The Object of Meditative States

The Great Calming and Contemplation, Fascicle Nine, Upper Part
Spoken by the Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai, of the Sui dynasty
Recorded by his disciple Guanding

Sixth, contemplating the object of meditative states: prolonged illness and distant travel are both obstacles to meditative concentration. The *Lokasthiti-abhidharma* says: "Frequent contention, frequent involvement in worldly affairs, are likewise obstacles to meditative concentration; excessive reading and recitation, too, is an obstacle to meditative concentration." The *Sūtra of Mañjuśrī's Questions on Bodhi* says: "Meditative concentration has thirty-six defilements" — defilement is precisely obstruction. Once one has gained entry through the objects treated above, one arrives at the pool of coolness; once one has entered the very stream, there ought to be no further need to contemplate the object of meditative states at all. Yet should demonic affairs have already passed, while genuine clarity has not yet arisen, then, though no separate cultivation of meditative states is undertaken, the general cultivation already underway stirs up habituation accumulated in the past, and every manner of meditative state arises in confused profusion — at just this point one ought to set aside the contemplation of demonic affairs and take up the contemplation of these meditative states instead. Why is this so? The bliss of meditative absorption is so exquisite that delight readily gives rise to indulgent attachment, and this very defilement grows daily thicker. Should one take it for the path itself, one falls into overweening pride; should one instead rebuke and cast it entirely aside, one loses every skillful means it might have offered. Faults of this kind cannot be recorded in full. Though one may thereby escape the harm of demons, one becomes bound instead by meditative concentration itself — like fleeing fire only to fall into water, gaining nothing at all from such a samādhi. For this reason, one must contemplate the object of meditative states. The branch-factors and various concentrations belonging to dhyāna are of great assistance to the path, and both the greater and lesser vehicles' scriptures alike praise them without exception. As for the four dhyānas and the eight concentrations, the *Abhidharma* and the *Satyasiddhi-śāstra* explain them in exhaustive detail; as for the nine dhyānas of inherent nature, the *Bodhisattva-bhūmi* and the *Daśabhūmika* treat them with great clarity. Here, too, their manifestation-marks shall be briefly indicated, treated roughly in four parts: first, clarifying their opening and closing classification; second, the causes and conditions of their arising; third, clarifying their manifestation-marks; fourth, cultivating calming-and-contemplation.

First, clarifying opening and closing classification: the gates of dhyāna are without measure, but here they shall be treated in terms of ten gates: first, the four root dhyānas; second, the sixteen special excellences; third, the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna; fourth, the nine contemplations; fifth, the eight liberations; sixth, the great impurity contemplation; seventh, loving-kindness; eighth, dependent origination; ninth, buddha-recollection; tenth, spiritual powers. How do these ten gates relate to a fivefold and a fifteenfold grouping — are they the same or different? They differ only in how they are opened apart or closed together. As for opening five into ten: the counting of the breath opens out into the special excellences and the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna; impurity opens out into the eight liberations and the great impurity contemplation; loving-kindness and dependent origination each keep to their own root category; the buddha-recollection gate — named "the expedient means of the realm" in the *Abhidharma*, and "buddha-recollection" in the *Dhyāna Sūtra* — likewise keeps to its own root category; spiritual powers arise upon the foundation of the nine dhyānas taken together, and are not confined to any single method alone. As for closing fifteen into ten: counting the breath and impurity each have three subdivisions, which are not further combined; loving-kindness has three subdivisions, but these are combined into one, namely loving-kindness toward sentient beings. As for the two names dropped: dhyāna is the gateway explaining the sequence of concrete practice; conditioned loving-kindness is the two vehicles' entry into principle-contemplation; unconditioned loving-kindness is the Mahāyāna's entry into principle-contemplation — dropping the principle-aspect and removing these two, only the concrete-practice aspect remains as a single category. Were one to open them apart instead, they would belong, respectively, within the objects of the two vehicles and of the bodhisattva. Dependent origination likewise has three gates: the coarse turning through the three time-periods, and the fine clarification of retributive result and of a single thought-moment — the fine being fine because it adjoins principle, the coarse being coarse because it belongs to concrete practice; here the fine is dropped and the coarse retained, so it is simply called "the three-time-period gate." Buddha-recollection likewise has three, but here only recollection of the response-body Buddha is taken up. Spiritual powers here take up only the five mundane powers. Were one to take up only the fivefold grouping, something would be left uncollected; were one to take up the full fifteen, the sense would overflow into principle — hence principle is set aside and concrete practice alone is opened out. Though the opening and closing