Chan and Enlightenment

Chan enlightenment is attained through a sudden encounter; or, it may come about spontaneously after serious and sincere investigation and introspection. Chan philosophy represents a clear current that is empty yet responsive, detached and magnanimous, open and broad-minded, bright and luminous. Chan as a way of life is positive and progressive, free and easy, simple and modest, confident and comfortable. Chan as a way of thinking is to let go of selfishness, self-deceit, self-pity, self-arrogance, and self-confinement, and only then can there be complete boundless freedom. Chan methods teach people to first practice knowing the self, affirming the self, and then shattering the self, and thus the enlightened state will appear. —Master Sheng Yen—


Content

Author's Preface
Chan Enlightenment and Sitting Meditation  1
Chan and Enlightenment  11
Chan and Entanglement  35
True Enlightenment and Mistaken Enlightenment  55
Emotion and Reason: Dealing with Complex Relations  71
Good and Evil: Establishing Correct Values and Concepts  81
Talking about Dreams While in Dreams  97
Dharma Joy and Chan Delight  109
Pure Mind, Pure Land  115
A Pure Land on Earth  127
Chan: Thus Come, Thus Gone  143
Chan: Freedom and Liberation 153
Chan: Ordinary Body and Ordinary Mind  163
Chan: Carrying Water and Firewood  175
Chan: Human Consciousness  197
Chan: Mental Health  205
Chan: Peace Within and Without  217
Chan: You, I, They  227
Chan: Many, One, and Nothingness  235
Discrimination and Non-discrimination  245


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