坐禪三昧經 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.1

Translated by Kumārajīva, Tripiṭaka Master of the Yao Qin

At that time, although the practitioner has attained one-pointedness of mind, the power of concentration is not yet perfected, and he is still disturbed by the afflictions of the desire realm. He should apply skillful means to advance in studying the first dhyāna and scold and abandon sensuous desire. How does he scold and abandon it? By contemplating the faults of the desire realm: desire is impure and contains various unwholesome things; he should think upon the first dhyāna as peaceful and joyful.

2.3

Contemplating desire: how does one know that desire is impermanent? It is an enemy to virtues, like an illusion, like a phantom, empty with nothing to be gained. Merely thinking of it before having obtained it, the foolish mind is already disturbed; how much more so when one has obtained it and is entangled and enveloped by sensuous desire! Even joyful places in heaven are not permanently peaceful, let alone among humans. The human mind clings to desire without satisfaction, like fire receiving firewood, like the ocean swallowing streams. For instance, King Māndhātṛ, though he rained seven jewels, ruled over the four continents, and shared the seat of Śakra, still did not know satisfaction. Or Nahuṣa (a clan name), a gold-wheel-turning king, driven by desire, fell among pythons. Or again, the rṣi who ate fruit and wore grass, secluded in the deep mountains with disheveled hair seeking the Way, still could not escape being ruined by the thief of desire. Sensual pleasure is extremely little, while resentment and poison are extremely great. Those attached to desire draw near to bad friends and keep distant from good people. Desire is poisonous wine, in which fools are intoxicated and die; desire is a deception that drives foolish people into endless weariness and suffering, leaving them without self-mastery. Only by departing from desire are body and mind peaceful, with boundless joy. There is nothing to be gained from desire, like a dog gnawing a dry bone. Seeking desire is laborious; it is obtained only through extreme suffering; obtaining it is very difficult, and losing it is very easy. It is like a momentary loan whose momentum cannot last, like what is seen in a dream, vanishing in an instant. As for the affliction of desire: seeking it is suffering, obtaining it is also suffering, and obtaining much brings much suffering. Like fire receiving firewood, the more it is fed, the more fiercely it blazes; desire is like a piece of meat for which many birds fight. In brief: it is like a moth flying into a flame, like a fish swallowing a hook, like a deer chasing a sound, like a thirsty person drinking salt water. All sentient beings incur calamity because of desire, with no suffering not arriving. Therefore one should know that desire is a toxic harm; one should seek the first dhyāna to extinguish and sever the fire of desire. The practitioner, single-minded, diligent, faithful, and joyful, makes his mind advance without distraction. Contemplating desire with aversion in mind, he completely eliminates bonds and afflictions and attains the concentration of the first dhyāna; departing from the blazing fire of desire, he attains cool concentration, like getting shade when hot, like attaining wealth when poor. At that time, he attains the joy and initial thought of the first dhyāna. Reflecting upon the various virtues within dhyāna, and contemplating and discerning good and bad, he then attains one-pointedness of mind.

2.4

Question: 'When a person practicing dhyāna attains the characteristics of one-pointedness of mind, how can this be known?'

2.5

Answer: 'His facial expression is joyful and radiant; he walks slowly, serenely, and uprightly, without losing one-pointedness of mind; his eyes do not cling to visible forms; possessing divine virtue and the power of concentration, he does not crave fame or profit; he shatters arrogance, his nature is gentle, he harbors no toxic malice, and he is free from stinginess and jealousy; his straightforward faith and mind are pure, he does not argue in doctrinal debates, his body is free of deceit, and he is easy to speak with; he is pliable, possesses shame and conscience, his mind constantly abides in the Dharma, he practices diligence earnestly, keeps the precepts completely, recites the sūtras with correct recollection, acts in accordance with the Dharma, his mind is always delighted, and he does not become angry in frustrating situations; among the four kinds of offerings, he does not accept what is impure, but accepts pure gifts, knowing moderation and being content; when waking and rising he is agile, able to practice the two kinds of giving, patient in eradicating the perverse, unpretentious in debate, and sparse in speech; humble and reverent toward senior, middle, and junior monks, he always draws near to and complies with good teachers and good spiritual friends; he is moderate in food and drink, not attached to the flavors of desire, delights in solitary, quiet places, and whether in suffering or pleasure, his mind patiently endures without moving, free from resentment and rivalry, not fond of strife and litigation. By these various characteristics, one may know the characteristics of one-pointedness of mind.'

2.6

These two things, initial thought and sustained thought, disturb the mind in dhyāna concentration. Just as clear water is muddied when agitated by waves, so the practitioner, having already attained one-pointedness within, is distressed by initial and sustained thought; [eliminating them is] like gaining rest when exhausted, like finding peace in sleep. At that time, in sequence, free of initial thought and sustained thought, pure concentration is born, with internal clarity, joy, and bliss, and he attains entry into the second dhyāna.

2.7

The mind is serene and silent; having never attained it before, he now attains this joy. At that time, the mind contemplates and considers joy to be an affliction, just like initial and sustained thought above; practicing the dharma of joylessness, he then leaves the plane of joy, attains the bliss spoken of by the noble ones, and with one-pointedness of mind, careful understanding, mindfulness, and equanimity, attains entry into the third dhyāna.

