無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 2.21

2.21

Translating śamatha yields 'calming' (zhi). Calming means stopping the mind at one place and not doing evil. Although this translated term does not violate the general intent, its meaning is not complete. Why is this said? Stopping the mind at the tip of the nose is also called calming; the contemplation of impurity calms greed, the contemplation of loving-kindness calms anger, the contemplation of causes and conditions calms delusion—such as these are also called calming. When a person is about to walk and stops, this is also called calming. Thus one knows that the word 'calming' is vague and diffuse, not accurately capturing the name śamatha. Just as the toon, cudrania, elm, and willow are all called 'wood', yet if one merely says 'wood', how can one obtain elm or willow? As for śamatha being called 'calming', it now has three meanings: first, single-mindedly and exclusively being mindful of Amitābha Tathāgata and aspiring to be reborn in that land—this Tathāgata's name and the name of that land can calm all evil; second, that Land of Peace and Bliss transcends the path of the three realms; if a person is reborn in that land, evil of body, speech, and mind will naturally be calmed; third, the sustaining power of Amitābha Tathāgata's correct enlightenment naturally calms the mind seeking to be a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha. These three kinds of calming arise from the Tathāgata's virtues that accord with reality; therefore it is said: 'wishing to practice śamatha in accordance with reality.'