“Chan Methods do not teach one how to turn off the mind but to recognize the nature of the mind.”
“Nothing else matters but the method.”
From Zen Marrow talk II
Guo Gu reiterates to his students that it is the nature and function of the mind to think. That being the case when one finds oneself with his or her mind drifting away from and ignoring the method-just return it back to the method. Do not beat yourself up, call oneself names or give yourself instructions – return to the method. “Nothing else matters but the method.” Do not talk to others or yourself. Verbally beating oneself up or giving yourself instructions is just using language to distract oneself. Very often, one may find oneself holding monologues with oneself. When one notices that he or she is doing so, Stop and Return to the method. “Nothing matters but the method.” The “method” is the task at hand. Focusing on the task at hand is “practice,” whether in everyday life or during seated meditation