樂邦遺稿 1.21

1.21

天台智者大師示人念佛，有五方便門，凡觀想西方求往生者，不可不修治。故文曰「凡住心一境，名為凝心禪。謂行者念佛之時，諦觀如來玉毫金相，凝然寂靜了亮洞徹故也。復次前雖凝心，所習未慣，不覺馳散。今制之令還諦緣金相，名曰制心禪。復次制心得定，既非理觀，皆屬事修。今體之本空，誰凝誰制？無佛無念，名曰體真禪。復次前雖體真，猶滯空寂，無量名相昧然不知。今以無所得而為方便，從空入假，萬相洞至，不為空塵之所惑亂，名曰方便禪。復次前雖體真及以方便隨緣，各據空有不離二邊。今諦觀諍亂本無相貌，名言路斷、思想亦絕，名曰息二邊分別禪。如是五門乃是從淺至深，若夫圓覺體性本無淺深而淺深宛然。」

Master Zhizhe of Tiantai instructed people in buddhānusmṛti with five expedient gates; all those who contemplate the west seeking rebirth must cultivate them. Thus the text states: "Whenever the mind abides in a single realm, it is called the dhyāna of concentrated mind. This means that when the practitioner practices buddhānusmṛti, they closely contemplate the Tathāgata's jade ūrṇā and golden characteristics, because they are concentrated, tranquil, clear, and thoroughly penetrating. Furthermore, although the mind was previously concentrated, one is not yet accustomed to the practice, and unwittingly it disperses. Now one reins it in to return to closely focusing on the golden characteristics; this is called the dhyāna of controlled mind. Furthermore, controlling the mind to attain samādhi, not being the contemplation of principle, belongs entirely to the cultivation of phenomena. Now embodying it as fundamentally empty: who concentrates and who controls? There is no Buddha and no mindfulness; this is called the dhyāna of embodying the true. Furthermore, although one previously embodied the true, one still stagnated in empty quiescence, remaining dimly ignorant of the immeasurable names and characteristics. Now taking non-attainment as the expedient, one enters the provisional from emptiness, and myriad characteristics thoroughly arrive, without being confused or disturbed by the dust of emptiness; this is called the dhyāna of expedients. Furthermore, although previously embodying the true and following conditions through expedients, each relied on emptiness or existence without departing from the two extremes. Now closely contemplating that dispute and disturbance fundamentally lack characteristic marks, the path of names and words is cut off, and thinking is also eliminated; this is called the dhyāna of extinguishing dualistic discrimination. These five gates proceed from the shallow to the deep; yet as for the essence of perfect awakening, it fundamentally lacks shallow and deep, while shallow and deep are fully apparent."