2.8

Having abandoned joy, he carefully understands, remembers, and guards bliss with equanimity. The noble ones speak of the equanimity of bliss; for others it is difficult to relinquish, the foremost among pleasures, beyond which there is no further bliss. Therefore all noble ones, among all pure planes, speak of loving-kindness as the foremost bliss. Bliss is itself an affliction. Why? In the foremost dhyāna the mind does not stir or turn because there are no affairs; where there is stirring there is turning, and where there is turning there is suffering; therefore the third dhyāna considers bliss to be an affliction. Furthermore, with subtle excellence he relinquishes this suffering and bliss; having previously cast aside sorrow and joy, he removes the mind of suffering and bliss, and with purity of equanimity and mindfulness attains entry into the fourth dhyāna. Neither suffering nor pleasant, with equanimity, pure mindfulness, and one-pointedness of mind; therefore the Buddha said: 'Equanimity is the most pure and foremost; it is called the fourth dhyāna.' Because the bliss of the third dhyāna moves, it is called suffering; therefore the fourth dhyāna eliminates suffering and bliss, and is called the unmoving place.

2.9

Gradually contemplating the sphere of space, he shatters perceptions of internal and external forms, eradicates perceptions of resistance, and does not think upon perceptions of various forms; contemplating the sphere of boundless space, he constantly contemplates the faults of form; he thinks upon the superior, subtle virtues of the concentration of the sphere of space. Practicing mindfulness of this dharma, he attains the sphere of space.

2.10

Mindful of the sphere of boundless consciousness, he contemplates the faults of the sphere of space and is mindful of the virtues of the sphere of boundless consciousness. Practicing mindfulness of this dharma, he attains the sphere of consciousness.

2.11

Mindful of the sphere of nothingness, he contemplates the faults of the sphere of consciousness and is mindful of the virtues of the sphere of nothingness. Practicing mindfulness of this dharma, he then attains the sphere of nothingness.

2.12

Mindful of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception: if all perceptions have many afflictions, like a disease, like an ulcer, while non-perception is a place of foolishness; therefore, neither perception nor non-perception is the foremost, peaceful, and wholesome place. Contemplating the faults of the sphere of nothingness and mindful of the virtues of neither perception nor non-perception, practicing mindfulness of this dharma, he then attains the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception.

2.13

Or there is a practitioner who first proceeds from the initial plane up to the higher planes, and further on the higher planes practices loving-kindness: first attaining bliss himself, he shatters the poison of anger, and next extends it to boundless sentient beings in the ten directions. At that time, he attains the maitrī samādhi. With a mind of compassion pitying the suffering of sentient beings, he can destroy numerous afflictions, extending broadly to boundless sentient beings. At that time, he attains the karuṇā samādhi. Able to destroy displeasure, he causes boundless sentient beings to all attain joy and delight. At that time, he attains the muditā samādhi. Able to destroy suffering and pleasure, he directly contemplates boundless sentient beings in the ten directions; at that time, he attains the upekṣā samādhi. The second dhyāna is also like this; the third and fourth dhyānas exclude joy.

2.14

Next, one trains in the five supernormal knowledges, [whereby] the body can fly through the air and transform at will. The practitioner focuses their mind on samādhi born of desire, samādhi born of vīrya, samādhi born of single-mindedness, and samādhi born of wisdom. With single-mindedness, one contemplates the body, constantly forming the perception of lightness, wishing to accomplish flight. Whether [this perception] is too great or too small (excessive samādhi born of desire being "too great," and deficient samādhi born of desire being "too small")—both of these are faults. Exerting oneself with vīrya and ever able to be single-minded, one meditates on the contemplation of lightness: just like a person who can float, who does not sink because their mental strength is powerful; or like a monkey that falls from a height and suffers no pain or harm to its body because its mental strength is powerful. This too is like that: one causes the power of desire, the power of vīrya, the power of single-mindedness, and the power of wisdom to become vast and great, and the body [to become] ever lighter and smaller, whereupon one is able to transport the body.

2.15

Furthermore, one contemplates the space element of the body. Constantly practicing this contemplation, the power of desire, the power of vīrya, the power of single-mindedness, and the power of wisdom become extremely vast and great, whereupon one is able to lift the body. Just as the power of a great wind can carry heavy things far away, this too is like that! At first, one should test oneself by rising one foot or two feet off the ground, gradually reaching ten feet, and then returning to one's original place. Just as a young bird learns to fly or a small child learns to walk, reflecting and examining oneself, one knows that mental strength is great and will surely be able to reach far. One trains in contemplating the four great elements: removing the earth element and contemplating only the [other] three elements, with one's mental focus undistracted, one then attains mastery, and the body meets no obstacle, flying like a bird. One should also train in perceiving what is far as near, and for this reason what is near disappears and what is far emerges.

2.16

Furthermore, one is able to transform various objects. For instance, contemplating the earth element in wood and eliminating the other elements, this wood then transforms into earth. Why is this? Because wood has a portion of the earth element. Water, fire, wind, space, and treasures such as gold and silver are all like this. Why? Because wood has portions of all elements. This is the foundation of the first supernormal knowledge.

