulness.

For one day, two days, three days, visions appeared. My eyes seemed to see things, my ears seemed to hear things. It felt as though I truly saw the Buddha, or saw

Dharma protectors, or saw someone bringing food, or heard someone speaking to me.

But they were all illusions.

One must remain with right mindfulness.

The sleepiness was so strong that I could fall at any moment. If I fell, I did not want to get up. At that time sleep felt like the most comfortable thing in the world. This shows how strong our habits are.

This is how I crossed the Himalayas. After three days, then four days, by the fifth day I broke through. It was a real breakthrough. From then on, dullness and drowsiness were gone.

Some challenges have a limit. You break through that limit a little, then a little more. Sitting meditation is the same. When pain comes, go a little further. Challenge the limit just a little more.

If you do this every day, making a little effort each day, then after one year, after several years, your sitting becomes stable. As long as time allows, you can sit for as long as needed.

Now, if time allows, I can sit ten days without getting up. I can sit for a month. If there is enough time, I can sit even longer.

Sitting is better than sleeping. Its benefit cannot be fully described in words. The sitting posture is an excellent posture. When one sits well, the circulation of energy and blood becomes smooth, and right contemplation can easily arise.

All of this must be broken through.

On Fear

When I returned from the Sichuan-Tibet route, walking from Lhasa to Mount Emei in Sichuan, there were many bears on that road. These bears were large, about 1.8 or even over 2 meters tall. They ran fast. Their heads looked a little like horses, and their bodies were tall, strong, and heavy.

Around the Yarlung Tsangpo River area, especially near Nyingchi and Bomi, I often encountered them. They were dangerous.

At first, when I saw one, I was so frightened it felt as if my soul had left my body.

But gradually I got used to it.

When I later came back from Xinjiang and Lhasa along the Xinjiang-Tibet route, there were many wolves. I had not seen wolves before. Slowly, I also broke through that fear.

There were also pythons and poisonous snakes. At first, I was afraid. When I saw a snake, my legs went weak and I could hardly walk. Later, after living in the mountains and contemplating impermanence, I was no longer afraid of snakes. I could even pick them up and give them refuge. When I saw a large python, I was not afraid.

Later, when I sat in deep mountains, fear disappeared. Otherwise, when you close your eyes, there is still fear. There is still a subtle sense of self-protection, a subtle “I” trying to defend itself. With that kind of fear, one cannot enter samādhi.

On Sitting Meditation

Practice begins by going beyond one’s own body and mind.

Especially in sitting meditation, as long as you are able to sit and make progress every day, breaking through a little every day, the body becomes healthy. Sitting meditation is a kind of purification. It is a kind of detoxification.

When you first sit, your legs hurt, your waist hurts, your body aches, and you may sweat. But why does sitting hurt? Why is it uncomfortable? Why can you not continue?

It is because the energy channels are not open. The flow of blood and energy is blocked.

The muscles, tendons, and pathways of the body are not yet smooth.

Even if your channels become open enough that you can sit ten or twenty hours, there are still finer obstructions. Between flesh and flesh, between bone and bone, there are still places that are not open. You must continue sitting until you can sit for three days, five days, and then it opens.

Generally, if one can sit for one full day and night, or two or three days, at that time one becomes one of the happiest and richest people in the human world. Why?

Because you have a good body and a healthy state of mind.

You can only break through. You can only go beyond.

No one can do it for you.

Reciting mantras alone will not do it. Reciting many scriptures alone will not do it.

You must personally face it.

On Walking Pilgrimage

I left home to become a monk when I was eleven. That year, my teacher said to me:

“Today I want to speak with you seriously. You have only been ordained for a few days, but I am already old, over a hundred years old. I must speak with you carefully.”

He asked me, “What aspiration do you have?”

I said, “Master, please tell me what I am suited for.”

He said, “For a monastic, there are two main directions. One is to become a

Dharma teacher. The other is to become a meditation master.”