differ, each has its own proper sense. Next, clarifying the contaminated and the uncontaminated: according to the *Abhidharma*'s judgment, all ten of these dhyānas are named "contaminated"; cultivation taken up with the wisdom of the truths is named "uncontaminated dhyāna" — otherwise, cultivation taken up with mere concrete practice is named "contaminated dhyāna." The *Satyasiddhi* holds likewise: the root dhyānas and the rest are contaminated; cultivation with the mind of emptiness and marklessness is named uncontaminated. Here the position differs slightly: the very substance and marks of these ten dhyānas are themselves contaminated, being uniformly dhyānas of concrete practice — though, should a bitter cucumber prove capable of serving as a cause and condition for feverish illness, some slight distinction must then be drawn. The four dhyānas exist inherently in the world, shared alike by ordinary beings and non-Buddhist practitioners; one who cultivates them exclusively produces only the contaminated. Practiced for oneself, they comprise the twelve gates; used to convert others, they are praised by both the teaching and the one who teaches it. The Great Sūtra's phrase "the so-called forty-eight years" carries precisely this same sense. The sixteen special excellences and the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna may be cultivated even by sharp-faculty ordinary beings in an age when no buddha has appeared in the world, though without producing the uncontaminated; should the Tathāgata himself expound them, they do produce the uncontaminated. Compared to the other dhyānas, their power, though weaker, still exceeds that of the root dhyānas — for this reason they are called "both contaminated and uncontaminated." The nine contemplations and the rest are supramundane guest-dharmas: though themselves concrete practices, they are able to guard against the fault of desire, and, without needing to wait upon the wisdom of the truths, are able to produce the uncontaminated. As when the five hundred arhats under Kāṭyāyana, each taught the Four Noble Truths seven times over, were unable to awaken to the path, yet the Buddha's teaching of impurity produced the uncontaminated at once — the power of world-weariness being so strong, they are judged to belong to the uncontaminated. Were they said not to be uncontaminated, they could not rightly be called noble precepts, noble concentration, and noble wisdom — "noble" (聖) means "correct" (正), and how could correctness ever exceed the uncontaminated? The Great Sūtra says: "Noble conduct is the very domain of the buddhas, not something the two lesser vehicles can know... yet the Buddha taught this very dharma, and the two lesser vehicles undertook it in practice, hence it is named noble conduct." Since the Buddha here taught a noble dharma, and the two lesser vehicles practiced it, how could it fail to be uncontaminated? Further, the *Larger Prajñāpāramitā* says: "The root dhyānas are mundane dharma-giving; impurity and the rest are supramundane dharma-giving." Since it is called supramundane, how could it fail to be uncontaminated? It further says: "The nine contemplations open out into impurity; impurity opens out into the foundation of mindfulness of the body; the foundation of mindfulness of the body opens out into the three foundations of mindfulness; the three foundations of mindfulness open out into the thirty-seven factors; the thirty-seven factors open out into nirvāṇa." Could this very first condition leading to nirvāṇa possibly fail to be uncontaminated? Were one to insist that concrete-practice dhyāna must be contaminated, this would be like two kinds of medicinal stone, one heating and one cooling — though both alike belong to concrete-practice cures, contaminated and uncontaminated must still differ between them. Were cultivation taken up with an uncontaminated object called uncontaminated, then the sixth ground's severing of views and the seventh ground's severing of habituated thought, these too being objects taken up, ought likewise to be uncontaminated — yet those who sever views and habituated thought at the sixth and seventh grounds never employ the root dhyānas alone, but must necessarily draw upon the wisdom of the truths, this arising precisely at that very stage; employing the root dhyānas alone is not an uncontaminated object. Impurity and the rest are not so — impurity itself, directly, is able to serve as the very condition, and so on. As for why the ten contemplations are not taken up here: the first three pertain to the truths as directly seen, the middle four to habituated reflection, and the last three to the stage beyond further learning — all belonging to principle, and hence not taken up here. As for why the eight recollections are not taken up: some cultivate the nine contemplations without dread already, and, further, the buddha-recollection gate already gathers this in, hence they are not taken up separately. The contemplation of loving-kindness belongs to both categories at once: cultivated on the foundation of the root dhyānas, loving-kindness belongs to the contaminated; cultivated on the foundation of impurity and the rest, it belongs to the uncontaminated. Loving-kindness itself has no fixed stage, but, in terms of gradations by stage, loving-kindness founded on the root dhyānas becomes loving-kindness toward sentient beings, while loving-kindness founded on the liberations becomes loving-kindness founded on the Dharma. Dependent origination likewise has no separate stage of its own; buddha-recollection and the five spiritual powers are likewise graded according to another's stage, exactly parallel to loving-kindness's belonging to both categories at once, and so on.

