釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 7.18

7.18

Now, these six subtle gates, sixteen sublime practices, penetrating clarity, and so forth all properly use the perfection of actual contemplation, and thereafter use contemplation of the practice of wisdom to contemplate the principle and enter the path. Why is this? As for what is called 'actual': like the karmic retribution of a sentient being's single lifetime, it actually consists of the four great elements and is formed of thirty-six impure substances. But because one is veiled by ignorance and the mind's eye is not open and clear, one does not see in accordance with the actuality. If one can closely and truthfully observe so that the mind's eye opens and clears, seeing in accordance with the actuality, it is therefore called the actual contemplation of the practice of wisdom. As for contemplation of conceptual comprehension, it will be distinguished extensively below under the four truths, the twelve links of dependent origination, the nine notions, the liberations, and so forth.