釋禪波羅蜜次第法門
Chinese title:釋禪波羅蜜次第法門
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EXPLANATION OF THE PRELIMINARY SKILLFUL MEANS OF DHYANA PARAMITA
INNER SKILLFUL MEANS
(There are two principal parts explaining Inner Skillful Means. Part One elucidates how, through cultivating cessation, inner and outer wholesome roots are activated and brought forth. It gives a general account of the various forms of dhyana pertaining to phenomena and principle, and of the signs that appear when the wholesome roots of right concentration first begin to arise. Because practitioners have different capacities and dispositions as causes of their cultivation, when they realize dhyana concentration, the dhyanas that arise also differ. As for the profound and subtle states of dhyana concentration pertaining to phenomena and principle that arise after the First Dhyana has been activated, they are generally discussed in the section on cultivation and realization in this chapter.)
Inner Skillful Means is divided into five principal parts:
*1 Elucidation of the Gateway of Cessation
*2 Examination of Wholesome and Unwholesome Dispositions
*3 Methods of Settling the Mind
*4 Methods of Treating Disorders
*5 Recognition of Demonic Phenomena
These five parts are collectively called Inner Skillful Means. When one first gives rise to the resolve to cultivate dhyana concentration, the inner mind becomes still and thoughts become subtle. One must employ these five skillful methods, appropriately adopting or relinquishing them; only afterward can one enter and realize profound dhyana concentration. Hence they are called skillful means.
Now, within Inner Skillful Means, the method of cessation is taken as the first gateway. All the merits and virtues of dhyana concentration arise from restraining the distracted mind. Thus a sutra states, “When the mind is restrained in one place, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.” The method of cessation is the initial gateway; this is the meaning intended here.
QUESTION: In the preceding explanation of the five methods of Outer Skillful Means, one-pointedness of mind was discussed. Why is it explained again here?
ANSWER: It is not so. The preceding section discussed one-pointedness only in general and did not analyze it fully. The cultivation of this method of cessation is extremely subtle. Now, to enable practitioners to understand the fundamental method of settling the mind, the signs of entering concentration are clearly explained, proceeding from coarse to subtle and from shallow to profound. What fault could there be in this?
QUESTION: The sutras speak of the contemplation of impurity and the contemplation of counting the breath as two gateways to the ambrosia, but they do not say that cultivating cessation is the initial gateway. Why, then, is it stated here?
ANSWER: It is not so. Among all dhyana concentrations, the cultivation of cessation universally encompasses all gateways. The universal can include the particular, but the particular cannot include the universal; therefore, cultivation of cessation is taught first. If, after cultivating cessation, one enters other dhyanas, there is universal benefit. If one relies on other gateways, contrary faults may arise and there may be no benefit. The same applies to methods for counteracting afflictions.
Furthermore, there are two kinds of enlightened teachers:
1. A teacher who has attained the Eye of the Way and can discern the capacities of students, giving them appropriate counteractive methods suited to the Dharma gateway they should cultivate. For example, when Venerable Sariputra(1) taught the Dharma to two disciples, because he did not know their capacities, he instructed the blacksmith to cultivate the contemplation of impurity and instructed the disciple whose occupation was washing garments to cultivate the contemplation of counting the breath. Because these practices ran contrary to their dispositions, they failed to attain realization and even gave rise to wrong views. After the Buddha instructed them to exchange their methods of contemplation, both awakened to the Way.
2. A teacher who lacks the knowledge of others’ minds(2), has not yet attained the Eye of the Way, and does not know the capacities of students. If they come to study seated meditation, the teacher should first instruct them in cultivating cessation.
After they cultivate cessation and their minds become settled in concentration, their wholesome or unwholesome dispositions will immediately become manifest. If, because their minds are peaceful, various dhyana concentrations arise, the teacher must discern which dhyana method accords with their capacities and instruct them to cultivate it. If the teacher sees that a student practices a particular Dharma gateway without activating dhyana concentration, and even gives rise to such afflictions as greed, anger, and delusion, the teacher should then examine the student to determine which poison is predominant and skillfully instruct them in a counteractive practice to eliminate it.
Once the disorders constituting obstructions have been removed, dhyana concentration will immediately arise.
The present initial elucidation of the method of cultivating cessation expresses precisely the intent behind the teachings imparted by these two kinds of teachers. Were another method taught here, the wholesome and unwholesome causal affinities of students would be very difficult to distinguish. If a teacher did not clearly know their capacities and imparted the wrong method of practice, the fault of failing to accord with their capacities would certainly arise.
*1. ELUCIDATION OF THE GATEWAY OF CESSATION
This is divided into four parts:
I- Distinguishing the Different Gateways of Cessation
II- The General Meaning of Establishing the Practice of Cessation
III- Methods of Cultivating Cessation
IV- Signs of Realizing the Practice of Cessation
I- DISTINGUISHING THE DIFFERENT GATEWAYS OF CESSATION
There are two aspects:
1. Discussion in Terms of Practice
2. Discussion in Terms of Meaning
1. Discussion in Terms of Practice
There are very many methods. Here only three are presented:
They are collectively called cessation, and also restraining cessation, meaning restraint and stopping. Preventing the mind from roaming is called restraint. Focusing the mind exclusively on one matter and putting an end to distracted thoughts is called cessation.
a) Cessation by Fixing the Mind on an Object: fix the mind on the tip of the nose, the region of the navel, and so forth, without allowing it to wander.
b) Cessation by Restraining the Mind: whenever initial and sustained thought—that is, deluded thinking—arises in the mind, immediately restrain it and do not allow it to arise.
c) Cessation through Realizing Suchness: realize that all dharmas are empty, thereby ending all deluded thoughts and anxieties.
2. Discussion in Terms of Meaning
There are likewise very many kinds. Here only three meanings are presented:
a) Cessation According with Conditions b) Cessation through Entering Concentration c) Cessation of the True Nature
a) Cessation According with Conditions: whenever the mind arises in accordance with conditions, samadhi is necessarily present. Thus the Nirvana Sutra states: “Concentration among the ten universal mental factors is called lower concentration.”
b) Cessation through Entering Concentration: when dhyana concentration is realized, the power of concentration sustains the mind, and therefore the mind comes to rest and abides.
c) Cessation of the True Nature: the principle of the mind’s nature is eternally unmoving in itself and is therefore called cessation. The Sutra Spoken at the Request of Brahma Visesacintin states: “All sentient beings are themselves the concentration of complete cessation.”
These three meanings will now be used to explain the three methods of cultivating cessation given above:
– Because dhyana concentration is attained in accordance with the intrinsic nature of causes and conditions, it is called Cessation by Fixing the Mind on an Object.
– Because dhyana concentration exists in accordance with karmic retribution, it is called Cessation by Restraining the Mind.
– Because the unmoving nature is fully inherent, it is called Cessation through Realizing Suchness.
II- THE GENERAL MEANING OF ESTABLISHING THE PRACTICE OF CESSATION
There are four parts:
1. Distinguishing the Different Degrees of Depth and Shallowness in the Three Methods of Cultivating
Cessation
2. Explaining How the Three Methods of Cultivating Cessation Counteract and Overcome One Another
3. According with the Mind’s Inclinations
4. According with What Suits One’s Capacity
1. Distinguishing the Different Degrees of Depth and Shallowness in the Three Methods of Cultivating Cessation
Because one proceeds from the coarse into the subtle, there are degrees of depth and shallowness in their meaning. Cessation by Fixing the Mind on an Object and Cessation by Restraining the Mind are cultivated in relation to phenomenal characteristics and therefore belong to the coarse and shallow level. Cessation through Realizing Suchness is extremely subtle and therefore belongs to the profound, hidden, and subtle level.
2. Explaining How the Three Methods of Cultivating Cessation Counteract and Overcome One Another
There are two kinds:
a) Using the Profound to Overcome the Shallow b) Mutually and Reciprocally Overcoming One Another
a) Using the Profound to Overcome the Shallow
Cessation by Fixing the Mind on an Object is established to eliminate the distracted mind that pursues external conditions.
Cessation by Restraining the Mind is used to overcome Cessation by Fixing the Mind on an Object, because the mind does not belong to material dharmas; how, then, could the mind be bound to the tip of the nose or below the navel? Therefore, if one wishes the mind to become quiescent, one must sever all conditions through which it pursues external objects and restrain it so that it settles in one place. Cessation through Realizing Suchness is used to overcome Cessation by Restraining the Mind, because the mind has no form or characteristic and its intrinsic nature cannot be apprehended; how, then, could it be restrained?
By understanding that the mind is not mind, one does not give rise to deluded thoughts. One abides in cessation without any place of abiding; hence it is called cessation. If there is a place in which one abides, that abiding arises in dependence upon deluded thought and therefore is not called cessation.
The foregoing uses the profound to overcome the shallow and return to the source; therefore, these three methods of cultivating cessation are established.
b) Mutually and Reciprocally Overcoming One Another
While cultivating cessation, if even a single thought involving conceptual views and knowledge arises, one should immediately use one of the methods of cultivating cessation to counteract and eliminate it. One need only examine this carefully to understand it.
3. According with the Mind’s Inclinations
Some people prefer to settle the mind upon various objects; others prefer to cultivate the Cessation of Restraining the Mind or the Cessation of Realizing Suchness. Therefore, the teacher should instruct them according to their preferences, and the students will joyfully practice. If the instruction runs counter to their preferences, their minds will not delight in practicing.
4. Adapting to the practitioner’s capacities
In this case, it is not invariably necessary to teach according to the student’s preference. For example, a person may prefer to cultivate the Cessation of Restraining the Mind yet be unwilling to enter samadhi; nevertheless, if the mind is temporarily bound to and made to abide upon an object, the various dhyanas and samadhis will immediately arise. Therefore, the method of practice must be taught according to whatever skillful means are appropriate.
III. METHODS FOR CULTIVATING CESSATION
There are three aspects:
1. Cultivating the Cessation of Fixing the Mind upon an Object
2. Cultivating the Cessation of Restraining the Mind
3. Cultivating the Cessation of Realizing Suchness
1. Cultivating the Cessation of Fixing the Mind upon an Object
Cause the mind to stop and abide at five locations: the crown of the head, between the eyebrows, the tip of the nose, below the navel, and beneath the feet.
QUESTION: The mind can be made to abide anywhere throughout the body, so why are only five locations mentioned?
ANSWER: These five locations serve as skillful means because it is easier to apply the mind and settle it there than elsewhere. The two sides of the torso, for example, are both inclined and sloping, and thus are not mentioned. The head is round in correspondence with heaven; the feet are square in correspondence with the earth; the navel is the sea of vital breath; the nose is the gateway of the wind; and the forehead is the place for cultivating contemplation of the white bones.
To make the mind abide upon the crown of the head is intended to counteract mental torpor and excessive sleep. If the mind abides there for a long time, one may experience a floating sensation resembling a wind disorder, or feel as though one had attained supernatural powers and were about to fly upward. Because such disorders can readily arise, this method should not be used regularly.
If the mind is made to abide at the hairline, where the hair is black and the flesh is white, it can easily settle there. However, if one contemplates the white bones there for a long time, disorders may arise. For example, the eyes may continually turn upward, or one may see blue, yellow, red, and other colors, in forms resembling specks before the eyes or clouds, causing deluded and inverted thoughts to arise in the mind.
If the mind is bound to and made to abide at the tip of the nose, since the nose is the gateway through which the breath enters and exits, the practitioner can observe it continuously without interruption and thereby easily awaken to the principle of impermanence. This location is also used in cultivating mindfulness by counting the breaths. If the mind becomes settled, dhyana and samadhi may unfold.
If the mind abides below the navel, at the point called the Sea of Qi, also known as the Central Palace, abiding there can eliminate various illnesses. One may also contemplate the thirty-six substances within the internal organs, from which such dhyana methods as the Sixteen Exceptional Practices and others may unfold.
If the mind abides beneath the feet, this is the lowest location. The breath follows the mind downward, and the four great elements become harmonized. Those who cultivate contemplation of impurity generally contemplate from below upward. By means of this method of making the mind abide, the Dharma gateway of contemplating impurity cultivated in previous lives may unfold.
Using these five locations as objects upon which to settle the mind, so that it does not become scattered, is the essential meaning of cultivating the Cessation of Fixing the Mind upon an Object. It is like a monkey or ape climbing trees and leaping about restlessly: if it is chained to one place, it will gradually calm down by itself. The method of regulating the mind is likewise. If the mind has stopped and abides in stillness before entering samadhi, this is called the Cessation of the Collected Mind. When samadhi is entered and body and mind naturally become open, empty, still, and tranquil, this is called the Cessation of Entering Samadhi.
2. Cultivating the Cessation of Restraining the Mind
The mind fundamentally has neither form nor color, nor does it have a fixed location; how, then, can the mind be made to abide upon an object? It is simply a matter of subduing deluded thoughts and cognitive activity directed toward objects. If the mind has already become peaceful, still, and abiding, there is no need to restrain it. Merely bringing the mind’s scattered deluded thoughts to an end is itself the cultivation of Cessation.
QUESTION: The mind is neither above nor below, yet at times it may be relaxed or tense, floating or sunken. How, then, should it be properly regulated?
ANSWER: Although the mind is neither above nor below, in order to counteract the disorders of floating and sinking, it must be settled either above or below. There is no fault in this with respect to cultivation. If the mind is agitated and floating, one may intentionally settle it below. If the mind is torpid and sunken, one may settle it above.
Furthermore, settling the mind below has many benefits. Here, only two are briefly stated:
The mind easily attains concentration. Illnesses do not arise.
3. Cultivating the Cessation of Realizing Suchness
Using wisdom to illuminate and contemplate, one realizes that all dharmas of cause and effect within the Three Realms—such as the twelve links of dependent origination, the ninety-eight proclivities(3), the three poisons, the skandhas, dhatus, ayatanas, and so forth—are all empty and quiescent. As recorded in the Large Prajnaparamita Sutra: “Form itself is emptiness; it is not that form must first be completely extinguished before it is called empty. The intrinsic nature of form is fundamentally empty. Emptiness itself is form, and form itself is emptiness. Apart from form there is no emptiness, and apart from emptiness there is no form. All dharmas—feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—are likewise.”
Why is this so? Because when one presently sees that dharmas such as the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas have no intrinsic nature, how could the various inverted views of self, person, sentient being, life span, and so forth arise?
How does one know that all dharmas are empty? In the past, afflictions gave rise to karmic activities as causes; in the present, one relies upon the bodily constituents received from one’s father and mother as conditions. Through the conjunction of causes and conditions, karmic retribution comes to exist; and once there is karmic retribution, there are such dharmas as the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas.
What kind of dharma is this karma, that it can produce karmic retribution and serve as the cause of the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas? If it is said that the wholesome mind of the past is itself karma, nevertheless the past mind that performed wholesome deeds and its associated mental factors have all already ceased. How, then, could they serve as the cause of the present skandhas, dhatus, ayatanas, and karmic retribution?
If it is said that mind is not karma, but that when karma is produced, karma follows the mind onward, then when the mind changes and ceases, karma must also change and cease along with it. If karma changes and ceases, how could it bring about the karmic retribution of this life and such dharmas as the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas? If karma changes and ceases, one should know that karma cannot arrive in the present. Why can karma not arrive? If karma does not arrive yet a person receives karmic retribution, this recompense cannot be called karmic retribution. Why? If no karma was created, for what would recompense be made?
If it is said that although the past mind has completely ceased, the subsequent mind continues to arise, and therefore karma continues to follow the mind and arrives in the present—just as past karma, though extinguished, is followed by the continuous arising of subsequent karma and therefore reaches the present cause—such a statement is a grave error. Why? At times, after a wholesome mind of the past has ceased, an unwholesome mind subsequently arises.
