Chan (Zen) Master Hsuan Hua is a direct student of Master Hsu Yun.

Master Hsu Yun was my Chan teacher's teacher. My Chan lineage is the same. Below I have uoted from Master Hsuan Hua's most essential instructions. !s you can see" the develo#ment of energy ($i" Chi or $undalini) is central to our #ractice in Chan or Zen.

%ilencing the mind reveals our wisdom.

&Investigating Chan re uires non'movement of the mind and thoughts and this means silence. (he Chan method wor)s li)e the thrust of a )nife" cutting right through. Because Chan investigation is a#art from the mind'consciousness" it is )nown as #utting an end to the mind. *nding the mind means ending all mental activities of the mind'consciousness. +nly when all the activities of the false mind are sto##ed will thoughts ,e silenced. -hen that ha##ens" we gain the #ower of )nowing and seeing that comes with suddenly enlightening to the nonarising of all things. -e then have #atience with the nonarising of #eo#le and dharmas. !nd we certify to four stages of #ractice" which are heat" summit" #atience" and first in the world. .. Heat. (his warm energy comes as we sit in meditation. /. %ummit. (hat energy rises to the crown of our head as we continue to practice. 0. 1atience. It ,ecomes very difficult to ,e #atient" ,ut we must still ,e #atient. 2. 3irst in the -orld. -e ,ecome a world'transcending great hero.

%ummit is the second stage. -hen you have e4#erienced the warmth for some time" during which your ,ody chemical #lant has done the necessary e4#eriments" you will then reach the summit. !t the summit" you feel as if there is something at the to# of your head" yet there a##ears to ,e nothing there. If you say there is something" you cannot see it or touch it. You only e4#erience this feeling at the to# of your head" and you will invaria,ly feel it is indescri,a,le. 1atience is the third stage. !fter the summit stage" you ,egin to e4#erience an un,eara,le feeling. 5o matter how un,eara,le this feeling is" you have to endure it. (his is )nown as the stage of #atience. !fter the summit stage comes the stage of #atience. It is very difficult to #ass the stage of #atience ,ecause of the discomfort associated with the to# of your head. It seems as if there is something trying to drill a hole through to the outside. !t this #oint" you have to ,e very #atient. !s time goes ,y" the drill #enetrates through and emerges from the to# of your head" 6ust li)e a little ,ird that has ,een set free from its cage. !nd li)e a freed ,ird" you will feel e4tremely ha##y. If we want to attain these four stages" we must first learn to silence the mind. +ur mind'consciousness must remain unmoving. +ur thoughts are li)e waves that cannot ,e calmed. %itting in meditation aims at sto##ing the mind'consciousness from moving. *ventually" it sto#s naturally. +nce sto##ed" the mind is silent.

-hen it is com#letely silent" wisdom comes forth. -hen wisdom arises" we ,ecome self'illuminating. When silence reaches an ultimate point, the light penetrates everywhere. (hat is the #ower of )nowing and seeing that comes with sudden enlightenment to the non'arising of all things.&