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Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.1915 · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

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1.1

There are four versions of Tiantai calming and contemplation. The first is called the *Perfect and Sudden Calming and Contemplation*, taught by the Great Master at Yuquan Monastery in Jingzhou and recorded by Zhang'an in ten fascicles. The second is called the *Gradual Calming and Contemplation*, taught at Waguan Monastery, recorded by the disciple Fashen in thirty fascicles original text, and edited by Zhang'an down to ten fascicles; this is the present *Dhyāna Pāramitā*. The third is called the *Indeterminate Calming and Contemplation*, which the Great Master produced at the request of Mao Xi, Minister of the Department of State Affairs under the Chen, in one fascicle; this is the present *Six Wondrous Dharma Gates*. The fourth is called the *Lesser Calming and Contemplation*, which is this present text, produced by the Great Master for his lay elder brother Chen Zhen; it is truly an outline of the great work and the pivotal mechanism for entering the Path. Whether one calls it calming and contemplation, concentration and wisdom, stillness and illumination, or clarity and quietude, they all spring from the same source under different names. If one wishes to plumb the depth of the ten thousand dharmas and examine the cultivation and realization of all the Buddhas, nothing surpasses calming and contemplation. When the Great Master of Tiantai received transmission in person at Vulture Peak, he received calming and contemplation; his wondrous awakening at Mount Dasu was an awakening to calming and contemplation; what he cultivated in samādhi was the cultivation of calming and contemplation; what he spoke when expounding with unimpeded eloquence was the exposition of calming and contemplation. Hence it is said: he expounded the Dharma door practiced within his own mind. Thus we know that although the Tiantai teachings and doctrines are manifold, their ultimate focus does not go beyond calming and contemplation. Setting aside calming and contemplation, one cannot clarify the Tiantai path or discuss the Tiantai teaching. Therefore, those who enter the Path must not fail to learn it, and those who learn it must not fail to practice it. Alas, in this degenerate age of shallow virtue, people rush after fame and profit; some become rigidly attached to terms and marks, while others fall into the confusion of blind realization. Although this book survives, the way of calming and contemplation is scarcely heard of in the world—how could one not feel heartbroken and deeply grieved? Now, having ordered craftsmen to carve printing blocks for this book, we intend to let all who hear or see it plant the karmic seeds of the Mahāyāna, to say nothing of those who cultivate and realize it—how could the benefits be measured! Following collation, I have therefore written this preface. The first day of the second month of autumn in the second year of the Shaosheng reign period [1095 CE], preface by the Śramaṇa Yuanzhao of Yuhang Commandery.

1.2

Composed by the Śramaṇa Zhiyi of Xiuchan Monastery on Mount Tiantai.

1.3

Refrain from committing any evil, / practice all forms of good, / purify one's own mind: / this is the teaching of all the Buddhas.

1.4

Regarding the method of Nirvāṇa, the ways of entry are indeed many, but when discussing the pressing essentials, they do not go beyond the two dharmas of calming and contemplation. Why is this so? Calming is the initial gate for subduing fetters; contemplation is the vital requisite for severing delusion. Calming is the wholesome sustenance that nurtures the mind and consciousness; contemplation is the wondrous art that stimulates spiritual understanding. Calming is the supreme cause of dhyāna-concentration; contemplation is the basis of wisdom. If a person accomplishes the two dharmas of concentration and wisdom, they benefit both self and others, and all dharmas are fully complete. Therefore, the *Lotus Sūtra* says: "The Buddha himself abides in the Mahāyāna; according to the Dharma he has attained, adorned with the power of concentration and wisdom, he uses this to deliver sentient beings." One should know that these two dharmas are like the two wheels of a carriage or the two wings of a bird: if practiced lopsidedly, one immediately falls into perverse error. Hence the sūtra says: "If one lopsidedly cultivates dhyāna-concentration and merit without studying wisdom, it is called foolishness. If one lopsidedly studies wisdom without cultivating dhyāna-concentration and merit, it is called madness." Although the faults of madness and foolishness differ slightly, in terms of revolving in false views there is no difference at all. If they are not equal, then practice deviates from full completeness, and how could one swiftly ascend to the ultimate fruit? Hence the sūtra says: "Because people of the śrāvaka vehicle have greater power of concentration, they do not see the Buddha-nature. Bodhisattvas of the ten abodes have greater power of wisdom; although they see the Buddha-nature, they do not see it clearly. All the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, have equal power of concentration and wisdom, and therefore see the Buddha-nature with utter clarity." Inferring from this, how could calming and contemplation not be the essential gate to the great fruit of Nirvāṇa, the supreme road of practice for practitioners, the destination where all virtues are perfected, and the true essence of the unsurpassable ultimate fruit!

1.5

If understood in this way, the Dharma door of calming and contemplation is truly not shallow. Therefore, wishing to guide beginners, to dispel darkness and advance them on the Path, though it is easy to speak of yet difficult to practice, how could one expound its profound marvels at length? Now I briefly explain ten points to show beginners the steps for ascending the correct Path and the stages for entering Nirvāṇa. Those who study this should feel ashamed at the difficulty of accomplishing the practice, and not disparage this text as shallow and elementary. If the mind corresponds to the purport of the words, in the blink of an eye wisdom and severance will be beyond measure, and spiritual understanding beyond fathoming. If one merely fabricates empty words while the sentiments contradict what is taught, idly stringing out the years and months, there will be no way to attain realization; this is just like a poor person counting another's treasures—what benefit does it bring to oneself!

