Meditation does not necessarily need to take place in a meditation hall or deep in the mountains. If our mind is neither scattered nor confused even in a crowded place, then we have realized the saying, “an intersection is just as good a place as any to meditate.” Whether in stillness or motion, our mind should always be calm and clear, like a pond of still water. When we can maintain this state, we are said to achieve the simultaneous cultivation of samadhi and prajna. Before reaching this state, however, everything is still relative and there is more cultivation for us to do.
Long ago, Chan Master Fohai (佛海禪師; ca. 5th century), who had reached deep samadhi, was meditating in a mountain. One day, Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty (梁武帝; 464-549), while appreciating the majestic mountains, noticed that the adjacent mountains were blanketed with snow, but one did not have a trace. Emperor Wu asked his teacher, Chan Master Zhigong (誌公禪師; 418-515), “Venerable Master, why does this mountain have no snow at all, while all the others are covered?” Master Zhigong replied, “It is because a great cultivator is meditating in a cave there, so all the snow has melted.” Hearing of a great cultivator with such a high level of samadhi, the Emperor sent his personal guards to invite Master Fohai to the palace and honored him at the same level as the Emperor’s teacher, Master Zhigong.
That day, Emperor Wu asked Master Zhigong, “How is the samadhi power of Master Fohai?” Zhigong replied, “Master Fohai’s samadhi is very advanced, but he is still afflicted with delusion (無明 wu-ming).” Emperor Wu wondered how someone with such a high level of samadhi could still have delusion. Knowing the Emperor’s doubt, Zhigong said, “Your Majesty, you can test him. Starting from tomorrow, reduce the number of his dishes at mealtime and also serve him ordinary food. Then, see how he reacts.”
The next day, Master Fohai, Emperor Wu, and Master Zhigong had a meal together. When Master Fohai saw that his food was inferior to the others, deluded anger arose in his mind. But with his samadhi power, he was still able to reflect with some awareness, reminding himself, “I am a cultivator. How can I get angry because of food?” So, for the time being, he managed to suppress his temper and endure the meals.
Seeing Master Fohai unmoved by the difference in the meal offerings, Emperor Wu admired him greatly, but he still wanted to test him more. The next day, Emperor Wu held a grand food offering for the monastics. After the meal, Emperor Wu sent a palace maid to offer some treasures to both Master Zhigong and Fohai. He instructed the maid to offer better things to Zhigong and inferior ones to Fohai. This time, Master Fohai simply could not take it anymore. He thought, “An emperor looking down on me, I can let go of, but not a maid’s scorn.” The anger suppressed over the past few days erupted.
This story teaches us that aside from cultivating samadhi, we also need to constantly bring forth our awareness and apply it to reflect on our mind: this is to cultivate prajna wisdom. With the power of wisdom, we can eradicate all afflictions. Therefore, by simultaneously cultivating both samadhi and prajna, we can then reach the state where “an intersection is just as good a place as any to meditate.” Even sitting in the middle of a bustling street, we are not annoyed. Whether in motion or stillness, in favorable or unfavorable situations, our mind remains unmoved and without afflictions. This is the bodhisattva’s great samadhi. Only then can we attain unsurpassed bodhi (無上菩提 wu-shang-pu-ti), transcending the mundane to enter buddhahood.
Effortless Composure in the Changing World, p.90