Occasional Chan Meditation Is a Fine Remedy for the Mental Ills Brought by Modernity
Modern life seems not to involve much physical labor, but the mental pressure is enormous—especially for young people working and living in first- and second-tier cities, where the pressure is even greater. Over time, excessive stress easily leads to depressive illness. Physical and mental health are linked; excessive psychological stress can even cause physical lesions, such as gastric ulcers.
The mobile internet has brought us enormous convenience, but also considerable trouble. We are surrounded every day by all kinds of information, much of which is unpleasant. News reports, blogs, microblogs, and Moments posts from relatives and friends alike carry many messages that affect our mood—not to mention the various unpleasantnesses we encounter in real life.
Buddhist retreats and sitting meditation are quite effective in treating this kind of "mental illness." Setting aside a few days every so often, or a short period each day, to leave all this behind and sit in quiet meditation, setting aside all distracting thoughts, and experiencing the "chan concentration" that monks practice daily helps us maintain a good state of mind.
Chan concentration is one of Buddhism's six practices. Because of the influence of the Chan school, among the six paramitas (the six most common practices: precept-keeping, patience, giving, chan concentration, diligence, and wisdom), chan concentration is the one most favored by us Chinese.
Chan concentration, on the surface, looks merely like sitting in meditation, but it is actually a process of self-healing of the mind. In the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, "chan concentration" is defined this way: "Being apart from forms outwardly is called chan; being undisturbed inwardly is called concentration"—that is, a state in which one has transcended externals and the mind is calm and undisturbed. After bearing the fatigue that work and life bring us, sitting down cross-legged, emptying the mind, and undergoing one body-and-mind-relaxing session of chan concentration can greatly transform a person's spirits.
A concept called "danshari" (breaking with, discarding, leaving) is now quite popular among young Japanese. Japan has been deeply influenced by Chinese Chan culture, and this danshari idea is a modern concept derived from Chinese Chan culture: cutting off temptation, discarding fame and gain, withdrawing from strife, and returning to a simple, authentic, natural life brings one to experience true inner joy. This joy need not be built on vanity, requires no abundant material conditions, and need not care about the success the world praises; it is a natural, easily attained joy.
Some people say their physical condition improved greatly after studying Buddhist practice; the reason lies right here. Our anxious emotions are the source of many diseases—roughly half of illnesses are brought by various unhealthy emotions. Buddhism is not perfect, but now and then studying it, letting one's mind leave the dusty world for a while, and enjoying such a spiritual feast is one of the pleasures of life.
Among the young cancer patients I have encountered, many, upon learning they were ill, reflect on their past lives and feel they had been too deeply mired in fame and gain and too busy, until they wore their bodies down and collapsed, only to regret it when it was too late. Cancers such as gastric cancer, lymphoma, and breast cancer are indeed closely tied to psychological state; an unhealthy psychological state is one of the triggers of many major diseases, including these cancers and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
So occasional chan meditation—even going to a temple to learn sitting meditation from the monks and nuns there and practice chan concentration—is a fine remedy for the modern ailments that afflict us.