1.6

First: Fulfilling conditions. Second: Rebuking desires. Third: Abandoning hindrances. Fourth: Harmonization. Fifth: Expedient means. Sixth: Correct cultivation. Seventh: Manifestation of wholesome roots. Eighth: Recognizing Māra's workings. Ninth: Curing illness. Tenth: Realizing the fruits.

1.7

Now I briefly list these ten points to clarify the cultivation of calming and contemplation; these are the pressing essentials for beginners learning seated meditation. If one can grasp their meaning well and cultivate them, one can settle the mind, avoid perils, generate concentration, give rise to understanding, and realize the untainted noble fruit.

1.8

First: Fulfilling conditions.

1.9

When generating the resolve, giving rise to practice, and wishing to cultivate calming and contemplation, one must first externally fulfill five conditions:

1.10

First, observing the precepts purely. As stated in the sūtra: "Relying on this precept, one can give rise to all dhyāna-concentrations and the wisdom that eradicates suffering." Therefore, a monk should observe the precepts purely. However, there are three kinds of practitioners whose observation of the precepts differs:

1.11

First, if a person, prior to becoming a disciple of the Buddha, did not commit the five heinous sins, and later met a good teacher who instructed them to receive the three refuges and five precepts, making them a disciple of the Buddha; and if they were able to leave the household life, receive the ten precepts of a novice, and next receive the complete precepts to become a monk or nun; and from the time of receiving the precepts onward, purely protected and maintained them without any violation—this is called a person who observes the precepts of the superior grade. One should know that when such a person cultivates calming and contemplation, they will surely realize the Buddha-Dharma, just as clean cloth easily takes dye.

1.12

Second, if after receiving the precepts a person does not commit major offenses, yet commits many infractions of minor precepts, but for the sake of cultivating concentration is able to repent according to the Dharma, this is also called observing the precepts purely, and is able to give rise to concentration and wisdom. It is like cloth that was once soiled and greasy: if it can be washed clean, dye can still take.

1.13

Third, if after receiving the precepts a person cannot resolutely protect and maintain them, and commits many infractions of both minor and major precepts: according to the teachings of the Hīnayāna, there is no method of repentance for the four major offenses; yet if one relies on the teachings of the Mahāyāna, they can still be eliminated. Hence the sūtra says: "In the Buddha-Dharma there are two kinds of strong people: first, those who commit no evils; second, those who, having committed them, are able to repent."

1.14

Now, those who wish to repent must possess ten dharmas that aid in completing their repentance: first, clearly believing in cause and effect; second, giving rise to great dread; third, deeply generating shame and conscience; fourth, seeking methods for eliminating offenses—namely, the various rituals explained in the Mahāyāna sūtras, which should be practiced in accordance with the Dharma; fifth, confessing past offenses; sixth, severing the mind of continuous [transgression]; seventh, giving rise to the mind to protect the Dharma; eighth, making great vows to deliver sentient beings; ninth, constantly being mindful of the Buddhas of the ten directions; tenth, contemplating that the nature of offenses is non-arising.

1.15

If one can accomplish these ten dharmas, adorn the sanctuary, bathe cleanly, wear clean clothes, burn incense and scatter flowers, and practice in accordance with the Dharma before the Three Jewels for one seven-day period, three seven-day periods, one month, three months, or even across a year, single-mindedly repenting the major offenses committed until their elimination is achieved before stopping. How does one recognize the signs of the elimination of major offenses? When the practitioner repents with such utmost sincerity, they personally feel light and agile in body and mind, and have auspicious dreams; or they see various wondrous, auspicious, extraordinary signs; or they feel wholesome thoughts burgeoning; or during seated meditation they feel their body like a cloud or a shadow, and through this gradually realize and attain various realms of dhyāna; or suddenly a mind of awakening and understanding arises, skillfully discerning the characteristics of phenomena, and whatever sūtra is heard, immediately understanding its purport, resulting in Dharma joy with no distress or regret in the mind. One should know that various conditions such as these are precisely the signs that the offenses of precept-breaking that hinder the Path have been eliminated. From then on, resolutely upholding the prohibitions and precepts is also called pure śīla, and one may cultivate dhyāna-concentration, just like torn and greasy clothing that can still take dye if mended and washed clean.

1.16

If a person has committed major prohibitions and fears that it will hinder dhyāna-concentration, even if they do not cultivate the various rituals according to the sūtras, but merely generate deep shame and conscience, confess their past offenses before the Three Jewels, sever the mind of continuous [transgression], sit upright constantly, contemplate the emptiness of the nature of offenses, and remain mindful of the Buddhas of the ten directions; and when emerging from dhyāna, single-mindedly burn incense, bow in worship, repent, recite the precepts, and chant Mahāyāna scriptures, the major offenses that hinder the Path will naturally diminish and vanish gradually. Thereby śīla becomes pure, and dhyāna-concentration develops. Hence the *Sūtra of Wondrous and Supreme Concentration* says: "If a person has committed major offenses, becomes fearful in mind, and wishes to eradicate them, aside from dhyāna-concentration, nothing else can eradicate them." Such a person should gather the mind and sit constantly in an unoccupied, quiet place, and chant Mahāyāna sūtras; all major offenses will be eradicated completely, and the various dhyānas and samādhis will naturally manifest before them.