Likewise, when wholesome karma of the past has ceased and unwholesome karma subsequently arises, one should then experience unwholesome retribution; but how could one instead experience wholesome retribution? If it is said that karma arrives without following the mind, then this karma must possess its own karmic retribution and receive that retribution apart from the mind. In truth, this is not so.
Furthermore, if karma has form and characteristics, that karma belongs to conditioned dharmas. If it is a conditioned dharma, it must necessarily conform to the three characteristics of arising, abiding, and ceasing. If it falls within these three characteristics, it belongs to the characteristics of arising and ceasing.
If it has already arisen and ceased, then karma cannot reach the present. The past has already ceased, so one should know that past karma has also ceased. Who, then, experiences this karmic retribution?
It cannot be said that newly arisen karma can bring about the karmic retribution of this life. Therefore, if it is said that karma has form and characteristics, this proposition is untenable. If it is said that karma has no form or characteristics yet can bring about karmic retribution, this too is untenable.
Why? A dharma without form or characteristics is an unconditioned dharma; but in the unconditioned there is no karma. How, then, could karmic retribution be brought about?
Furthermore, dharmas are without form or characteristic; this is precisely the meaning of emptiness. Since emptiness neither arises nor ceases, how can it be called karma? If it is said that emptiness means there is no form or characteristic capable of bringing about karmic retribution, then the three unconditioned dharmas(4) should also be capable of bringing about karmic retribution.
Since this is not so, how can one say that karma is formless yet can produce karmic retribution? For the foregoing reasons, karma is fundamentally unobtainable; therefore, one should know that no such karma exists. If karma is unobtainable, why is it said that all dharmas of the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas arise from karma within?
Nor do they arise from external conditions. If karmic retribution arose from external conditions, then whenever yin and yang combined, karmic retribution and the dharmas of the skandhas, dhatus, ayatanas, and so forth should all arise; there would be no need to wait for karma to bring consciousness before birth could occur. Therefore, one should know that the arising of karmic retribution is not due to external conditions.
If it is said that, through the conjunction of causes and conditions, karmic retribution and the dharmas of the skandhas, dhatus, ayatanas, and so forth arise, then if both the cause and the condition were each capable of producing arising, their conjunction should produce two arisings. If neither produces arising separately, how could their conjunction produce arising? If it is said that arising occurs apart from causes and external conditions, this is incorrect.
Even arising from causes and conditions cannot be apprehended; how much less could there be arising without causes and conditions? If arising occurred without causes and conditions, the principle of cause and effect would be destroyed. Thus, those who perform good deeds in the world would have to undergo evil retribution, while those who perform evil deeds would receive good retribution. There would also be no need to cultivate the path. This would destroy the worldly principle of cause and effect concerning good and evil and is called a greatly erroneous view.
Therefore, one should know that the dharmas of the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas do not arise from an internal cause, do not arise from external conditions, do not arise through the conjunction of causes and conditions, and do not arise without the conjunction of causes and conditions.
If there is no existence, there is emptiness. If, within emptiness, one clings to real existence, this is the delusion and inversion of ignorance, falsely grasping things as existent. If one knows that all such mistakenly apprehended dharmas are false and illusory, like dreams and phantasms, and are merely empty names, and that even those nominal dharmas are unobtainable, then language is entirely cut off and the activities of the mind also wholly cease. There is ultimate emptiness and quiescence, like open space.
If the practitioner realizes that all dharmas are empty and open like space, neither grasping nor rejecting, neither relying upon nor clinging to anything, and if the mind neither takes up nor rejects, neither abides nor clings, then all deluded and inverted thoughts, karma and its fruits, birth and death, entirely cease. Unconditioned, free from desire, free from thought, free from activity, without fabrication, contention, or disputes over right and wrong, it is empty, open, pure, and clear, like the realm of Great Nirvana. This is called True Cessation.
This is cessation without any place of abiding in cessation; through not abiding, all is cut off. This is called Cessation Through Realizing Suchness.
As the verse in the sutra says:
Among all dharmas,
Those born of causes and conditions have no master;
Cutting off thoughts, one reaches the source of mind.
Therefore, one is called a Sramana.
IV. CHARACTERISTICS OF REALIZING THE DHARMA OF CESSATION
There are two differing interpretations.
Some masters hold that cultivating Cessation yields no distinct realization; it is merely the preliminary expedient for the various dhyanas. If there is any realization, it also belongs to other dhyanas. This matter will be discussed in the chapter “Explanation of the Unfolding of Wholesome Roots.”
Other masters say that the practice of Cessation can not only bring forth the various meditative concentrations but can also enable one to realize the Five-Wheel Dhyana. Why? Because the other Dharma-gates each have their own particular method of practice for settling the mind, after which the various meditative concentrations unfold successively in different ways.
In the present explanation of this practice of Cessation, one need only restrain the mind in a single place, and the Five-Wheel Dhyana will naturally unfold. It is like clear, still water without waves, in which the myriad images all appear distinctly. The cultivation of Cessation is likewise.
We shall now explain how the Five-Wheel Dhyana is realized through cultivating Cessation. The five wheels are the Earth Wheel, Water Wheel, Wind Wheel, Golden-Sand Wheel, and Vajra Wheel. These five Dharma-gates are all named by analogy and are collectively called “wheels.” A wheel signifies movement and conveyance. Just as a wheel, when turning, moves from one place to another, so is the term “wheel” explained in meditative concentration.
The concentration of the Earth Wheel means that, by leaving behind a scattered mind, one advances in cultivation from a lower stage to a higher realm; therefore, it is called a wheel. The meaning of the Vajra-Wheel concentration is likewise: one is conveyed from a lower realm to the ultimate fruit of one beyond training.
1. Earth Wheel
Earth has two meanings: sustaining without movement and producing the myriad things.
Through cultivating Cessation, the practitioner realizes the concentration of the stage not yet arrived. The mind naturally becomes settled and still within, and one directly knows the body and mind to be like empty space, quietly entering concentration. Because the power of meditative concentration sustains the mind without allowing it to move, this is called sustaining. From the concentration of the stage not yet arrived arise the various merits of the first dhyana, just as the earth produces the myriad things.
2. Water Wheel
Water has two meanings: it irrigates the myriad things, enabling them to grow, and its essential nature is yielding and supple.
While abiding in the concentration of the Earth Wheel, if the practitioner realizes the Water-Wheel samadhi, the merits of the various meditative concentrations arise. As the water of meditative concentration irrigates the field of the mind, the practitioner directly knows that the wholesome roots within are increasing. This is the meaning of water’s irrigation and moistening.
Through attaining meditative concentration, the practitioner’s body and mind become gentle and yielding; the mind of self-conceit is subdued and severed, and one accords with wholesome dharmas. This is the meaning of yielding softness and moistening; therefore, it is called the Water Wheel.
3. Wind Wheel
Wind has three meanings: it moves through open space without obstruction, it can destroy, and it stirs the myriad things.
When the practitioner brings forth the Wind-Wheel samadhi, it is likewise. Through meditative concentration, one may bring forth unobstructed wisdom and skillful means, just as wind travels through open space entirely without obstruction.
Stirring means that, through skillful means, the practitioner can arouse and increase the various supramundane merits and wholesome roots.
Destroying means that the wisdom of skillful means can destroy and eliminate wrong views and afflictions.
If practitioners of the Two Vehicles realize this Wind-Wheel samadhi, it is the five expedient stages of semblance undefiled wisdom.(5) If bodhisattvas realize this Dharma, they enter the ten stages of faith of the Iron Wheel. This is called the Wind Wheel.
4. Golden-Sand Wheel
“Golden” means gold, symbolizing true wisdom; “sand” symbolizes a mind free from attachment.
If the practitioner opens true wisdom and vision, being undefiled and unattached, the practitioner realizes the Three Fruits (the fruit of stream-entry, the fruit of non-returning, and the fruit of never returning). If bodhisattvas realize this samadhi, they enter the stages of the Three Worthies(6) and the Ten Bhumis(7), and can destroy and eliminate the dust-like afflictions(8). This is called the Golden-Sand Wheel.
5. Vajra Wheel
This is the ninth level of meditation, the Ninth Unobstructed Path,(9) called the Vajra Samadhi. It is like vajra, whose substance is solid and whose function is exceedingly sharp, enabling it to destroy other things. The concentrative power of the Vajra Wheel is likewise: it cannot be assailed by false afflictions and has the power to eliminate the fetters and afflictions, thereby accomplishing the fruit of arhatship. If this concentration belongs to the mind of a bodhisattva, it is Vajra Prajnaparamita, capable of destroying subtle ignorance and realizing wisdom of all modes. This Vajra concentration is also called Pure Dhyana. By relying upon this concentration, the bodhisattva realizes the fruit of great bodhi.
The meaning of the word “wheel” may be illustrated by a cartwheel: if there is no ox to pull it, the wheel cannot roll by itself. The meditative concentrations of the Five Wheels are likewise. Although each level of meditation possesses subtle and wondrous merits, if one does not use the practice of the Calming of Realizing Suchness to guide the way and cultivate the mind of relinquishment, then each level of meditation will present obstructions, contrary to the meaning of “wheel.” If practitioners skillfully cultivate the nonattachment of the Calming of Realizing Suchness, they can practice from the initial aspiration until they realize the fruit of nirvana; only then is the use of the word “wheel” true to its meaning.
The Lotus Sutra states: “Sentient beings are attached everywhere; therefore, they must be guided to attain liberation.” Thus, it should be understood that practitioners who skillfully cultivate calming fully possess the five kinds of meditative concentration and can realize the noble fruits of the Three Vehicles.
Notes to Volume 3:
(1) Sariputra: Foremost in Wisdom, one of the Buddha’s ten great disciples.
(2) Knowledge of others’ minds (the supernormal power of knowing others’ minds): the ability to know the distinct characteristics of another person’s mind. It is one of the ten knowledges and also one of the Six Supernormal Powers.
(3) The ninety-eight proclivities (the ninety-eight latent afflictions): the ninety-eight kinds of latent afflictions established by the Sarvastivada Abhidharma school, comprising the eighty-eight latent afflictions of delusion concerning views and the ten latent afflictions of delusion concerning cultivation within the Three Realms. “Latent affliction” is another name for an affliction. Because afflictions constantly follow a person, they are called “proclivities”;
because their nature is subtle, deeply concealed, and difficult to discern, like the sickness of sleep, they are called “latent.” These ninety-eight arise through combining the ten latent afflictions—greed, anger, delusion, pride, doubt, the view of a self, extreme views, wrong views, attachment to views, and attachment to precepts and observances—with the five divisions in the Three Realms: those abandoned through seeing the truth of suffering, the truth of its origin, the truth of cessation, and the truth of the path, and those abandoned through cultivation.
In the Desire Realm, there are ten abandoned through seeing suffering, seven abandoned through seeing its origin, seven abandoned through seeing cessation, eight abandoned through seeing the path, and four abandoned through cultivation, totaling thirty-six. In addition, the Form Realm and Formless Realm each have thirty-one among the five divisions; together these amount to ninety-eight.
(4) The three unconditioned dharmas: the three unconditioned dharmas according to the classification of the Sarvastivada school.
1/ Unconditioned space: space means unobstructedness. This means that the principle of true emptiness is unobstructed by afflictions; unobstructedness is its nature, and it contains all things and pervades everywhere.
2/ Unconditioned cessation through discernment: sravakas use analytical wisdom to free themselves from bondage to the delusions of views and cultivation, thereby realizing the principle of quiescent cessation and true emptiness.
3/ Unconditioned cessation independent of discernment: after sravakas realize the fruit, their delusions no longer arise. They naturally accord with and awaken to the principle of quiescent cessation and true emptiness, without depending upon cessation through discernment.
(5) Resemblance to the undefiled: the Mahavibhasa, fascicle 5, states that the foremost worldly dharma resembles the undefiled Path of Seeing. Because the foremost worldly dharma rejects the defiled, proceeds toward the undefiled, and is close to the Path of Seeing, it is called “resemblance to the undefiled.”
(6) The Three Worthies: three stages in which practitioners cultivate roots of virtue to subdue the afflictions and bring the mind into harmony. The Three Worthies differ between the Lesser Vehicle and the Great Vehicle.
a) The three worthy stages of the Lesser Vehicle: the stages of cultivating defiled roots of virtue, consisting of three stages:
1/ The contemplation of the five methods for stilling the mind: contemplating the mind to eliminate five conditions, such as greed and anger.
2/ The specific contemplation of the foundations of mindfulness: contemplating the individual characteristics of body, feeling, and mind, and the common characteristics of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self.
3/ The stage of the comprehensive contemplation of the foundations of mindfulness: the stage of contemplating all the common characteristics together. These three stages of practice prepare one to enter the Path of Seeing.
b) The Three Worthy Stages of the Great Vehicle: stages in the cultivation of bodhisattvas, consisting of three levels:
1/ The Ten Abodes: when the mind comprehends the principle and abides steadfastly and immovably, this is called “Abiding.”
2/ The Ten Practices: by carrying out these ten practices, one advances toward the fruit; hence they are called “Practices.”
3/ The Ten Dedications of Merit: directing causes toward their fruits is called dedication of merit; there are ten kinds.
(7) The Ten Grounds: ten stages in the course of cultivation undertaken by disciples of the Buddha. “Ground” means a dwelling place, sustaining, and engendering. That is, one abides at that stage and takes it as one’s home, while preserving the Dharma, nurturing the Dharma, and causing the fruit to arise. The term “Ten Grounds” presented in the sutras and treatises includes four types:
1/ The Ten Grounds Common to the Three Vehicles, also called the Common Ten Grounds or Common Grounds, and called the Ten Grounds of the Shared Teaching by the Tiantai school: the ten grounds common to all Three Vehicles, recorded in the Large Prajnaparamita Sutra.
2/ The ten bodhisattva stages taught in fascicle 23 of the old translation and fascicle 34 of the new translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra.
3/ The ten stages of cultivation of sravakas.
4/ The ten grounds of a pratyekabuddha, the ten grounds of one awakened through conditions, the ten grounds of a solitary buddha, or the ten grounds of one independently awakened: namely, the ten stages of cultivation of a pratyekabuddha.
(8) Afflictions as numerous as dust and sand: “dust and sand” symbolizes an exceedingly great number. “Delusion” means affliction. These delusions are present everywhere within and beyond the Three Realms; to eliminate them, one must employ the contemplation of provisional existence among the Three Contemplations. Because these delusions are innumerable, they are compared to the sands of the Ganges.
(9) The Nine Unobstructed Paths (the Nine Immediate Paths): nine kinds of undefiled paths at the stage when afflictions are being eliminated. “Interval” means obstruction or separation. Thus, when practitioners contemplate the principle with true wisdom, they are not obstructed by defilements and outflows.
Although afflictions still remain, in the subsequent moment they realize the principle of cessation through discernment; therefore, there is no interval between the afflictions and cessation through discernment, and this is called “immediate.” Cultivating from this stage until attaining nirvana is called the Path. The Three Realms are divided into nine grounds, and every ground contains delusions of cultivation and delusions of views.
The delusions of cultivation within one ground are further divided into nine grades of afflictions to be eliminated. Each time one grade is eliminated, there is an Immediate Path and a Path of Liberation. The stage at which the affliction is eliminated is called the Immediate Path, while the wisdom attained after eliminating it is called the Path of Liberation.
Because the delusions of cultivation in every ground have nine grades, the paths or methods that counteract them likewise have nine levels, called the Nine Immediate Paths or the Nine Paths of Liberation. In addition, noble ones beyond training also have the Nine Immediate Paths or Nine Paths of Liberation when refining their faculties and transforming their spiritual disposition.