2.17

The fourth dhyāna has fourteen transformative minds. The first dhyāna has two results: first, the first dhyāna; second, the desire realm. The second dhyāna has three results: first, the second dhyāna; second, the first dhyāna; third, the desire realm. The third dhyāna has four results: first, the third dhyāna; second, the second dhyāna; third, the first dhyāna; fourth, the desire realm. The fourth dhyāna has five results: first, the fourth dhyāna; second, the third dhyāna; third, the second dhyāna; fourth, the first dhyāna; fifth, the desire realm. The remaining supernormal knowledges are as explained in the *Dàzhìdù lùn*.

2.18

Among the disciples of the Bhagavat who train in and practice the five Dharma gates with the resolve of seeking nirvāṇa, there are two kinds of people: some are inclined toward more samādhi because of its bliss; some are inclined toward more wisdom because they dread suffering and distress. Those with more samādhi first learn the methods of dhyāna and later learn nirvāṇa. Those with more wisdom proceed directly to nirvāṇa. As for those who proceed directly to nirvāṇa: having not yet severed the kleśas and having not yet attained dhyāna, they concentrate their minds without distraction and directly seek nirvāṇa, transcending craving and all other kleśas; this is called nirvāṇa.

2.19

The body is truly anitya, duḥkha, aśubha, and anātman, yet because the mind is subject to viparyāsa, it regards it as permanent, blissful, self, and pure. For this reason, in every respect one craves and is attached to one's body; such are base sentient beings. Because the practitioner wishes to destroy viparyāsa, they should practice the four applications of mindfulness: Contemplate the body in its various aspects, with its many sufferings and afflictions. Born of causes and conditions, it is therefore anitya; because of varied distress, it is therefore duḥkha; because the body contains thirty-six substances, it is therefore aśubha; because it does not have mastery, it is therefore anātman. Practicing such contemplation—contemplating the internal body, contemplating the external body, contemplating the internal and external body—practicing such contemplation is called mindfulness of the body.

2.20

The true mark of the body is like this! Why, in regard to this, does one give rise to viparyāsa and crave and cling to this body? Carefully reflecting and contemplating: pleasant sensation is bound up with the body; because one craves pleasant sensation, one is attached to this body. One should contemplate that pleasant sensation is truly unobtainable. How is it not obtained? One derives pleasure due to clothing and food, but when pleasure exceeds [its measure], suffering arises, so it is not true pleasure. Just as in the suffering of being afflicted by a sore, one applies medicine to treat it, and the cessation of pain is considered pleasure; because of a great suffering, one calls a small suffering pleasure, but it is not true pleasure. Furthermore, one takes old suffering as suffering and new suffering as pleasure. Just as when carrying a heavy load and shifting it to the other shoulder, one takes the new weight as pleasure, but it is not true or lasting pleasure. Just as the nature of fire is hot, without a moment of coldness: if it were true pleasure, there should be no displeasure.

2.21

Someone may ask: "External objects are pleasure; causes and conditions are not necessarily pleasure, being sometimes causes of pleasure and sometimes causes of suffering. If mental dharmas are associated with craving, then there is pleasure; when associated with anger, then there is suffering; when associated with delusion, there is neither suffering nor pleasure. Deducing from this, one can know whether there is pleasure or no pleasure."

2.22

The answer is: "It is not so. Rāga should not be [considered] pleasure. Why? If rāga were internal, one should not externally seek female beauty; in externally seeking female beauty, one should know that lust is suffering. If lust were pleasure, one should not abandon it from time to time; if it is abandoned, it should not be pleasure. In the midst of great suffering, one takes small suffering as pleasure. Just as a person condemned to death has their life spared and receives a flogging, and takes this as pleasure. When the lustful mind blazes, one takes desire as pleasure; in old age, weary of desire, one knows that desire is not pleasure. If it had the mark of true pleasure, weariness should not arise. Such various marks of pleasure from desire born of causes and conditions are truly unobtainable; when pleasure is lost, then there is suffering. The Buddha said: 'One should contemplate pleasant sensation as suffering; one should contemplate painful sensation as a dart in the flesh; one should contemplate neither-painful-nor-pleasant sensation as arising, perishing, and anitya.' This is called mindfulness of sensation."

2.23

One should know that the mind experiences suffering and pleasure, and experiences neither suffering nor pleasure. What is the mind? This mind is anitya, because it is born of causes and conditions. Arising and perishing without remaining, arising in similarity, only because of viparyāsa does one regard it as single. Originally non-existent and now existing, having existed and returning to non-existence, it is therefore anitya. One contemplates and knows the mind is empty. How is it empty? Born of causes and conditions: there is the eye and there is form, what can be seen and mindfulness, the desire to see, and so forth—in harmony, eye-consciousness arises. Just as with a sunstone, where there is the sun, the stone, dry grass, and cow dung, and when these many conditions come together, fire is produced from them. Searching each one individually, fire cannot be found; only when conditions combine is there fire. Eye-consciousness is also like this: it does not abide in the eye, nor does it abide in form, nor does it abide between the two; it has no place of abiding, yet it is also not non-existent. For this reason the Buddha said: 'Like an illusion, like a phantom.' The present mind contemplates the past mind as either suffering, or pleasure, or neither suffering nor pleasure; the minds are each distinct and each perishes. A mind with desire and a mind without desire are also like this: each distinct and each perishes. Contemplating the internal mind, contemplating the external mind, and contemplating the internal and external mind are also like this. This is called mindfulness of the mind.

