大乘義章 11.72

11.72

第三門中明其次第。次第有二：一據修難易以辨次第、二化益始終以論次第。難易如何？慈緣佛樂，玄欲與人，貰益易為，故先修之。悲拔今苦，交益難作，故在慈後次修悲心。悲苦易生，愛樂難發，故在悲後次修喜心。此云何知？如人見其怨家受苦亦起悲心，故知悲易。覩觀得樂未必生喜，故知喜難。偏益易為，等利難作，故後修捨。又復前三其是有行，有行易生，故先修習；捨是空行，空行難發，故後為之。修入如是（此一門竟）。

The third section clarifies their sequence. There are two kinds of sequence: first, discerning the sequence based on the difficulty or ease of practice; second, discussing the sequence based on the beginning and end of transforming and benefiting [beings]. How are difficulty and ease distinguished? Benevolence takes the joy of the Buddha as its object and fundamentally wishes to bestow it upon others; distant benefit is easy to perform, so it is practiced first. Compassion relieves present suffering; immediate benefit is difficult to effect, so following benevolence, one next practices the mind of compassion. Compassion for suffering is easy to generate, but love and joy are difficult to arouse, so following compassion, one next practices sympathetic joy. How is this known? For instance, when a person sees their enemy suffering, compassion also arises, so we know compassion is easy. Yet observing someone attain joy does not necessarily give rise to joy, so we know sympathetic joy is difficult. Partial benefit is easy to perform, but equal benefit is difficult to effect, so one practices equanimity last. Furthermore, the first three are practices of existence, and practices of existence are easy to generate, so they are cultivated first; equanimity is a practice of emptiness, and practices of emptiness are difficult to arouse, so it is cultivated afterward. Entering into cultivation is like this (this concludes the first sub-section).