Towards the end of the bitter, cold January in Taiwan, I had my first taste of the Seven-Day Chan Meditation Retreat. I immediately observed how systematic the procedures were while the activities were all carried out in a peaceful and orderly manner.

The level of experience was a notch higher as I did a lot of bowing and listened to the penetrating and hair-raising chanting and beating of drums. I can also attribute my experience to my being one with the whole Sangha. I witnessed and appreciated the entry and exit formation of about 1,000 pious looking people, all wearing black robes.

The formal lunch was done with contemplative demeanor as we were taught finer ways of eating from start to finish. Each time you bring food to your mouth, you think deeply of your blessings, the value of the food, the efforts put into its preparation, thus, not one bit should be wasted.

Every sitting meditation for me meant I had to tolerate back and leg pains. I noticed that whenever I began to relax, one of my feet would ache or when I would eventually just give up, the bell would be struck in less than a minute or so, signaling the end of the session.

The Dharma Masters reminded us that our minds must remain still and empty, devoid of delusions and other thoughts. The Grand Master warned us to disregard the various phenomena that may occur during meditation as well as to keep in mind that Zen is about getting rid of the three poisons above all else.

On the other hand, while some practitioners openly complain about the pain, the Abbot emphasized that the purpose of the seven-day meditation sessions was to basically train the Buddha Mind which comes in many names but refers to only one and the same concept—the Buddha Nature. And the lotus position can be developed through practice and can keep the body upright and stable. He explained that Nirvana or enlightenment does not happen suddenly like a strike of lighting, but may manifest through constant cultivation.

In conclusion, I have a renewed appreciation for disciplined and structured inner introspection and self awareness method and I will recommend the Chan-7 Retreat to all serious Zen practitioners for it will solidify your practice.

I read somewhere that there is an old man in each of us; that we tend to lose sight of our instincts but in each of us is an unforgotten wisdom stored up within. I wrote this bit in one of my reflections. Like a metaphor on how I see our true nature—obscured but always present.

My encounter with Buddhism began with a thought about wanting to become a Buddhist. How that thought crossed my mind I do not know but sometimes it’s the little twists in life that create the most impact.

I once asked a Master whether Buddhism was a religion or a philosophy. She said that to her, it is simply her way of life. I look back at the years past and realized she had driven her point succinctly. In principle, we learn from the Masters, then try to put into practice what we have learned; in reality though, it is easier said than done. I think what is important is that we persevere in our practice, because Buddhism, like the Dharma doors, presents itself to us in different ways with unlimited possibilities but the opportunity may not always be there. Like the Shifus always say: “cherish every moment!” Amitofo.

七日的禪修，令人心安，心定！
這是我第三次打七，第一次時什麼都不懂，只知匆忙地趕著每一個完全陌生的行程：地鐘響了進禪堂，穿卸海青上架房，過堂用齋。心都是急急忙忙；就連聽開示時，也不懂和尚的腔調和所說的名相。但經歷這些次的禪七，比較了解禪七的行程內容，現在已經進步很多，心比較安定，身也比較能放鬆。
這次禪七，第一支香就很能進入狀況，以前想不透的事情，在晚上入睡前竟歷歷在目，豁然開朗；連吃飯都能一口接一口地享受每一道菜的滋味，不像以前緊張兮兮地狼吞虎嚥。但在當中也覺察到自己不像第一次打七般的用心、遵守規定。因為熟了，就容易大意，這是自己反省慚愧檢討的地方。
我想鼓勵大家都去打禪七，自己試試看，就知道禪修的好處，歡迎各位有問題可以來問我！

My first encounter with Ocean Sky was when my boss, Ms. Evelyn Chan, and I were visiting her daughter at the building across the monastery, which looked more like a restaurant than a temple. After that first meeting with the two Shifus, we started bringing food regularly to the monastery.

When the Shifus asked Ms. Evelyn to assist in preparing the food, I began to help out in the kitchen together with others, including Ms. Pin Pin, who also came over to help. I was asked to cook vegetarian food and I prepared simple vegetable dishes, because I was not yet used to cooking vegetarian. Now, I am no longer scared how my cooking would turn out, if it would turn out palatable or not!

I joined the Beginners’ Class which I completed with former Abbess Master Jianyong. As a volunteer, I would accompany Ms. Evelyn in bringing the Shifus where they wanted to go. Later, I was also assigned to buy fruits and flowers.

