འཕགས་པ་དགངས་པ་ངས་པར་འགྲལ་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 51

51

Once bodhisattvas have properly heard these explanations, once they have memorized them well, recited them, examined them, and understood them by means of discernment, they remain alone in seclusion and settle themselves in a state of inner absorption. Then, they direct their attention in that (1) they direct their attention toward the teachings they have properly contemplated¹⁷⁶ and (2) continuously direct their attention inwardly toward the mind that is directing attention. As they repeatedly engage themselves in this way, their bodies and minds become flexible. The occurrence of this physical and mental flexibility is what is called mental stillness. This is how bodhisattvas dedicate themselves to mental stillness.

“Once they have obtained¹⁷⁷ this physical and mental flexibility, they settle in this very state and abandon some aspects of mind [corresponding to mental stillness].¹⁷⁸ Then, they apply themselves to analyzing the image that is the object of their concentration according to the teachings they have properly contemplated. Differentiating, discerning, considering, and examining in this way the cognitive aspects of the image that is the object of their concentration, accepting and wishing to do so, and distinguishing, scrutinizing, and investigating [this discerning mind in the same way] is what is called [the practice of] insight. This is how bodhisattvas are skilled in insight.”

“Blessed One, when bodhisattvas direct their attention inwardly toward the mind that takes the mind as its referential object but have not yet attained physical and mental flexibility, what do you call their practice of directing attention?”

“Maitreya, this is not yet mental stillness. So you should refer to it as a practice aspiring to mental stillness.”

“Blessed One, when bodhisattvas direct their attention toward the image that is the object of their concentration according to the teachings they have properly contemplated, but they have not yet attained physical and mental flexibility, what do you call their practice of