Counting the breath was smooth, continuous. Distinct wandering thoughts or "What is Wu?" occasionally interfered. I cautioned myself: "Just keep counting!" Thus alerted, I applied single-mindedness towards everything else-eating, walking, sweeping, everything. The experience with the bell did not recur as strongly, but my chest vibrated distinctly with each "ding!"

In the last sitting I totally forgot the environment. Eventually, I stopped counting. By then the coarser wandering thoughts were gone. Soon, I was unaware even of my body. Only fine wandering thoughts remained, and they became much clearer. After a few such experiences, I made further progress. All recognizable thoughts were gone. Only very minute thoughts, which I could not identify, continued. There was now only a very subtle feeling of the mind existing. This was a very sensitive state. When I heard the slightest sound, the sense of body returned, but I felt relaxed and comfortable in every pore.

September 3

In the morning I frequently lost the sense of body, while the state of having only very subtle thought-currents came back once, but clearer than before. Several times an expanse of red or white light, bright as neon lights, appeared before me. In this light I once had a side-view of Shih-fu sitting. Lacking sufficient samadhi power, I couldn't see very clearly, but I felt Shih-fu's energetic blessing.