*2. EXAMINING WHOLESOME AND UNWHOLESOME PROPENSITIES
Once practitioners have skillfully cultivated calming and brought all distracted thoughts to rest, their inner minds become still. Because their minds are still, roots of virtue from previous lives naturally unfold. If they lack roots of virtue, unwholesome and evil propensities will arise. Thus, a sutra states: “First use meditative concentration to still the agitated mind; only afterward use wisdom to cut through.” Cultivating calming is the initial gateway; of these two, wholesome and unwholesome, one will certainly arise.
Practitioners must clearly understand its characteristics so that they may adopt or relinquish it without deviating from the right path. It must therefore be analyzed. The examination of wholesome and unwholesome propensities will now be explained in two parts:
A. Examining Wholesome Propensities
B. Examining Unwholesome Propensities
The arising of wholesome and unwholesome propensities may occur earlier or later according to each individual; it is not fixed that the wholesome must arise first and the unwholesome afterward.
A. EXAMINING WHOLESOME PROPENSITIES
This is divided into four parts:
I- Wholesome Dharmas
II- The Signs of Roots of Virtue Arising
III- Examining Whether Meditation Is Genuine or False
IV- General Conclusion on the Indeterminate Arising of Meditation
I- WHOLESOME DHARMAS
There are two kinds:
1. External Virtue
2. Internal Virtue
1. External Virtue
There are very many kinds. Here, five are briefly described: generosity; observing the precepts; filial obedience toward parents and teachers; reverence and faith in the Three Jewels; and diligence in making offerings, reading and reciting scriptures, and listening to the Dharma. These five roots of virtue belong to the external category, and therefore the signs by which these roots of virtue arise are not the same. The reason they are all classified as external roots of virtue is that they originate in conduct performed and cultivated while the mind is still distracted and agitated. They cannot yet lead beyond the Desire Realm or unfold undefiled meditative concentration; hence they are called External Virtue.
2. Internal Virtue
These are the five meditation Dharma-gates: anapanasati (counting the breath), contemplation of impurity, contemplation of loving-kindness, contemplation of causes and conditions, and the Buddha-recollection samadhi. These five Dharma-gates encompass all methods of meditative concentration and open forth the undefiled dhyanas; therefore, they are called internal virtues.
QUESTION: Internal virtues are innumerable. Why are only five gates discussed?
ANSWER: Although these five gates are few, they encompass all methods of meditation.
Why is this so?
1. Contemplation by counting the breath: It enables one to penetrate meditative concentrations such as the Four Dhyanas, the Sixteen Exceptional Victories, the Illumination Meditation, and so forth.
2. Contemplation of impurity: It enables one to penetrate meditation samadhis such as the Nine Perceptions, the Eight Liberations, the Transcendent Samadhi, and so forth.
3. Contemplation of loving-kindness and compassion: It enables one to penetrate meditation samadhis such as the Four Immeasurable Minds and so forth.
4. Contemplation of causes and conditions: It enables one to penetrate meditation samadhis such as the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, the Four Noble Truths, and so forth.
5. Recollection of the Buddha: It enables one to penetrate the Nine Kinds of Meditation and the 108 samadhis(1).
At the same time, contemplation of the breath is also the practice of meditative concentration for ordinary beings in the world. Contemplation of impurity is the supramundane meditation practiced by shravakas. Contemplation of loving-kindness is practiced by both ordinary beings and noble ones. Because this contemplation brings exceedingly great merit, one cultivates contemplation of loving-kindness in order to enter deeply into the Four Immeasurable Minds. Next, contemplation of causes and conditions is the practice of pratyekabuddhas, while the Buddha-recollection samadhi is the practice of bodhisattvas because its merit is vast.
The foregoing has explained the sequence and the relative depth or shallowness of the characteristics of the five meditation gates. These five meditation gates counteract the four divisions of afflictions. From the four divisions of afflictions arise the eighty-four thousand (84,000) defilements; accordingly, these five meditation gates can give rise to eighty-four thousand (84,000) methods with which to counteract them.
In brief, merely setting forth these five meditation gates fully encompasses all internal virtues. According to the doctrine of the Sarvastivada school, its explanation of the Five Contemplations for Calming the Mind(2) practiced by those at the initial stage of the worthy state also corresponds in certain respects to these five meditation Dharma-gates.
II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ARISING OF ROOTS OF VIRTUE
There are two parts:
1. The arising of external roots of virtue
2. The arising of internal roots of virtue
1. The arising of external roots of virtue
Because external virtues have a great many characteristics, they will now be divided into five kinds in accordance with the gates discussed in the preceding chapter:
– While the practitioner is seated in quiet meditation, various kinds of clothing, bedding, delicious food, fields and gardens, ponds and lakes, carriages and horses, and so forth may suddenly appear in meditative concentration. Alternatively, because the practitioner’s mind is tranquil, the practitioner may spontaneously relinquish greed and stinginess, bring forth the resolve to practice giving, and feel no attachment or regret. One should know that these are two characteristics of the arising of roots of virtue, resulting from the karmic recompense of cultivating generosity in past lives and in this life.
– While the practitioner is seated in quiet meditation, such things as a dignified and handsome bodily appearance, being clothed in pure and proper robes, bathing until clean, receiving excellent articles, and so forth may suddenly appear in meditative concentration. Alternatively, because the practitioner’s mind is tranquil, a resolve to uphold the precepts and practice patience may arise. The practitioner may clearly recognize the minor and major precepts, feel apprehension even over the slightest offense, and become humble and forbearing. One should know that these are two characteristics of the arising of roots of virtue, resulting from the karmic recompense of cultivating morality and patience in past lives and in this life.
– While the practitioner is seated in quiet meditation, parents, monastic teachers, relatives, and family members may suddenly appear in samadhi, dressed in dignified and pure clothing and filled with joyful delight. Alternatively, because the practitioner’s mind is tranquil, loving-kindness, compassion, benevolence, and affectionate respect for brothers and sisters may arise. One should know that these are two kinds of arising roots of virtue, resulting from the karmic recompense of cultivating reverence and filial devotion in past lives and in this life.
– While the practitioner is seated in quiet meditation, there may suddenly appear in samadhi the making of splendid offerings to monasteries and stupas, scriptures, and sacred images, or assemblies of monks gathered at Dharma congregations, and so forth. Alternatively, because the practitioner’s mind is tranquil, faith in and reverence for the Three Jewels may arise, together with delight in making offerings and courageous, vigorous diligence free from weariness. One should know that these are precisely two kinds of arising roots of virtue, resulting from the karmic recompense of cultivating faith in and reverence for the Three Jewels and diligently making offerings in past lives and in this life.
– While the practitioner is seated in quiet meditation, because the mind has become still, the practitioner may see the scriptures of the Tripitaka being explained, or see virtuous members of the fourfold assembly—monastics and laypeople—reading and reciting or listening to Mahayana scriptures, and so forth. Alternatively, because the practitioner’s mind is tranquil, the practitioner may naturally penetrate the meaning while reading and reciting Mahayana scriptures and attain understanding according to whatever is seen or heard. Or the practitioner may spontaneously comprehend the principles and meanings of the Tripitaka and Mahayana scriptures and analyze them without obstruction. One should know that these are two kinds of arising roots of virtue, resulting from the karmic recompense of cultivating the hearing of the Dharma and the reading and recitation of scriptures in past lives and in this life.
When practitioners see such auspicious phenomena and bring forth such wholesome states of mind, these do not result from meditative concentration itself. Rather, they arise principally from the merit cultivated in past lives and in this life while the mind was still distracted. Now, because the mind has become tranquil, such phenomena manifest.
All such phenomena belong to the arising of the cause and karmic result of wholesome states of mind, and they also arise from the causal cultivation of a wholesome mind. Characteristics of this kind are so numerous that they cannot all be described; only their general purport has been briefly presented here.
Furthermore, because the causes associated with karmic recompense and cultivation differ, there are two distinct types of faculties. Some people manifest only phenomena arising from karmic recompense without bringing forth a wholesome mind through the cause of cultivation. Some bring forth a wholesome mind through the cause of cultivation without manifesting phenomena arising from karmic recompense.
Some who practice fully manifest both kinds, while others who practice manifest neither kind. Such causes are extremely difficult to understand, and one must not make mistakes concerning them.
QUESTION: Since roots of virtue were formed while the mind was scattered and distracted, how can they appear within a tranquil mind?
ANSWER: In meditative concentration, one can even see the evil karma and afflictions of past lives and this life arise; how much more, then, should one be able to see roots of virtue supported by the underlying principle?
QUESTION: When these phenomena are seen, could they be produced by heavenly maras?
ANSWER: There are also cases in which they are counterfeit manifestations created by maras. Mara is also called the Killer. If one wishes to distinguish them, then when such phenomena arise, should they cause the practitioner’s mind-consciousness to become agitated and confused, cause the afflictions to increase, make the mind feel oppressed, and create many obstructions without benefiting meditative concentration, they all belong to fabrications of mara.
When these roots of virtue arise and the practitioner recognizes their characteristics, although meditative concentration has not yet been realized, body and mind become lucid, the faculties become pure, the complexion becomes fresh and radiant, and physical strength becomes abundant. Consequently, whatever the practitioner does is auspicious and beneficial, and wholesome thoughts arise. From then onward, the practitioner naturally finds it easier to gather in the mind; body and mind are peaceful and stable, and no faults, calamities, or misfortunes occur. One should know that these are characteristics of the arising of roots of virtue.
Furthermore, if these manifestations accompanying the arising of roots of virtue are characteristics of a resultant cause, they appear only briefly and then cease. If they are manifestations of the habitual cause of a wholesome mind, they continue to appear without interruption. If they are counterfeit manifestations of mara, the perceived states persist for a long time without disappearing; even after disappearing, they return to trouble and confuse the practitioner. A wholesome state of mind, by contrast, may arise briefly and then cease. If it sometimes changes into an unwholesome thought, one should know that it is deviant.
Deviant and correct phenomena are extremely difficult to distinguish. Unless one personally draws near to an enlightened teacher, one must not rashly cling to one's own judgments.
QUESTION: Must these wholesome roots necessarily manifest before the attainment of meditative concentration, while attaining the various meditative concentrations, or after entering deeply into meditative concentration?
ANSWER: This is not fixed. Because external wholesome qualities have coarse characteristics, they have merely been explained first.
2. Manifestation of Internal Wholesome Roots
We shall now draw upon the five methods of meditation to discuss the manifestation of internal wholesome roots. Each of these five methods is divided into three, making altogether fifteen kinds of manifested wholesome roots.
a) Explanation of the Method of Contemplating the Breath
There are three distinct kinds of manifested wholesome roots:
a.1. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of counting the breaths
a.2. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of following the breath
a.3. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of contemplating the breath
a.1. Manifestation of the Wholesome Roots of Counting the Breaths
The practitioner skillfully cultivates the three methods of calming: calming by fixing the mind upon an object, calming by restraining the mind, and calming through realizing true reality. Thus, body and mind become harmonious, and the concentrations of the desire realm, the access concentration, and so forth manifest. Body and mind become open and tranquil, and the mind becomes peaceful, stable, and settled.
After a period ranging from one day to one week, one month, or one year, body and mind become thoroughly harmonized, and the mind remains settled without regression. At this time, while in meditative concentration, the practitioner may suddenly experience movement throughout the body and mind, and the eight kinds of tactile sensation arise—pain, itching, heat, cold, smoothness, roughness, and so forth. This is the manifestation of the wholesome roots of the first dhyana.
Within this concentration, a wholesome, peaceful state of mind arises, together with joy and bliss beyond description.
After the first dhyana manifests, the practitioner advances to the second dhyana, the third dhyana, the fourth dhyana, the four formless attainments, and so forth.
a.2. Manifestation of the Wholesome Roots of Following the Breath
Likewise, while the mind is peacefully settled and tranquil in the concentration of the desire realm or the access concentration, the practitioner may suddenly become aware of the length or shortness of each inhalation and exhalation, and perceive all the pores throughout the body as empty. With lucid awareness, the practitioner sees the thirty-six constituents within the body as clearly as though opening a storehouse of beans, sesame seeds, grain, and so forth. The practitioner's mind becomes exceedingly joyful, peaceful, tranquil, and at ease. The body no longer creates wholesome or unwholesome karma, and sensations of joy, bliss, and so forth arise. This is the manifestation of the wholesome roots of the Sixteen Excellent Practices.
a.3. Manifestation of the Wholesome Roots of Contemplating the Breath
While abiding in the concentration of the desire realm or the access concentration, with the inner mind tranquil and subtle, the practitioner may suddenly see the inhalations and exhalations passing unobstructed through all the pores of the body. The practitioner's mind gradually becomes lucid and keen, perceiving the bones, flesh, and other constituents within the body as though seeing grains, beans, and other things through a thin mesh. The practitioner also sees clearly the 84,000 kinds of microorganisms within the body—long or short, large or small—and distinctly hears their speech and sounds. At this time, the practitioner's mind becomes settled, peaceful, and joyful to a degree many times greater than the meditative experiences described above.
Alternatively, the practitioner may see the body as resembling the trunk of a banana tree, a mass of foam, a floating cloud, a shadow, an image, and so forth. This is the manifestation of the wholesome roots of the Meditation of Clear Insight.
b) Explanation of the Method of Contemplating Impurity
There are three distinct kinds of manifested wholesome roots:
b.1. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of the Nine Perceptions
b.2. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of the Eight Liberations
b.3. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of contemplating impurity
b.1. Manifestation of the Wholesome Roots of the Nine Perceptions
While the practitioner abides in the concentration of the desire realm or the access concentration, with the inner mind still and tranquil, the practitioner may suddenly see the swollen corpses of men and women. At this time, the practitioner's mind awakens to impermanence and feels compassion for having long been deluded regarding the body. The practitioner therefore becomes disenchanted with craving for the five sensory desires and wishes to sever it forever. Alternatively, the practitioner may see corpses that are livid, oozing blood and pus, decaying, being devoured by birds, or reduced to bleached bones that disintegrate and lie scattered in disorder, and so forth. This is the manifestation of the wholesome roots of the Nine Perceptions.
b.2. Manifestation of the Wholesome Roots of the Eight Liberations
While the practitioner abides in the concentration of the desire realm or the access concentration, with the inner mind tranquil, the practitioner may suddenly see the impurities within their own body, swollen, putrid, and defiled. Alternatively, the practitioner may see the white bones within the body, from head to foot, each joint connected to the next, forming a luminous heap of bones. At this time, the practitioner's mind becomes settled and disenchanted with the five sensory desires, no longer lovingly clinging either to their own body or to the bodies of others. This is the sign of the manifestation of the wholesome roots of the Eight Liberations.
b.3. Manifestation of the Wholesome Roots of Contemplating Impurity
While the practitioner abides in the concentration of the desire realm or the access concentration, the practitioner may see that everything within and outside the body—flying birds and roaming animals, clothing, food and drink, mountains, forests, trees, and so forth—is impure. Alternatively, the practitioner may see houses and villages, an entire country, and even the worlds throughout the ten directions as altogether impure. Or the practitioner may see heaps of white bones and even see the white bones within their own body emitting light. This is the sign of the manifestation of the wholesome roots of contemplating impurity.
When the practitioner contemplates and sees these scenes, all thoughts of grasping and attachment can be eliminated.
c) Explanation of the Method of Contemplating Loving-Kindness
There are three distinct kinds of manifested wholesome roots:
c.1. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of loving-kindness with sentient beings as its object
c.2. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of loving-kindness with dharmas as its object
c.3. Manifestation of the wholesome roots of objectless loving-kindness
c.1. Manifestation of Loving-Kindness with Sentient Beings as Its Object
While the practitioner abides in the concentration of the desire realm or the access concentration, with the inner mind tranquil, loving concern for sentient beings may suddenly arise. First, the practitioner sees their relatives and family members attaining happiness, and then sees acquaintances and enemies alike attaining joy, peace, and happiness. Consequently, the practitioner's inner mind becomes settled and joyful.