I asked, “What standard must a meditation master reach?”

He said, “A meditation master must know how to sit meditation.”

I said, “I can sit too.”

He said, “You must be able to enter samādhi. To enter samādhi means sitting for several days and nights.”

I said, “I can do that. I want to reach that.”

So I told him, “I want to become a meditation master.”

He said, “If you want to become a meditation master, you must be able to live in seclusion. You must first live in a large monastery for several winters and summers, perhaps even longer.”

In a meditation hall, people are trained very strongly. When you want to sit, they may not let you sit. When you do not want to sit, they make you sit without moving. The meditation hall wears down your personality. It reduces your habits. You learn to follow instruction.

I stayed at Gaomin Monastery¹ for seven full years. During that time, I also held responsibilities and served as hall leader.

My teacher said, “You must train in the meditation hall for several winters and summers — three years, four years, seven years. Then you must go into the mountains and live in seclusion for ten years. Only then can you become a meditation master.”

I asked, “What does it mean to live in seclusion?”

He said, “Seclusion means there are no people. A place with people is not seclusion.

If people know where you live, that is not seclusion. If someone brings you food, that is not seclusion. If you go up and down the mountain and see people, that is not seclusion. True seclusion means no one knows where you are. No one is responsible for whether you live or die.”

I said, “I can do that.” I agreed.

He said, “If you agree, you must honestly and faithfully do it. Then you can become a meditation master.”

Then I asked, “What about becoming a Dharma teacher?”

He said, “To become a Dharma teacher, you must rely entirely on experience. What kind of experience? You must walk to the four great Buddhist mountains.”

I said, “How do I walk to the four mountains? That is simple. I already like walking.”

He said, “Without money.”

That made it harder. “Without money, what do I eat?”

He said, “You cannot bring even one coin. And you cannot stay in monasteries.”

I asked, “If a monastic cannot stay in monasteries, where should he stay?”

He said, “If you stay in monasteries, whenever you see a monastery you will go in.

Then you will never complete the pilgrimage. If you carry money, you will not

complete it either.”

I remembered his words.

I said, “If what Master says can help me become a Dharma teacher and a meditation master, I will do it. I want both.”

He said, “Both? I have never seen someone with such courage, wanting both.”

When I was young, I made that vow.

Later, I began walking from Mount Emei. The first time, halfway through, I saw a monastery. I was hungry, thirsty, tired, and my feet had blisters. I thought, “A monastery is home,” so I went in.

When I entered, the laypeople said, “You are so young and already walking on pilgrimage. That is remarkable.” Then they encouraged me to stay: “This place has little conflict. Why not remain here?”

My mind was moved. I wanted to stay. The food was suitable, and I was comfortable. The next morning, my waist and legs hurt, especially my feet. I thought, “Maybe I will rest one more day.” I did not want to leave.

Then I remembered my teacher’s words. I said to myself, “Leave quickly. Do not stay.”

From then on, I did not go into monasteries during pilgrimage.

I realized my teacher’s words were completely correct. They came from experience. People easily form habits. Once a habit forms, reducing it is difficult.

During walking pilgrimage, I benefited greatly. You see different mountains and rivers. You pass through different villages and buildings. Each place has different customs. When you see more, wisdom opens quickly.

Why is it said that walking ten thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books?

Because it is practice.

Another year, I walked from Mount Wutai to Mount Jiuhua. Another year, I walked from Mount Jiuhua back to Mount Wutai. I walked to the four great mountains without carrying a single coin.

Sometimes I found food and ate two or three meals in a day. Sometimes I ate only one meal. Sometimes I found no food at all. Sometimes I found no place to stay.

Halfway along the road, I was exposed to wind, rain, and dust. I looked like a pitiful person. Even my clothes were wet, with no dry clothes to change into.