2.24

Furthermore, one contemplates: to whom does the mind belong? Contemplating perception, thinking, mindfulness, desire, and other dharmas associated with the mind and unassociated with the mind, carefully looking for their master, a master is unobtainable. Why is this? Born of causes and conditions, they are therefore anitya; being anitya, they are duḥkha; being duḥkha, they lack mastery; lacking mastery, they are without a master; being without a master, they are empty. Previously, by contemplating body, sensation, mind, and dharmas separately, [a master] was unobtainable; now, comprehensively contemplating the four applications of mindfulness, a master is unobtainable, and seeking apart from these, [a master] is also unobtainable. If the permanent is unobtainable, the impermanent is also unobtainable. If it were permanent, it should always suffer or always enjoy pleasure, and should never forget. If there were a permanent soul, there would be no sin of killing or harming, and there would also be no nirvāṇa. If the body were the soul, when the anitya body is destroyed, the soul should also be destroyed, and there would be no future lives, nor would there be sin or merit. Thus comprehensively contemplating that there is no master, all dharmas are empty and lack mastery; arising because causes and conditions combine, and perishing because causes and conditions dissolve—dharmas combined of conditions such as these: this is called mindfulness of dharmas.

2.25

If the practitioner attains mindfulness of dharmas, they become weary of the worldly dharmas of emptiness, old age, sickness, and death: there is not the slightest permanence, bliss, self, or purity. What more should I seek in these empty dharmas? I should enter and abide within the supreme good dharma of nirvāṇa. Establishing the power of vīrya, because one attains deep śamatha (deep śamatha is the name for fixing the mind in one place; this land has no such term). At that time, attaining deep śamatha and abiding in the fourth application of mindfulness of dharmas, one contemplates the marks of all dharmas as all duḥkha and without pleasure. 'Without pleasure' is real; the rest is false speech. Suffering has as its causes craving and other kleśas as well as karma; it is not born from various falsehoods such as God, Time, or Pradhāna. Kleśas and karma give birth to it; this suffering is truly suffering.

2.26

When one enters nirvāṇa, everything is completely extinguished; it is not that the form realm, formless realm, or the beginning of the world (heretics regard the beginning of all existing dharmas, form, as the beginning of the world, which heretics call nirvāṇa; because of this having a beginning, it can transform and create the myriad things, which is termed 'Creation'), and such various false statements can extinguish this suffering. The eightfold [path] of right view and so forth is directly the path to nirvāṇa, not the austerities of other heretics, their various futile holding of precepts, futile dhyāna, and futile wisdom. Why? In the Buddhadharma, the three dharmas of precepts, samādhi, and wisdom practiced in unison enable one to enter nirvāṇa. For example, a person standing on level ground, holding a fine bow and arrow, can shoot and kill hostile bandits; the three dharmas practiced in unison are also like this! Precepts are the level ground, dhyāna is the swift bow, and wisdom is the sharp arrow. With these three things fully prepared, one can kill the bandits of kleśas. For this reason, the crowd of heretics does not attain nirvāṇa.

2.27

The practitioner at that time takes the four dharmas as conditions, contemplating the conditions like shooting an arrow at a target. Contemplating suffering in four ways: born of causes and conditions, it is therefore anitya; afflicting body and mind, it is therefore duḥkha; because not a single thing can be found, it is therefore empty; because there is no creator and no receiver, it is therefore anātman. Contemplating origin in four ways: because kleśas and defiled karma combine, it is accumulation; because similar fruits are born, it is cause; because all conditioned states are attained within it, it is arising; because dissimilar fruits continue in succession, it is condition. Contemplating cessation in four ways: because all kleśas are closed off, it is confinement; because the fire of kleśas is eliminated, it is cessation; because it is the foremost among all dharmas, it is exquisite; because it transcends the world, it is departure. Contemplating the path in four ways: because it can reach nirvāṇa, it is the path; because it is non-viparyāsa, it is right; because it is the place traversed by all noble ones, it is the track; because it attains liberation from worldly sorrow and affliction, it is release. One who contemplates in this way attains dharmas resembling the undefiled, which are called the 'heat' dharmas. Why are they called 'heat'? Because of constantly exerting vīrya, they are called 'heat' dharmas. The fuel of all kleśas is burned by the fire of undefiled wisdom; the initial sign of the fire about to emerge is called the 'heat' dharmas. For example, in drilling for fire, smoke first emerges from drilling—this is called heat; this is the initial sign of the path to nirvāṇa.

2.28

Among the disciples of the Buddha there are two kinds of people: First, those who are inclined toward single-mindedly seeking dhyāna; these people follow the defiled path. Second, those who mostly eliminate craving and attachment and take delight in true wisdom; these people proceed directly to nirvāṇa, entering the heat dharmas. One with the sign of heat deeply attains single-mindedness, and the mirror of the true mark reaches the edge of the undefiled realm (a reflection in a mirror resembles a face, and the edge of a realm is not its center, hence this is used as an analogy). At that time, the practitioner attains great tranquility, reflecting to oneself: 'I will surely attain nirvāṇa, because I have seen this path.' Just as a person digging a well reaches moist mud and knows they will obtain water before long; or like a person attacking bandits, the bandits have already retreated and scattered, and knowing oneself victorious, one's mind is at peace; or like a person terrified of death, and someone wants to know if they will live: one should first test them by striking the body with a staff—if welts and blood vessels rise, one knows there is heat and they can surely live; or like a person listening to the Dharma who reflects with joy and whose mind is engrossed, at that time the mind is warmed. The practitioner having the heat dharmas in this way is therefore said to have heat, and it is also called the roots of good conducive to attaining nirvāṇa. These dharmas of good roots possess the sixteen aspects of the four truths, condition the wisdom in one of the six grounds, and serve as the foundation of all undefiled dharmas; a worldly person can practice it with tranquility (being distant from the undefiled, one is called a 'rustic' [or worldly person]; examining the Sanskrit text it is so, whereas previously saying 'an ordinary person' was incorrect)—this is called the heat dharmas.