Next, how the reason for treating them here differs from elsewhere. Question: how do these ten gates here relate to the *Sequential Dharma-Gates of Dhyāna* and to the antidotes treated in the preliminary expedients — are they the same or different? Answer: the *Sequential Dharma-Gates* aims at accomplishing the pāramitā of dhyāna, where the wholesome root of dhyāna is itself sharp, so the gates of dhyāna arise first, and good and evil are only tested afterward; here, by contrast, the aim is accomplishing prajñā, where the wholesome root of dhyāna is dull, so that affliction obstructs first, one encounters karma and meets with Māra, and only afterward does dhyāna finally arise. Within the antidotes of the preliminary expedients, the aim is breaking through obstruction so as to cultivate an accomplished auxiliary to the path; here, by contrast, these arise of their own accord, spontaneously, and are then themselves taken up as the object of contemplation. Though the gates of dhyāna are the same in each case, each context carries its own proper sense, and so on. Next, clarifying the differing order of depth: the four dhyānas are the root, darkly realized, savored dhyānas, shared in common by ordinary beings and sages alike, obtainable with only slight cultivation. The special excellences possess a small measure of contemplative wisdom, neither savored nor darkly realized, matched horizontally to the foundations of mindfulness and vertically to the root dhyānas — hence the savored is treated first and the pure afterward. The penetrating-and-clear dhyāna's own contemplative wisdom realizes its object with still greater depth and subtlety, this subtlety following upon the more general treatment before it. These three are alike root, genuine contemplations, whose power to overcome affliction remains weak. The nine contemplations are precisely the first gate of visualized practice, a vanguard subduing desire — hence they are listed next. The nine contemplations merely produce world-weariness toward the outer object, without yet treating the mind itself — hence the eight liberations follow next. Though the liberations break through desire both inward and outward, they do so only in general, not yet in particular detail, and freedom is not yet attained with respect to the object — hence the great impurity contemplation is clarified next, breaking through attachment to both direct and dependent retribution. Though desire is treated both generally and particularly by this point, great merit has not yet been cultivated — hence loving-kindness follows next. Though heavy desire is treated inwardly and merit cultivated outwardly by this point, without entering dependent origination this would fall short of correct mundane view — hence dependent origination follows next, the turning of the three time-periods without master or self accomplishing correct mundane view. Though correct mundane view is thereby attained, its object remains the lowly causal person, whose power of merit is slight — hence the higher fruit is taken as object next, whose power of merit is vast and expansive. Though every meditative state treated up to this point exists, none yet possesses the power to transform and transmute at will — hence spiritual powers follow next, and so on. Next, how their mutual triggering differs: their sequential mutual triggering comes, in all, to eight distinct kinds, understood by the same pattern as in the object of the aggregates, entries, and elements, and so on.

