In Buddhism, human beings are referred to as sentient beings because our lives are constantly driven by feelings and emotions. There is an ancient saying: “One won’t be born to the Saha World with little attachment to love; nor will one be born to the Pure Land with impure thoughts.” Hence, feelings and emotions are part and parcel of life.

We experience all kinds of love in our lives. Besides love for our parents, spouse, children and siblings, peers and friends, we also experience love for our comrades and country. Love can even be extended to trees, flowers, pets and precious collections that we possess.

Humans are no doubt beings with feelings. Average people seek others’ sympathy, respect and affection. When one is faced with situations related to “who to love; what is love; how to love”, mishandling and wrong decision can cause serious problems. Hence a lot of time is spent suffering the pain caused by emotions. Restlessness, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite are all unhealthy signs when one is drowned in pain caused by emotional distress. Then how should we handle the emotional problem that is so closely related to our health? To handle life issues, Chan offers different solutions to different situations. The whole process involves the practice of discipline, mindfulness and wisdom. It is an application of compassion and wisdom resulting in benefiting self as well as others. In Buddhism, the practice of Chan promotes healthy development of body and mind. It is a way for us to achieve the best result in health as well as liberation from the bondage of life.

Why is emotional problem often the source of affliction? From the Buddhist point of view, any type of selfish and possessive love is the source of affliction. For example, people who are overly sentimental and passionate, or are unfaithful in their relationships, bring affliction to themselves as well as others. When love is not reciprocated, when there is too much attachment, and wrong choice of partner are all causes of pain and suffering.

On the contrary, a person who is cold and selfish, uncaring and unaffectionate, unwilling to help people in difficulty, is narrow-minded and has no affinity with others. His life is unhappy and lonely.

Buddhism describes affliction as “hot vault”, meaning that emotional disturbance is like air trapped in a heated chamber. It is uncomfortable and suffocating.

Chan has a harmonizing function in our lives. Through the practice of Chan, the arising of contemplative wisdom can change our perception of people, objects and situations. Initially, you may detest someone. But at the moment when your mind is in touch with the Buddha, you will develop compassion towards even the person you hate. No matter how bad this person is, you recognize that he has a Buddha-nature. If this person is your spouse, relative or friend, etc., you will think, “If I don’t care for him, who will?” In this awakening moment, your affliction vanishes and you feel released. This is how the practice of Chan subdues affliction.

Contemplation on the uncleanness of the human body is a method to subdue desire. When your mind wanders during meditation, thinking about how to choose between two lovers, contemplation on the uncleanness of the human body is a way to subdue desire. Keep a clear mind during meditation. If your lover is a handsome guy, picture him 30, 50 or 80 years from now, gradually getting old and sick and finally passing away and turning into bones and ashes. Visualizing the decay process of a body invokes fear and disgust, a method that helps to subdue desire that causes affliction.

Contemplation on loving-kindness is a method to subdue anger. During meditation, when your mind is disturbed by the arising of the thoughts of people you hate, this is the time you practice contemplation on loving-kindness. Toward people you hate, develop compassion and tolerance. Open your heart to accept them. When they need help, give them a hand. When your mind changes, your heart will become accepting and you will no longer hate them.

When we continue to practice Chan and develop the skill of contemplation, we are more able to balance our emotion and avoid going to extremes. Overly passionate and overly cold emotionally are two extremes to avoid. The Buddha taught us to practice “Middle Way”. Practicing “Middle Way” helps to transcend worldly emotion with wisdom. We learn not to attach to feelings and exercise balance and judgment in handling relationships. We follow causes and conditions in making decisions.

As we can see, worldly affliction and worry come mostly from disharmonious relationships. Therefore, it is important to apply the Buddhist principle of “Middle Way” in all these situations. However, it takes true wisdom to practice “Middle Way”. Only through the practice of Chan and contemplation can one realize the interconnectedness among all beings, as well as the concept of emptiness or dependent origination, which means all phenomena exist by virtue of their relationship with other phenomena. Only by appreciating the interplay of cause and condition can Chan wisdom arise to set free one’s ego and open one’s heart to care for all beings as oneself.

Why should we care for others unconditionally and help someone we do not know? Because Buddhism advocates compassion and fraternity: “unconditional love and care for all” and “We drown when others drown; we go hungry when others are hungry.” Compassion sees no boundary and reaches out to everybody. Buddhism acknowledges that everybody, whether good or bad, has Buddha-nature. This is why everybody wants to help others who are suffering or in difficulties. Recent example is the earthquake in Wenchuan of Sichuan in China. In response to the calamities and casualties, Torontonians, regardless of race, joined hands in raising funds for victims of disasters. This is very touching. It demonstrates love without borders.