After this kind of endurance training, dependence disappears. You no longer depend on anything. It is all right if nothing is available. It is all right if everything is lost.

Courage is trained in this way.

Then one is no longer afraid of death. One is no longer afraid of anything.

Later I walked from Lhasa to Mount Emei on the Sichuan-Tibet route. Another time I walked from Lhasa to Xining on the Qinghai-Tibet route. Another year I walked from Lhasa to Yecheng, Kuqa, Korla, Turpan, then out through Lop Nur to

Dunhuang. From there I walked through the Hexi Corridor and reached Zhongnan Mountain in Shaanxi.

The Hexi Corridor was so long. On one side was the Qilian Mountains; on the other side was Inner Mongolia, the ancient region once associated with the Yuezhi. That place is very special.

I passed through places recorded in ancient books. The old countries were gone.

Their people were gone. But I walked through those places myself.

This is wisdom, not merely knowledge.

After walking these roads, my courage became great. I wanted to go beyond even national borders.

Starting from Lhasa, I carried Tibetan food: butter made from yak milk, which many people are not used to because it has a strong smell, but once you get used to it, it is very nutritious; and tsampa, roasted barley flour mixed with butter.

I carried these and set out from Lhasa toward the Ngari region. From Purang, I began crossing the snowy mountains. I crossed the mountains without carrying a single coin.

Through training, courage grows. Even in another country, without knowing the language and without money, one can still continue.

Most people are afraid. They make too many plans. But when you make too many plans, you often cannot complete the path.

Editor's Reflection

Practice is not only sitting comfortably on a cushion.

Practice is learning to recollect the mind each day. It is learning to see impermanence in one day, in one body, in one breath, in one feeling. It is learning not to be controlled by pain, hunger, sleepiness, fear, comfort, or habit.

The body must be trained. The mind must be trained. But the purpose is not to punish the body or harden the mind. The purpose is to go beyond being ruled by them.

A little each day, we go beyond.

One step at a time, we learn what practice truly is.

¹ Gaomin Monastery is remembered in the Chan tradition as a place where practice is tested through discipline, endurance, and the meditation hall.

Learn more about Ven. Dianwu

Disclaimer

This article is intended for spiritual reflection and inspiration only. It is not medical advice, health advice, or a recommendation to undertake extreme fasting, sleep deprivation, prolonged sitting, or physically demanding practices without proper guidance. Readers should practice according to their own physical and mental condition, and seek qualified medical or professional advice when needed.

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编者导言

这篇文章分享的是滇悟禅师的个人修行经历，目的是为了鼓舞所有正在路上的修行人。

滇悟禅师在自述中谈到的挑战，是每一个人都可能遇到的：困倦、饥饿、疼痛、恐惧、独处、行脚，以及长时间的静坐。他的经历提醒我们，修行的道路并不总是一帆风顺的；但只要有持续的努力、耐心和正念，人就可以在困难中慢慢培养出力量。

我们分享这篇文章，并不是要大家去模仿这些经历，也不是鼓励每个人都采取极端的修行方式。重要的是，希望通过滇悟禅师的经历，让修行人看到一种榜样的力量：面对困难时不退缩，面对身心习气时不随顺，在每一次小小的努力中，慢慢超越自己。

对于正在禅修或日常修行中遇到困难的人，这篇文章可以作为一种提醒：真正的进步，往往不是一下子发生的，而是在每天一点点的坚持中完成的。

以下为滇悟禅师开示文字整理。

关于忆念

最简单的方法就是每天坚持忆念。

我们从早上起来的时候，做过的事都忘记掉了，到了晚上的时候我们要做一个总结，总结我们今天到底去过哪些地方，还有要把我们做的事情忆起，历历在目。最后还要学会把今天我们心里边想过的、念念不忘的、非常恨的、非常爱的、很难以割舍的，一一回忆起来。

