高僧傳 11.78

11.78

論曰：禪也者，妙萬物而為言，故能無法不緣，無境不察。然緣法察境，唯寂迺明。其猶淵池息浪，則徹見魚石；心水既澄，則凝照無隱。《老子》云：「重為輕根，靜為躁君。」故輕必以重為本，躁必以靜為基。《大智論》云：「譬如服藥，將身權息家務。氣力平健，則還修家業。如是以禪定力，服智慧藥，得其力已，還化眾生。」是以四等六通，由禪而起；八除十入，藉定方成。故知禪定為用大矣哉。

The appraisal states: As for dhyāna, it is spoken of as making wondrous the myriad things; therefore there is no phenomenon (dharma) to which it does not relate, and no sphere (viṣaya) that it does not examine. Yet in relating to phenomena and examining spheres, only through tranquility does clarity arise. It is like a deep pool when the waves subside, so that fish and stones are seen clearly; once the water of the mind is clarified, it reflects statically without concealment. Laozi says: 'The heavy is the root of the light; the still is the master of the restless.' Therefore, the light must take the heavy as its root, and the restless must take the still as its foundation. The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states: 'It is like taking medicine: one temporarily rests one's body from household duties; once one's vigor and health are restored, one returns to cultivate the family business. In the same way, by the power of dhyāna, one takes the medicine of wisdom; having gained its strength, one returns to transform sentient beings.' Therefore, the four immeasurables and the six supernormal powers arise from dhyāna; the eight liberations (aṣṭa-vimokṣa) and ten totalities (daśa-kṛtsna) rely on samādhi to be accomplished. Thus we know that the function of dhyāna and samādhi is great indeed!