The practitioner's mind is no longer angry, bears no resentment, and is free from affliction. Their loving-kindness becomes vast and immeasurable, pervading all ten directions. This is the sign of the manifestation of the wholesome roots of loving-kindness with sentient beings as its object.
The signs of the manifestation of the wholesome roots of compassion with sentient beings as its object, as well as joy and equanimity, are likewise.
c.2. Manifestation of Loving-Kindness with Dharmas as Its Object
While the practitioner abides in the concentration of the desire realm or the access concentration, with the inner mind settled, the practitioner may suddenly become aware of the arising of all dharmas comprising the five skandhas and the twelve ayatanas within and outside the body. The practitioner sees only dharmas arising and dharmas ceasing, without seeing sentient beings, a self, or anything belonging to a self; there are only the five skandhas, within which pleasurable sensations occur.
Having discerned this, the practitioner then takes these pleasurable sensations as the object, and the concentration of loving-kindness consequently arises. Within meditative concentration, the practitioner's inner mind is no longer angry, and loving-kindness becomes vast and immeasurable, pervading all ten directions. This is loving-kindness with dharmas as its object.
The wholesome roots of compassion with dharmas as its object, as well as joy and equanimity, may also manifest in the same manner as the wholesome roots of loving-kindness with dharmas as its object.
c.3. The Sign of the Manifestation of the Wholesome Roots of Objectless Loving-Kindness
The practitioner likewise abides peacefully in the concentration of the desire realm or the access concentration, with the inner mind tranquil, and may suddenly awaken to the fact that dharmas are neither existent nor nonexistent, without perceiving either extreme. The practitioner understands that what is called a sentient being is not truly a sentient being, and what is called a dharma is not truly a dharma; all is empty, and thus the mind has nothing upon which to seize.
Because there is nothing upon which the mind can seize, deluded and inverted thoughts cease. The inner mind becomes tranquil, peaceful, and joyful, corresponding with the concentrated power of loving-kindness. The practitioner contemplates all sentient beings as attaining this peaceful joy of the Dharma.
Within this meditative concentration, the practitioner's mind is free from anger, resentment, and affliction. Their loving-kindness becomes vast and immeasurable, pervading all worlds throughout the ten directions. This is the sign of the manifestation of the wholesome roots of loving-kindness.
The practitioner's concentration of objectless compassion, as well as joy and equanimity, may likewise manifest.
d) Explanation of the Method of Contemplating Causes and Conditions
There are three distinct kinds of manifested wholesome roots:
d.1. The unfolding of the wholesome roots of the twelve links of dependent origination across the three periods of time
d.2. The unfolding of the wholesome roots of the twelve links of dependent origination as karmic retribution
d.3. The unfolding of the wholesome roots of the twelve links of dependent origination within a single thought
d.1. The unfolding of the wholesome roots of the twelve links of dependent origination across the three periods of time
While the practitioner’s mind is abiding in the desire-realm concentration or the access concentration, an awakening suddenly arises in the mind. By observing and examining the causes of ignorance from the past throughout the three periods of time up to the present, the practitioner does not perceive any ignorance belonging to self, others, and so forth. Although it cannot be perceived, phenomena are neither permanent nor annihilated; thus, the practitioner can destroy the sixty-two kinds of wrong views(3).
The mind therefore attains right concentration and becomes peaceful, secure, and quiescent; wisdom illuminates clearly, penetrating without obstruction; bodily and verbal karma become pure; and correct practice is brought to fulfillment. This is the sign of the unfolding of the wholesome roots of wisdom that contemplates the twelve links of dependent origination throughout the three periods of time.
d.2. The unfolding of the wholesome roots of the twelve links of dependent origination as karmic retribution
While the practitioner’s mind is abiding in the desire-realm concentration or the access concentration, the practitioner suddenly becomes aware that the mind-consciousness is lucid and keen, and immediately reflects: “When I first came into existence, it was through the union of my parents’ seminal and menstrual essences. That conjoined essence is called kalala and is also called ignorance. Conditioned by it, there are formations and consciousness, continuing through old age and death, and so forth; collectively these are called the twelve links of dependent origination.
If, at the beginning of conception, there were only ignorance, formations, and consciousness in conjunction, and at that time there were neither self nor person, then ignorance, formations, and consciousness would likewise have no true existence. Upon what, then, do these twelve links depend? If, because one does not perceive the phenomena of causes and conditions, one therefore clings to emptiness, would that not be erroneous?”
When the practitioner reflects in this way, attachment to existence and nonexistence is immediately destroyed. The mind returns to the right path and accords with right concentration; wisdom and understanding(4) unfold, and erroneous conduct is left far behind. This is the sign of the unfolding of the wholesome roots of wisdom that contemplates the karmic retribution of the twelve links of dependent origination. The Mahasamnipata Sutra explains these twelve links of dependent origination very clearly. The signs of the unfolding of these twelve links correspond to suffering and its origin among the Four Noble Truths. The signs of the unfolding of the wholesome roots of the Four Noble Truths may likewise be explained in the same manner as the twelve links of dependent origination.
d.3. The unfolding of the wholesome roots of the twelve links of dependent origination within a single thought
While the practitioner is abiding in the desire-realm concentration or the access concentration, with the inner mind tranquil, the practitioner suddenly realizes that in every single instant of mind there is no agent and no self, and that its intrinsic nature has never been truly existent. Why is this so? Because when the first thought arises, it necessarily depends upon causes and conditions. These causes and conditions comprise all twelve links of dependent origination. Yet because causes and conditions have no intrinsic nature, how could a single thought necessarily possess true existence? If a single thought has no true existence, then the erroneous worldly attachment to the reality of an intrinsic nature is destroyed.
At this time, the practitioner’s mind accords with right concentration, and wisdom immediately unfolds like a jet of water surging forth without cease. The practitioner’s bodily and verbal karma become pure, and all erroneous conduct is left far behind. This is the sign of the unfolding of the wholesome roots of the twelve links of dependent origination within a single thought. The Mahasamnipata Sutra also explains these twelve links of dependent origination very clearly. The signs of the unfolding of the wholesome roots, wherein a single thought encompasses the Four Noble Truths, may likewise be explained in the same manner as these twelve links of dependent origination.
e) Explanation of the practice of recollecting the Buddha
There are three distinct kinds of unfolding of wholesome roots:
e.1. Recollection of the Buddha’s transformation body
e.2. Recollection of the Buddha’s reward body
e.3. Recollection of the Buddha’s Dharma body
These three meanings of recollecting the Buddha are analyzed extensively in the Lankavatara Sutra.
e.1. Recollection of the Buddha’s transformation body
While the practitioner is abiding in the desire-realm concentration or the access concentration, with the inner mind quiescent, the practitioner suddenly recollects the Buddha’s virtues and reflects: “Throughout many asamkhyeya kalpas in the past, the Tathagata fully cultivated the paramitas for the sake of sentient beings. Through the merits of wisdom, he acquired a body adorned with excellent marks and radiant light, and a mind illuminated by wisdom.
He subdued Mara and all hostile forces and realized wisdom attained without a teacher(5). Awakened himself, he awakened others; he turned the wheel of the true Dharma and extensively taught the Dharma to deliver all sentient beings. Even after entering nirvana, he left behind countless relics and scriptures to benefit all sentient beings.
Such virtues are immeasurable and boundless.”
When the practitioner recollects in this way, reverence and loving admiration for the Buddhas arise within the mind. Samadhi then unfolds, and the practitioner joyfully enters meditative concentration. Or, within meditative concentration, the practitioner may behold the marks of the Buddha’s body, causing wholesome qualities of mind to unfold; or may hear the Buddha teach the Dharma, whereupon the inner mind becomes pure and gains faithful understanding of its meaning.
Such excellent and auspicious states are exceedingly numerous. This is called the sign of the unfolding of the wholesome roots arising from recollection of the Buddha.
e.2. Recollection of the Buddha’s reward body
While the practitioner is abiding in the desire-realm concentration or the access concentration, with the inner mind tranquil and extremely subtle, the practitioner suddenly recollects the true and perfect reward bodies of the Buddhas, quiescent, eternally abiding, and pervading the ten directions. Their form and mind are pure; they are sublime, quiescent, and extinguished. Their virtues and wisdom fill the Dharma realm.
They are unborn and undying, uncreated and unconditioned. How, then, could they truly be born in a royal palace? Nor did they enter extinction beneath the sala trees in India.
It is solely to transform and deliver sentient beings that they manifest birth and death throughout the Buddha lands of the ten directions. Their virtues are immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable.
When the practitioner reflects in this way, the inner mind immediately becomes settled and secure; samadhi unfolds, and wisdom and understanding become distinct and clear. Or, within meditative concentration, the practitioner may behold inconceivable states of the Buddha-Dharma, thereby giving rise to immeasurable practices and vows, immeasurable virtues, and immeasurable Dharma gates of wisdom and samadhi. This is the sign of the unfolding of the wholesome roots arising from recollection of the Buddha’s reward body.
e.3. Recollection of the Buddha’s Dharma body
While the practitioner is abiding in the desire-realm concentration or the access concentration, with the inner mind quiescent, the practitioner suddenly recollects the true mark of the Dharma bodies of the Buddhas throughout the ten directions, which is like empty space. The practitioner then awakens to the fact that all phenomena have originally never arisen and do not now cease. They neither exist nor do not exist; they neither come nor go; they neither increase nor decrease.
There is no wisdom and no object of cognition, no cause and no effect; they are neither permanent nor annihilated. There is neither bondage nor liberation, neither birth and death nor nirvana—there is only purity and quiescence. Whether or not a Buddha appears, their nature and characteristics remain eternally constant.
Sentient beings and all Buddhas share the same true mark; this is precisely the Buddha’s Dharma body.
The Mahaparinirvana Sutra states: “The suchness of all phenomena—the suchness of all phenomena is itself the Buddha.” Apart from this, there is no other Buddha. When the practitioner recollects in this way, samadhi manifests directly before the practitioner, and true wisdom immediately unfolds, thoroughly penetrating immeasurable Dharma gates. Within meditative concentration, the practitioner remains silent and unmoving, while inconceivable states all appear. The realm of realization in which the six sense faculties become purified(6) is extensively described in the Lotus Sutra. This is the sign of the unfolding of the wholesome roots arising from recollection of the Buddha’s Dharma body.
The wholesome roots discussed above arise through the cultivation of calm abiding, which opens and brings forth the fifteen gateways of dhyana. All of them arise fully from the First Dhyana, and only then do those formless or formed states begin to appear. In truth, all the signs of realization in dhyana and concentration cannot be fully expressed in words.
To say here that these states appear through the cultivation of calm abiding means that practitioners differ in the causes they cultivated in past lives, and therefore the dhyana concentrations that unfold also differ. Thus, to discuss all fifteen of these dhyana methods fully is truly difficult, for the matters and principles involved are exceedingly broad and their states extremely profound. In the explanation of cultivation and realization in Chapter 7, they will be clearly presented from beginning to end, with each minor aspect distinguished.
Furthermore, while abiding in the concentration of the desire realm or in the access concentration, with body and mind clear and tranquil, a practitioner may unfold contemplations of impermanence, non-self, impurity, disenchantment with the world, the impurity of food, death, cessation, relinquishment, exhaustion, and so forth; or may unfold recollections of the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, precepts, generosity, heavenly beings, and so forth.
Or the practitioner may unfold the contemplative methods of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path(7), and so forth. Or the practitioner may unfold the contemplations of emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the Four Noble Truths, the Sixteen Aspects, and so forth; or may bring forth the meritorious practices and vows of the Six Paramitas, the Four Means of Embracing, the Four Unhindered Powers of Eloquence, and so forth; or may develop the six superknowledges, such as the divine ear, knowledge of others’ minds, recollection of past lives, and so forth; or may develop the eighteen kinds of emptiness;
or may unfold various gateways of samadhi, such as Innate Dhyana, the Lineage of the Ten Powers, Samapatti, Shurangama, the Lion’s Vigorous Advance, and so forth; or may unfold all gateways of dharani, such as the Yan Dharani, the Hundreds of Thousands of Myriads of Kotis of Yan Dharanis, the Skillful Means of the Sounds of Dharma Dharani(8), and so forth.
Such states of dhyana and samadhi differ greatly, and their signs are exceedingly numerous. In Chapter 7, concerning cultivation and realization, the signs of the profound and shallow states of dhyana and samadhi will be fully distinguished.
III. EXAMINING WHETHER DHYANA IS GENUINE OR FALSE
There are two points:
1. Examining whether dhyana concentration is genuine or false
2. Distinguishing whether it is demonic or not demonic
1. Examining whether dhyana concentration is genuine or false
When a practitioner abides peacefully in concentration and the wholesome roots of the various dhyanas arise, the genuine and the false must not be discerned incorrectly. Why is this? When the various dhyanas and samadhis unfold, if the mind does not distinguish them clearly, one may mistakenly take a demonic concentration to be the arising of wholesome roots and become attached to that state. Because one clings mistakenly to a deviant concentration, madness and derangement may arise.
Or, when wholesome roots unfold, one may regard them as a demonic concentration. Because doubt arises, one abandons the state of wholesome roots, and as a result, the benefits of those unfolding wholesome roots are lost and decline.
Such genuine and false states are extremely difficult to distinguish clearly. If one wishes to know them clearly, one must rely upon the following two methods of examination; then one will know whether they are genuine or false:
a) Examining the state in order to know
b) Using the Dharma in order to know
a) Examining the state in order to know
There are two kinds:
a.1. Deviant states
a.2. Signs of the arising of right dhyana
a.1. Deviant states:
In the fundamental dhyanas, when the various sensations arise, if even one sensation gives rise to a deviant phenomenon, it is a deviant state. Deviant phenomena are exceedingly numerous. For the present, only one—the sensation of movement, one of the eight sensations—will be selected to explain deviant states. In general, there are ten pairs of deviant phenomena:
1/ Increase—Decrease of the sensation’s substance
2/ Concentration—Distraction
3/ Emptiness—Existence
4/ Brightness—Darkness
5/ Sorrow—Joy
6/ Suffering—Pleasure
7/ Good—Evil
8/ Delusion—Wisdom
9/ Bondage—Liberation
10/ Rigidity—Pliancy
Whether practitioners have already experienced these kinds of deviant states or have not yet encountered them, they should understand them clearly.
1/ Increase—Decrease of the sensation’s substance: Increase means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner feels the body swaying and the hands and feet moving along with it, yet to an outside observer the practitioner appears to sit vacantly as though asleep. Or the practitioner may wave the hands and feet about like a ghost. Or, while sitting, the practitioner may see strange and unusual scenes. These are signs of Increase.
Decrease means that when the sensation of movement has only begun to arise, whether in the upper or lower part of the body, and has not yet spread throughout the entire body, the state gradually fades away. Because the state has disappeared, the practitioner feels dejected while sitting in meditation, for the body cannot sustain itself. This is a sign of Decrease.
2/ Concentration—Distraction: Concentration means that when the sensation of movement arises, the body and consciousness are bound by dhyana concentration and are not free or at ease. Or, because of this, the practitioner may enter a deviant concentration and remain seated for as long as seven days without emerging from concentration.
Distraction means that when the sensation of movement arises, the mind’s thoughts and perceptions become confused and scattered, pursuing conditions without being able to remain still.
3/ Emptiness—Existence: Emptiness means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner no longer perceives the body and believes that the concentration of boundless space has been attained.
Existence means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner feels that the body is stiff like wood or stone.
4/ Brightness—Darkness: Brightness means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner sees various external lights, including the light of the moon, the sun, and the morning star, as well as the colors blue, yellow, red, white, and so forth.
Darkness means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner finds the mind dim and obscure, as though entering a dark house.