2.29

Advancing further upward, it is renamed the 'summit dharma' (mūrdhan), just as milk turns into curds. This person contemplates the true mark of dharmas, [thinking]: 'I shall attain liberation from suffering.' The mind loves this dharma as the genuine dharma, able to eliminate various kinds of suffering and afflictions, as well as old age, sickness, and death. At this time, he contemplates: 'Who spoke this dharma? It is the Buddha, the Bhagavat!' From this, he attains pure faith and great joy in the Buddha jewel. [He reflects:] 'If this dharma did not exist, who could ward off all kleśas? How could I attain even a little illumination of real wisdom?' From this, he attains pure faith and great joy in the Dharma jewel. [He reflects:] 'If I had not obtained good companions among the disciples of the Buddha, how could I attain even a little illumination of real wisdom?' From this, he attains pure faith and great joy in the Saṅgha jewel. Within these Three Jewels, he attains single-minded purity conjoined with real wisdom. This is the summit root of goodness, also called the summit dharma, and also called a root of goodness conducive to the attainment of nirvāṇa. As it is said in the Pārāyana-sūtra:

2.30

“Whoever has even a slight pure faith
In the treasures of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha—
This is named the summit root of goodness;
You should uphold it single-mindedly!”

2.31

Why is it called 'slight faith'? Beside the Buddha, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and arhats, it is slight; beside ordinary persons (pṛthagjana), it is great. Furthermore, this can be broken and can be lost, and is therefore called slight. As the Dharmapada says:

2.32

“The plantain bears fruit and dies;
The bamboo bearing fruit is also thus!
A mule having offspring dies;
A petty person receiving offerings dies.
Through destruction and loss that are unprofitable,
The petty person gains renown;
His white and pure qualities are completely lost,
Falling away even from the summit dharma.”

2.33

Furthermore, because he has not yet severed the fetters and has not yet attained the untainted, immeasurable mind of wisdom, for this reason it is called slight.

2.34

Furthermore, with zealous vīrya and single-mindedness entering the path of nirvāṇa, he contemplates even more clearly the five aggregates and the sixteen aspects of the four truths. At this time, his mind does not shrink, does not regret, and does not regress; loving and delighting [in them], he enters acceptance (kṣānti). This is named the root of goodness of acceptance. What does he accept? He accords with the contemplation and practice of the four truths; this is named acceptance. This root of goodness is of three kinds: the three stages of superior, middling, and inferior.

2.35

Why is it named acceptance? He contemplates the five aggregates as impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self; the mind accepts this and does not regress. This is named acceptance.

2.36

Furthermore, he contemplates that all worlds are entirely suffering and empty, without any pleasure. This suffering is caused by the accumulation of craving and other kleśas; the knowledge of this origin whose object is cessation is named the supreme dharma, than which nothing is higher. The eightfold correct path can enable the practitioner to reach nirvāṇa, than which nothing is higher. With such faithful mind, without regret and without doubt, to accept this is named acceptance. Within this there is further acceptance: various fetters and various kleśas, doubts and regrets, entering into the mind, are unable to shatter it—just as various winds and waters cannot dislodge a stone mountain. Therefore it is named acceptance, and on this account he is named a genuinely good ordinary person. As the Buddha said in the Dharmapada:

2.37

“Of the supreme right view in the world,
Who has attained more?
Even for thousands or myriads of years,
He will never fall into the evil destinies.”

2.38

This worldly right view is named the root of goodness of acceptance.

2.39

When this person advances greatly, single-mindedly and utterly revulsed by worldly activities, wishing to clearly realize the marks of the four truths and realize them to proceed toward nirvāṇa—within such a single mind, this is named the supreme worldly dharmas (laukikāgradharma). At one time he abides in four aspects: impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self, contemplating one truth, because it shares the same condition as the acceptance of the dharma of suffering (duḥkhe dharma-jñāna-kṣānti). Why? He contemplates the five appropriated aggregates of the desire realm as impermanent, suffering, empty, and non-self. Within this, the mental acceptance entering wisdom, as well as the associated mind and mental factors, is named the acceptance of the dharma of suffering. Bodily action, vocal action, and formations non-associated with mind—the initial gateway to all untainted dharmas of the present and future lives—are named the acceptance of the dharma of suffering (the dharma is the untainted dharma; acceptance is faithful reception).

