法界次第初門 2.109

2.109

Explaining the lion's play samādhi after the three samādhis: in the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, the Buddha himself earnestly stated: 'A bodhisattva, relying on the nine sequential meditative attainments, enters the lion's play samādhi.' Since the dharma-characteristics of the three samādhis and the nine attainments are the same, explaining it after the three samādhis does not contradict the meaning. As for the expression 'lion's play' (shizi fenxun): a metaphor is borrowed to illustrate the dharma. Just as a lion in the world bounds for two purposes: first, to shake off dust and dirt; second, being able to run forward and run backward with swiftness unlike other beasts. This samādhi is also like this: first, it shakes off the subtle delusions of ignorance that obstruct concentration; second, it can enter and emerge swiftly without interval, unlike the various dhyānas and attainments attained above; therefore, it is called the lion's play samādhi.