The Essence of Zen Meditation

[Eksy Wang]

This is the title of a zen book collected in Chinese Tripitaka. It offers useful practical meditation techniques, I have been thinking about translating it into English. Just wondering if someone knows whether there is already a English translation out there?

The book starts like this:

When a disciple first come to learn zen meditation, the master usually question him on whether he has kept up with the five common self-desciplines [Free from killing, stealing, wrong sexual behavior, lying and drinking]. If the desciple is (still) occupied by lust and sexual desire, he must be  (first) taught to meditate on the impureness (of human body).

Here it follows:

There are two types of impureness (of human body): offensive and inoffensive. Why is this the case? People experience six sexual desires: 1. beautiful faces 2. fine complexion 3. attractive posture 4. pleasant voices 5. smooth skin 6. illusion of others (as if they exist independent of our conscientious mind). If (the desciple) is drawn to the first five desires, ask him to meditate on offensive impureness; If he is attached to the illusion of others, make him visualize a human skeleton (inoffensive impureness). He should also meditate on corpses that appear either decayed or undecayed. Visualizing a undecayed corpse eliminates two sexual desires: attractive posture and pleasant voice, while visualizing a decayed corpse cleanses oneself of all six sexual desires.

Edited March 1, 2019 by Eksy Wang
added a new paragraph.

[Jkris]

Good. 

[Salvijus]

26 minutes ago, Eksy Wang said:

he must be  (first) taught to meditate on impureness

I would be interested to read what the book says about how to meditate on impureness, or removing impureness

Edited February 28, 2019 by Salvijus