2.40

Next arises the knowledge of the dharma of suffering (duḥkhe dharma-jñāna). The acceptance of the dharma of suffering severs the fetters; the knowledge of the dharma of suffering realizes it. For example, one person reaps and one person binds; or like a sharp blade cutting bamboo, which immediately topples when it catches the wind—through the effort of acceptance and knowledge, this matter is accomplished. Regarding the seeing of suffering bound to the desire realm, upon severing the ten fetters, one attains possession (prāpti). At that time, a different conventional knowledge is attained; untainted knowledge has not yet been attained, but untainted wisdom is attained. At this time one knowledge is accomplished (conventional knowledge will be accomplished in the future). In the second mind-moment, one accomplishes dharma knowledge, knowledge of suffering, and conventional knowledge. Passing through the third and fourth mind-moments, one accomplishes four knowledges: knowledge of suffering, dharma knowledge, subsequent knowledge, and conventional knowledge. In the dharma knowledges of origin, cessation, and path, each knowledge increases; for a person free from desire, the accomplishment of knowledge of others' minds increases. The subsequent acceptance of suffering and subsequent knowledge of suffering sever eighteen fetters; these four mind-moments are able to attain the truth of suffering. The dharma acceptance of origin and dharma knowledge of origin sever seven fetters bound to the desire realm; the subsequent acceptance of origin and subsequent knowledge of origin sever thirteen fetters bound to the form and formless realms. The dharma acceptance of cessation and dharma knowledge of cessation sever seven fetters bound to the desire realm; the subsequent acceptance of cessation and subsequent knowledge of cessation sever twelve fetters bound to the form and formless realms. The dharma acceptance of the path and dharma knowledge of the path sever eight fetters bound to the desire realm; the subsequent acceptance of the path and subsequent knowledge of the path sever fourteen fetters bound to the form and formless realms. The subsequent knowledge of the path is named the srotaāpanna (inferior son and superior son), who truly knows the marks of dharmas.

2.41

These sixteen mind-moments are efficacious. Within the fifteen mind-moments, one of sharp faculties is called a follower of dharma (dharmānusārin), and one of dull faculties is called a follower of faith (śraddhānusārin). These two persons have not yet departed from desire and are said to be practicing toward the first fruit. Having not previously severed the fetters, upon attaining the sixteen mind-moments, one is called a srotaāpanna. If one had previously severed six grades of fetters, upon attaining the sixteen mind-moments, one is called a sakṛdāgāmin (in the language of Qin, 'once-returner'). If one had previously severed nine grades of fetters, upon attaining the sixteen mind-moments, one is called an anāgāmin (in the language of Qin, 'non-returner'). Having not previously departed from desire, because one severs eighty-eight fetters, one is called a srotaāpanna; furthermore, because one attains the possession of the untainted fruit and roots of goodness, one is called a srotaāpanna. One of sharp faculties is called 'attained through vision'; one of dull faculties is called 'freed through faith'. The fetters of cultivation having not yet been severed, there remain at most seven rebirths. If three kinds of fetters of cultivation are severed, one is called a kulaṃkula, having three rebirths. The eightfold noble path and thirty-seven limbs are called the stream; the stream flows toward nirvāṇa, and because one flows along with this stream, one is called a srotaāpanna, who is the Buddha's first child of merit. Delivered from the evil destinies, with three fetters severed and the three poisons attenuated, one is called a sakṛdāgāmin. Furthermore, the fetters of the desire realm are of nine kinds (superior-superior, superior-middling, superior-inferior, middling-superior, middling-middling, middling-inferior, inferior-superior, inferior-middling, inferior-inferior), severed by seeing the truths or severed by cultivation.

2.42

If an ordinary person, having previously severed six kinds of fetters bound to the desire realm by means of the tainted path, enters into the sixteen mind-moments of the path of seeing the truths, he is named a sakṛdāgāmin. If eight kinds are severed, upon entering into the sixteenth mind-moment of the path of seeing the truths, this one kind is named a sakṛdāgāmin fruit [practitioner] heading toward an anāgāmin.

2.43

If a disciple of the Buddha attains srotaāpanna by merely severing the three fetters, and desires to attain sakṛdāgāmin, this is the severance through cultivation of the nine kinds of fetters bound to the desire realm; severing six kinds is named a sakṛdāgāmin; severing eight kinds is named one kind of sakṛdāgāmin fruit [practitioner] heading toward an anāgāmin.

2.44

If an ordinary person has previously severed the nine kinds of fetters bound to the desire realm, upon entering the sixteenth mind-moment of the path of seeing the truths, he is named an anāgāmin. If, having attained sakṛdāgāmin, he advances to sever the three kinds of cultivation fetters, at the ninth path of liberation he is named an anāgāmin.

2.45

There are nine kinds of anāgāmin: the anāgāmin who definitely enters nirvāṇa in the present life, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa in the intermediate state, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa upon being reborn, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa with exertion, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa without exertion, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa by moving upward, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa upon reaching Akaniṣṭha, the anāgāmin who enters nirvāṇa upon reaching formless absorption, and the bodily witness anāgāmin who is practicing toward arhatship. Regarding the nine kinds of fetters of the form and formless realms, with the vajra-samādhi of the ninth unhindered path he shatters all fetters, and with the ninth path of liberation and the knowledge of exhaustion he cultivates all roots of goodness; this is named the fruit of arhatship.