5/ Sorrow—Joy: Sorrow means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner’s inner mind becomes restless and afflicted, haggard and joyless.
Joy means that when the sensation of movement arises, the mind becomes so delighted and excited that it cannot remain calm.
6/ Suffering—Pleasure: Suffering means that when the sensation of movement arises, the entire body is filled with intense pain and distress.
Pleasure means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner experiences delight and pleasure, giving rise to craving, indulgence, and attachment.
7/ Good—Evil: Good means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner’s mind recollects external wholesome objects of initial and sustained thought, thereby destroying right concentration.
Evil means that when the sensation of movement arises, all manner of shameless evil arises in the mind.
8/ Wisdom—Delusion: Wisdom means that when the sensation of movement arises, fetters and deviant views arise within the mind, destroying right concentration.
Delusion means that when the sensation of movement arises, consciousness becomes dull and vacant, afflicted, confused, and inverted.
9/ Bondage—Liberation: Bondage means that when the sensation of movement arises, the five skandhas and the afflictions obscure consciousness.
Liberation means that when the sensation of movement arises, the practitioner believes that such dhyana concentrations as the Concentration of Non-Perception and the Concentration of Emptiness have been attained, that the fetters have been completely eliminated, that the fruits of the Path have been realized, and that liberation has been attained. Thus, the practitioner gives rise to overweening pride.
10/ Rigidity—Pliancy: Rigidity means that when the sensation of movement arises, the mind becomes rigidly attached, and the practitioner cannot enter or emerge from dhyana concentration freely. It is like brick or stone, difficult to turn or transform in accordance with the wholesome path.
Pliancy means that when the sensation of movement arises, the inner resolve becomes weak and is easily ruined, like soft mud that cannot be molded into a useful vessel.
These unwholesome deviant phenomena disturb the mind during seated meditation, undermine the practice of dhyana concentration, and cause the practitioner’s mind to cling to deviant views. These are signs of the arising of deviant concentration.
Furthermore, as these twenty deviant phenomena arise in accordance with their respective manifestations, if practitioners cannot distinguish their deviant and spurious nature but instead give rise to craving, indulgence, and attachment, they may consequently lose control of their minds and become mad and deranged. They may sing, weep, laugh, or shout; at times they may become terrified and run about wildly; or they may fall ill and even die. At times they may wish to kill themselves by leaping from a high mountain or throwing themselves into a fire, and so forth. Such afflictive obstructions are exceedingly numerous.
Furthermore, among these twenty kinds of deviation, it is enough for a single deviant dharma to arise. If it corresponds with one of the ninety-six paths of ghosts and spirits (the Ninety-Six Kinds of Paths(9)) followed by non-Buddhists, and the practitioner fails to recognize it and continues to cultivate, then, in relation to the state attained, ghosts and spirits will enter and follow the practitioner’s mental activity.
Because of this, the practitioner enters and realizes a Dharma gateway of ghosts and spirits. At this time, the ghosts and spirits augment the practitioner’s power, perhaps causing the practitioner to develop profound deviant concentrations and eloquent wisdom, the ability to foreknow auspicious and inauspicious worldly events, extraordinary supernatural powers, and the ability to manifest rare phenomena that move sentient beings, thereby spreading teachings and converting others through deviant practices.
Or they may cause the practitioner to commit many grave evils, destroying the practitioner’s roots of goodness. At times, although the practitioner may perform good deeds, deception lies hidden within them. Worldly people, lacking wisdom, see only this person’s extraordinary feats, regard this person as a sage, and wholeheartedly believe and submit.
In reality, however, this person’s inner mind is inverted and exclusively practices demonic dharmas. Such a person constantly uses demonic dharmas to teach others, causing those who believe and follow to violate the precepts, destroy right understanding and right views, abandon proper deportment, and ruin the pure life. At times, such people may eat filth or go naked without shame, showing no faith or reverence toward the Three Jewels, their parents, teachers, and elders.
Or they may smash and destroy scriptures, sacred images, monasteries, and stupas; commit the five heinous offenses; and eradicate their roots of goodness. Or they may assume an appearance of impartiality, or praise themselves for practicing impartial conduct, claiming that even though it goes against the Path, it presents no obstruction, while disparaging those who cultivate wholesome dharmas as not following the right path.
Or they may say that cause and effect do not exist, or proclaim deviant doctrines of cause and effect. They teach such deviant dharmas to destroy the true Dharma. Those who believe what they hear and cultivate accordingly have their minds tainted by deviant dharmas and attain deviant dhyana-samadhis, together with deviant Dharma gateways of the virtue of wisdom and the virtue of eradication.
Consequently, outwardly they possess inexhaustible eloquence and convert sentient beings with an imposing presence. As they become renowned, followers praise, revere, and make offerings of wealth to them. Therefore, the Sutra of the Ninety-Six Kinds of Paths records: “When this person expounds the Dharma and receives assistance from ghosts and spirits, none among all who hear the teaching fails to believe, submit, and accept it; all who see this person give rise to admiration, reverence, and affection.” Because such things occur, practitioners become deeply attached within their minds and refuse to turn back, continuing instead to engage in many kinds of deviant and inverted conduct.
One should know that people such as these have departed far from the true Dharma. When their bodies perish and their lives end, they fall into the three evil destinies. These matters are explained very extensively in the Large Prajnaparamita Sutra and the Mahayana Treatise. If practitioners wish to investigate phenomena caused by ghosts and spirits, they should consult the Sutra of the Ninety-Six Kinds of Paths. By calming their minds, distinguishing, and comparing the matters described above, they will clearly understand them.
QUESTION: Those who perform evil deeds corresponding with deviant dharmas commit such offenses in the present and, after death, will be born into the three evil destinies. But what faults do those with deviant minds who nevertheless perform good deeds commit in the present, and where will they be born after death?
ANSWER: Although such people perform good deeds with body, speech, and mind, and although outwardly their conduct appears to accord with the Buddha-Dharma, inwardly their understanding is mistaken. If they do not know how to correct it, they will obstruct the realization of the undefiled fruits of the Three Vehicles. Although they do not comprehend the true Buddha-Dharma, amid their inverted mental states they may sometimes still promote and propagate the Three Jewels and encourage everyone to cultivate goodness.
When people of this kind die, they do not necessarily fall into hell, the animal realm, or the realm of hungry ghosts. Instead, according to the dharma corresponding with the ghosts and spirits, they are reborn in the same place as those ghosts and spirits and become their relatives and retinue; at times, they may be born in the heavenly or human realms. Thus, the Sutra of the Ninety-Six Kinds of Paths records: “There are sixty kinds of higher non-Buddhist paths whose karmic obstructions, deviant views, and inversions are extremely grave; therefore, mantra formulas must be used to counteract them.
There are more than twenty kinds of lower non-Buddhist paths whose karmic obstructions, delusion, and confusion are fewer and lighter; one need only recognize them with an upright mind, and they will disappear of themselves.” Moreover, although such people may be born in the heavenly or human realms, secretly and imperceptibly they still remain bound to the paths of deviant demons. They delight in drawing near deviant teachers, hearing deviant teachings, practicing deviant paths, and praising and extolling those who cultivate deviant conduct.
If they see anyone studying and cultivating the true Dharma of the Three Vehicles, they do not wish to draw near or associate with that person and may even disturb those who cultivate the true Dharma. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra records: “Whether they are demon kings, children of demons, or subjects of demons, they are attached to those demons.” The Large Prajnaparamita Sutra records: “There are heavenly demons and human demons.” One should therefore know that although such people are born among gods or humans, they remain bound by demons and constantly create demonic karma.
Even if they enter monastic life, they still create demonic karma. Therefore, the Nirvana Sutra records: “During the five hundred years after the Buddha enters nirvana, the path of demons will gradually flourish. Demons will enter monastic life as bhiksus and will damage and disrupt the Buddha-Dharma.” Likewise, the Great Collection Sutra discusses the characteristics of demonic karma in detail, and practitioners should distinguish them extensively.
As explained above, the single characteristic of the arising of moving contact may manifest these twenty characteristics of deviant demons. Each of the remaining seven kinds of contact also fully possesses these characteristics. Just as such deviant characteristics appear in the fundamental dhyanas, the other dhyanas and the remaining fourteen gateways of dhyana also contain these false and deviant dharmas, whether in terms of phenomena or principle. Deviant phenomena are so numerous that they cannot be fully described.
QUESTION: When one deviant contact arises, do all twenty kinds arise completely, or is their complete manifestation not certain?
ANSWER: Sometimes they are complete and sometimes incomplete, for there is no fixed rule. When contact arises, if even a single deviant dharma appears and is not immediately eliminated, one will fall into deviant concentration, much more so if all twenty deviant dharmas arise. Why is this? Suppose twenty people are traveling together. If even one of them is a bandit, the lives of the other nineteen are all endangered. It is the same in dhyana concentration: if one unwholesome dharma arises, it will destroy the wholesome dharmas, and the concentration cannot be called Right Concentration; how much less so when many deviant dharmas are present? In brief, just as it is with the characteristic of one Deviant Contact, so it is with the other seven characteristics of Deviant Contact.
Furthermore, practitioners must also know the deviant dharmas associated with other gateways of dhyana while entering concentration. As for why the domains of deviant dharmas belonging to other gateways of dhyana are discussed: for example, when entering the dhyana of contemplation of impurity, twenty kinds of deviant dharmas may also arise. As one penetrates deeply into this concentration, the same applies to the remaining fourteen gateways of dhyana. Practitioners must clearly distinguish every kind of deviant dharma.
If practitioners attain dhyana dharmas, they must skillfully recognize deviant dharmas and use wisdom and skillful means to illuminate them without becoming attached to the domain of deviant concentration; then the deviant dharmas will disappear of themselves.
a.2. Characteristics of the Arising of Right Dhyana
If contact arises without the twenty deviant dharmas described above and is instead fully endowed with ten wholesome dharmas, this is a true and correct characteristic.
The ten wholesome dharmas are:
1/ Contact in accordance with the Dharma
2/ Concentration in accordance with the Dharma
3/ Emptiness in accordance with the Dharma
4/ Illumination in accordance with the Dharma
5/ Joy in accordance with the Dharma
6/ Bliss in accordance with the Dharma
7/ Goodness in accordance with the Dharma
8/ Wisdom in accordance with the Dharma
9/ Liberation in accordance with the Dharma
10/ Mental pliancy and harmony in accordance with the Dharma
What is meant by “in accordance with the Dharma”?
These are dharmas contrary to the twenty unwholesome characteristics. For example, when the practitioner feels that the mind is peaceful, pure, harmonious, and so forth, this is called being in accordance with the Dharma, and is also called the correct characteristic. This matter will become clear in Chapter 7, in the section explaining the factors of awakening realized in fundamental dhyana.
The manner in which the correct characteristic of moving contact arises may be understood by comparison with the remaining seven kinds of contact.
QUESTION: The explanations above are all given in terms of phenomenal characteristics. If, with regard to characteristics, one discriminates between deviant and correct, real and false, what should be adopted and what should be discarded, does this not amount to falling into inverted, erroneous thought?
ANSWER: Correctness is of two kinds:
– Correctness of worldly dharmas
– Correctness of supramundane dharmas
An explanation based on the characteristics of worldly wholesome dharmas is called the correct characteristic of worldly dharmas. An explanation based on the characteristics of supramundane liberation is called the supramundane correct characteristic.
The present explanation concerns the arising of contact in fundamental dhyana, in which ten kinds of correct characteristics appear; these are the correct characteristics of the worldly boundary. As recorded in the Mahayana Treatise: “Only through worldly right view can one realize supramundane right view. If worldly right view is destroyed, supramundane right view is thereby destroyed.” Therefore, in presently teaching the supramundane true Dharma, it is first necessary to explain the worldly true Dharma, for the purpose of revealing principle through phenomena and speaking of what is distant by relying upon what is near.
First, the state of moving contact in fundamental dhyana is explained in order to clarify the correct state.
When moving contact arises, the practitioner may see the thirty-two constituents within the body, or may give rise to loving-kindness, contemplate causes and conditions, recollect the Buddha with right wisdom, and experience other merits of meditative concentration, and so forth. At that time, the practitioner finds the mind peaceful and in accordance with the Dharma, and experiences the pleasure of contact unfolding. This is also the manifestation of wholesome roots from previous lives.
Within each kind there are ten states, all of which are correct samadhi. However, if the practitioner wishes to cultivate and accomplish fundamental dhyana, they should by no means become attached to these states, for whether these states cease or do not cease, they present no obstruction to fundamental dhyana. Yet in the Dharma-ending age, because practitioners’ wholesome roots are shallow and weak, when states of moving contact arise in meditative concentration, most do not develop any other phenomenal goodness or principial goodness.
The present additional explanation is given out of concern that practitioners may not recognize these unfolding states. When the correct characteristics arise in the remaining fourteen gates of dhyana, they should likewise be distinguished in detail.
b) Using methods to test and discern
Because states of deviant dhyana are extremely subtle and difficult to distinguish, and because deviant states closely resemble correct states, three methods must be used to test and discern them.
b.1. Investigating with a concentrated mind
As recorded in the Nirvana Sutra: “To determine whether gold is genuine or false, it must be tested by three methods: burning, hammering, and filing.” Practitioners are likewise. If one wishes to know whether a person’s practice is genuine or false, there are also three methods of testing.
– One should work together with that person.
– If working together does not reveal the truth, one should live together with that person for a very long time.
– If even after living together for a long time one still does not understand that person, one must examine them with wisdom.
This method is now used to explain deviant and correct states in meditative concentration. When any kind of contact arises, if it is not yet clear whether it is deviant or correct, the practitioner should enter samadhi and neither grasp nor reject the state, but remain peacefully and quietly in meditative concentration. If it accords with the correct Dharma, the power of concentration will grow ever deeper and wholesome roots will increase. If it is a disturbance caused by Mara, that state will before long disintegrate and vanish of itself.
b.2. Applying one’s former practice as a countermeasure
If the practitioner previously cultivated the contemplation of impurity and it unfolded successfully, they should continue cultivating the contemplation of impurity. If, during meditative practice, the state clearly advances and develops, this is the correct Dharma. If, when the former practice is applied as a countermeasure, the meditative concentration gradually deteriorates, this is precisely a deviant dharma.
b.3. Observing with wisdom
The practitioner observes the phenomenon that has arisen, tracing and investigating it to its very source. Seeing no place from which it arises and knowing that it is originally empty and quiescent, the mind does not cling to it. The deviant state will then vanish of itself, and the correct characteristic will naturally become present. Genuine gold shines more brightly the more it is burned; false gold, however, grows darker and deteriorates the more it is burned.
By using these three methods of testing, one can clearly determine what is deviant and what is correct:
The power of concentration: analogous to the method of filing.
Cultivation as a countermeasure: analogous to the method of hammering.
Observation with wisdom: analogous to the method of burning with fire.
Furthermore, living together is analogous to filing; working together for a long time is analogous to hammering; and observation with wisdom is analogous to testing gold with fire. If other meditative concentrations are tested in the same way, what is deviant and what is correct will become clear.