Through the years in the monastery, I learned tolerance and patience as I worked harmoniously with others. I also learned how to be a team player, with the intention of helping with my best efforts. Even during my vacation leave, I find myself always thinking how the monastery is being maintained. Because of this, there are less and less vacations and more of the monastery for me. THE MONASTERY IS NOW LIKE SECOND HOME!

“So who’s drinking the tea?” The Conducting Master (the Abbot) thrust the question at us at the start of 2009’s spring Seven-Day Meditation Retreat—an assignment that we had to contemplate on, in my second attempt to find the Bodhi Mind.

My first Chan-7 in 2007 was beset by sleepiness, excruciating pain in the legs, and non-stop thoughts. To say the least, the whole experience was dismal, at the same time, traumatic. I remember asking myself in the middle of that retreat, “What have I gotten myself into?”

2009’s Chan-7 seemed like it was going to proceed the same way, only this time, no more sleepiness. I made sure that I followed the Grandmaster’s, Abbot’s and Vice Abbot’s Dharma talks to the letter, for they served as the foundation of the whole retreat and the backbone of my practice. Their words of wisdom guided, encouraged and helped me stay on the right track. The Conducting Master emphasized the breath counting method followed by the Middle Way Reality method.

So, every sitting period, I would religiously count my exhalation; often defeated by the pain in my legs, or sidetracked by busy thoughts. Finally, on the 4th day, during the 8am sitting, after counting breaths for some time, it suddenly hit me!—an aura of calmness descended upon me; my whole being became so still, but my mind was very lucid and clear—no ripples of thoughts, no traffic of ideas and having full awareness of the sounds and movements around me. Sitting there was just so natural that I did not even mind the numbness in my legs. THAT was the start of several “good incenses” of sitting, so to speak.

I am eternally grateful to all the people who made my Chan-7 experience so meaningful—to all the volunteers who toiled behind the scenes, making sure that our retreat was so orderly and comfortable; to all the supervising masters who were so patient and hardworking; to all the masters in the kitchen, for the timely sustenance; to the Abbot and Vice Abbot, for their words of wisdom; and to the Grandmaster, for his vision and compassion.

So, who’s drinking the tea? At the end of seven days of backbreaking sitting, I guess it’s easy to answer—it is this PURE MIND that’s drinking the tea. To fully realize this pure mind, I will have to let go of so many attachments, cravings, and delusions in order to come to rest on this pure mind, this thing called Bodhi or Nirvana. Now, the real work begins.

I am 25 years old and have a great future as a violinist. I could have had anything I wanted; instead, I vowed to become a monk. Exposed to Buddhist practices since I was 17 due to influences from friends, I progressed to deeper forms of Buddhism in 2009. I once assisted a Thai Theravada monk who was assigned to the Philippines. With him, I felt a certain kind of peace. Eventually we parted ways, but I kept wondering what made me feel peaceful and focused at the time. It was in 2010 when I was invited by Celia Cacdac to visit and join Ocean Sky activities. I declined at first, because it was far from where I lived and would require long trips. The next year, she and her children went to Chung Tai Monastery in Taiwan. I was supposed to take a trip to another temple, but changed my mind because Celia invited me to join them for the trip. In Chung Tai, I accompanied Maybelle (Celia’s daughter) on the violin, when she sang during Chung Tai’s 10th anniversary celebration. After the trip, it dawned on me that I cannot be a violinist forever. Finally, I decided that I wanted to become a monk, and told Abbess Master Jianding that I wanted to leave home-life. She advised me to finish all the meditation classes first.

From then on, I was able to practice what I know better. With the permission of Abbess Master Jianshu, I reflected on how monastic life would be, and became more serious and sincere in my practice with her guidance. I hope to become a novice in Chung Tai Monastery.

The most important lesson from the Buddhist classes I took in Ocean Sky was how to empty myself. I learned detachment from worldly possessions. Now I understand the true meaning of life. I have found my true nature. I understand the law of causality and dependent origination. I learned how to appreciate and accept conditions as they come, and how to be a good person, practicing good thoughts and doing good deeds.

Ocean Sky is the best place to get to know oneself and realize one’s true nature. Despite having to let go of a chance to pursue a Master’s degree in Music in the U.S., I feel no regrets.