Second, clarifying the causes and conditions for the arising of dhyāna: the Great Sūtra says: "Every sentient being, without exception, already possesses the savored dhyāna of the first ground — whether cultivated or not, it will certainly, eventually, be attained." Looking at this from the standpoint of one's immediate, ordinary feeling, it seems that one has never cultivated it even to the very end of an eon; but tracing it back across the far, distant past, one has indeed, at some point, already left the hindrances behind. It is like reciting a sūtra: set aside only recently, it is easily taken up again; set aside for a very long time, it becomes difficult to take up again. One should understand that whatever was cultivated sequentially in the past will likewise arise sequentially now, extending even to concrete practice cultivated and concrete practice arising, and so on. It is like the great earth, complete with every kind of seed: receiving the moistening vapor of rain, each seed opens and puts forth growth in its own way. This growth, too, occurs at different times, and the bearing of fruit is not simultaneous — the plum in four months, the peach in seven, the pear in nine, the persimmon in ten — the condition of rain being the same for all, yet the ripening of the fruit differs among them. Habituation accumulated in past lives is like the seed; calming-and-contemplation is like the rain; the arising of dhyāna, ripening at different paces like these fruits, comes, in sum, to the eight kinds already mentioned. This is named "arising from internal causes and conditions." Further, though there is present a wholesome factor bound to arise, it must still borrow the majestic spiritual power of the Buddha before it can actually open forth and manifest — the earth may possess the seed, but without sunlight it will not sprout; the Buddha holds neither aversion nor favoritism, but universally benefits all beings according to their conditions. Should the condition be sequential, the Buddha's empowerment is sequential in turn; extending even to concrete-practice conditions, the empowerment, too, is concrete in turn. A great bell responds however it is struck, whether with a large or a small mallet; the Buddha's empowerment is likewise constant and impartial, while the shallowness or depth of its effect depends on how it is received in practice. The Great Treatise says: "A lotus in a pond that receives no sunlight is certain, beyond doubt, to wither and die; a wholesome factor that receives no empowerment remains submerged and fails to manifest." The *Sūtra on Deliverance through Purity* says: "Sentient beings deliver themselves alone — the Buddha is of no benefit to them in this." Yet the bodhisattva Pure Deliverance himself says: "If sentient beings do not hear the Buddha's twelve divisions of scripture, how could they possibly attain deliverance?" These two statements, seemingly at odds with one another, together constitute a single, unified sense — this is named "arising from external conditions."

Third, clarifying the manifestation-marks of the various dhyānas: in the constantly-walking samādhi, the root dhyānas arise only rarely; in the constantly-sitting samādhi and the rest, they arise more often. Here they shall be treated chiefly in terms of sitting practice. Should the body be upright, the mind gathered in, and the breath harmonized, and one perceives this very path of mind grow dissolved and tranquil, calm and secure, entering by degrees, the mind remaining upon its object without scattering into distraction — this is named "coarse abiding." Following this state of mind, a further calm surpassing what came before is named "fine abiding." Between these two states, before and after, there necessarily occurs a certain method by which the body is sustained. When this method arises, the body naturally becomes upright and straight, free of fatigue and pain, as though something were supporting and assisting the body's own strength. Should the sustaining be faulty, it arrives tense, taut, and painful, and departs slack, loose, and exhausting — this is a coarse and faulty method of sustaining. Should the method of sustaining be good, it sustains both coarse and fine abiding without any excess of slackness or tension. Whether after an hour or two, a day or two, or a month or two, one gradually perceives a deepening subtlety, and the very ground of the mind suddenly opens into a measure of clarity — the body becomes as though cloud or shadow, gleaming and luminously pure, in accord with the dharma of concentration, the mind held unmoving, the whole being purified and cleansed, refreshingly cool and clear. Following further into emptiness and purity, while still perceiving the marks of body and mind, without yet possessing the accompanying meritorious qualities — this is named "the desire-realm concentration." The *Satyasiddhi* names this "the mind in accord with the ten wholesome deeds," flickering and unsteady, not fit to be dwelt in for long. Here it is said that the desire-realm concentration is embryonic, weak, and unstable, and is therefore called "flickering" — it is not a fixed concentration like a steady lamp-flame. It is also called "lightning-flash," of which that treatise says: "Setting aside these seven dependent stages, is there any further concentration able to produce the uncontaminated? Answer: there is a desire-realm concentration able to produce the uncontaminated — the uncontaminated, once produced, arises with the suddenness of a lightning-flash; should it fail to produce the uncontaminated, it may instead persist for a long duration." The *Bequeathed Teaching Sūtra* says: "Should one glimpse the lightning-flash, one may momentarily behold the path." As when Ānanda, striving with his mind yet failing to attain it, relaxed his effort and reached for his pillow, and at that very instant entered the lightning-flash — the lightning-flash being itself the vajra. The vajra does not stand alone: through the desire-realm concentration one enters the uncontaminated, the uncontaminated arising with such suddenness that it is likened to a lightning-flash — it is not the desire-realm concentration itself that bears this name. Abiding in the desire-realm concentration, whether for a year or a month, the dharma of concentration sustains the mind without either slackness or pain, and one may remain within it continuously for days on end without emerging. Following this state of mind, a further, sudden transformation dissolves it entirely: one no longer perceives, within the desire-realm concentration, the head, the body, the clothing, or the bed, as though empty space itself, gleaming and utterly secure. The body is itself an obstruction of concrete matter; this obstruction of concrete