2. Distinguishing whether something is caused by Mara
There are two kinds:
a) States caused by Mara
b) States not caused by Mara
a) States caused by Mara
These also differ in two ways:
a.1. The dhyana realization itself is not created by Mara
When the practitioner abides in correct samadhi and meditative concentration unfolds, the evil Mara fears the profundity of the practitioner’s cultivation of the path and therefore comes to afflict and disturb them, intruding into the meditative concentration. If the practitioner gives rise to craving and attachment toward this state, or consequently becomes sorrowful and afraid, the evil Mara immediately gains a favorable opportunity to act. If the practitioner applies the countermeasures described above, the deviant dharmas of Mara will vanish of themselves. It is like the sun being obscured by clouds: when the clouds disperse, the sunlight naturally appears. If the practitioner’s mind is settled, the inner mind becomes pure and lucid.
a.2. The meditative realization is created by Mara
The practitioner is deceived and deluded by Mara. If the practitioner recognizes that this state is illusory, false, and unreal, and immediately applies methods to counteract it, then after Mara withdraws, not the slightest dharma of dhyana remains.
b) States not caused by Mara
There are also two cases:
– Faults and karmic obstructions may hinder meditative concentration in a manner resembling the activity of Mara, though in reality Mara is not responsible. Because this is very difficult to distinguish, if the practitioner applies the foregoing countermeasures and the obstruction still does not depart, they must then diligently cultivate repentance. Once the offenses have been extinguished, meditative concentration will naturally unfold with clarity.
– When the practitioner enters samadhi, a lack of skillful means may cause the resulting state not to accord with the Dharma. If it is skillfully and appropriately regulated, the realized meditative concentration becomes pure and lucid. One should therefore know that this was not created by Mara.
IV- GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE INDETERMINATE ARISING OF DHYANA
This comprises five points:
1. The indeterminate arising of dhyana through cultivating both phenomena and principle
2. The causes for the arising of the various dhyanas
3. Whether many or few meditative concentrations arise
4. Whether wholesome roots from previous lives arise completely or incompletely
5. Explanation of the contaminated and uncontaminated
1. The indeterminate arising of dhyana through cultivating both phenomena and principle
QUESTION: Among the three methods of cultivating cessation explained previously, cessation by fixing attention upon an object and cessation by restraining the mind pertain to phenomenal characteristics, and therefore should give rise only to meditative concentration within phenomenal characteristics. Cessation through realizing true nature, however, pertains to principle and therefore should give rise to meditative concentration within principle. Why, then, do all three methods of cultivating cessation presently give rise to the various meditative concentrations of both phenomena and principle? Would this not confuse cause and effect so that they could no longer be distinguished?
ANSWER: It is not so. The present explanation of the two kinds of cultivation, in terms of phenomena and principle, accords in each case with the capacities and conditions of the practitioner, and thus gives rise to differing methods; it is not necessary to make a fixed division. If the three methods of cultivating cessation explained above are stated briefly, then, as in your question, there are only the two kinds of cultivation in terms of phenomena and principle. If analyzed fully, however, they must be divided into four methods of cultivation.
These four methods are divided into two categories: according to the gateway of cessation and according to the gateway of contemplation.
a) Explanation of the four methods of cultivation according to the gateway of cessation
a.1. Cultivating cessation with respect to phenomenal characteristics: cessation through fixing attention upon an object and cessation through restraining the mind belong to Phenomena.
a.2. Cultivating cessation with respect to the essence of principle: cessation through realizing true reality belongs to Principle.
a.3. Cultivating cessation with respect to both phenomena and principle: cessation through realizing true reality together with the conventional truth of causes and conditions belongs to Phenomena and Principle.
a.4. Cultivating cessation as neither phenomena nor principle: abandoning discrimination between the two extremes belongs to Neither Phenomena nor Principle. b) Explanation of the four methods of cultivation according to the gateway of contemplation
b.1. Cultivating contemplation with respect to phenomenal characteristics: namely, the practices of counting the breath and contemplation of impurity, which belong to Phenomena.
b.2. Cultivating contemplation with respect to the essence of principle: namely, contemplation of emptiness, signlessness, and so forth, which belongs to Principle.
b.3. Cultivating contemplation with respect to both phenomena and principle: namely, contemplation of the two truths—the conventional truth and the ultimate truth—which belongs to Principle and Phenomena.
b.4. Cultivating contemplation as neither phenomena nor principle: namely, the contemplation of
right contemplation of the Middle Way, which belongs to Neither Phenomena nor Principle.
Now, in order to explain the meaning of the indeterminate arising of dhyana through cultivating the gateway of cessation discussed above, only the four methods of cultivating cessation will be used to explain the practice. Each contains four cases of the indeterminate arising of dhyana; therefore, the four together constitute sixteen cases of the indeterminate arising of dhyana. If practitioners skillfully recognize these characteristics, they will naturally understand clearly the two methods of cultivation belonging to Phenomena and Principle, thoroughly comprehend the arising of all dhyanas and samadhis, and no longer harbor doubt or error.
Why is it said that each of the four methods of cultivating cessation contains four cases of the indeterminate arising of dhyana?
1/ CULTIVATING PHENOMENA AND THE INDETERMINATE ARISING OF DHYANA
First, the case of cultivation with respect to phenomenal characteristics will be explained; it has four different kinds of arising of dhyana.
– Some practitioners cultivate cessation with respect to phenomenal characteristics—that is, they settle the mind in cessation through fixing attention upon an object or cessation through restraining the mind—yet they give rise to dhyana concentrations involving phenomenal characteristics. These are such dhyanas and samadhis as the four fundamental dhyanas, the four immeasurable states of mind, the four formless concentrations, the nine contemplations, the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, and the ten totalities, and so forth.
– Some practitioners cultivate cessation with respect to phenomenal characteristics in order to settle the mind, yet give rise only to dhyana concentrations belonging to Principle. These are the dhyanas and samadhis within the practices of wisdom and principle, such as emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the thirty-seven factors of awakening, the Four Noble Truths, the twelve links of dependent origination, and so forth.
– Some practitioners cultivate cessation with respect to phenomenal characteristics in order to settle the mind, yet give rise to dhyana concentrations encompassing both Phenomena and Principle. These include dhyanas and samadhis involving phenomenal characteristics, such as the four fundamental dhyanas, the four immeasurable states of mind, the four formless concentrations, the nine contemplations, the liberations, the special excellences, and the totalities; and dhyanas and samadhis belonging to the wisdom practice of principle, such as emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the thirty-seven factors of awakening, the Four Noble Truths, and the twelve links of dependent origination, and so forth, up to the sixteen special excellences and the dhyana of penetrating illumination. All these concentrations belong to both Principle and Phenomena.
– Some practitioners cultivate cessation with respect to phenomenal characteristics in order to settle the mind, yet give rise to dhyana concentrations belonging to neither Phenomena nor Principle. These are intrinsic-nature dhyana, all-inclusive dhyana, the Lotus Sutra Samadhi, and samadhis belonging to the Middle Way, such as the Samadhi of One Practice, the Surangama Samadhi, and the Lion's Roar Samadhi, and so forth, up to the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and the eighteen distinctive qualities.
QUESTION: If practitioners cultivate phenomenal cessation, they should give rise to dhyana concentrations involving phenomenal characteristics. Why, then, do they instead give rise to dhyanas, samadhis, and distinctive qualities belonging to Neither Phenomena nor Principle?
ANSWER: There are two causes for the arising of dhyana concentration: attainment through the use of skillful means in the present life, and the activation of wholesome roots from previous lives.
If one cultivates phenomenal characteristics and gives rise to dhyana concentrations belonging to phenomenal characteristics, these are attained through cultivation in the present life. If one cultivates Phenomena but instead gives rise to dhyana concentrations and samadhis belonging to Principle or to Neither Phenomena nor Principle, all of these arise through the activation of wholesome roots of dhyana concentration from previous lives.
According to the teaching of the Abhidharma masters, there are two aspects to this meaning: attainment through cultivation and cultivation through prior practice.
Attainment through cultivation means that one cultivated in a previous life but did not attain realization. Cultivation through prior practice means that one had already cultivated and attained realization in a previous life. Furthermore, the present discussion concerns only the inner skillful means and examines how cultivating cessation activates wholesome roots from previous lives; thus, its explanation of the phenomenon whereby dhyanas and samadhis belonging to Phenomena and Principle arise is quite cursory. If one were to discuss complete accomplishment through cultivation, with cause and effect corresponding from beginning to end, then the profound realms of Phenomena and Principle within the dhyanas and samadhis would have to be fully distinguished and explained in Chapter Seven.
QUESTION: If, while cultivating phenomenal characteristics, the dhyanas, samadhis, and eighteen distinctive qualities belonging to Neither Phenomena nor Principle arise through causes of cultivation from previous lives, then all who cultivate in accordance with phenomenal characteristics should attain such dhyanas and samadhis as the eighteen distinctive qualities and the Surangama Samadhi, and so forth. If so, why do all Buddhas throughout the ten directions praise prajnaparamita, saying that if practitioners hear prajnaparamita, they will immediately possess all Buddha-Dharmas?
ANSWER: Your question is precisely what I need to address. Why is this so? If practitioners in past lives encountered immeasurable Buddhas, heard the teaching of prajnaparamita in the presence of those Buddhas, and practiced according to what they heard, then in this life, regardless of what practice they cultivate, they will naturally activate dhyanas and samadhis such as the eighteen distinctive qualities belonging to Neither Phenomena nor Principle, and so forth.
If practitioners in past lives never heard prajnaparamita and never cultivated prajnaparamita, then even though they may hear and cultivate it in this life, they still may be unable to activate the dhyanas, samadhis, and eighteen distinctive qualities. How much less could those who have never heard or cultivated prajnaparamita cause them to arise?
Furthermore, although practitioners may hear teachings on prajnaparamita and cultivate prajnaparamita in this life, their dhyana concentration may not arise. If, in a subsequent life, they encounter Buddhas and bodhisattvas, hear the teaching of prajnaparamita, and practice accordingly, then all the dhyanas and samadhis of the Mahayana and all eighteen distinctive qualities will arise. Therefore, one should know that it is entirely through hearing the teaching of prajnaparamita and practicing accordingly that all dhyanas, samadhis, and so forth can arise; they do not arise without causes and conditions.
For this reason, all Buddhas throughout the ten directions diligently praise prajnaparamita, saying that if people hear prajnaparamita and practice accordingly, they will possess all Buddha-Dharmas. This is precisely the meaning intended.
Furthermore, through the power of the skillful means of prajnaparamita, when practitioners cultivate amid phenomenal characteristics, they simultaneously cultivate that which is neither Phenomena nor Principle. If they cultivate with courageous and vigorous diligence, without ever ceasing, they can activate the dhyanas, samadhis, and eighteen distinctive qualities belonging to Neither Phenomena nor Principle.
QUESTION: How does this differ from the preceding explanation?
ANSWER: This must be explained by distinguishing four cases.
– Strong cause and weak condition: This means that the causal power of practice from a previous life is strong, while the supporting condition of cultivation in the present life is weak; nevertheless, one can still activate the eighteen distinctive qualities and the dhyanas and samadhis belonging to Neither Phenomena nor Principle, as previously explained.
– Weak cause and strong condition: One can activate the distinctive qualities and the dhyanas and samadhis belonging to the cultivation of Neither Phenomena nor Principle, as is being explained here.
– When both causes and conditions are strong: one may also bring forth the Eighteen Distinctive Qualities and the various dhyana-samadhis pertaining to the cultivation of neither phenomena nor principle. This encompasses both previous lives and the present life. If such a case occurs, the practitioner will realize exceptionally sublime dhyana teachings.
– When both causes and conditions are weak: cultivation in this life may or may not bring forth dhyana-samadhi. Even if dhyana-samadhi arises, it will be weak and shallow, neither firm nor enduring, and in most cases will very easily regress and be lost. During the Age of the Semblance Dharma and the Age of the Final Dharma, even the most advanced practitioners attain only this much. Of the three kinds of causes and conditions described above, during the Age of the Final Dharma not one person in ten thousand possesses them.
2/ CULTIVATING PRINCIPLE AND BRINGING FORTH DHYANA INDETERMINATELY
There are four different cases:
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate the Cessation That Realizes the Truth, which pertains to principle, and bring forth dhyana-samadhi within the essence of principle; these are dhyana-samadhis such as Emptiness, Signlessness, and so forth.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to principle, yet bring forth only the dhyana-samadhis based on phenomenal characteristics; these are the fundamental dhyanas and the Eight Liberations.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to principle and bring forth in full the dhyana-samadhis of both phenomena and principle; these are dhyana-samadhis such as the fundamental dhyanas, the Liberations, Emptiness, Signlessness, and so forth.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to principle, yet bring forth dhyana-samadhi pertaining to neither phenomena nor principle; these are the Dhyana of Intrinsic Nature, the various dhyana-samadhis, and the Eighteen Distinctive Qualities pertaining to the Middle Way. If the characteristics of the various dhyana-samadhis and the meaning of the cultivation through which they are brought forth were explained in detail, the explanation would generally be the same as in the first case.
3/ CULTIVATING PHENOMENA AND PRINCIPLE AND BRINGING FORTH DHYANA INDETERMINATELY
There are likewise four different kinds:
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate the Cessation That Realizes the Truth, taking conventional truth, which pertains to phenomena and principle, as their object, yet bring forth dhyana-samadhi within phenomenal characteristics; these are dhyana-samadhis such as the fundamental dhyanas, the Liberations, Emptiness, Signlessness, and so forth.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to phenomena and principle, yet bring forth dhyana-samadhi only within phenomenal characteristics; these are dhyana-samadhis such as the fundamental dhyanas, the Liberations, and so forth.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to phenomena and principle, yet bring forth dhyana-samadhi only within the essence of principle; these are dhyana-samadhis such as Emptiness, Signlessness, and so forth.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to phenomena and principle, and thereupon bring forth dhyana-samadhi pertaining to neither phenomena nor principle; these are the Dhyana of Intrinsic Nature, all the dhyana-samadhis, the Distinctive Qualities pertaining to the Middle Way, and so forth.
The distinctions among the characteristics of these dhyanas and the meaning of the cultivation through which they are brought forth are also explained generally as in the first cases above.
4/ CULTIVATING NEITHER PHENOMENA NOR PRINCIPLE AND BRINGING FORTH DHYANA INDETERMINATELY
There are likewise four different kinds:
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to neither phenomena nor principle and bring forth dhyana-samadhi pertaining to neither phenomena nor principle; these are the Dhyana of Intrinsic Nature, the various dhyana-samadhis, and the Distinctive Qualities of the Middle Way.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to neither phenomena nor principle, yet bring forth dhyana-samadhi only on the level of phenomenal characteristics; these are dhyana-samadhis such as the fundamental dhyanas, the Eight Liberations, and so forth.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to neither phenomena nor principle, yet bring forth dhyana-samadhi pertaining only to principle; these are dhyana-samadhis such as Emptiness, Signlessness, and so forth.
– Some practitioners single-mindedly cultivate Cessation pertaining to neither phenomena nor principle and bring forth in full the dhyana-samadhis pertaining to both phenomena and principle; these are dhyana-samadhis such as the fundamental dhyanas, the Eight Liberations, Emptiness, Signlessness, and so forth.
The distinctions among the characteristics of these dhyanas and the meaning of their cultivation and arising are as explained above.
If the four methods of cultivation within the gate of Cessation are now used to classify them, there are sixteen (16) cases in which dhyana arises indeterminately. If the four methods of cultivation within the gate of Contemplation are used to classify them, there are likewise sixteen cases in which dhyana arises indeterminately. Together, these two yield thirty-two (32) cases in which dhyana arises indeterminately.
These thirty-two cases of the arising of dhyana are classifications based on the methods employed by practitioners. When practitioners hear the Dharma gate of Cessation and Contemplation, accept it with faith, and put it into practice, the results—the arising of dhyana and awakening to the Way—are not fixed; among them there are likewise thirty-two cases. Matters such as these are not explained here in full.
Discussed comprehensively, there are sixty-four (64) kinds in all. If classified according to the capacities of sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas, there are one hundred and ninety-two (192) different cases in which dhyana-samadhi is brought forth. If the dhyanas are analyzed and subdivided in minute detail and the arising of deviant and correct phenomena is discussed, the cases are immeasurably numerous.
