mind be clear and calm. When clear and calm, there are no thoughts, so
energy is complete."
12. -13. The metaphor of the hen incubating an egg is commonly used in
Chan Buddhism to represent continuous attention.
14. The Book of Balance and Harmony says, "Of old it has been said,
always extinguish the stirring mind, don't extinguish the shining mind.
The unstirring mind is the shining mind, the mind that does not stop is
the wandering mind."
16.-20. It is so much easier to notice distraction when sitting quietly than
when engaged in activity that people often feel their minds to be more
scattered than usual when they begin to sit quietly. Oblivion is a much
more difficult problem, not only because of its nature as unawareness but
also because contemplatives are often unconsciously attracted to it.
Distraction, in contrast, is so annoying that it naturally provokes the
desire to overcome it. Therefore Taoism traditionally emphasizes the
importance of using
both stillness and movement in developmental exercises, to avoid falling
into either extreme.
23.-27. Not looking or listening does not mean not seeing or hearing. It is a
matter of being spontaneous rather than contrived. The text again makes
it clear that this is not introversion as understood by Jungian psychology.