matter has not yet come; once the obstruction departs and the body itself becomes empty, what has not yet come is then able to arise — this is named "the mark of the stage of approach." One without proper understanding, attaining this concentration, supposes it to be the very forbearance of the unborn — yet the obstruction of one's own nature still remains, and one has not yet even entered the first dhyāna; how, then, could one possibly, in error, claim it to be the concentration of the unborn? It is like ashes covering a fire, which a fool treads upon carelessly, unaware. According to the *Satyasiddhi*, there is no "future dhyāna" as such, hence it says: "What you call the future dhyāna — is this not simply my own desire-realm concentration?" The *Abhidharma*, by contrast, does affirm it — the Venerable Ghoṣaka and the *Great Treatise* both set it forth in full. The Buddha himself gave both explanations, and it is only the authors of these treatises who each emphasize one side alone. Here, then, the matter is judged according to the individual practitioner: some, having attained the desire-realm concentration, dwell for months in the stage of approach before soon entering the first dhyāna — such a person is properly called to be in "the desire realm," not yet "the stage of approach." Others dwell only briefly in the desire realm before passing into the stage of approach, there remaining for ten days or more — such a person is properly said to be in "the stage of approach," not "the desire realm." Still others remain for a long time within both states at once, and are properly said to hold both concentrations — this cannot be judged according to one side alone. Here, following the *Great Treatise*, both are set forth in full. As for the fine, point-by-point distinction between deviant and correct marks at each stage, this is explained in full detail within the *Sequential Dharma-Gates*' own cultivation-and-verification manual. But since the first dhyāna lies close to the desire realm, like a border region beset with many dangers, one ought to have at least a summary understanding of it here.

From coarse abiding at the very start all the way to the peak of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, there are, throughout, four phases: retreat, protection, abiding, and advance. The phase of retreat itself has two kinds: spontaneous retreat, and retreat triggered by some condition. Conditions may be either external or internal — mistakes among the twenty-five external expedient methods of exhaling and inhaling constitute "external conditioned retreat"; the arising, within a still mind, of worry and attachment triggered by the three obstructions or four māras constitutes "internal conditioned retreat." Afterward, one may cultivate further and regain it, or may fail to regain it — such cases are exceedingly common. As for the phase of protection: skillfully applying both internal and external expedient means to guard and protect the concentrated mind so that it suffers no loss. As for the phase of abiding: whether through such guarding and protection it remains secure and undiminished, or abides spontaneously of its own accord — either case constitutes the phase of abiding. As for the phase of advance: whether advancing spontaneously, or advancing through diligent effort — each admits of both a horizontal and a vertical dimension, and each of these, in turn, admits of both gradual and sudden modes. Should one advance through the twelve gates one by one in sequence, this is named "gradual advance"; should they all be perfected at a single stroke, this is named "sudden advance." The special excellences and the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna arise category by category — this is named "horizontal gradual"; should they all arise together at a single stroke, this is named "horizontal sudden." Further, within each of these four phases, each sub-phase in turn contains its own further fourfold division, explained in full within the *Sequential Dharma-Gates*' own cultivation-and-verification manual, and so on. Here, treating the phase of advance chiefly in its vertical dimension: from the stage of approach, one gradually perceives body and mind grow empty and still, perceiving neither body within nor object without, whether for a single day or extending to a month or a year, the concentrated mind remaining unbroken throughout. Within this concentration, one then perceives body and mind subtly, almost imperceptibly, beginning to stir and move, manifesting as motion, itching, lightness, heaviness, cold, warmth, roughness, or smoothness. Some hold: "The mind being applied with such subtlety, the pure form of the form realm comes into contact with the body of the desire realm" — just as the pure form of the desire realm, resting atop the ordinary faculties, already possesses the function of seeing and hearing. According to this view, the sensation arrives from without. Yet it is said that "every sentient being, without exception, already possesses the savored dhyāna of the first ground" — like a wealthy man's blind child, in whom fire already lies hidden within the bamboo; affliction already lies within the mind, though it does not all arise together at once — dhyāna is exactly the same. The obstruction of concrete matter is coarse and obstructive, and is unable to manifest; now, as the cultivating mind grows gradually keener, and the obstruction of one's own nature is thereby removed, subtle dharmas accordingly arise of themselves — why, then, should they need to come from without at all? Why is this so? The counting of the breath is able to transform the mind; the mind transforms fire; fire transforms wind; wind transforms water; water transforms earth — the four elements, transformed into subtler and subtler form, thereby produce the eight sensations. It is like wheat transformed into leaven, leaven transformed into mash, mash transformed into wine — the mash is likened to the desire-realm concentration, the wine to the first dhyāna, wheat serving throughout as their common root, none of it arriving from without. Should one insist that this concentration is produced strictly either from itself or from without, this falls into the fault of self-nature or other-nature respectively; here, following the *Madhyamaka-śāstra*'s own refutation of the four kinds of production, the discussion is simply of "arising from within" versus "arriving from without" in this looser, conventional sense. Further, the eight sensations are themselves the four great elements: motion and lightness are wind; itching and warmth are fire; cold and smoothness are water; heaviness and roughness are earth. Their essence and function combining and compounding together, the eight sensations thereby result.