The classifications made here all derive from the minds of practitioners; they are not false statements or hypothetical constructs. One should know that the bringing forth of dhyana-samadhi is inconceivable. This is the realm of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas; even the sages of the Two Vehicles cannot fathom it, much less ordinary beings. If practitioners wish to cultivate for themselves and teach others, they must clearly understand at least some of the cases in which dhyana-samadhi is brought forth. If they themselves are mistaken yet cling to their error as correct, they will harm both themselves and others. Even the remedial Dharma they are cultivating will bring no benefit because they lack wisdom.
2. Causes for the arising of the various dhyanas
There are two differing interpretations:
– Some teachers say: “One need only enter samadhi and cultivate Cessation; the various dhyanas will arise of themselves, and there is no need to labor at cultivating any other method.” Such teachers have always instructed people to cultivate Cessation alone, just as a physician might exclusively prescribe a single medicine made from milk. The present work does not agree with this position. Why? If one cultivates only a single method, one should bring forth only a single kind of dhyana teaching. Yet practitioners bring forth different dhyana-samadhis on the basis of cultivating Cessation, so how can one insist that they arise solely from the cultivation of Cessation? This is not only mistaken in principle but also contrary to the Buddha’s teachings.
– Some teachers say: “The wholesome roots from cultivating various dhyanas in previous lives serve as the causes, while the cultivation of Cessation and realization of dhyana-samadhi in the present life serve as the conditions.” This, therefore, is the reason the dhyana-samadhis brought forth by practitioners differ in each case. For example, although the medicinal herbs, plants, forests, mountains, and so forth upon the earth have different species and names, shapes and colors, if rain did not moisten them all, how could each species grow in its own distinct way? So it is with this matter. If explained according to the Mahayana meanings of the seven treasures, wells, bowls and vessels, and dark houses, however, it would be discussed differently.
3. Whether much or little dhyana-samadhi arises
Although it was stated above that the cultivation of Cessation brings forth all dhyana-samadhis, practitioners’ capacities differ; therefore, the amount of dhyana-samadhi brought forth likewise differs.
Some bring forth only one gate of dhyana; others bring forth two, three, four, or five gates. Some may bring forth all fifteen gates and all the dhyana-samadhis. There is no fixed rule.
These differences arise because practitioners’ causes of cultivation from previous lives vary in depth and shallowness and in their degree of perfection. They also arise because practitioners in this life differ in diligence or indolence and in whether they possess the wisdom of skillful means. Thus, the dhyana-samadhis brought forth differ in superiority and inferiority, comprising myriad distinct grades and categories. The foregoing has briefly explained the characteristics of whether much or little dhyana-samadhi is brought forth.
4. Whether the wholesome roots from previous lives arise completely or incompletely
First, a method of contemplation within the gate
Take the contemplation of impurity as an example for ease of understanding. Suppose that, because a practitioner cultivated and realized the contemplation of impurity in a previous life, he saw white bones emitting light. In this life, while cultivating cessation, only the Dharma of the contemplation of impurity arises, but he has not yet realized the sign of white bones emitting light; this is called incomplete arising. If it arises fully, it is called complete.
If the conditions from the practitioner’s cultivation in previous lives have been exhausted, then even though he continues to cultivate cessation in this life, he makes no further progress. But if he continues single-mindedly to contemplate the white bones and practices without ceasing, his mind will gradually unfold in accordance with the objects of contemplation, and all the meditations—such as the Eight Liberations, Contemplation, Refinement, Perfuming, and Cultivation—will be fully accomplished. This accomplishment results from skillfully employing expedient means and diligently cultivating in this life; it is unrelated to the arising of the causal roots of goodness cultivated in previous lives.
QUESTION: When no progress is made in the approach of cultivating cessation, must this necessarily mean that the causes cultivated in previous lives have been exhausted? Could it not be because karmic obstructions prevent the roots of goodness from previous lives from growing and arising?
ANSWER: What you say is not wrong. It is not that the conditions of the roots of goodness have been exhausted and thus become an obstruction, nor is it related to karmic obstructions. Therefore, in this life one must employ methods of contemplation and cultivate in accordance with the Dharma in order to attain accomplishment.
This may also be explained by dividing practitioners into five types of spiritual capacity:
1/ Those who, upon encountering adverse conditions, immediately regress from what they have attained.
2/ Those who further preserve and protect what they have realized.
3/ Those who are able to abide securely in what they have attained.
4/ Those who are able to cultivate diligently and attain realization.
5/ Those who are able to refine their cultivation, attain thorough mastery, and reach the ultimate. There are many categories such as these, which cannot all be recorded here. There are also fourteen kinds of meditative concentration; whether they arise completely or incompletely can be understood upon examination.
5. Explanation of the Contaminated and the Uncontaminated
QUESTION: The preceding section clarified the fifteen approaches and the characteristics of the arising of the various dhyanas and samadhis, among which are both contaminated and uncontaminated states. Contaminated wholesome dharmas realized in previous lives may arise as roots of goodness through causes cultivated in the past. But if one never cultivated or realized uncontaminated dharmas in previous lives, can uncontaminated roots of goodness arise in this life?
ANSWER: There are two kinds of the uncontaminated:
a) Uncontaminated practice-conduct; b) uncontaminated wisdom-conduct.
a) Uncontaminated practice-conduct: These are antidotal dharmas pertaining to phenomenal characteristics. Because their cultivation does not take true nature as its object, causal roots of goodness cultivated in previous lives may arise. Uncontaminated wisdom-conduct takes true nature as the object and as the cause of cultivation; therefore, it cannot be said categorically that only causal roots of goodness cultivated in previous lives can give rise to it.
b) Uncontaminated wisdom-conduct is further of two kinds:
– Cultivating by taking principle as the object, in explanation of wisdom-conduct.
– The arising of wisdom that sees the principle—that is, taking true nature as the object, in explanation of wisdom-conduct.
– When cultivating by taking principle as the object, causal roots of goodness cultivated in the past may arise.
– When wisdom that sees the principle arises, although one cultivates by taking true nature as the object, causal roots of goodness cultivated in the past do not arise.
“The arising of wisdom that sees the truth” is further of two kinds:
– When semblance wisdom arises, causal roots of goodness cultivated in previous lives may arise.
– When true wisdom arises, causal roots of goodness cultivated in previous lives do not arise.
“The arising of true wisdom” is further of two kinds:
– The uncontaminated realization through seeing the truths: namely, the arising of patience regarding suffering, and so forth.
– The uncontaminated contemplation within the three realms: namely, the arising of unobstructed liberation, and so forth.
Regarding the “uncontaminated realization through seeing the truths,” when patience regarding suffering and so forth arise, it is generally not said that roots of goodness arise from causes cultivated in the past. Regarding the arising of “uncontaminated contemplation,” however, the explanation differs according to the doctrines of different schools.
According to the Sarvastivada Treatise: If stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, or arhats who belong to the type subject to regression fall back to the first fruit of stream-entry, but later exert themselves in further cultivation and realize the fruit, then there are cases in which roots of goodness arise from causes cultivated in the past. For those who have attained the three higher fruits and belong to the non-regressing type(10), naturally there is no case in which their roots of goodness arise again. Therefore, it is not said that roots of goodness arise from causes cultivated in the past.
According to the explanation of the Dharmaguptakas: When practitioners of the four fruits give rise to the truly uncontaminated(11), in no case do causal roots of goodness cultivated in previous lives arise.
QUESTION: According to the Abhidharma Treatise, “Only when the uncontaminated first arises is it without a previously planted cause.” Why, then, is it now said that when practitioners of the four fruits give rise to the truly uncontaminated, in every case the causal roots of goodness cultivated in previous lives do not arise?
ANSWER: The present explanation of the arising of dhyanas and samadhis through causes cultivated in the past has a different meaning. It refers to roots of goodness that were realized in previous lives but, after the passage of several lifetimes, regressed or were entirely lost. When they arise in this life through the cultivation of cessation, this is called the arising of roots of goodness through causes cultivated in the past. When practitioners of the four fruits give rise to the truly uncontaminated, this does not occur because they had cultivated and realized it in a previous life, lost it or regressed from it in the intervening period, and then caused it to arise again through cultivating cessation in this life. Thus, it differs from the preceding case.
Speaking generally, the mind of “true uncontaminated understanding” at the first grade serves as the cause for the uncontaminated mind of the second grade, and this proceeds successively up to the ninth grade. If cultivated wholesome causes are explained in this way, then all the uncontaminated states that arise in practitioners of the four fruits may be said to arise through wholesome causes cultivated in previous lives. But this is not the viewpoint adopted here in explaining the arising of roots of goodness through causes cultivated in the past. Therefore, it is said that realization of the four fruits does not occur through the arising of wholesome causes cultivated in previous lives.
Furthermore, in past lives practitioners may have cultivated various dhyanas and samadhis pertaining to phenomena and principle. Although they had not yet realized the fruits, because they had cultivated them before, when their roots of goodness mature in this life and the cultivation of cessation serves as the condition, all these states may arise. This too is called the arising of roots of goodness through causes cultivated in the past.
When the Buddha was still in the world, if one seeking ordination heard the Buddha say, “Come, bhiksu,” the uncontaminated immediately arose, and one simultaneously realized in full the Three Knowledges and the Eight Liberations.
The concluding explanation concerning that which is both contaminated and uncontaminated, through to that which is neither contaminated nor uncontaminated, may be clearly understood by comparison.
Notes to Volume 3:
(1) The 108 kinds of samadhi (the One Hundred and Eight Samadhis; tđphhq, p. 208), according to the Chapter on the Characteristics of Practice in the Larger Prajnaparamita Sutra 3, the Chapter on Questions Concerning the Vehicle in the Larger Prajnaparamita Sutra 5, the Larger Prajnaparamita Sutra 414, and the Mahaprajnaparamita Treatise 43 and 47.
The one hundred and eight kinds of samadhi are as follows:
1/ Surangama Samadhi: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, he clearly knows the depth or shallowness of other samadhis; therefore, none of the maras or afflictions can harm him.
2/ Precious Seal Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to certify all samadhis. Among all precious things, the precious Dharma is supreme. The Precious Seal Samadhi has the capacity to bring benefit in this life and future lives, up to the realization of nirvana.
3/ Lion’s Play Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva can enter and emerge from the various samadhis either swiftly or slowly. It has the capacity to liberate sentient beings and destroy the views and attachments of non-Buddhists.
4/ Wondrous Moon Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to eliminate wrong views and ignorance.
5/ Moon-Banner Mark Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva penetrates all dharmas and can turn them in accordance with himself.
6/ Samadhi That Brings Forth All Dharmas: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, he has the power to generate and increase the other samadhis.
7/ Consecration Samadhi: A bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi has the power to behold all samadhis universally.
8/ Samadhi of Knowing the Nature of All Dharmas: A bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi has the power to clearly know the nature of all dharmas and attains a concentration like empty space, in which no one can abide; yet one who has attained the supernormal power of miraculous transformation can securely abide therein.
9/ Samadhi of the Characteristics of All Banners: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the capacity to firmly uphold the samadhi-banners of all dharmas, for this samadhi is higher than other samadhis.
10/ Vajra Samadhi: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva possesses power and wisdom as firm as a vajra.
11/ Samadhi of Entering the Dharma Seal: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to enter the true characteristic of all dharmas.
12/ Samadhi of Establishing the King of Samadhis: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva can establish all other samadhis.
13/ Samadhi of Emitting Light: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to emit various kinds of light that illuminate all samadhis.
14/ Samadhi of the Power of Vigor: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva possesses mastery over the power of vigor with respect to samadhi and constantly employs supernormal powers to transform and liberate sentient beings.
15/ Samadhi of Lofty Transcendence: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva increases all merit and wisdom; from the bodhisattva’s mind flows forth the nature of all samadhis.
16/ Samadhi of Entering All Eloquence: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to expound all samadhis and, without obstruction, distinguish the successive forms of sentient beings’ languages and the titles of scriptures and treatises.
17/ Samadhi of Explaining Names and Terms: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to explain the terminology of the samadhis and the meanings of all dharmas, enabling people to understand them.
18/ Samadhi of Contemplating the Directions: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the capacity to enter and emerge from other samadhis freely and without obstruction. Therefore, with a mind of impartial compassion, the bodhisattva observes the capacities of sentient beings throughout the ten directions in order to liberate them.
19/ Samadhi of the Dharani Seal: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to retain the seals of the samadhis and distinguish among the samadhis.
20/ Samadhi Free from Deception: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, erroneous views and ignorance—craving, anger, and so forth—do not arise, and the bodhisattva clearly recognizes all other samadhis.
21/ Samadhi of Gathering the Ocean of All Dharmas: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva gathers the teachings of the Three Vehicles entirely into samadhi.
22/ Samadhi Pervading Empty Space: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva can employ the power of samadhi to cause the bodhisattva’s activities to pervade empty space, such as by emitting light or producing sounds.
23/ Samadhi of the Vajra Wheel: A bodhisattva abiding in this samadhi can retain all samadhis and remain unobstructed with respect to all dharmas.
24/ Samadhi of the Precious Severance: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to eliminate the defilements and afflictions that taint the samadhis.
25/ Illuminating Samadhi: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to illuminate all dharmas with wisdom.
26/ Samadhi of Seeking Nothing: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to illuminate all dharmas as illusory transformations; all sensual craving within the three realms is eliminated, and nothing more is sought.
27/ Non-Abiding Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to illuminate and clearly perceive that all dharmas change continuously and never remain at rest.
28/ Samadhi of No-Mind: When a bodhisattva securely abides in this samadhi, the primary mind and its mental factors do not arise or function.
29/ Samadhi of the Pure Lamp: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to leave behind all afflictions and defilements through the illumination of the lamp of wisdom.
30/ Samadhi of Boundless Radiance: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to use the light of wisdom to illuminate and clearly know immeasurable dharmas and the capacities of sentient beings throughout the boundless worlds of the ten directions.
31/ Samadhi Capable of Producing Illumination: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to illuminate and clearly perceive all dharmas.
32/ Samadhi of Universally Illuminating Radiance: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to illuminate all Dharma gates and samadhis universally.
33/ Samadhi of Firmly Purifying All Samadhis: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to render all samadhis pure and steadfast, so that they are neither defiled nor impaired by any tainted dharma.
34/ Samadhi of Undefiled Radiance: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to cleanse and destroy the defilements that obstruct all samadhis.
35/ Joyful Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to produce immeasurable and boundless joy in the Dharma.
36/ Samadhi of Lightning Radiance: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva recovers the path to bodhi—the true mind—that had long been forgotten, like a flash of lightning revealing the way to a practitioner.
37/ Inexhaustible Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva severs emotional attachment to such characteristics of dharmas as impermanence and immediately enters the true principle of neither arising nor cessation.
38/ Samadhi of Majestic Virtue: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva attains immeasurable majestic virtue and mastery as adornments.
39/ Samadhi of Transcending Exhaustion: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva perceives that the samadhis are inexhaustible and thoroughly understands the principle corresponding to the various meritorious karmic results accumulated throughout immeasurable asamkhya kalpas, thereby leaving behind all annihilationist views.
40/ Immovable Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva knows that the true characteristic of all dharmas is ultimately empty and quiescent. At that time, wisdom corresponds with samadhi, and with respect to all samadhis and dharmas, the bodhisattva has the power to experience and employ them rather than merely engage in idle theorizing.
41/ Non-Retrogression Samadhi: When a bodhisattva abides in this samadhi, the bodhisattva never retrogresses.
42/ Samadhi of the Sun Lamp: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to illuminate all Dharma gates and samadhis.
43/ Samadhi of the Pure Moon: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva uses pure wisdom to benefit sentient beings and also has the power to dispel the ignorance that obstructs the samadhis.
44/ Samadhi of Pure Radiance: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to illuminate all dharmas clearly and without obstruction.
45/ Samadhi Capable of Accomplishment: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva corresponds with prajna-wisdom and has the power to illuminate and thoroughly understand the Dharma gates of samadhi.