1.17

Second, the sufficiency of clothing and food. Regarding clothing, there are three methods: First, as with the Great Being of the Snowy Mountains, any single garment that covers the body is sufficient, because he does not travel among the world of people and has perfected the power of forbearance. Second, as with Kāśyapa constantly adopting the dhūta practices, keeping only three robes made of discarded rags and hoarding no extras. Third, in very cold lands, or for those whose power of forbearance is not yet perfected, the Tathāgata also permits keeping things like the hundred-and-one items beyond the three robes, but one must declare them purified and know moderation and contentment; if one excessively craves and accumulates, it will disturb the mind and hinder the Path.

1.18

Next, regarding food, there are four methods: First, superior persons and great beings who live deep in the mountains severed from the world, sustaining the body with seasonal wild herbs and fruits. Second, constantly practicing dhūta and adopting the practice of begging for food. This practice of begging can destroy the four kinds of wrong livelihood, allowing one to sustain life by right livelihood, because it can give rise to the noble Path. Livelihood by wrong means refers to: (1) downward-mouth eating, (2) upward-mouth eating, (3) diagonal-mouth eating, and (4) square-mouth eating. The marks of wrong livelihood are as explained by Śāriputra to the woman Qingmu. Third, receiving food brought by donors in an araṇya. Fourth, taking pure food provided within the Saṅgha. When such conditions for food are fulfilled, it is called sufficiency of clothing and food. Why? Because without such conditions, the mind is not at ease and there is hindrance to the Path.

1.19

Third, obtaining an unoccupied and quiet place. "Unoccupied" means not engaging in manifold tasks; "quiet" means being free from clamor. There are three places where one can cultivate dhyāna-concentration: First, deep in the mountains, in places secluded from people. Second, in a dhūta araṇya, at least three to four li away from settlements, where the sounds of pasturing cattle have ceased and there is no clamor. Third, in a pure monastery far removed from lay residences. All these are called unoccupied and quiet places.

1.20

Fourth, setting aside various worldly affairs and duties. There are four points: First, setting aside affairs related to earning a living, not engaging in worldly enterprises. Second, setting aside social affairs in the human world, not seeking out lay friends, relatives, or acquaintances, severing social interactions. Third, setting aside affairs of crafts and technical skills, not practicing worldly crafts, medical prescriptions, incantations, divination, physiognomy, calligraphy, mathematics, calculation, or similar pursuits. Fourth, setting aside affairs of scholarly learning, abandoning reading, chanting, listening to lectures, and studying. This is what is meant by setting aside various worldly affairs and duties. Why? Because if one has many worldly duties, the practice of the Path is neglected, and the mind becomes distracted and difficult to gather.

1.21

Fifth, drawing close to good spiritual friends. There are three kinds of good spiritual friends: First, good spiritual friends who provide external protection, managing provisions and offerings, skillfully supporting and protecting the practitioner without troubling or disturbing them. Second, good spiritual friends who are fellow practitioners, cultivating the single Path together, encouraging and inspiring one another without harassing or disrupting each other. Third, good spiritual friends who instruct, using inner and outer expedient means and the dharma gates of dhyāna-concentration to demonstrate, teach, benefit, and gladden.

1.22

The brief explanation of the five kinds of conditions and tasks is finished.

1.23

Chapter 2: Rebuking Desires

1.24

What is called 'rebuking desires' refers to the five desires. Whenever one wishes to practice seated meditation and cultivate calming and contemplation, one must rebuke them. The five desires are the worldly sights, sounds, scents, tastes, and tangibles. They can constantly delude and bewilder all ordinary people, causing attachment to arise. If one can deeply recognize their faults and offenses and thus not draw near to them, this is called rebuking desires.

1.25

First, rebuking desire for forms: that is, the dignified features of men and women, slender eyes and long eyebrows, vermilion lips and white teeth; as well as worldly treasures, blue, yellow, red, white, crimson, purple, azure, and green, and various exquisite forms. When foolish people see them, desire arises, and they commit various bad deeds. For example, King Bimbisāra, because of desire for forms, entered an enemy state in person and stayed in the chamber of the courtesan Āmrapālī. King Udayana, because of sensual infatuation with forms, cut off the hands and feet of five hundred ṛṣis. Such are the various kinds of faults and offenses.

1.26

Second, rebuking desire for sounds: that is, the musical sounds of the konghou harp, zither, flute, strings, winds, metal, and stone; as well as the songs, chants, and recitations of men and women. When ordinary people hear them, defilement and attachment immediately arise, prompting various bad deeds. For example, when five hundred ṛṣis dwelling on the Snow Mountains heard the singing of kinnara maidens, they immediately lost their dhyāna-concentration, their minds infatuated and frenzied. Through various causes and conditions such as these, one knows the faults and offenses of sounds.

1.27

Third, rebuking desire for scents: that is, the bodily scents of men and women, the fragrances of worldly food and drink, and all kinds of incense. Foolish people do not comprehend the characteristics of scents; upon smelling them, they become attached, opening the gates of the fetters. For example, when a monk beside a lotus pond smelled the fragrance of the blossoms and felt love and delight in his mind, the pond deity severely rebuked him: 'Why do you steal my fragrance?' Because of attachment to scents, all the dormant fetters are made to arise. Through various causes and conditions such as these, one knows the faults and offenses of scents.

1.28

Fourth, rebuking desire for tastes: that is, the exquisite flavors of various foods and delicacies—bitter, sour, sweet, pungent, salty, and bland—which can cause ordinary people to generate defiled attachment and give rise to unwholesome actions. For example, a novice monk who was attached to the flavor of curd was reborn, after his life ended, as a worm within curd. Through various causes and conditions such as these, one knows the faults and offenses of tastes.

1.29

Fifth, rebuking desire for tangibles: the bodies of men and women being soft, tender, and smooth; warm when it is cold, cool when it is hot; as well as all delightful touches. Foolish people lack wisdom and drown in them, giving rise to deeds that obstruct the Path. For example, the one-horned ṛṣi (Ekaśṛṅga), due to the desire for touch, subsequently lost his supernormal powers and was ridden on the neck by a courtesan. Through various causes and conditions such as these, one knows the faults and offenses of tangibles.

1.30

The above method of rebuking desires is expounded in the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* (*Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom*). It further says: 'Pitiable are sentient beings! Constantly afflicted by the five desires, they still seek them endlessly.' These five desires, when obtained, become increasingly severe, just like adding firewood to a fire, whose flames burn ever more fiercely. The five desires have no true pleasure, like a dog gnawing on a dry bone. The five desires increase contention, like birds fighting over meat. The five desires burn people, like holding a torch against the wind. The five desires harm people, like treading on a venomous snake. The five desires are unreal, like gains in a dream. The five desires do not last, being borrowed for a mere moment, like sparks from striking flint. The wise reflect upon them also as treacherous bandits. Worldly people are foolish and deluded, greedily attached to the five desires, not relinquishing them unto death, and afterward they suffer immeasurable distress.

1.31

These dharmas of the five desires are shared with animals; all sentient beings are constantly driven by the five desires and are called slaves of desire. Because of these wretched desires, they sink and fall into the three destitute realms. Now that I am cultivating meditation, they once again form an obstruction. These are great bandits; one must urgently stay far away from them. As a verse in a meditation sūtra says:

1.32

"Birth and death are never cut off
Because of greed, desire, and craving for tastes.
Nourishing the enemy and entering the grave mounds,
One endures all bitterness and toil in vain.
The body is foul-smelling like a corpse,
Its nine orifices oozing impurities.
Just as a worm in a latrine delights in dung,
The foolish person's body is no different.
The wise should contemplate the body
And not greedily defile themselves with worldly pleasures;
Free of burdens and with nothing desired—
This is called true Nirvāṇa.
As the Buddhas have taught,
Practicing with single mind and single intent,
Counting breaths in dhyāna-concentration—
This is called practicing ascetic austerities (dhūta)."

1.33

Chapter 3: Abandoning Hindrances

1.34

What is called 'abandoning hindrances' refers to the five hindrances.

1.35

First, abandoning the hindrance of sensual desire. Previously, we spoke of desire arising toward the five external sense objects; here, we speak of desire arising within the internal mental faculty. That is to say, when the practitioner sits upright to cultivate meditation, thoughts of desire arise in the mind, continuing thought after thought, covering the wholesome mind and preventing it from growing. Once recognized, they should be abandoned. Why? Just as the fire of desire arising within Śubhāṅga could even burn his body, how much more will the fire of desire arising in the mind burn away all wholesome dharmas? A person of sensual desire is extremely far from the Path. Why? Desire is the dwelling place of various afflictions and turmoil. If the mind is attached to desire, there is no way to approach the Path. As the verse on removing hindrances says:

1.36

"A person of shame who has entered the Path,
Holding the bowl to bring blessing to sentient beings—
How could you indulge the desires of dust
And sink into the five senses?
Having already relinquished the pleasures of the five desires,
Discarding them without looking back,
How could you wish to reclaim them?
Like a fool eating his own vomit.
All desires are painful when sought,
Bring much fear when obtained,
And harbor burning torment when lost;
In none of them is there any pleasure.
Such are the perils of all desires;
By what means can one relinquish them?
Attaining the bliss of deep dhyāna-concentration,
One will not be deceived by them."

1.37

Second, abandoning the hindrance of ill will. Ill will is the root of losing the Buddha-Dharma, the condition for falling into the miserable realms, the enemy of the joy of Dharma, the great thief of the wholesome mind, and the treasury of various evil speeches. Therefore, when the practitioner sits in meditation, they reflect: 'This person is harming me in the present, harming my relatives, and praising my enemies.' Reflecting that it was also thus in the past and will be thus in the future—these are the nine causes of vexation. Hence, resentment arises; because of resentment, enmity arises; and because an inimical mind arises, one gives rise to the thought of harming them. When such thoughts of ill will cover the mind, it is called a hindrance. One must urgently abandon it and not let it grow. As Śakra Devānām Indra asked the Buddha in verse:

1.38

"Killing what brings peace and happiness?
Killing what brings freedom from sorrow?
What is the root of poison
That devours and destroys all that is good?"

1.39

The Buddha replied in verse, saying:

1.40

"Killing ill will brings peace and happiness;
Killing ill will brings freedom from sorrow.
Ill will is the root of poison;
Ill will destroys all that is good."

1.41

Having understood this, one should cultivate loving-kindness and patience to extinguish and eliminate it, making the mind pure.

1.42

Third, abandoning the hindrance of sloth and torpor. An inner mental dimness is called torpor; when the five senses are obscured, the limbs are left unrestrained, and one reclines in deep sleep, this is called sloth. For this reason, it is called the hindrance of sloth and torpor. It can destroy the mind of the true joy of Dharma in this life and future lives, as well as the bliss of being born in heaven and of Nirvāṇa in future lives. Such an evil dharma is the most unwholesome. Why? The other hindrances, because there is awareness, can be eliminated; sloth and torpor are like death, with no awareness or consciousness. Because there is no awareness, they are difficult to eliminate. As in the verse where the Buddhas and bodhisattvas rebuke disciples who sleep:

1.43

"Arise, do not lie embracing a foul corpse,
A mere nominal person made of diverse impurities,
Like one with a severe disease or an arrow shot into the body.
With all these pains amassed, how could you sleep?
Like a person bound and led away to execution,
With calamity right at hand, how could you sleep?
The bandit of fetters is not yet destroyed, the harm not yet removed,
Like sharing a room with a venomous snake,
Or like standing between two clashing blades on the battlefield.
At such a time, how could you sleep?
Sleep is a great darkness in which nothing is seen,
Daily cheating and robbing people of their clarity;
With sleep covering the mind so that nothing is seen,
Facing such a great loss, how could you sleep?"

1.44

Through various causes and conditions such as these, one rebukes the hindrance of sloth and torpor. Be vigilant toward impermanence, reduce sleep, and allow no dark obscuration. If the mind of torpid sleep is heavy, one should use a meditation pillow or stick to ward it off.

1.45

Fourth, abandoning the hindrance of restlessness and regret. There are three kinds of restlessness: First, restlessness of the body: the body likes to wander about, engage in various kinds of jesting, and cannot sit still for even a moment. Second, restlessness of speech: liking to chant and hum, disputing right and wrong, useless frivolous discourse, worldly talk, and the like. Third, restlessness of the mind: the mood is indolent, indulging the mind to grasp at conditions, pondering literature and arts, worldly skills, and various bad thoughts and investigations—these are called restlessness of the mind. Restlessness as a dharma ruins the mind of a renunciant. When one gathers the mind, one is still unable to achieve concentration; how much less when restless and scattered? A restless and scattered person is like a drunken elephant without a hook, or a camel with a pierced nose—impossible to control. As a verse says:

1.46

"You have already shaved your head and donned dyed robes,
Holding an earthenware bowl to beg for food;
Why do you take delight in frivolous and restless dharmas,
Indulging your passions and losing the benefit of the Dharma?"

1.47

Having lost the benefit of the Dharma, one also loses worldly pleasures; having recognized its faults, one must urgently abandon it.

1.48

As for regret, regret can form a hindrance. If there is restlessness without regret, then it does not form a hindrance. Why? Because while being restless, one is not yet engaged with [the meditation] object. Later, when one wishes to enter concentration, only then does one regret what was previously done; worry and distress cover the mind, and therefore it is called a hindrance. But there are two kinds of regret: First, regret arising after restlessness, as explained previously. Second, like a person who has committed great, heavy sins and constantly harbors dread; the arrow of regret enters their heart, firm and impossible to extract. As a verse says:

1.49

"Doing what should not be done,
Failing to do what should be done,
Burned by the fire of regret and distress,
In a future life one falls into the evil realms.
If a person can regret their offenses,
Having regretted, they should no longer worry;
In this way the mind is peaceful and happy,
One should not constantly dwell on them.
If there are these two kinds of regret,
Failing to do what should be done
And doing what should not be done,
This is the mark of a foolish person.
It is not because of a regretful mind
That one can do what was left undone;
All the bad deeds having already been done,
One cannot make them undone."

1.50

Fifth, abandoning the hindrance of doubt: because doubt covers the mind, one cannot attain faithful mind among the dharmas. Because faithful mind is absent, one gains nothing within the Buddha-Dharma. For instance, if a person enters a mountain of jewels, if they have no hands, they cannot take anything. Although the faults of doubt are very numerous, they do not necessarily obstruct concentration; here, it specifically obstructs concentration.

1.51

As for doubt, there are three kinds: First, doubting oneself. One has this thought: 'My faculties are dull and dark, my sinful defilements are deep and heavy; am I not the wrong person?' If one generates this doubt oneself, the dharma of concentration will ultimately never arise. If one wishes to cultivate concentration, one should not disparage oneself, for the wholesome roots of past lives are difficult to measure. Second, doubting the teacher: 'That person's deportment and appearance are like this; they themselves do not yet possess the Path, how can they teach me?' Giving rise to such doubt and arrogance directly obstructs concentration. The method to eliminate it is as stated in the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*: 'It is like gold in a foul leather pouch; out of desire for gold, one must not throw away the foul pouch.' It is the same for the practitioner: although the teacher may not be pure, one should still regard them as a Buddha. Third, doubting the teaching: Worldly people mostly cling to their original minds; regarding the teaching they receive, they are unable to immediately accept and practice it with faith and reverence. If hesitation arises in the mind, the Dharma will not permeate the mind. Why? The meaning of the hindrance of doubt is as stated in the verse:

1.52

"Just as a person at a crossroads
is confused and has nowhere to turn,
in the true mark of all phenomena,
doubt is also like this.
Because of doubt, one does not diligently seek
the true mark of all phenomena.
See that doubt arises from delusion;
it is the most evil of evils.
Among wholesome and unwholesome phenomena,
saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa,
there are definitely, truly real phenomena;
do not give rise to doubt among them.
If you harbor doubt,
you will be bound by the prison wardens of the King of Death,
like a deer seized by a lion,
unable to attain liberation.
Though having doubts while in the world,
one should rejoice in wholesome dharmas,
just as when looking at branching roads,
one should follow the beneficial and good one."

1.53

Within the Buddhadharma, faith is what enables entry; if one lacks faith, then although one is in the Buddhadharma, in the end one gains nothing. Seeing through these various causes and conditions the faults of doubt, one must abandon it quickly.

1.54

Question: "Unwholesome phenomena are vast, numberless as particles of dust; why abandon only five phenomena?"

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Answer: "These five hindrances inherently possess the three poisons in equal parts, taking four phenomena as their root, and they also subsume the eighty-four thousand gates of defilement. First, the hindrance of sensual desire is the poison of greed. Second, the hindrance of ill will is the poison of anger. Third, torpor-and-sleep and doubt—these two phenomena are the poison of delusion. Fourth, restlessness-and-remorse is subsumed under equal parts. Combined, they constitute the four divisions of afflictions: within each there are twenty-one thousand, and within the four they combine to make eighty-four thousand. Therefore, eliminating these five hindrances is simply eliminating all unwholesome phenomena. Through these various causes and conditions, the practitioner abandons the five hindrances. It is like being freed from debt, or recovering from a grave illness; like a starving person reaching an abundant land; like escaping on one's own from among wicked bandits, at ease and free of harm. The practitioner is also like this: eliminating these five hindrances, the mind becomes secure, cool, and joyful. Just as the sun and moon, when covered and obscured by five things—smoke, dust, clouds, fog, and the hand of the asura Rāhu—cannot shine brightly, so too it is with the five hindrances of the human mind."

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Harmonization, Part Four

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When practitioners first learn seated meditation, if they wish to cultivate the Buddhadharma of the ten directions and the three periods of time, they should first give rise to the great vow to liberate all sentient beings and resolve to seek the unsurpassed Buddha Path. Their mind must be firm, like a vajra, vigorous and courageous, not sparing physical life. If they are to accomplish all Buddhadharmas, they will never regress. Thereafter, within sitting, they mindfully reflect upon the true mark of all phenomena: namely, that wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate phenomena; internal and external sense faculties and objects, delusive consciousness, and all tainted afflictive phenomena; the causes and effects of conditioned birth-and-death across the three realms—all exist because of the mind. Hence the Daśabhūmika-sūtra says: 'The three realms do not exist separately; they are made solely by the one mind. If one knows that the mind lacks inherent nature, then all phenomena are not real.' When the mind is free of defiling attachment, all karmic activities of birth-and-death cease. Having performed this contemplation, one should then initiate cultivation in sequence.

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What is called harmonization? I will now borrow a familiar metaphor to illustrate this method. It is like a potter in the world who, wishing to make various vessels, must first skillfully blend the clay, making it neither too stiff nor too soft, after which it can be put to the wheel and cord. It is also like playing a lute: one must first tune the strings, making the looseness and tightness properly set, before one can play the tunes and produce various wonderful melodies. The practitioner cultivating the mind is also like this. Skillfully harmonizing the five things, always ensuring they are tempered and well-adjusted, samādhi will easily arise. If anything is unharmonized, many impediments and difficulties will occur, and wholesome roots will be difficult to bring forth.

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First, harmonizing food: food as a practice is originally meant to sustain the body and advance along the Path. If one overeats, the breath becomes rushed, the body bloated, the hundred channels blocked, causing the mind to become obstructed and seated mindfulness uneasy. If one eats too little, the body becomes emaciated, the mind suspended in anxiety, and thoughts unstable. Neither of these is the path to attaining concentration. If one eats impure or defiled items, they cause the human mind and consciousness to become bewildered and dull. If one eats improper items, they stir up chronic ailments and cause the four great elements to conflict. In the beginning of cultivating concentration, one must be deeply cautious regarding these things. Thus a sūtra says: 'When the body is at ease, the Path flourishes; know moderation in food and drink; always take pleasure in quiet seclusion; with a tranquil mind, take pleasure in vigorous effort—this is called the teaching of all Buddhas.'

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Second, harmonizing sleep: sleep is an obscuration of ignorance; one must not indulge it. If one sleeps excessively, not only does it abandon the cultivation of the noble Dharma and forfeit effort, but it also renders the mind dark and dull, causing wholesome roots to sink and vanish. One must awaken to impermanence and tame sleep, keeping the vital energy clear and pure and the mindful consciousness bright and clean. Only in this way can one rest the mind in the noble realm and have samādhi appear before one. Thus a sūtra says: 'During the first and last watches of the night, do not neglect [practice]. Do not let a whole life pass in vain with nothing attained on account of sleep. Be mindful of the fire of impermanence burning all worlds; seek your own deliverance early, and do not sleep.'

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Third, harmonizing the body; fourth, harmonizing the breath; fifth, harmonizing the mind. These three should be applied together and cannot be explained separately; however, there are different methods for the beginning, middle, and end, which means that the characteristics of entering, dwelling in, and exiting [meditation] are distinct.

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When first wishing to enter dhyāna and harmonize the body: for a practitioner wishing to enter samādhi, the suitability of harmonizing the body—when outside concentration, in walking, standing, moving, and halting, in activity, rest, and action—must in all respects be examined with care. If what one does is coarse and rough, the breathing will accordingly be coarse. Because the breath is coarse, the mind will be scattered and difficult to collect; in addition, during sitting one will be vexed and troubled, and the mind will not be serene and joyful. Even when the body is outside concentration, one must carefully apply expedient means in advance; thereafter, upon entering dhyāna, one must properly position the body in its proper place.

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First, upon arriving at the rope bed, one must first arrange the seat, making it consistently stable so that over a long time there will be no hindrance.

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Next, one should align the legs: if sitting in the half-lotus posture, place the left foot on top of the right leg, pulling it in close to the body so that the left toes are level with the right thigh and the right toes are level with the left thigh. If one wishes to sit in the full lotus posture, align the right foot and place it on top of the left leg.

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Next, loosen and broaden the clothing and belt, keeping them neatly arranged so that they do not slip off while sitting.

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Next, place the hands: put the left palm upon the right hand, stacking the hands so that they face each other, place them together upon the left foot, pull them in close to the body, and rest them against the heart.

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Next, straighten the body: first stretch and move the body along with all the joints seven or eight times, like a method of massage, not letting the hands and feet become misaligned. Having done this, sit upright and straight, letting the spine be neither bent nor arched high.

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Next, align the head and neck, making the nose align with the navel, neither tilted nor skewed, neither lowered nor raised, facing straight forward and sitting upright.

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Next, expel the turbid breath through the mouth. The method of expelling breath: open the mouth and release the breath, not letting it be coarse or abrupt, but continuous and unbroken, letting the breath go out as it will; imagine the places in the body where the hundred channels are blocked, letting the breath follow out and be released. Close the mouth and draw in pure breath through the nose. Do this up to three times. If the body and breath are harmonized, just once is sufficient.

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Next, close the mouth, letting the lips and teeth barely touch, with the tongue against the upper palate.

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Next, close the eyes, just enough to cut off external light and no more.

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One should sit upright with the body straight, like a foundational boulder, not letting the body, head, or four limbs twitch or sway in the least.

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This is the method of harmonizing the body upon first entering dhyāna-concentration. In summary: neither loose nor tense is the characteristic of a harmonized body.

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Fourth, the method of harmonizing the breath upon first entering dhyāna: the breath has four characteristics: first, wind; second, panting; third, respiration; fourth, breath. The first three are unharmonized characteristics, and the last one is the harmonized characteristic. What is the characteristic of wind? When sitting, if the breath entering and exiting the nose is perceived to have sound, this is wind. What is the characteristic of panting? When sitting, though the breath has no sound, its entry and exit are blocked, stagnant, and not flowing smoothly; this is the characteristic of panting. What is the characteristic of respiration? When sitting, though the breath has no sound and is not stagnant, its entry and exit are not subtle; this is the characteristic of respiration. What is the characteristic of breath? Neither sounding, nor stagnant, nor coarse, entering and exiting continuously and unbroken, as if present, as if absent, sustaining the spirit peacefully, with the inner disposition joyful and serene—this is the characteristic of breath. Guarding wind leads to scattering; guarding panting leads to knots; guarding respiration leads to fatigue; guarding breath immediately brings concentration. When sitting, having the three characteristics of wind, panting, and respiration is called unharmonized; if one directs the mind with them, they further cause ailments to the mind, and the mind is also difficult to concentrate. If one wishes to harmonize it, one should rely on three methods: first, settle and focus the mind downward; second, relax the body; third, visualize the breath permeating all the pores, entering and exiting unobstructed and unified. If one refines the mind, making the breath exceedingly faint, then when the breath is harmonized, various ailments will not arise and the mind will easily settle. This is called the practitioner's method of harmonizing the breath upon first entering concentration. In summary: neither sluggish nor slippery is the characteristic of harmonized breath.

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Fifth, harmonizing the mind upon first entering concentration has three aspects: first, entering; second, dwelling; third, exiting.

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First, entering has two aspects: first, taming discursive thoughts so that they do not run wild; second, ensuring that sinking and floating, laxity and tension, are appropriately balanced. What is the characteristic of sinking? If when sitting the mind is dim and dark, retaining nothing, and the head is prone to drooping, this is the characteristic of sinking. At that time, one should tie mindfulness to the tip of the nose, causing the mind to dwell on the object without scattering thoughts; this can remedy sinking. What is the characteristic of floating? If when sitting the mind tends to drift, the body is also uneasy, and one thinks of external, extraneous objects, this is the characteristic of floating. At that time, it is appropriate to settle the mind downward, binding conditions to the navel to curb various scattered thoughts; the mind then dwells stably, and it will easily become calm. In summary: neither sinking nor floating is the characteristic of a harmonized mind. The concentrated mind also has characteristics of laxity and tension: the characteristic of an overly tense concentrated mind is that due to collecting the mind and applying mindfulness during sitting to enter concentration, sharp pain consequently presses upward into the chest; one should relax the mind and imagine the breath all flowing downward, and the affliction will heal of itself. As for the characteristic of an overly lax mind, one perceives the mind's intent to be scattered and sluggish, the body prone to slouching, or saliva drooling from the mouth, or moments of darkness and gloom. At that time, one should gather the body and tighten mindfulness, making the mind dwell on the object and keeping the body upright and firm; use this as the remedy. That the mind has characteristics of sluggishness and slipperiness can be known by inference. This is the method of harmonizing the mind upon first entering concentration.

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Entering concentration originally proceeds from the coarse to the subtle: therefore, the body being coarse, the breath being in between, and the mind being the most subtle and tranquil, harmonizing the coarse to approach the subtle and causing the mind to become tranquil is the initial expedient means for entering concentration. This is called harmonizing the three things upon first entering concentration.

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Second, harmonizing the three things while dwelling in sitting: during a single sitting, according to the length of time—throughout the twelve two-hour periods, or for one period, or up to two or three periods—the practitioner collects mindfulness and directs the mind; therein one must skillfully recognize the harmonized and unharmonized characteristics of the three things: body, breath, and mind. When sitting, although one previously finished harmonizing the body, the body may become either lax or tense, tilted or crooked, lowered or raised, not upright and straight; upon noticing this, one should immediately correct it, making it secure and comfortable, centered with neither laxity nor tension, sitting level, upright, and straight.

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Furthermore, during a single sitting, though the body is harmonized, the breath may not be harmonized. The characteristics of lack of harmonization are as explained above: either wind, or panting, or rushed respiration, with fullness and distension in the body. One should use the previous methods to treat them accordingly, always making the breath continuous and unbroken, as if present and as if absent.

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Next, during a single sitting, though the body and breath are harmonized, the mind may be unsettled, with floating, sinking, laxity, or tension. If one notices it at that time, one should use the previous methods to harmonize it and make it properly balanced.

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These three things have no fixed sequence; one harmonizes whichever is unharmonized, causing the three things—body, breath, and mind—to be tempered and balanced throughout a single sitting, not conflicting with or exceeding one another, blending harmoniously as non-dual. This can eradicate chronic ailments, prevent obstacles and hindrances from arising, and allow the path of concentration to be attained.

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Third, regarding harmonizing the three items at the time of emerging: when the practitioner's seated meditation is about to end and they wish to emerge from concentration, they should first let go of the mind [toward] different conditions, open the mouth and exhale air, visualizing it dispersing freely through the hundred channels, and only then gently move the body. Next, move the shoulders, upper arms, hands, head, and neck. Next, move both feet, making them all supple. Next, rub all the pores with the hands. Next, rub the hands until warm and cover both eyes with them, and only then open them. Wait until the body heat has slightly abated, and only then may one go out or come in as one pleases. If one does not do so, although one may have attained stability of mind while sitting, emerging abruptly will leave the subtle phenomena undispersed and remaining in the body, causing headaches and stiffness in all the joints like wind-exhaustion. In subsequent sittings, one will be agitated and restless. Therefore, when the mind wishes to emerge from concentration, one must always take care. This is the method for harmonizing the body, breath, and mind upon emerging from concentration, as it proceeds from the subtle to the coarse. This is called skillfully entering, abiding in, and emerging. As a verse says:

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"Advancing and stopping have their sequence;
The coarse and the subtle do not conflict.
Just like a well-trained horse,
Ready to halt and ready to go."

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The Lotus Sūtra says: "All these bodhisattvas in the great assembly have already, for immeasurable thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas, for the sake of the Buddha path, vigorously practiced diligence, skillfully entering, abiding in, and emerging from immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of samādhis, attaining great spiritual penetrations. Having long cultivated the pure practice (brahmacarya), they are well able to practice all wholesome dharmas in sequence."

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Chapter Five: Expedient Practices

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Now, in cultivating calming and contemplation, one must possess the expedient approaches to the Dharma; there are five such practices:

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The first is aspiration (chanda). This means the desire to leave behind all worldly false thoughts and inversions, and the desire to attain all approaches to the Dharma of dhyāna and wisdom. It is also called resolve, also called vow, also called fondness, and also called delight. Because this person resolves upon, vows for, is fond of, and delights in all deep approaches to the Dharma, it is therefore called aspiration. As the Buddha said: "Of all wholesome dharmas, aspiration is the root."

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The second is diligence (vīrya). Firmly upholding the restrictive precepts, abandoning the five hindrances, and in the first and last parts of the night being devoted and focused without remiss; just like drilling for fire where, before it is hot, one never rests. This is called the method of diligence on the wholesome path.

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The third is mindfulness (smṛti). Being mindful that the world is deceptive and contemptible, and being mindful that dhyāna-concentration is venerable and precious. If one attains dhyāna-concentration, one will be able to fully develop all untainted wisdom and all powers of spiritual penetration and the path, realize equal and perfect enlightenment, and broadly deliver sentient beings. This is precious, and therefore it is called mindfulness.

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