念佛三昧寶王論 1.2

1.2

There was a guest of lofty faith who came to my meditation dwelling. Stepping forward, he bowed and inquired, his words exceedingly pure and unfettered. He asked me: "As a shortcut for one who cultivates the mind to realize the Way, the practice of Sadāparibhūta in the Lotus Samādhi and the lineage of Pratyutpanna in the Buddhānusmṛti-samādhi are all universally held to be supreme, profound, and wondrous gates of meditation; I wish to hear of their import." I replied: "I have folded my hands in silence amidst the nine peaks, having different pursuits from the worldly. By imperial decree graciously arriving from Caotang Monastery on Mount Zige, I was commanded to oversee the sublime arena of the Lotus at Qianfu, which has now been nearly thirty years. Though many have aspired to the heights and knocked upon the silence, none have asked as you have. You are about to cross the Dragon Ford of anutpāda and seek to journey south like the soaring Peng bird. Though I am not clever, I have previously ventured to discourse upon this. Now I shall briefly set forth twenty gates to elucidate this purport."