Chan Contemplation: Perceiving the Emptiness of the Five Aggregates and the Perfect Penetration Method through the Ear Faculty

Chan Contemplation: Perceiving the Emptiness of the Five Aggregates and the Perfect Penetration Method through the Ear Faculty

The Heart Sutra's Perceiving the Emptiness of the Five Aggregates
 
Besides recitation, the opening lines of the Heart Sutra, "Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, coursing in the deep Prajnaparamita, perceived that all five skandhas are empty, thereby transcending all suffering," clearly indicate that the Heart Sutra's "method of perceiving the emptiness of the five aggregates" is a direct path to Buddha's wisdom as well as ultimate liberation and ease.
 
How then can we "see that the five aggregates are empty"? "Master Sheng Yen on Guanyin Bodhisattva's Methods" indicates that this requires possessing the clear and discerning wisdom of Guanyin Bodhisattva to observe and examine each of the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness—that constitute our life, the universe, and the world. We must examine the material and mental states within our physical and mental structure, one by one.
 
First, we must observe that life is composed of the "Five Aggregates". If any one of the Five Aggregates is missing, life ceases to exist. However, the Five Aggregates themselves are inseparable from the "Law of Dependent Origination," constantly changing and combining according to the conditions of time and space, and have no inherent nature. Therefore, the phenomenon of life is illusory and unreal, temporary, and not eternal. Not only our tangible life, but our intangible thoughts, and even everything in this world, are without inherent nature and empty, and must be observed using the wisdom of emptiness. Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, with profound Prajna wisdom of emptiness, constantly sees that his own self, composed of the Five Aggregates, is empty, and that the self composed of the Five Aggregates of sentient beings is also empty. This insight helps sentient beings to see that the Five Aggregates are empty and thus transcending all suffering.

How can ordinary people concretely transform their concept of "form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness—the Five Aggregates are empty" into a life experience?
 
Through meditation, with systematic training, one can begin to contemplate the Five Aggregates step by step, constantly observing body and mind, and experiencing impermanence. For example, when reciting the Buddha's name, observe the bodily sensations, gradually diminishing them from intense to faint… diminishing the physical presence one by one, leaving only the mental activity. Then, further observe our mental activities and reactions during recitation. Observing the body is observing the "form aggregate"; observing the mind is observing the "feeling, perception, and mental formations" aggregates. Gradually, you will discover that attachment to the physical body is merely a psychological effect. Then practice letting go of these attachments.
  
The Perfect Penetration Method through the Ear Faculty
 
The Perfect Penetration Method through the Ear Faculty is also a profound and subtle method. In the Surangama Sutra, to help all beings realize their true nature, the Buddha invited twenty-five Bodhisattvas to each describe their methods of "discovering the mind and realizing the true nature." Each Bodhisattva, based on their own inherent nature, developed and experienced a different "Perfect Penetration Method." Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva's "Perfect Penetration Method through the Ear Faculty," which leads to the realization of the wisdom and wondrous enlightenment of all Buddhas, received special praise from the Buddha. The Buddha considered it the most "appropriate to sentient beings' spiritual capacities" and the most suitable method for many to practice.
 
How should one practice this method? In his book "Master Sheng Yen on Guanyin Bodhisattva's Methods", Master Sheng Yen points out that the first step should be learning basic ear faculty training to calm and stabilize the mind through sound. Initially, one can use pleasant and joyful sounds, such as birdsong, wind, and water in a forest, to soothe the mind and body. Further, allow the sound to carry you away from your environment, the sounds themselves, and even yourself. At this point, the mind will gradually merge with the sound, entering a state of unity, a state of inner and outer stillness and tranquility.
 
Secondly, one should treat the ears as sound absorbers. At this stage, do not consciously listen to anything; just let the sounds come naturally. Accept whatever sounds come your way, but do not actively seek them out. Be passive, like a sound absorber—once the sound reaches the absorber, it disappears.
 
Do not resist loud sounds, nor desperately try to catch soft ones. Hear as much as you can. Most importantly, do not assign any "names" to the sounds. Practice listening attentively without generating any emotions in your mind—whether it be pain, sorrow, or excitement, thereby abiding in a state of profound tranquility and gentle joy.
 
The above is the initial practice of the sound-based method. As for the more profound "Perfect Penetration Method through the Ear Faculty," it comprises two levels. The first level is "Observing the Soundless Sound." The scripture states, "Initially, through hearing, the mind gradually enters a state in which it is no longer attached to its external surroundings." This means that after further delving into hearing the sound that is heard, one no longer feels the object of anything being heard, and even relinquishes the ego of hearing the sound. Transcending everything, one unites with the original mind of all Buddhas, thereby entering the second level, "when the 'self that hears' and the 'sound that is heard' merge into one and reach a state of emptiness, one should not cling even to that state of emptiness." At this stage, one no longer listens to external sounds. Instead, one rather "turns the hearing inward to hear one's own nature," listening inward to the "sound of one's own nature."
 
One's own nature is the emptiness, the Buddha-nature inherent in everyone. Because "one's own nature" is formless and without substance, it is also without sound to be heard. "Turning the hearing inward" means completely letting go of the ear faculty, letting go of everything tangible and intangible, and directly hearing that own nature, thus attaining the supreme Buddhahood.
 
Whether it's "observing the soundless sound" or "turning inward to hear one's own nature," both represent profound states that are difficult to attain without a certain level of meditative concentration. However, it's crucial to note that cultivating the "Perfect Penetration Method through the Ear Faculty" requires guidance from a qualified teacher. Nevertheless, if one can consistently use their ears as sound absorbers amid the clamor in real life, it will greatly contribute to mental peace and tranquility. (Source: Master Sheng Yen on Guanyin Bodhisattva's Methods) 


Related articles:

The Avalokitesvara Method: Opening Up All Skillful Means

Reciting the Name: Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva

​Reciting Mantras: Six-Syllable Mantra, White-Robed Avalokiteshvara Mantra, Ten-Phrase Avalokiteshvara Sutra for Prolonging Life, Great Compassion Mantra, Eleven-Faced Avalokiteshvara Mantra

Repentance: The Great Compassion Repentance and the Repentance Method of Worshipping Avalokitesvara

​Scripture Reading: The Universal Gate Chapter and the Heart Sutra

Chan Contemplation: Perceiving the Emptiness of the Five Aggregates and the Perfect Penetration Method through the Ear Faculty

The Three Guanyins of Dharma Drum Mountain


Resource: Issue 340 of Humanity Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Photo: Venerable Chang Duo (常鐸法師)
Translation: James 
Editing: Keith Brown, Patricia Yang