釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 6.10

6.10

Question: In the Mahāyāna, a question is hypothetically posed: "These four dhyānas already contain the four immeasurables, the ten totality spheres, and various other absorptions; why are they now explained separately? Answer: Although all these dharmas exist within the four dhyānas, if they were not explained separately, people would not know their merits. For example, if there are jewels in a pouch and they are not shown to people, no one would know of them. Wishing to show great blessings and virtues, the four immeasurables are taught for them; for those who abhor form as a prison, the four formless absorptions are taught; for those who are not sovereign over focal objects and cannot contemplate objects of focus at will, the eight stations of mastery are taught; if there are hindrances to the path so that one cannot penetrate through, the eight liberations are taught; if the mind is not pliant and gentle and one cannot rise from dhyāna and enter dhyānas in sequence, the nine sequential absorptions are taught; if one cannot universally illuminate all focal objects at will, the ten totality spheres are taught."