Great Master Shen Xiu composed a verse that says:

The body is a Bodhi tree,
The mind a bright mirror stand.
Time and again wipe it clean,
Do not let dust alight.

Those of us who wish to become Buddhas must rely on the false to cultivate the true. We have to apply effort using our physical bodies as the vehicle. Our physical body is a false combination of the four elements: earth, fire, water, and air. Our bones, ligaments, muscles, and joints, the hard components in our bodies, belong to the element earth. Our saliva, mucus, and so forth, belong to the element water. The warmth in our bodies belongs to the element fire, and the breath in our bodies belongs to that element air.

The body is a false combination of those four elements. However, within our bodies there resides yet another thing-the Buddha-nature. If that nature is cultivated to perfection, we can become Buddhas. If we don't know how to cultivate this nature, then in the future, we may well become ghosts. The human body is like a chemistry laboratory. The result of the chemical process of cultivation depends upon what kinds of ingredients we put in. If the ingredients we use in cultivation are not pure, then the chemical result will be spoiled.

Basically the Buddha-nature should be able to control the physical body, but sometimes our bodies do not want to follow the rules. They become disobedient and engage in all kinds of improper actions. We try to teach our bodies to cultivate, but they don't like it. If someone allows his body not to cultivate, then it's delighted! You try to teach your body to be patient, and it feels that it is very difficult, but if you teach it to blow up, it would find that very easy. To bring up another analogy that further illustrates this point: if you tell most young men and women to cultivate the Way or leave the home-life, they will be dead set against the idea. But if you urge them to find a close boyfriend or girlfriend, they'd be delighted at the prospect!

The Buddha-nature abides in our human bodies, much like people dwelling in their houses. Just as a house needs to be built with earth, wood, water, and fire, so, too, our bodies are the same way. What is the purpose of a house? It's a place for people to live in. If all the inhabitants move out, a house will very quickly become run down and come to ruin. Likewise, at the time of death, after the Buddha-nature leaves our human bodies, our bodies start to stink and rot. Earth, water, fire, and air each return to their origins. When the Buddha-nature arrives in a physical body, a person becomes endowed with consciousness and efficacy. But when the Buddha-nature leaves the body, then the four elements return to their natural source, and the human life-force is lost.

However, if we want to cultivate and realize Buddhahood, we have to rely on this body which is a false union of the four elements. This body can help the Buddha-nature. For this reason, Great Master Shen Xiu wrote his verse:

"The body is a Bodhi tree." "Bodhi" means enlightenment to the Way. Our body is like the Tree of Enlightenment.

"The mind is a bright mirror stand." Basically, this Buddha-nature cannot be seen. However, we attempt to describe it, comparing it to a bright mirror stand.

"Time and again wipe it clean." At all times we have to keep our Buddha-nature shining and pure.

"Do not let dust alight." We must no not allow ourselves to be covered over by filth. This verse represents the Dharma-door of Gradual Enlightenment. Having not yet become enlightened, we have to cultivate gradually, in successive stages, going through all the necessary steps along the way. We can't push ahead, saying, "All I have to do is sit for a split second, then I am going to get enlightened!" That's called "wild fox" Chan. Only something devious would yield such weird and outlandish results, such as instantaneous enlightenment. People who truly apply effort do not have scattered minds. Instead, they remain in unmoving thusness, and at no time would they forget to work hard.

We have already mentioned this: place your tongue on the roof of your mouth when you are sitting in Chan, and if there is saliva, swallow it. This saliva can regulate the internal mechanism of your body and is able to cure many illnesses. It's called "sweet-dew water." It can nourish our Dharma body's wisdom life. Above, we have finished explaining Great Master Shen Xiu's verse, and now we'll bring up the Sixth Patriarch Huei Neng's verse.

Bodhi is basically not a tree,
And the bright mirror is not a stand.
Originally there's not one thing,
So how could dust alight?

"Bodhi is basically not a tree." Because the Venerable Sixth Patriarch was someone who had become enlightened suddenly, he understood the basic substance, and therefore he insisted that "Enlightenment to the Path" is not a tree. Enlightenment cannot be confined to something with a tangible shape or form.

"And the bright mirror is not a stand." The bright mirror, of course, is an analogy for the brightness of the Buddha-nature. But this Buddha-nature is not a mirror stand.

"Originally there's not one thing." The Buddha-nature is completely devoid of anything. It is spotlessly clean.
"So how could dust alight?"

The two verses represent the two Dharma doors of Sudden and Gradual Enlightenment. However, they are mutually aiding and interpenetrating. They do not oppose each other. Do not mistakenly say that Great Master Shen Xiu's verse was wrong, and that only the Venerable Sixth Patriarch's verse was right. In actuality, the two verses are simply describing two stages that all Chan cultivators must traverse. In the end, they share a common goal.

Sitting in meditation, we are pulling silk out of the cocoon. What do I mean? We are like a silkworm which spins a cocoon around itself. We are wrapped up in and bound by our seven emotions (happiness, anger, sorrow, fear, love, and desire), and the five desires (wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep). Although you cannot completely sever your seven emotions all at once, nevertheless, you want to lessen them bit by bit.

Happiness: We should not indulge in excessive joy that causes us to become crazed with laughter or over-exuberance.

2) Anger: Even less should we allow ourselves to get angry. As the saying goes, "A tiny spark can burn up an entire forest of merit and virtue." Also, "Firewood gathered in a thousand days is consumed by a single spark." When we sit we may experience calmness and peace of mind, however, once we blow up, the myriad illnesses arise. Our whole body will ache, and every joint will hurt. That's because the fire of anger consumes the Bodhi tree and burns it to a crisp.

3) Sorrow: We should refrain from indulging in excessive sorrow, which harms our body and spirit.

4) Fear: if we get carried away with fear and paranoia, we will lose proper mindfulness.

5) Love: includes the greed and emotion that arise when looking upon beautiful forms, the craving that comes in wanting good food and the wish to possess other good things that people enjoy. Emotional love incites greed.

6) Hate: this is just the opposite of love. Sometimes when love reaches its extreme, it turns to hate. Neither excess is the Middle Way.

7) Desire: this includes any kind of wish that does not accord with the Way.

We should try to lessen those seven emotions by "time and again wiping them clean." Lessen them until they completely disappear, and then, you will always be in samadhi. Walking, standing, sitting, and reclining, you will be working hard at investigating Chan. At that time, you will recognize your original face, and you will know which way your nostrils point-upwards or downwards.