Should the motion sensation arise, it may begin at the head, the back, the waist, the ribs, or the feet, gradually spreading throughout the entire body. One perceives this motion within the body itself, with no corresponding mark of motion visible outwardly, resembling a wind stirring subtly, only barely perceptible. Motion beginning at the head and moving down to the feet, for the most part, constitutes the phase of retreat; beginning at the waist constitutes the phase of abiding; beginning at the feet, for the most part, constitutes the phase of advance. The motion sensation carries accompanying meritorious qualities, ten in brief: emptiness, brightness, concentration, wisdom, a wholesome mind, pliancy, joy, bliss, liberation, and correspondence with its object. Emptiness: when the motion sensation arises, the mind grows empty and open, no longer as it was before, when the obstruction of one's own nature had not yet been removed. Brightness: gleaming, pure, and exquisite, brilliantly clear beyond any comparison. Concentration: the mind, single and secure, free of any scattering or distraction. Wisdom: no longer clouded in confusion or caught within the net of doubt, the mind understanding with calm sharpness. A wholesome mind: shame, remorse, faith, and reverence — shame that one has never before attained this dharma, remorse that one still remains as one is even now; faith that every worthy and sage possesses this profound and subtle dharma, and boundless reverence toward them. Pliancy: freed from the desire realm's own coarse rigidity and harshness, supple as tanned oxhide, able to be rolled and unrolled at will. Joy: delight and rejoicing arising at what has been attained. Bliss: the mind made joyful and serene, tranquil and exquisite, through contact with this dharma. Liberation: freedom from the five hindrances once again. Correspondence: the mind corresponding with the motion sensation and its every meritorious quality without confusion; and, further, mindfulness sustaining this correspondence without forgetting it, whether for a day, a month, or a year, abiding securely and at length, returning the instant one gathers one's mindfulness back to it. Once this cultivation has continued for a long while, the motion sensation's own grade and order grow correspondingly deeper — this is named "vertical arising." The remaining seven sensations' vertical arising may be understood by this same pattern. Should the motion sensation, once arisen, whether already subsided or not yet subsided, be followed by the arising of the cold sensation; and should the cold sensation, whether already subsided or not yet subsided, be followed by the arising of yet another sensation, crossing and interweaving among the eight in the manner described above — this is named "horizontal arising." Though thus arising both horizontally and vertically, before and after, one may still examine them by means of the eight sensations, the ten merits, and the five branch-factors without ever falling into confusion — nor do they ever all form simultaneously within a single thought-moment. Why is this so? The eight sensations are themselves the four great elements, and water and fire stand mutually opposed, unable to form at the very same time. Yet these eight sensations together comprise as many as eighty adorning merits in all — though the names remain the same, the delight and pleasure attending each differs: like a boiling broth's steaming vapor compared to a dish of sea bream and sunken plums, the flavors differ and the pleasures differ correspondingly. The remaining six sensations likewise differ in this same way from one another.