2.46

There are nine kinds of arhat: of the falling dharma, of the non-falling dharma, of the dying dharma, of the guarding dharma, of the abiding dharma, of the dharma of certain knowing, of the indestructible dharma, liberated through wisdom, and doubly liberated. One of weak wisdom and weak vīrya who falls from the practice of the five dharmas is named 'of the falling dharma'. One of sharp wisdom and sharp vīrya who does not fall from the practice of the five dharmas is named 'of the non-falling dharma'. One of weak wisdom and weak vīrya who is sharp in revulsion and contemplation, and commits suicide, is named 'of the dying dharma'. One of weak wisdom and great vīrya who protects himself is named 'of the guarding dharma'. One of middling wisdom and middling vīrya, who neither increases nor decreases but abides in the middle, is named 'of the abiding dharma'. One of slightly sharp wisdom and zealous vīrya who is able to attain indestructible liberation of mind is named 'of the dharma of certain knowing'. One of sharp wisdom and great vīrya who attains indestructible liberation of mind from the very beginning is named 'of the indestructible dharma'. One who cannot enter the dhyānas, but has exhausted all outpourings in the threshold state, is named 'liberated through wisdom'. One who attains the dhyānas and also attains the dhyāna of cessation, exhausting all outpourings, is named 'doubly liberated'.

2.47

There are arhats who are constantly revulsed by and contented regarding all conditioned dharmas, who no longer seek merit, and merely await their time to enter nirvāṇa. There are arhats who seek the four dhyānas, the four formless absorptions, the four immeasurables, the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the ten totalities, entering the nine successive [absorptions], the six supernormal knowledges, the knowledge of aspirations, and the araṇā-samādhi (in the language of Qin, 'non-contention'. Araṇā means 'without affairs', or 'empty and tranquil'. Formerly it was said that Subhūti constantly practiced emptiness and tranquility; this practice is incorrect—it is simply the practice of non-contention! Non-contention means protecting sentient beings so as not to cause contention to arise toward oneself, as when Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana stayed overnight in a potter's shed, causing Kokālika to give rise to contention), transcending samādhi, perfuming dhyāna, the three gateways to liberation, and abandoning (abandoning refers to the three gateways to liberation: emptiness, wishlessness, and signlessness; emptiness, wishlessness, and signlessness are themselves the twelve gates of mindfulness that overturn attachment). Further producing sharp wisdom and zealous vīrya, entering into the merits of such dhyānas, this is named attaining the non-falling dharma and the indestructible dharma.

2.48

When a buddha does not appear in the world, and there is neither Buddha-Dharma nor disciples, at that time a pratyekabuddha free from desire appears. There are three kinds of pratyekabuddhas: superior, middling, and inferior. The inferior kind originally attained srotaāpanna or sakṛdāgāmin. If this srotaāpanna is reborn among humans in his seventh rebirth, at that time there is no Buddha-Dharma, and he cannot become a disciple; moreover, he should not be reborn an eighth time, so at that time he becomes a pratyekabuddha. If a sakṛdāgāmin is reborn in his second lifetime, at that time there is no Buddha-Dharma, and he cannot become a disciple; moreover, he should not be reborn a third time, so at that time he becomes a pratyekabuddha. If a person aspired to become a pratyekabuddha and planted the roots of goodness of a pratyekabuddha, when there is no Buddha-Dharma and his roots of goodness ripen, he then feels revulsion toward the world, leaves household life, and attains the path, being named a pratyekabuddha; this is named a middling pratyekabuddha. If a person sought the Buddha path, but his power of wisdom and power of vīrya were deficient, and he regressed due to causes and conditions (such as Śāriputra was), then when no buddha appears in the world and there is neither Buddha-Dharma nor disciples, yet his practice of roots of goodness has ripened, he becomes a pratyekabuddha, possessing fewer or more major and minor marks, feels revulsion toward the world, leaves household life, and attains the path; this is named a superior pratyekabuddha.

2.49

Among dharmas, shallow entry of wisdom is called an arhat; middling entry is called a pratyekabuddha; deep entry is called a Buddha. It is like seeing a tree from afar and being unable to distinguish the branches; slightly closer, one can distinguish the branches, but cannot distinguish the flowers and leaves; arriving under the tree, one can distinguish and know all the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. A śrāvaka can know that all conditioned formations are impermanent, that all dharmas have no master, and that only nirvāṇa is good and secure. A śrāvaka can contemplate in this way, but cannot distinguish with deep entry and deep knowledge; a pratyekabuddha can distinguish a little, but also cannot deeply enter and deeply know; a Buddha knows dharmas with exhaustive clarity, deeply entering and deeply knowing them.

2.50

It is like the king of Vārāṇasī who, in the heat of summer, was on an upper story sitting on a couch of the seven precious things. He had a serving-maid grind ox-head sandalwood fragrance and rub it on his body. The maid wore many bangles on her arms, and as she rubbed the king's body, the sound of the bangles filled his ears, which greatly vexed the king. He instructed her to take them off one by one; with fewer bangles the sound grew faint, and when only a single bangle remained, it was quiet and without sound. The king was then awakened and said: 'State, ministers, subjects, palace folk, and court ladies—having many affairs and many vexations is just like this!' He immediately renounced desire, dwelt alone in contemplation, and attained pratyekabuddhahood. His hair and beard fell away naturally, natural robes clad his body, and departing from the pavilion, he used the power of his supernatural locomotion to go forth from the household life into the mountains. Conditions such as this are of the middling kind of pratyekabuddha.

