出三藏記集 9.51

9.51

The methods of dhyāna are the primary gate leading to the Way, the ford and path to nirvāṇa. Formerly translated in this land were the *Xiuxing* [sūtras], the larger and smaller *Twelve Gates*, and the larger and smaller *Ānāpāna[smṛti]*. Although these treated the matter, their roots were not fully grasped, nor was there a method of transmission; thus the disciples' precepts and regulations were entirely lacking. On the twentieth day of the twelfth month in the xinchou year, Master Kumāra[jīva] arrived in Chang'an from Guzang. On the twenty-sixth day of that same month, I received the methods of dhyāna from him. Having been blessed with his instruction, I came to realize that study possesses established standards and the Dharma has set regulations. As the *Śūraṅgama-sūtra* says: 'If a person studies the Way in the mountains without a teacher, his realization of the Way will never be accomplished.' This refers precisely to such matters. Soon after, he excerpted and compiled the meditation essentials of the various masters, obtaining these three fascicles. The initial forty-three verses were composed by Master Kumāralāta; the latter twenty verses were composed by the Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa. The five gates therein were extracted and compiled from the meditation essentials of Vasumitra, Saṅgharakṣa, Upagupta, Saṅghasena, the bhikṣu Le, Aśvaghoṣa, and [Kumāra]lāta. The verses among the six awarenesses are what Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa practiced in order to explain the six awarenesses. The initial contemplation of the marks of lust, anger, and delusion, along with its three gates, was entirely composed by Saṅgharakṣa. The six matters of the breath gate are the expositions of the various masters of the treatises. Within the bodhisattva practices of dhyāna, he later separately compiled and extracted one fascicle on the twelvefold conditioned arising and two fascicles of essential explanations based on the *Lokadhara-sūtra*. Now, if one gives free rein to the mind and indulges in discursive thoughts, one's emotional attachments will stagnate further and confusion will deepen; if one ties one's thoughts to luminosity, then lucid inspection will shine brightly and reaching the ultimate will become increasingly profound. The mind is like water and fire: if one hems it in and gathers it together, its function will be completely preserved; if one breaches it and scatters it, its force will grow increasingly feeble. Therefore a treatise states: 'When the substance is subtle, its power is heavy; when the substance is heavy, its power is subtle.' For instance, because earth's substance is heavy, its power is not equal to water; because water's nature is heavy, its force is not equal to fire; fire is not equal to wind; and wind is not equal to mind. Because the mind is formless, its power is supreme. Spiritual penetrations, transformations, and the eight inconceivable qualities are all the power of the mind. Once the mind's power is intact, one can turn darkness into illumination. Although illumination surpasses non-illumination, illumination is not yet complete. The completion of illumination consists in forgetting illumination; only after illumination is forgotten is there neither non-illumination nor illumination. Neither non-illumination nor illumination—thereupon it nearly attains cessation. Nearly attaining cessation is the achievement of wisdom. Therefore a scripture says: 'Without dhyāna there is no wisdom; without wisdom there is no dhyāna.' Thus, if dhyāna lacks wisdom it does not illuminate; if illumination lacks dhyāna it is not accomplished. Great indeed is the enterprise of dhyāna and wisdom! How could one not strive for it? After this scripture was produced, on the fifth day of the intercalary month of the ninth year of the Hongshi era, we sought once more to examine and verify it. Fearing that our initial reception had not been scrupulous, and that an error of a hair's breadth might lead to a deviation of a thousand miles, we investigated in detail and established it, whereupon much was repeatedly corrected. Having been corrected and completed, it leaves nothing to be desired.