Should the eight sensations arise within the desire-realm concentration itself, they are, in every case, deviant sensations, diseased and afflicted sensations, explained in full within the *Sequential Dharma-Gates*' own cultivation-and-verification manual, and are not discussed here. Here, in the eight sensations proper to the first dhyāna, deviant must be carefully distinguished from correct. Why is this so? First, because this stage is a border region, lying close to the desire realm; second, because the mind still carries a residue of the desire realm within it, through which what is deviant may readily gain entry. It is like a door left open, through which a thief may then enter — a ghost entering into dhyāna does not thereby make dhyāna itself a ghost. Should one fail to recognize this, the correct sensation is destroyed, and only the deviant and evil remains. As for deviant sensations: examining, once again, the eight sensations and the ten merits, one clarifies whether each shows excess or deficiency. As when the motion sensation arises with a direct, gentle stirring, neither slow nor hasty, moving quietly within the body — should it instead be forced, urgent, and hasty, with the hands and feet twitching in agitation, this is gross excess; should there be no motion at all, as though bound and fettered, this is deficiency. The remaining sensations of cold, warmth, and the rest are exactly the same. Further, taking up the ten qualities of emptiness and brightness accompanying the motion sensation, one likewise clarifies excess and deficiency in each. The emptiness spoken of here is simply an open, unobstructed openness — this is correct emptiness. Should it become an utter, total cessation with no awareness whatsoever remaining, this is gross excess; should it instead feel dense and obstructed like a solid block, this is deficiency. Brightness: like a mirror or the moon, clear and luminous — should it become like the blazing sun, or manifest every manner of colored light, this is gross excess; should nothing whatsoever be perceived, this is deficiency. Concentration: simply a single, tranquil, settled mind — should it become bound and rigidly fixed, unmoving, this is gross excess; should the mind instead scatter and race across every manner of object, this is deficiency. Correspondence, and the rest, follow this same pattern. These constitute twenty kinds of deviant mark within the motion sensation alone; combined with the remaining seven sensations, this yields one hundred and sixty deviant dharmas in all. Correct dhyāna ought not, properly, to contain anything deviant at all — the reason it nonetheless does is comparable to taking the herb calamus, which, just as its medicinal power is about to take effect, produces excessive anger, or taking Solomon's seal, which, just as its power is about to take effect, produces excessive desire — it is not the medicine itself that causes this, but rather that the medicine is expelling some coarse, underlying condition, and this coarse condition, on the verge of departing, flares up in intensity. Within the desire realm alone, only deviant sensations occur, increasing illness and increasing the hindrances, with no correct merit present at all. Once one enters the form-realm concentration, the eight sensations along with the ten merits of emptiness and brightness are stirred into motion — but there also exist these one hundred and sixty deviant forms, which cannot be left unrecognized. The Great Treatise says: "There is a wind that is able to bring rain, and there is a wind that is able to destroy rain" — clouds gather in the northeast and disperse in the southwest; dhyāna is exactly the same. The eight sensations and ten merits, once recognized, accomplish dhyāna; the one hundred and sixty deviant forms, once given rein, destroy dhyāna. Should even a single dharma among these prove deviant, every other dharma present becomes correspondingly tainted — just as, should one member of a party turn out to be a thief, the rest of the party is implicated as an accomplice band; but should the very first sensation prove free of deviance, every other dharma present is wholesome accordingly.

As for the five branch-factors of correct dhyāna: the very first sensation touching the body, remaining upon its object, is named "applied thought"; the mind's fine discernment of the eight sensations and their ten accompanying merits is named "sustained thought"; rejoicing that what was never attained before is now attained is named "joy"; the resulting serene contentment is named "bliss"; and the stillness beyond this is named "one-pointedness." The *Abhidharma* holds that twenty-three mental factors arise all at once, and, taking up only the strongest among them, judges these to constitute the five branch-factors — the five branch-factors together comprising the very substance of concentration itself, with the preliminary expedients preceding this substance as already explained above. The *Satyasiddhi* holds that the five branch-factors arise one after another in sequence: the first four constitute the preliminary expedient, and only the one-pointedness branch constitutes the true substance of concentration. The *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* takes the sixth, silent mind itself as the very substance of concentration. Some hold that the five branch-factors occur at the ninth mind-moment of the desire realm; others hold they occur before the desire-realm concentration itself — but these views do not properly correspond to the five branch-factors at all. Here, distinguishing the dhyāna possessing both applied and sustained thought together, the judgment is made properly with respect to the first dhyāna specifically — how, then, could this be otherwise? The five branch-factors arise together, yet with varying