釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 2.5

2.5

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.