46/ Samadhi of Activating Practice: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to activate the samadhis previously attained.
47/ Samadhi of the Characteristic of Wisdom: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva perceives the characteristic of true wisdom within all samadhis.
48/ Vajra-Like Samadhi: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to destroy all afflictions and fetters.
49/ Samadhi of the Abiding Mind: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to subdue all distraction, and the mind remains unmoved.
50/ Samadhi of Universal Radiance: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva clearly perceives the phenomenal characteristics of all dharmas and is no longer deluded or shrouded in darkness; employing the power of supernormal abilities, the bodhisattva illuminates the entire world clearly and without obstruction.
51/ Samadhi of Establishment: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva firmly establishes all meritorious and wholesome dharmas.
52/ Samadhi of the Precious Treasury: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to transform all the bodhisattva’s lands into the seven treasures.
53/ Samadhi of the Wondrous Dharma: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva attains the samadhi Dharma seals belonging to the profound and wondrous merit and wisdom of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
54/ Samadhi of the Equality of Dharmas: When abiding in this samadhi, a bodhisattva has the power to perceive clearly that sentient beings and all dharmas are entirely equal.
55/ Samadhi of Severing Joy: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to examine the characteristics of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, non-self, and impurity. Toward the entire world, the bodhisattva’s mind gives rise to disenchantment and does not entertain thoughts of attachment.
56/ Samadhi of Reaching the Summit of the Dharma: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to employ the skillful means of prajna to reach the summit of the Dharma mountain.
57/ Samadhi Capable of Dispersion: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva immediately accords with the wisdom of emptiness and has the power to disperse all dharmas.
58/ Samadhi of Discerning the Phrases of All Dharmas: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to discern the words and phrases pertaining to all dharmas and expound them for sentient beings with unobstructed eloquence.
59/ Samadhi of the Equality of Characters and Characteristics: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva contemplates spoken and written language as entirely equal and feels neither delight nor aversion toward words of abuse or praise.
60/ Samadhi of Transcending Written Characters: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva thoroughly comprehends the meaning of the true suchness of all dharmas and is not obstructed by discussions based on written words. Therefore, within the ocean of words and meanings, the written characters imagined through deluded views possess no inherent existence. Even within the written words of scriptures, the bodhisattva has the power to perceive the true meaning directly and thereby relinquish attachment to written characters, names, and characteristics.
61/ Samadhi of Severing Conditions: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power not to give rise to joyful thoughts amid pleasant circumstances, not to entertain resentment amid painful circumstances, and readily to relinquish circumstances that are neither painful nor pleasant. By transcending the three kinds of feeling and remaining free from attachment, the mind ceases and conditions are severed.
62/ Indestructible Samadhi: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power clearly to know that the nature of all dharmas is ultimately empty and quiescent; it cannot be destroyed by conceptual proliferation or altered by impermanence.
63/ Samadhi of the Absence of Any Particular Characteristic: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva clearly knows the true characteristics of all dharmas yet sees no characteristic that can be grasped.
64/ Samadhi of Practice Without a Dwelling Place: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to know that the fires of the three poisons burn sentient beings within the three realms, and therefore the mind does not rely upon them. Knowing that nirvana is ultimately empty, the mind does not rely upon it either.
65/ Samadhi of Freedom from Darkness: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to eradicate all subtle forms of ignorance that obscure the samadhis.
66/ Samadhi of No Going: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva does not perceive any characteristic of coming or going in any dharma.
67/ Samadhi of Non-Transformation: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to contemplate all dharmas and samadhis without perceiving any characteristic of transformation.
68/ Samadhi of Transcending Conditions: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva completely extinguishes the afflictive conditions arising amid the six sense objects and has the power to cross the great ocean of the six sense objects. This is also the wisdom that transcends all conditionally arisen samadhis.
69/ Samadhi of Accumulating All Merits: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva diligently cultivates all wholesome roots and merits, never sleeping or resting during the early or latter part of the night.
70/ Samadhi of Abiding Without Mind: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva relies solely upon true wisdom, abides in the true characteristics of all dharmas, and does not follow the deluded mind.
71/ Samadhi of the Pure and Wondrous Flower: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to cause the flower of merit to blossom within all samadhis and adorn them with sovereign freedom.
72/ Samadhi of the Factors of Awakening: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva transforms all contaminated samadhis into uncontaminated ones.
73/ Samadhi of Immeasurable Eloquence: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva acquires immeasurable eloquence; even if the meaning of a single sentence or term were expounded for immeasurable kalpas, it could not be exhausted.
74/ Unequaled Samadhi: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva contemplates sentient beings and Buddhas as equal and contemplates all dharmas as identical with the Buddha-Dharma.
75/ Samadhi of Delivering All Dharmas: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to enter the three gates of liberation, emerge from the three realms, and guide sentient beings to liberation through the Three Vehicles.
76/ Samadhi of Discerning All Dharmas: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to discern the characteristics of dharmas, such as unwholesome and wholesome, contaminated and uncontaminated, conditioned and unconditioned, and so forth.
77/ Samadhi of Dispelling the Net of Doubt: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to break through the net of doubt and clearly perceive the true characteristics of all dharmas.
78/ Samadhi of No Abiding Place: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva comprehends all dharmas without clinging to them and is not confined by any fixed rules or standards.
79/ Samadhi Adorned by the One Characteristic: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to perceive clearly that all dharmas are one essence, whether they are spoken of as possessing characteristics, lacking characteristics, or as all dharmas being empty. The bodhisattva clearly understands the principle that “all is precisely one” and adorns this samadhi with the wisdom of the one characteristic.
80/ Samadhi of the Arising of Practice: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to contemplate the characteristics of practice, entry, abiding, and emergence as entirely empty.
81/ Samadhi of the Single Practice: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva concentrates upon the single practice that accords with ultimate emptiness and no longer practices any other sequential course of practice.
82/ Samadhi of Not a Single Practice: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva does not perceive the distinct characteristics of the various samadhis and, from within this samadhi, can cultivate other methods of contemplation.
83/ Samadhi of Wondrous Practice: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva no longer perceives the complex modes of practice belonging to other samadhis, but only the one samadhi that accords with ultimate emptiness. Therefore, no conceptual proliferation can destroy this samadhi.
84/ Samadhi of Comprehending and Dispersing the Limits of All Existence: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to use uncontaminated wisdom to comprehend the three realms, reaching even to the ultimate limit of the Realm of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception, and causes all realms in which afflictions exist to disintegrate.
85/ Samadhi of Entering Names and Language: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to know clearly the names of all sentient beings, all things, all dharmas, and all languages.
86/ Samadhi of Transcending Sounds, Characters, and Words: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva contemplates all dharmas as eternally quiescent, without sound or speech.
87/ Samadhi of the Blazing Torch: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva can use the lamp of wisdom to illuminate all dharmas, without the slightest error or confusion remaining.
88/ Samadhi of Pure Characteristics: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to attain complete purity and be adorned with the thirty-two marks. The bodhisattva also has the power to contemplate the general and particular characteristics of all dharmas exactly as they truly are and is likewise able to contemplate their pure, true characteristics.
89/ Samadhi of Breaking Through Characteristics: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva does not perceive the characteristics of any dharma, nor does the bodhisattva perceive the characteristics of any samadhi.
90/ Samadhi Fully Endowed with All Kinds of Wondrous Qualities: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to adorn meditative concentration with various merits, causing it to become pure and fully endowed with wondrous characteristics.
91/ Samadhi of Delighting in Neither Suffering nor Pleasure: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva is able to contemplate worldly pleasure as bringing many faults and calamities, as inverted and illusory, and as unworthy of delight. The bodhisattva contemplates worldly suffering as illness or as an arrow piercing the body, and therefore the mind takes no delight in it. Clearly knowing that all dharmas are inherently false and deceptive, the bodhisattva is attached to neither suffering nor pleasure.
92/ Samadhi of the Inexhaustible Perception: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to contemplate all dharmas as neither annihilated nor eternal, neither destroyed nor exhausted.
93/ Dharani Samadhi: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to retain all samadhis and naturally acquires all dharanis.
94/ Samadhi of Gathering All Marks of the Heterodox and the Right: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva does not abandon any beings, whether they belong to the group established in right concentration, the group established in wrong concentration, or the group not yet established. Single-mindedly, the bodhisattva gathers them in and regards them, yet does not perceive any marks of the heterodox or the right.
95/ Samadhi of Extinguishing Hatred and Attachment: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva can eliminate all hatred and attachment. Even toward pleasing objects, the bodhisattva feels no attachment; and toward disagreeable objects, the bodhisattva does not give rise to anger.
96/ Samadhi of Opposition and Accord: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva exercises mastery over all opposing and accordant dharmas, possesses the power to break through the heterodox opposition of beings, and possesses the power to accord with all beings who can be transformed and delivered, yet does not cling to the marks of opposition or accord.
97/ Samadhi of Pure Light: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva is attached neither to the pure radiance of the samadhis nor to the defilements of the afflictions.
98/ Samadhi of Firmness: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva remains firm and indestructible as empty space with respect to all wisdom corresponding to the true marks of the dharmas.
99/ Samadhi of Pure Full-Moon Light: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva attains the complete radiance of pure wisdom, extinguishes the fires of ignorance, such as attachment, anger, and so forth, and benefits beings through pure merit.
100/ Samadhi of Great Adornment: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva accomplishes the great adornment and beholds ten worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, adorning Buddha lands with flowers, fragrances, and the seven precious substances. Although possessing such merits, the bodhisattva’s mind remains unattached.
101/ Samadhi Capable of Illuminating All Worlds: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to illuminate all dharmas, such as beings, dwelling places, the five aggregates, and so forth.
102/ Samadhi of the Equality of Samadhis: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to contemplate all samadhis equally, perceiving neither higher nor lower. The bodhisattva contemplates all conditioned dharmas as arising through causes and conditions and as all equal in the mark of samadhi.
103/ Samadhi of Uncontentious Practice: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva has the power to penetrate all dharmas freely and without obstruction, without clinging to any dharma as possessing a fixed mark. The bodhisattva also does not dispute with beings over what is good or bad, but gathers them in and delivers them according to their dispositions and practices.
104/ Samadhi of No Abiding Place: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva does not delight in dwelling in the world because the world is impermanent; nor does the bodhisattva dwell beyond the world, because the bodhisattva does not cling to emptiness.
105/ Samadhi of Resolutely Abiding in Suchness: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva knows the suchlike, true marks of all dharmas and does not perceive any dharma as superior to another.
106/ Samadhi of Dissolving the Body: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva uses the power of wisdom to break down the physical body, whereby all marks of decay naturally disintegrate and cease.
107/ Samadhi of Dissolving Speech as Empty Space: While abiding in this samadhi, the bodhisattva clearly perceives that all speech exists in dependence upon sound and is like empty space and an illusion; therefore, the bodhisattva gives rise to no thoughts of attachment or aversion.
108/ Samadhi of Detachment from and Non-Defilement by Empty Space: The bodhisattva cultivates prajnaparamita and contemplates all dharmas as ultimately empty, neither arising nor ceasing, like empty space. Although attaining this samadhi, the bodhisattva is not attached to its mark of empty space.
According to Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom 5 (108 samadhis. Only an abridged excerpt is presented here in tđphhq, p. 208)
(2) Five Contemplations for Calming the Mind: five contemplative methods for eliminating delusive afflictions. 1/ Contemplation of impurity. 2/ Contemplation of loving-kindness and compassion. 3/ Contemplation of dependent origination (the twelve links of dependent origination). 4/ Contemplation of non-self (contemplating the eighteen dhatus as products of combination in order to eliminate attachment to self). 5/ Mindfulness of breathing.
(3) Sixty-two kinds of wrong views: sixty-two erroneous views to which the non-Buddhist schools of ancient India were attached. There are various explanations.
According to Nirvana Sutra 23 (Southern recension), the sixty-two views arise from the five views. In his explanation in Collected Commentary on the Great Parinirvana Sutra 23, Master Guanding states: the view of self comprises fifty-six views. The five skandhas in the desire realm each give rise to four views, totaling twenty views; the five skandhas in the form realm likewise give rise to twenty views; and the four minds in the formless realm each give rise to four views, totaling sixteen views. The extreme views comprise six: in each of the three realms there is attachment to annihilation and to permanence. Together, the view of self and the extreme views total sixty-two views.
According to the Tripitaka Teaching of the Tiantai school, the masters explain that the twenty kinds of views concerning the self become sixty-two views: the five skandhas (form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness) × four propositions: (holding that form is the self; that a self exists apart from form; that form is great and the self is small, with the self dwelling within form; and that the self is great and form is small, with form dwelling within the self). These total twenty views × the three periods (past, present, and future) = sixty views + two views (annihilation and permanence) = sixty-two views.
(4) Wisdom and liberation: undefiled wisdom possessing the power to eliminate the afflictive obstructions and the cognitive obstructions.
(5) Wisdom without a teacher: innate wisdom that is revealed through one’s own cultivation, without relying upon instruction from another.
(6) Purity of the six sense faculties: the six sense faculties are pure and luminous, undefiled by delusive thoughts. The Tiantai school teaches that the stage of the Ten Faiths within the Separate Teaching is the stage of purity of the six sense faculties.
(7) The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Four Right Efforts, Four Bases of Spiritual Power, Five Faculties, Five Powers, Seven Factors of Awakening, and Noble Eightfold Path (the thirty-seven aids to awakening)
(8) Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of Revolving Dharanis, the Dharani of Skillful Means in the Sounds of the Dharma, and the Revolving Dharani: in the chapter “The Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra” in the Lotus Sutra, these three are correlated with the three contemplations of emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle. Dharani is also called “all-retaining,” “capable of retaining,” and “capable of preventing.” It refers to the power of wisdom that encompasses and retains the immeasurable Buddha Dharma without allowing any of it to be forgotten or lost.
Moreover, dharani has the power to preserve wholesome dharmas and prevent unwholesome dharmas. Because bodhisattvas place the practice of benefiting others foremost, to teach and transform others they must attain dharani. Upon attaining dharani, they do not forget the immeasurable Buddha Dharma; thus, even amid a great assembly, they remain fearless and can freely teach the Dharma to guide and transform others.
(9) Ninety-six doctrines of ghosts and spirits: the ninety-six non-Buddhist schools that appeared in India before and after the Buddha’s lifetime. Although there are various accounts of the number of non-Buddhist schools, the two enumerations most frequently mentioned are ninety-six and ninety-five schools. Some sutras and treatises state: the six non-Buddhist teachers were Purana Kasyapa, Maskarin Gosaliputra, Sanjaya Vairatiputra, Ajita Kesakambala, Kakuda Katyayana, and Nirgrantha Jnatiputra.
Each had fifteen disciples, making ninety-six persons altogether. These six schools had sixteen subjects of study: each teacher practiced one subject himself and taught each of the other fifteen subjects to one disciple; teachers and disciples together thus constituted ninety-six doctrines. The five great non-Buddhist schools were Samkhya, Vaisesika, Nirgrantha, the Emergent School, and the Pervasive School.
Each branch had eighteen divisions, totaling ninety-five schools.
(10) Dharma of non-retrogression: non-retrogression. This means that one’s cultivation does not regress until Buddhahood is attained. Those subject to retrogression are those who regress and fall into the lower realms or into the Two Vehicles. The stage of non-retrogression is also called the ground of non-retrogression. Among the Four Wholesome Roots in the Sarvastivada system, upon reaching the stage of patience one no longer falls into the lower realms and is therefore classified as having reached the stage of non-retrogression.
(11) True undefiled wisdom: the undefiled wisdom of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The undefiled wisdom of those of the Two Vehicles is not yet called true undefiled wisdom because it has not yet eliminated attachment to dharmas or the cognitive obstructions.
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