2.51

If a practitioner seeking the Buddha path enters dhyāna, he should first fasten his mind and exclusively recollect the physical bodies of all Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times. He must not recollect earth, water, fire, wind, mountains, trees, grass, and plants, any kind of form between heaven and earth, nor any other dharmas at all. He should only recollect the physical bodies of the Buddhas abiding in empty space, like Mount Sumeru, the king of golden mountains, in the midst of the clear water of the great ocean; like a great fire kindled in the darkness of the night; like a banner of the seven precious things in a hall of great giving. The Buddha's body is thus, endowed with the thirty-two marks and eighty minor signs, constantly emitting immeasurable pure radiance. Amid the blue expanse of empty space, he should constantly recollect the marks of the Buddha's body in this way. The practitioner will then attain the samādhi in which the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times are all before his mind's eye, completely seen. If his mind should take an object elsewhere, he draws it back, making it abide in recollection of the Buddha's body. Then he will see in the east hundreds of thousands of myriad kotis of kinds of immeasurable Buddhas. So too in the south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, and below: toward whichever direction he directs his thought, he sees all Buddhas. It is like a person observing constellations at night, seeing hundreds of thousands of immeasurable kinds of stars all at once.

2.52

When a bodhisattva attains this samādhi, heavy sins of immeasurable kalpas are made light, and light ones are eliminated. Having attained this samādhi, he should recollect the Buddha's various immeasurable virtues: omniscience, complete understanding, complete vision, complete excellence, obtaining the sovereignty of great friendliness and great compassion, having originally broken through the eggshell of ignorance, the four fearlessnesses, the five eyes, the ten powers, and the eighteen unshared dharmas—able to eliminate immeasurable suffering, save from the fear of aging and death, and bestow the eternal bliss of nirvāṇa. The Buddha has such various immeasurable virtues. Having reflected thus, he makes this vow: 'When shall I attain the Buddha's body and the Buddha's virtues, so magnificent as these?' Again he makes a great vow: 'All past merits and all present merits, I dedicate them entirely to seeking the Buddha path, desiring no other reward.' Again he reflects: 'All sentient beings are truly pitiable! The virtues of the Buddhas' bodies are magnificent like this; why do sentient beings seek other karmic rewards instead of seeking the Buddha?' It is like the blind son of an aristocratic family who falls into a great deep pit, destitute with hunger and distress, eating dung and mud. His father takes great pity on him, seeks an expedient means, rescues him from the deep pit, and feeds him superior delicacies. The practitioner reflects: 'The virtues and amṛta of the Buddha's two kinds of bodies are like this, yet sentient beings fall into the deep pit of saṃsāra and eat all impurities. With a heart of great compassion, I shall rescue all sentient beings, cause them to attain the Buddha path and cross the shore of saṃsāra, and satisfy them fully with the Dharma flavor of the Buddha's various virtues. I vow to attain all the Buddha dharmas! Hearing, reciting, retaining, and questioning; contemplating and practicing to attain the fruits—acting as a stairway for them, I establish a great solemn vow, put on the armor of the three vows, defeat the host of Māra outwardly, strike down the thieves of defilement inwardly, and go straight forward without turning back. In this way, compared with immeasurable vows, may all abide in these three vows, for the sake of delivering sentient beings to attain the Buddha path.' Such recollection and such vows are the bodhisattva's recollection-of-the-Buddha samādhi.

2.53

One who practices the bodhisattva path, if lust is predominant among the three poisons, should first contemplate his own body: bones, flesh, skin, tendons, veins, flowing blood, liver, lungs, intestines, stomach, feces, urine, snot, and spit—the thirty-six substances and the nine contemplations of impurity, focusing the mind on internal contemplation without allowing external thoughts; external thoughts of various objects are gathered and brought back. It is like a person holding a lamp and entering a granary of mixed grains, distinguishing beans, wheat, panicled millet, and foxtail millet, leaving none unrecognized. Furthermore, contemplate the six constituents of the body: hardness is the earth constituent, moisture is the water constituent, warmth is the fire constituent, movement is the wind constituent, cavities are the space constituent, and knowing is the consciousness constituent. It is also like butchering an ox and dividing it into six parts: torso, head, and four limbs, each in a different place. The body has nine apertures, constantly discharging impurity, a leather bag containing feces. Constantly perform this contemplation without allowing external thoughts; external thoughts of various objects are gathered and brought back. If one-pointedness of mind is attained, a feeling of disgust and weariness arises in the mind, seeking to be free of this body, wishing to make it quickly cease and to enter nirvāṇa early. At that time, one should give rise to great friendliness and great compassion, and with great merit rescue sentient beings, bringing forth the former three vows: 'Because sentient beings do not know impurity and give rise to sins and defilements, I shall raise them up and place them in the ground of amṛta. Furthermore, sentient beings of the desire realm delight in clinging to impurity like dogs eating dung; I shall deliver them to the pure path. Furthermore, I should learn to seek the true mark of dharmas: neither permanent nor impermanent, neither pure nor impure. How could I cling to this impurity? The wisdom that contemplates impurity arises from causes and conditions. One who follows my Dharma should seek the true mark; how could I be disgusted by the impurities in the body and seize nirvāṇa? I should be like a great elephant crossing a swift current, reaching the very bottom of the source, realizing the true mark of dharmas and ceasing into nirvāṇa; how could I be like monkeys and hares who fear the swift current and hasten only to cross for their own bodies? I should now train according to the bodhisattva's dharma, practicing the contemplation of impurity to eliminate lust, widely converting sentient beings to make them leave the affliction of desire, without being submerged in disgust by the contemplation of impurity.'

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坐禪三昧經 — Classical Chinese