Chan is acquired through long periods of sitting

　　久坐有禅

　　You must have some skill when cultivating Chan meditation. Just as no one can dig a well by scooping up a single shovel of dirt, no one can reach the Western Pure Land by taking only a single step. Nor can someone realize Buddhahood after one minute of practice. One must apply effort in Chan investigation. “Investigation” here refers to studying single-mindedly. It also means applying effort in thought after thought without thinking of anything else. It is said, “When the mind is focused, things come together wonderfully. When the mind is scattered, matters turn out undesirably.” Investigating Chan is analogous to a hen hatching eggs. The mother hen sits on her eggs every day. When she has sat long enough, the chicks hatch. Investigating Chan is just like this. It is also like a dragon nurturing its pearl; it never forgets to nourish its precious pearl. It is also like a cat trying to catch a mouse; as soon as the mouse appears, the cat pounces on it so that it cannot escape. If you have the ability to sit patiently over long periods of time, you will naturally be enlightened. Therefore, it is said, “Chan is acquired through long periods of sitting.” After sitting for an extended period of time, the thoughts will naturally subside.

　　參禅法門，要有相當的工夫，不是一鍬就可以挖個井，也不是一步就可以到西方極樂世界，也不是修行一分鍾就可以成佛果，這是要參的。這個參的意思，就是專心致志來研究，所謂念茲在茲的，心無旁骛，所謂「專一則靈，分馳則弊」。這譬如雞孵卵，老母雞天天趴在那兒孵蛋，時候到了小雞就出來了，參禅也是這樣；又如龍養珠，龍時刻不忘在養自己的寶珠；又好像貓捕鼠，老鼠不出來則已，只要一出來，貓一爪就把老鼠抓住，牠就跑不了了。你有「時長耐久」的工夫，自然就會開悟，所謂「久坐有禅」坐久了，念慮自然就會靜止下來。