As long as the brain is alive the person may still have some memory. During this near-death experience he or she may be in a dream-like state. The dreams may be strange and powerful, so when the person regains consciousness it seems as if he or she has returned from somewhere. The experiences ─ for example, seeing paradise ─ may seem real, but they are unreliable. One should not put much stock in them.

As religious experiences they are useful and powerful. We should not negate them. Even when healthy and meditating deeply, you may feel that you have traveled to an extremely beautiful place ─ heaven or the Pure Land ─ and you may be absolutely certain that the experience was real. These are your personal religious experiences. Nonetheless, to Ch'an they are unreliable, and we should not put too much faith in interpretations of them.

STUDENT:

What do you mean by religious experiences?

SHIH-FU:

Religious experiences are of great importance to one who experiences them; they help to build faith and confidence. They are usually spontaneous and not necessarily a result of practice. Such experiences can settle people and help them to become more peaceful. As such they are good illusions, but they are illusions all the same. Ch'an practice emphasizes seeing one's own nature and illuminating one's own mind, and leaving illusions behind.

STUDENT:

What do you mean by unreliable?

SHIH-FU: