釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 2.5

2.5

行人若能通達如前所辯五種，明諸禪相，則內信開發。若欲安心習學，必須善知方便。今明修禪方便，大開為二：一者、外方便，即是定外用心之法；二者、內方便，即是定內用心之法。此二通言方便者，善巧修學之異名。行者於初緣中善巧修習，故名方便。若細論，外方便亦有通定內用，內方便亦有得定外用。今一往從多為論，應如上分別。

If a practitioner can penetrate the five kinds as previously distinguished, clarifying the characteristics of the various dhyānas, then internal faith will unfold. If one wishes to settle the mind and practice study, one must have a good knowledge of expedient means. Now in clarifying the expedient means of cultivating dhyāna, they are broadly divided into two: first, external expedient means, which are the methods of mental application outside absorption; second, internal expedient means, which are the methods of mental application inside absorption. That both are generally called expedient means is an alternative name for skillful practice and study. Because the practitioner skillfully practices in the initial conditioning, they are named expedient means. Strictly speaking, external expedient means also have applications inside absorption, and internal expedient means also obtain applications outside absorption. For the present, speaking generally and from the predominant perspective, they should be distinguished as above.