你只要每天都这样做个总结，也是一种真的修行。有很多方法我们还觉得太简单没有去做，往往就失去了修行中最重要的部分，也就不能进步。

关于无常

还有我们静坐的时候，首先对“无常”要完全地理解，理解以后要运用在我们的生活之中，要运用上。

这个“无常”先从我们一天开始，从早上醒觉起来到中午、到下午、初夜、中夜、后夜，一个昼夜，我们身体行为、语言行为、思想行为我们记不起来了，也彻底忘记掉了，想起来就是两种：喜欢的、不喜欢的。这就是“无常”呀！

我们今天这种行为其实是昨天就发生过的，我们今天一整天发生的身体、语言、思想行为明天还要重复。就是昨天、今天、明天这三天，就意味着前一月、这一月、下一月，就意味着去年、今年、明年，也意味着前一生、这一生、未来一生。它是一种重复，这种重复就叫“轮回”，这就是属于“无常”。

还有当我们静下心来，在静坐观呼吸的时候，不单只是观呼吸，如果观呼吸还没有去思惟法义的话，那就乱想了，或者说就昏沉半天，这颗心就很跳跃，就没有在正念、正知上。

自己的身体、语言跟思想行为才是我们用心的地方。

如果有拍照留念的话，把从小到大那些拍过的相片好好地看一看，其实他不是同一个人。

佛陀教我们去观“无常”，每十年为一段：

一到十岁属于“钝”十年，属于昏钝、无知。

十岁到二十岁是“戏”十年，“戏”就是只懂得贪玩，在嬉戏之中，也是年少无知。十岁到二十岁不懂孝顺父母，违背、叛逆多一点，就是无益的、不正确行为、想法多一点，这个年龄段时伤害别人多一些。

……

每过十年再想一想，每个十年的变化，每个十年的身口意行为都是不一样的。最简单的就是我们这个身体，它是完全不一样。

后来，佛陀又慢慢引导我们前一刹那跟后一刹那不一样，一弹指之间等于六十个刹那，这个身体每个刹那所显现的新陈代谢都是不一样的。

佛陀再说得细一点，我们这个身体首先是“八万户虫”，它不是八万个个体，是八万户，每一户都有好多，一户一户的有八万户。身体有八万户虫，《增一阿含经》也是这么说的，《优婆塞戒经》也是这么说的，《大宝积经》也是这么说的，这三部是不同时间段传入中国的经典，说的数字都一样。

还有“九万九千毛孔”，我们的毛孔佛陀都把它数得很清楚的，以及多少骨、多少肉，它是和合，它不是一个整体。有很多身体的部分，坏死的部分，有一小部分还健康地活着。还有很多部分，瘫痪了半边还会活的，还有很多肢体断、缺，伤害了一些还可以照样活，它不健全，总的来说这个身体它是“无常”的。

一定要把“无常”这个真理思惟清楚，真理就是真实的，不是想出来的，不是你讨厌，不是你贪爱，你贪爱跟讨厌它都在，你想不想它都在。

关于感受

身体就是身体。我们不了解身体，不去净化、不去超越，一生当中就只是受，就只是接受。接受以后就受到身体现起的感受的影响，苦受我们就排斥、讨厌、憎恨；乐受我们就贪爱、想要。就是在这些方面被感受影响了我们的一生。

所以我们要彻底地观感受，观感受是四念处其中最重要的一部份，如果没有观呼吸，观感受不能持续。一旦观感受以后就解脱，一个人的情绪、烦恼，心中的躁动自然而然就净化掉了。

如果他会观感受，把感受观得很细，身体的疼痛对他来讲是很快乐的。比如凉风刮来了，我一观也是很快乐的，如果身体哪个地方有一点点不舒服也很快乐，每个感受的生起都很愉悦、很快乐。

因为你观了“受”其实不是我，它只是一种振动，一种波动，一种燃烧燃烧，灼热灼热而已，你就观察它本来的样子。好像越观察越快乐，原来一直都不知道而被它影响着，现在知道它是生、是灭，生起来又灭去、生起来又灭去，是不实之法。

