法華三昧懺儀 1.121

1.121

How should one know the signs of verification for practitioners of superior faculties? This is because of the purification of the faculty of wisdom. Within this there are also three grades: As for the sign of the purification of the faculty of wisdom in the lower grade, if during the three periods of seven days or upon their completion, while walking or sitting they enter various meditative absorptions, and suddenly perceive body and mind to be like clouds, like shadows, like dreams and illusions, unreal; through this the awakened mind arises internally, wisdom is clear, thoroughly penetrating all dharmas, expedients skillfully spoken without obstruction, thoroughly mastering the twelve divisions of scriptures, explaining according to their meaning without stagnation when faced with difficult questions, expounding the Dharma inexhaustibly—this is called the sign of the purification of the faculty of wisdom in the lower grade. As for the sign of the purification of the faculty of wisdom in the middling grade, while walking, sitting, reciting, or contemplating, the practitioner's body and mind are quiescent like empty space, entering various tranquil concentrations; within correct wisdom, they see Samantabhadra Bodhisattva face to face riding a six-tusked white elephant, surrounded by an immeasurable assembly of bodhisattvas, appearing before that person in the body pleasing to all sentient beings; through seeing Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, this person immediately attains samādhis and dhāraṇīs, named the turning dhāraṇī, the hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of turning dhāraṇīs, and the dharma-sound expedient dhāraṇī. A dhāraṇī is great wisdom itself. Because of obtaining this great wisdom, once having heard what the Buddhas have spoken, they do not forget it, penetrating it without obstruction; within a single phrase they thoroughly master all meanings, expounding inexhaustibly like the wind in empty space. Obtaining various wisdom gates such as these is called the sign of the purification of the faculty of wisdom in the middling grade. As for the sign of the purification of the faculty of wisdom in the superior grade, the practitioner also, while walking, sitting, reciting, or contemplating, has body and mind open clearly and purely, entering deep meditative absorptions, their awakened wisdom distinct and mind unmoving; within meditative absorption, they are able to see Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, the emanated World-Honored Ones of Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna, and the Buddhas of the ten directions, obtaining the unobstructed great dhāraṇī, acquiring the purification of the six sense faculties, universally manifesting physical forms, opening the Buddha's knowledge and vision, and entering the bodhisattva stages—explained at length as in the Sūtra on the Contemplation of Samantabhadra. This is called the sign of the purification of the faculty of wisdom in the superior grade. This briefly explains the differences among the signs of verification obtained by practitioners of the three faculties. Among these three kinds of correct signs, there may be demonic affairs that resemble them; if one experiences these phenomena, one should distinguish them well and must not immediately produce an equal mind [taking them as genuine]. Therefore, if a practitioner wishes to obtain this great merit and benefit, they should, during the three periods of seven days, single-mindedly and energetically apply themselves to cultivate the preceding methods. If they do not obtain them within the three periods of seven days, they should apply further effort and must not grow lax. If the transgressions that obstruct the Path are gradually eliminated, yet the various deep Dharma gates of samādhi have not appeared before them, and they wish to constantly practice samādhi, they do not necessarily have to rely entirely on the above ten methods, but merely taking the intent explained in the 'Chapter on Peaceful Practices' and cultivating it with a single mind, they will naturally attain purification of the six sense faculties, see the Buddhas of the ten directions, acquire the universal manifestation of physical forms, open the Buddha's knowledge and vision, and enter the bodhisattva stages. It should be known that setting the three periods of seven days as the period and practicing according to the six intervals of the day as explained above is for teaching newly practicing bodhisattvas who are not yet able to enter deep samādhi; one first subdues their mind with phenomenal practices and crushes the heavy transgressions that obstruct the Path, whereby their body and mind become pure and obtain the flavor of Dharma joy. If one wishes to have the mind constantly quiescent and enter deep samādhi, one must set aside what was practiced before and directly rely on peaceful practices, constantly taking delight in seated meditation, contemplating all dharmas as empty like the true mark, not giving rise to internal and external faults, with great compassion pitying all sentient beings without an interval of thought—this itself is cultivating samādhi. If one relies on the former methods, phenomenal complexities will become an obstacle. Therefore, since practitioners have grasped this meaning, they should deliberate with their own power of wisdom; what was explained for one period cannot be applied in its entirety. Beginners, not yet being skillful, should for now rely on the present text to use the preceding methods to cultivate samādhi.