6. THE SUBTLETY OF THE FAYAN METHOD

With the target to awaken the adept to his or her profound nature, daily attention is directed at noise, movements, the innumerable signs that make up the universe. These all can be subsumed under the concept of "Natural Change", which becomes then the Last Conceptualization of a sensory nature.

But we note that while daily ATTENTION has vacuity, unity, impermanence, clear comprehension and the Life Force within the background, what the student must concern himself with in daily life is directed attention to the diversity of external stimuli and their reception by the senses.

When he hears something he should not only in consciousness identify it, but "sense the sensing" of it. That means that there must be a constant awareness of the sense doors in operation, in which a constant MINDFULNESS is essential.

This tends to hone the system for the contemplation, which like that of Zongmi, does not require a "physical sitting" but rather a "sitting of the mind" which must accompany any sitting contemplation.

This "sitting contemplation" of the mind can occur during any period where tasks do not require the tool of mental agility.

While Zongmi's contemplation technique is directed at the TOTALITY of the six senses, that of Fayan is directed at the elaborated particular sense door signals. Within the contemplation itself the secondary experience will be one rather like a fluttering one might feel in the heart.

If one wishes a specific contemplation here then the the task becomes "AWARENESS of SENSORY AWARENESS (DIVERSITY)".

It is possible however for a student to apply the Zongmi technique and his own predisposition will generate a diversion to this or another AWARENESS CONTEMPLATION.