观感受很容易超越，想坐多久都可以，打坐时不要被这打坐的疼痛影响到，应当要降伏，你不降伏身体，你就会被身体降伏。

关于睡眠

比如，单单一个“困”你都不能够随心所欲，你被身体的困、困笃把你弄得要找舒服了，坐不了了，要躺着，躺着你还翻来覆去的。所以身体这个困了也是把我们影响了，浪费时间，一睡有时就睡半天，有时就睡一整天还睡不够，还要继续睡。这个睡觉是很浪费时间，把我们宝贵的时间都占用了。

这个睡觉我就把它降伏了。我从小就想办法不要睡觉，我就达到了。我也是用尽了很多方法，也是很难受，它是很苦的，训练这个昏沉，它比任何一种还要更难。

关于饥饿

还有这个饥饿也很难，我也是在训练，我训练这个饥饿的时候，比如我行脚的时候，因为我徒步的时候都是走千里路以上的这个计划的。一直从峨眉山走到五台山，基本是一千多公里。尤其是走路走到几个村庄都是基督教的，他们很恨出家人、很恨佛教，这时候就没有任何的饮食，就饿了。

我耐力就增强，饿了就走快点！饿了我还要逼自己走快点，走得都有点会掉泪，因为这个身体自然而然就受委屈：好好地待一个地方多好啊，为什么要把它折腾得这么苦，很苦！

然后慢慢地，有时走着走着就忘啦，忘记掉啦，一般达到忘记掉的时候就很舒适。身体就不在苦跟乐里边，就很舒适。

我也是把这个饥饿降伏了，一天两天不吃饭我照样走，这个身体要做一个彻底地征服和降伏，要超越。

尤其我翻越喜马拉雅山的时候也是这样，那是非常困，困得都在做梦，走路也在做梦，走路做梦那个梦还有点怪，好像看到佛了，听到什么声音了，什么奇奇怪怪的景像都出来，我说难怪书中有纪实、记载的，这个叫“着魔”了！慢慢地就不要相信，不要相信现前的一切，就相信自己的正念。

结果困得很，我是一天、两天、三天都是产生景象，统称做梦，都差不多，眼睛也看到，耳根也听到，好像就是真的看到佛了，看到护法了，看到有人送吃的来，还看到有人跟我讲话，那些都是幻像，一定要坚持正念。就是困了，困过头了，随时都会摔了，摔了还不想起来，那时睡觉是最舒服的，因为我们这个习惯性太强。

我就是这样翻越喜马拉雅山，三天过去了，四天过去了，到了第五天的时候突破了。那真突破啊，昏沉从那以后就没了，已经彻底突破了。有的挑战是有极限的，你把这个极限突破一点点，再突破一点点。包括你打坐也是一样的，疼痛再加一点点，再挑战一点点极限，你只要每天都是这样做，努力一点点，一年下来，几年以后这个坐就很好，能够坐多久只要时间允许的话都可以。

我现在就可以啊，如果时间允许的话坐个十天都不起来，坐个一个月也不起来，时间允许再坐长一点也可以，时间够的话，这个坐着比睡觉好，简直它就是不能用任何的语言来描述。这个坐姿是非常好的一个姿势，它坐起来以后气血容易通，容易起正思惟。都要把它突破！

关于恐惧

包括我从川藏线回来，从拉萨走到四川的峨眉山，那条路是马熊多。这个熊它是马熊，它大概有一米八、两米多高，这个马熊速度还跑得快，它那个头长得像马一样，身材很高大、很魁梧、很肥壮，在雅鲁藏布江那一带，我是经常遇到，就是在那个林芝、波密经常都遇到。这个马熊很危险，一开始遇到怕得好像魂都掉了的样子，就是很怕，后来慢慢地就习惯了。

