North Dipper
Too many sutras to be read, but when one seeks enlightenment, even one's thoughts (Niem Tau) can be excessive and can create problems. Working on how to deal with our own thoughts, excitation levels, body felt senses - every instant is cultivation. One can do ten thousand sets of so-called "secret advance forms", however, if one has missed the above principle, one is no different than a video tape recorder or a parrot. A parrot can never be its own master. A parrot always had to imitate its master (and is usually very proud it can do so.)
There was a strange parrot at the time of Damo (Boddhidharma the founder of Shaolin). The parrot asked Damo how it could escape the cage and attain real freedom. Damo replied, "Shut up, straighten your legs, and lie flat on the bottom of the cage as if you were dead, then when the Master think you are useless and open the cage. At that moment, fly out and you will be free!"
Even if one enjoys imitating others, one must remember not to fall in love with it. One has to know oneself. Knowing oneself is the key to avoiding the trap.
On the other hand, the meaning of Siu Niem Tau is "less thought" Maybe one can become "no thought" and achieve a type of "super focus" capability later by doing "less thought"....
After all, if a ship had 30 different kinds of directional meters pointing 30 different ways using 30 different types of reference, when an emergency came, how would they know where they were going?
In emergencies, one has a tendency to get excited. The level of control one possesses during excitement is directly proportional to one's Kung Fu in "stillness" or samadhi training. So, one needs to do some work to handle the excitement.
How about having time for logical thought about which of the tools or the references we need to use similar while sitting in the living room watching a movie?
Focus is the "thing" which transforms time. When one loses focus, time will be uncontrollable. So, while we are in the emergency situation, we need to handle our excitement so that we can focus. If we introduce more and more thoughts and options, requiring more and more consideration, We might as well just run.....
The ancient Chinese used the North Dipper to lead them at night. What does one focus on? There are Millions and Millions of stars in the Heaven. Watching a night scene is obviously very pleasant but one can get lost starring up into the Starry Starry Night. The North Dipper, it always clear and simple, sitting up above. About the Author
Hendrik Santo began learning the Wing Chun Kuen of Cho Hung-Choy in Malasia in the 1970s. Since then, he has spent much time researching both the nature of the art and the nature of Buddhism.