describes  "silent   sitting"  thus: "Your  body  sits
　　   silently;  your  mind, quiescent, unmoving.  This  is
　　   genuine  effort  in practice.   Body  and mind  are at
　　   complete  rest.  The mouth  so still  that moss grows
　　   around  it.  Grass sprouts  from the tongue.  Do this
　　   without cease, cleansing  the mind until it gains the
　　   clarity  of  an  autumn   pool,  bright  as  the  moon
　　   illuminating the evening sky."
　　　　  In another place, Hung-chih said, "In this silent
　　   sitting, whatever realms may appear, the mind   is
　　   very clear as to all the details, yet everything  is
　　   where it originally is, in its own place.   The  mind
　　   stays on one thought for ten thousand year, yet does
　　   not dwell on any forms, inside or outside."
　　　　  How is Silent Illumination different from "outer
　　   path" tso-ch'an? In criticizing other path practice,
　　   Hui-neng used the phrase chu-hsin kuan-ching   住心观
　　   境,  or  "fixing　　 the   mind   on  one   thing　　 and
　　   contemplating  that  state."   This  is  a  method  of
　　   samadhi that
　　  
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　　   lacks wisdom. Or more accurately, samadhi is   not  a
　　   method; it is a consequence, or goal of practice. It
　　   has no space, no time, no sense of environment.
　　   Silent  Illumination  is different   in that, while it
　　   keeps the mind still (the silent aspect), it   is  clear
　　   about the inner as well as the outer states (the
　　   illumination  aspect).  Samadhi   is  silent  but  not
　　   illuminating.  In Silent   Illumination  there  is  no
　　   abiding (chu), that is, nothing to dwell on, no place
　　   to  dwell   in.   In   the   deep   level   of  Silent
　　   Illunination,  the  mind  is   not  influenced  by  or
　　   disturbed  by the  environment.   However, it  is  not
　　   fixed in samadhi, but is in a bright state of ming 明
　　   ,  or  illumination.   In   Silent  Illumination   the
　　   meditator works continually to maintain this ming.
　　　　  To understand Mo-chao Ch'an, it is important  to
　　   understand that while there are no thoughts, the mind
　　   also is still  very  clear, very   aware.  Both the
　　   silence (mo) and the illumination  (chao) must be
　　   there. According to Hung-chih, while there is nothing
　　   going on in your mind, you are not unaware   that nothing
　　   is happening.  If your  mind  is   unknowing, this  is
　　   Ch'an sickness, not Ch'an. So in this state, the mind