Date: 10/25/2025 10/26/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Sitting Meditation
Investigating the Hua-Tou: Who Is Sitting in Meditation?
“Hua-tou investigation” is one of the most profound methods in Chan (Zen) Buddhism. The hua-tou is not the literal phrase but the moment before the phrase—the root of the thought. When asking “Who is sitting in meditation?”, the practitioner is not searching for a verbal answer. The question is used to cut through conceptual thinking and point directly to the innate awareness. The purpose is not knowledge but awakening.
1. What Is the Hua-Tou? The Source Before a Thought Appears
1. It is not the question itself
The phrase is only a pointer; the real work is in the pre-thought awareness.
2. It has no conceptual answer
Any answer belongs to thinking, not to realization.
3. The hua-tou is the unborn awareness
The clarity present before a thought arises.
2. Why Investigate the Hua-Tou: Cutting Through the Illusion of “Self”
1. It looks directly into the root of “I”
Not identity, but the source of the “I-thought.”
2. It eliminates the mind’s habitual reliance on concepts
Thinking cannot grasp the true mind.
3. It dissolves self-centered attachment
The sense of “I am meditating” is part of the illusion.
3. The Purpose of “Who Is Sitting in Meditation?”
1. The power is in asking, not in the words
The moment you ask, awareness illuminates.
2. It is not about discovering a personal identity
Any answer would only be conceptual.
3. It reveals the awareness that knows
The silent knowing behind the question.
4. How to Investigate the Hua-Tou: Three Essential Steps
1. Gently raise the sense of inquiry
Not doubt, but a subtle, focused curiosity.
2. Prevent the mind from thinking
Do not analyze or reason about the question.
3. Stay with the moment of asking
Awareness appears at the very instant of inquiry.
5. The Key Principle: Maintain Inquiry Without Falling Into Interpretation
1. Inquiry is sustained awareness
A steady, soft glow of curiosity.
2. Do not look for answers
The clearer the answer seems, the further you are.
3. Avoid “I understand”
Understanding belongs to intellect, not realization.
6. Common Mistakes in Hua-Tou Practice
1. Excessive effort
Tension blocks clarity.
2. Thinking through the question
Reasoning leads away from the hua-tou.
3. Chasing enlightenment
Desire for realization obstructs realization.
7. The Fruit of Hua-Tou Practice: The Original Face Appears
1. Thoughts lose their power
They arise more lightly and fade more quickly.
2. Awareness becomes constant
The mind remains bright and present.
3. The illusion of “self” dissolves
When the knower is seen, the ego relaxes.
Conclusion
Investigating the hua-tou is one of the sharpest and most direct Zen methods.
Asking “Who is sitting in meditation?” is not a request for an answer but a doorway to the pre-thought awareness.
When the practitioner stays with this pure inquiry, the mind returns to its original clarity, revealing the true nature beyond words and concepts.
