釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 9.52

9.52

二者、明一一念各是入道方法者，念佛，即是念佛三昧入道之相，如《文殊般若》及諸經中說。念法者，如經說：「諸佛所師，所謂法也。」若四諦、十二因緣、六波羅蜜、中道、實相，如是等法，皆是入道之法。念僧者，如《觀世音》、《三昧》、《藥上》等經中說。念戒，如前十種戒中說。念施，如《摩訶衍》中檀波羅蜜入道相中說。餘三念者，若念天及第一義天，即入道；若念阿那波那入道之相，具如通明中說；念死，如下死想義中說。當知八念，隨修一念即得入道，不須餘習。菩薩為求佛道故，行是八念，心無依倚，大悲方便，廣習法門以化眾生。當知八念即是菩薩摩訶衍也。

Second, explaining that each individual recollection is a method for entering the path: recollection of the Buddha is the characteristic of entering the path through the recollection-of-the-Buddha samādhi, as taught in the *Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra Spoken by Mañjuśrī* and various sūtras. Regarding recollection of the Dharma, as a sūtra states: "That which is the teacher of all Buddhas is called the Dharma." Dharmas such as the four noble truths, the twelve links of dependent origination, the six pāramitās, the middle way, and the true mark are all dharmas for entering the path. Recollection of the Saṅgha is as taught in sūtras such as the *Avalokiteśvara*, *Samādhi*, and *Bhaiṣajyasamudgata*. Recollection of the precepts is as explained previously under the ten kinds of precepts. Recollection of giving is as explained in the *Mahāyāna* [*-śāstra*] under the characteristics of entering the path through the dāna-pāramitā. As for the remaining three recollections: recollecting the devas and the deva of the ultimate truth leads directly to the path; the characteristics of entering the path through recollecting ānāpāna are fully detailed under penetrating clarity; recollecting death is as explained below under the meaning of the notion of death. One should know that regarding the eight recollections, by cultivating any single recollection one immediately attains entry into the path, without needing the other practices. For the sake of seeking the Buddha path, bodhisattvas practice these eight recollections with mind unattached, and through great compassion and expedient means extensively cultivate Dharma gates to transform sentient beings. One should know that the eight recollections are themselves the Mahāyāna of the bodhisattva.