六妙法門 1.20

1.20

次釋「第三、隨便宜六妙門」。夫行者欲得深禪定智慧，乃至實相涅槃，初學安心必須善巧。云何善巧？當於六妙門法，悉知悉覺，調伏其心，隨心所便，可以常用。所以者何？若心不便，修治即無益。是故初坐時，當識調心學數，次當學隨，復當學止、觀、還等，各各經數日。學已，復更從數、隨，乃至還、淨，安心修習，復各經數日。如是數反，行者即應自知心所便宜。

Next is the explanation of the 'Third: the six wondrous gates according to suitability.' Now, when a practitioner wishes to attain deep dhyāna concentration and wisdom, up to true-mark nirvāṇa, in the beginning of learning to settle the mind one must be skillful. What is skillfulness? One should know and perceive fully the methods of the six wondrous gates, tame one's mind, and, following what is suitable to the mind, make regular use [of it]. Why is this? If it does not suit the mind, cultivation will bring no benefit. Therefore, when first sitting, one should know how to tame the mind by learning counting; next one should learn following; again one should learn cessation, contemplation, turning back, and so forth, spending several days on each. Having learned them, one should again settle the mind and practice from counting and following through to turning back and purification, again spending several days on each. Cycling through in this way several times, the practitioner will come to know naturally what is suitable to the mind.