我从新疆、从拉萨、从新藏线回来的时候是狼多，那个狼我以前也没见过，后来这些动物慢慢地我也是突破了。还有这个蟒蛇、毒蛇，一开始我也是怕，一看到走路就不会走了，看到蛇就怕，脚就软了。后来慢慢地我住山，也是观这个无常，后来这个蛇我也亲自去拿，拿来给它皈依，看到大蟒蛇也不怕，后来慢慢地在深山里边静坐啊，恐怖就没了。不然你闭目就有个怕，这个防范心、微细的这个我，保护得微细就很恐怖，也不能入定。

关于打坐

修行就是先在自我的身心上边做一个超越，尤其这个打坐，只要能够打坐，每天都进步，每天都突破，这个身体就很健康。这个打坐其实就是一种净化，就是一种排毒，一打坐以后有时就会出汗，一开始，腿痛腰痛、腰酸腿痛啊就会出汗。

还有这个打坐，你坐着为什么会痛？为什么会难受？为什么不能坚持？它就是气脉不通，气血有阻碍，或者说你这个筋脉、脉络不通。即使你的筋脉通了能坐十小时、二十小时，还有很细很细的，肉与肉之间，骨与骨之间都还不通，还要静坐，一直要坐到了能坐三天五天，通了！

这个打坐一般只要能坐一整天、一整夜、两三天，这时候你是人世间最快乐的，也是最富有的，因为你有个好的身体了，有个很健康的心态。就只能突破，就只能超越，这个无人代替的。念咒你也不行的，多念经你也不行，必须就是要去面对。

关于行脚

这个行脚，是我当时11岁出家的那年，我恩师就对我说：“今天我要正式跟你谈话（当时出家才几天），好好地跟你谈话，因为我年纪大了（当时一百零几岁了），我要好好地跟你谈谈。”

他说：“你有什么志向啊？”

我说：“师父！你给我看看我适合做什么？”

他说：“出家人的目标，一个就是当法师，一个是当禅师。”

我问：“禅师要达到什么标准？”

他说：“这个禅师要会坐禅。”

我说：“坐禅我也会啊！”

他说：“要会入定，入定就是一坐几天几夜。”

我说：“我行，我要达到！”

后来我就答应了：“我要做禅师！”

他说：“你要做禅师可以，但必须要能够隐居啊，要在大丛林（寺庙）里边住上三冬四夏，甚至更长。”

在禅堂里边它是很磨练人的，你想坐的时候他不给你坐，你不想坐的时候他让你坐着不动，这个禅堂可以把你这个个性磨练得没有太多习惯性，没有严重的习惯性。他是听指挥的。所以我在高旻寺整整就是七年，七年中还任职，任堂主。

他说：“你必须要在禅堂里磨练三冬四夏。三年、四年、七年，必须要去深山里隐居十年，就可以做禅师了。”

我说：“这个隐居怎么隐居呀？”

他说：“隐居就是没人，有人的地方都不叫隐居，有人知道你的地方也不叫隐居。只要有人知道你的住处，给你送吃的都不叫隐居，你上山下山看到人也不叫隐居。这个隐居是有要求的，等于你住的地方就没人，就没人知道，也没人管你的死活，这个叫隐居。”

我说：“这个我也能做到！”我就答应了。

他说：“只要你答应就要很老实、很诚实地去做到，你就可以做禅师。”

我又继续问：“这个法师呢？”

他说：“当法师就要全靠自己了——经验。什么经验？你必须要走四大名山。”

我说：“这四大名山是怎么走啊？很简单嘛！这四大名山，我本身就喜欢徒步啊！”

“哎呀，不带钱！”

“不带钱吃什么？” 不带钱我就有点难了。

“一分钱都不能带！并且还不能住庙！”

我说：“出家人不住庙你说住哪里？”我小时候也是很会问的。

他说：“你住庙，你遇到庙就去了，这个行脚你完成不了。你身上带着钱你也完成不了。”

