性智长老。有人传以坐禅云。久久行之。则神气完足。上升泥丸。始能出定入定。超脱生死苦海。于是强制不睡。
终夜枯坐。两月来体渐羸瘦。单声咳嗽。血从上冒。一吐盈掬。乃就余诊。脉虚大无力。三候皆然。余曰内经云。起居
有时。不妄作劳。乃能形与神俱。而尽终其天年。度百岁乃去。此古圣教人养生之道。修行何独不然。岂必强制枯坐。
即能成仙成佛耶。古云。磨砖何以成镜。坐禅何以成佛。良有以也。且归神炼气。乃道家工夫。释教以明心见性为
上。坐禅虽是见性要着。其中却有妙谛。六祖坛经云。生来坐不卧。死去卧不坐。其了彻生死处。并不在坐与不坐。
此又在长老自参。不可以明言者耳。至于禅堂坐香。如坐一炷香即跪一炷香。始则缓步。后则紧步。使周身之气
血上下流通。不至凝滞。过二鼓即就寝矣。诚以子时不睡。则血不归经。必致吐血衄血等症。昔志公和尚日夜讲
经。邓天王悯其劳。为制补心丹以赐之。要知人身一小天地。呼吸之气。与之相通。不善用之。未有不立蹶者。譬谷
麦为养生之本。既饱而强食之。徒伤其生。财物为立命之原。既得而妄取之。徒害夫义。非谓坐禅无所俾益。第过
于作劳。必入魔道。而此心反不能自主矣。大梅禅师云。即心即佛。是参禅要旨。认定宗旨。下手庶不致为傍门别
壳所惑。盖心知色相。盒饭思知色相者是谁。心知烦恼。盒饭思知烦恼者是谁。思无所思。是为真思。行住坐卧。刻
刻如此用力。将一旦豁然贯通。诚有不知其所以然而然者。古偈云。铁马撞开青石门。玉鸡啄破黄金壳。这个消
息。长老掩关静悟。必能自得。总之自性自度。为禅门日用功夫。暗来明可度。邪来正可度。恶来善可度。智能度痴
愚。布施度悭贪。清静度烦恼。名曰六度。波罗密即到佛法世界。今长老为人所惑。枯坐不寐。则阴阳之枢纽不能
交互。而阳浮于外。阴不内守。其有不病者几何。为立潜阳。固阴方法。用二地、二冬、石斛、京元参、杏仁、芩、胶、
菀、龟版、牡蛎。煎好加入人乳半钟。守服二十剂。不必更方。长老唯唯顶礼而去。过廿余日复来。据云服两剂血即止。
今则精神日健。因于前方去杏仁紫菀。加归、芍、枸杞。服之强壮反逾于昔。从此坐禅遂无所苦云。
大道无为。不着色相。一涉粘滞。便入魔障。修持者可弗慎欤。（淞樵评）
Elder Xingzhi. Someone taught him the method of sitting in meditation, saying, "If practiced for a long time, then spirit and qi will be complete and sufficient, rising to the Niwang Palace (the upper part of the head, referring to the brain or the residence of the primordial spirit). Only then can one enter and exit samadhi (meditative absorption), transcending the sea of suffering of birth and death." Thus, he forcibly restrained himself from sleeping.
He sat in solitude all night. For two months, his body gradually became emaciated. He developed a dry cough, and blood gushed upwards, filling a handful with each spurt. He then came to me for diagnosis. The pulse was deficient, large, and powerless; this was the case in all three positions (cun, guan, chi). I said, "The *Neijing* states: 'Having regular daily routines and not engaging in reckless exertion allows form and spirit to be harmonious, thereby completing one's natural lifespan and departing after a hundred years.' This is the way ancient sages taught people to preserve health. How could cultivation be any different? Must one necessarily sit in solitude with forced restraint to become an immortal or a Buddha?" As the ancients said, "How can grinding brick turn into a mirror? How can sitting in meditation turn one into a Buddha?" There is indeed reason for this. Moreover, returning spirit and refining qi are Daoist practices. Buddhism holds that illuminating the mind and seeing one's nature as supreme. Although sitting in meditation is a key method for seeing one's nature, there are subtle truths within it. The *Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch* says, "Alive, one sits but does not lie down; dead, one lies down but does not sit up." Those who thoroughly penetrate birth and death do not rely on sitting or not sitting. This is a matter for your own contemplation, Elder, which cannot be explicitly stated.
Regarding sitting incense in the meditation hall, for example, sitting for the duration of one incense stick followed by kneeling for the duration of one incense stick. Initially, one walks slowly; later, one walks briskly. This ensures the circulation of qi and blood throughout the body, preventing stagnation. One goes to bed after the second watch. Indeed, if one does not sleep during the Zi hour (11 PM - 1 AM), blood will not return to the vessels, inevitably leading to symptoms such as hematemesis (vomiting blood) and epistaxis (nosebleed). In the past, Monk Zhigong lectured on scriptures day and night. King Deng, pitying his toil, prepared Buxin Dan (Heart-Nourishing Pill) for him. One must know that the human body is a small heaven and earth, connected through breath. If not utilized properly, collapse and death will follow immediately. Just as grains and wheat are the foundation of nourishment, forcing food after being full only harms life. Just as wealth is the origin of livelihood, recklessly taking what one has already obtained only harms righteousness. This is not to say that sitting in meditation has no benefits; rather, excessive exertion leads one into demonic paths, causing the mind to lose autonomy.
Master Damei said, "Mind is Buddha," which is the essence of Zen practice. By fixing on the principle, one will not be confused by heterodox schools. Generally, when the mind perceives forms, one should ponder: Who is it that perceives these forms? When the mind perceives afflictions, one should ponder: Who is it that perceives these afflictions? Thinking without an object of thought is true thinking. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, applying effort in this manner at every moment will eventually lead to sudden enlightenment, where one acts without knowing why. An ancient verse says, "Iron horses crash open the green stone gates; jade chickens peck through the golden shell." This hint of truth, Elder, through your retreat and quiet contemplation, you will surely attain it yourself. Ultimately, self-nature saves oneself; this is the daily practice of the Zen gate. Darkness comes, brightness can save; evil comes, righteousness can save; wickedness comes, goodness can save; wisdom saves ignorance; giving saves stinginess; purity saves afflictions. These are called the Six Paramitas (Perfections). Paramita means arriving at the world of Dharma. Now, because the Elder is deluded by others, sitting in solitude without sleep, the pivot of yin and yang cannot interact. Yang floats externally, and yin fails to guard internally. How could one not fall ill?
I prescribed a method to submerge yang and consolidate yin, using Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), Tandong (Asparagi Radix), Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis), Jing Yuan Shen (Glehniae Radix), Xingren (Armeniacae Semen Amarum), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini), Zouwan (Asternis Radix), Guiban (Carapax et Plastrum Testudinis), and Muli (Concha Ostreae). After decoction, add half a cup of human milk. Continue taking this prescription for twenty doses without changing it. The Elder respectfully bowed and left. Over twenty days later, he returned, stating that bleeding stopped after just two doses. His spirit and vitality have improved daily. Therefore, I removed Xingren and Zouwan from the previous formula and added Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Shaoyao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), and Gouqi (Lycii Fructus). After taking this, his strength exceeded his former state. From then on, sitting in meditation caused him no distress.
The Great Way is non-action, not attaching to forms. Once one becomes stuck, one enters demonic obstacles. Cultivators should not fail to be cautious. (Comment by Song Qiao)