一开始我记住了，我说：“只要是师父说的能当法师、能当禅师我就去做。这两种我都要！”

他说：“两种都要？我还从来没有见过一个人胆量那么大的人，两种都想达到！”

我小时候就发了愿。

后来这个行脚我是从峨眉山就开始走，是第一次，我走到半路上就看到一个庙。我说也饿了，也渴了，也困了，走得我脚上也有泡，太累了，找个庙吧，庙就是家嘛，后来我就去了。一进去居士就问啊你年纪轻轻的行脚真了不起，然后呢这些居士就劝啊，这个地方是非很少，这住下来吧！我心还有点动动，还很想住下来哦。然后呢在寺庙里边这吃的、饮食就很适宜，后来到第二天早上这个腰腿痛，脚特别痛，我就说再闲一天吧，就不想走啦！

后来我就想起师父的话，我说赶快走，不要停留！我就不住了，从那以后这个庙我就不去了。我发觉这个师父说的话是非常正确的，它是有经验的。一般的人很容易养成习惯性，这个习惯性太容易养成，你要去减少它就难。所以后来呢在行脚过程之中我就受益了。你看到的山山水水不同，你路过的村庄还有建筑不同，还有每个地方的风俗习惯不同，这个看多了以后智慧开得特别快。

为什么说行万里路比读万卷书还强？

就在这里，它是实践的。

后来另外一年，我又从五台山走到九华山，又是另外一年，我从九华山走到五台山，这四大名山我都是不带一分钱的。有时候一天遇到吃的吃两顿也可以，吃三顿也可以，有时候遇到一天吃一餐，有时候遇到一天一餐都吃不到，有时候还没遇到住处，没住处在半路上被风雨、尘土所汲，简直就成了个可怜人！连衣服都没得换，都是湿的，这种承受力、耐力训练以后就不依赖了，什么都不依赖了，什么没有都行，全部失去也行，这个胆量就是这样训练出来的，他就不怕死，什么都不怕。

后来我又从拉萨走路到峨眉山，叫川藏线；另外一次从拉萨到西宁，叫青藏线；另外一年我从拉萨过来，就走路到了新疆叶城、库车、库尔勒，吐鲁番，就走路从罗布泊出来，出来就到敦煌，出来就把河西走廊走一走，就走到陕西。河西走廊太长了，怎么也走不出来呀，一边是祁连山，一边是内蒙，以前是叫月氏国。这个地方很特别，就那个河西走廊，后来走到了陕西的终南山。古书上记载的国家也走过了，以前古人记载的那些地点，已经人也不在，国民也不在了。自己都路过，它这个叫智慧，还不叫知识。

走了这些路之后，后来我的胆子就大，胆子就变得特别大，我还想超越国度，国与国家的界限去了。就从拉萨开始步行，就带着藏族人吃的酥油（牦牛奶练成的生酥），一般人还吃不惯，腥味很重，只要你吃惯以后营养又很高。还有糌粑，就是青稞炒熟磨成面的，和酥油拌起来的。我就背着从拉萨出发，就到阿里地区。阿里地区是后藏，就从普兰开始就翻雪山了。翻雪山也不带一分钱，这个人慢慢地训练，胆量就大，可以在其他国家界不懂语言，不带钱也可以，一般人他就怕嘛，计划太多，计划太多你就完成不了。

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免责声明

本文仅供佛法学习、修行反思与精神鼓励之用，不构成医疗建议、健康建议，也不构成对断食、减少睡眠、长时间静坐、长途行脚或其他高强度修行方式的建议或要求。

每个人的身体状况、心理状态和修行基础都不同。读者应根据自己的实际身心条件，在适当指导下循序渐进地修行。如有任何健康、心理或医疗方面的疑问，请咨询合格的医生、心理健康专业人士或其他相关专业人员。