strength eclipsing one another in turn, and it is by taking up whichever proves dominant that the five branch-factors are properly judged. It is like striking a single bell with a mallet: an initial coarseness followed by a gradually finer resonance — the five branch-factors are exactly the same. At the very outset, the mark of applied thought is dominant, though this does not preclude the other four branch-factors — sustained thought and the rest — from already being present as well. While applied thought remains dominant, sustained thought has not yet fully matured; once applied thought subsides, sustained thought then becomes clear and manifest. At the very outset, joy is already present as well, though only once sustained thought subsides does the joy branch-factor come to full completion. At the very outset, bliss is already present as well, though not yet fully unfolded; once joy subsides, bliss then comes to completion. At the very outset, one-pointedness is already present as well, though still stirred by the other four branch-factors; only once bliss, too, subsides does one-pointedness come to completion. It is like first opening a treasure-house: applied thought is the treasure itself, and one already knows it to be precious, with joy, bliss, and the intention toward concentration all already present — yet one does not yet know precisely what kind of treasure it is. Next, one distinguishes gold from silver — this distinguishing accomplished, one receives it with rising joy; because of this joy, one experiences bliss; and one settles, at ease, into one-pointedness. It is like a person, having eaten to satisfaction, requiring nothing further at all — or like one overcome with the deepest sleep after indulging every one of the five desires. Hence the treatise says: "It is like a person who has found a treasure-house," and so on. Should all four dhyānas alike take the one-pointedness branch as their very substance, how, then, do the four differ from one another? Here, the first dhyāna is distinguished as the one-pointedness proper to applied and sustained thought — hence the four dhyānas are distinguished accordingly. Should one advance to the second dhyāna, one simply rebukes applied and sustained thought, and the first dhyāna is thereby dissolved, its own distinguishing sense growing correspondingly clearer. Considered generally, however, all four dhyānas alike employ one-pointedness as their substance. The explanation of the five branch-factors' names and corresponding senses is given in full within the *Sequential Dharma-Gates*' own cultivation-and-verification manual, and so on.

Furthermore, the eight sensations, when they first stir, produce merit that remains still coarse; should they recur again and again, this merit grows correspondingly deeper and sharper. Their grades may number three, or nine, or an immeasurable number, alternating and interweaving in delight — and, growing crowded and clamorous, this very abundance of merit prevents the mind from settling into one-pointedness. It is like the constant playing of musicians, resembling a crowd of many guests: one departs only for another to arrive in its place; the crowd disperses for a moment, then, scarcely thinned, gathers again. Should one wish to be rid of this, one need only rebuke applied and sustained thought — the first dhyāna thereupon dissolves, and there arises in its place a solitary intermediate concentration, also named "the mind turned to quiescence," also named "the ground of dhyāna's own withdrawal," also named "the winnowed-chaff mind." Within this solitary, still mind, having already lost the lower stage yet not yet produced the higher, should regret and misgiving arise, this very state of mind is lost as well. Should no such regret arise, inner purity then manifests of itself, with no further reception or discrimination of the eight sensations — hence it is named "the concentration of unified consciousness," in which the four great elements' own coloration is fused into a single, pure coloration. The illuminating mind, growing correspondingly purer, arises together with joy, free of any demonic or deviant mark, since this is no longer a border region. Joy having already given rise to bliss, bliss in turn subsides into one-pointedness. Yet the joy of this dhyāna still carries with it an unsettling agitation of bliss — one must therefore rebuke joy as well. Joy having subsided, one enters the stage of approach once more, and there suddenly arises the third dhyāna, arising together with bliss — this, too, being form-dharma transformed into ever greater subtlety, bliss here no longer depending on joy for its arising. This is the true bliss felt throughout the entire body — sages are able to relinquish it, while ordinary beings find such relinquishment exceedingly difficult. This dhyāna has five branch-factors: equanimity, mindfulness, wisdom, bliss, and one-pointedness. The scriptures and treatises set these forth sometimes in one order, sometimes in another — this reflects only slight variation in the actual practice, nothing more. This bliss stands opposed to suffering — once rebuked, bliss too subsides, and a corresponding stage of approach likewise occurs here. Once this stage of approach has subsided, there arises the unmoving concentration, again form-dharma transformed into still greater subtlety, no longer moved by either suffering or bliss — hence it is named "the unmoving concentration." This dharma of concentration is secure and settled, the in-breath and out-breath entirely ceased, with neither-suffering-nor-bliss, equanimity, purity of mindfulness, and one-pointedness as its branch-factors. Even so, this remains, nonetheless, form-dharma. Rebuking these three kinds of form and extinguishing these three kinds of form, one takes emptiness as one's object and attains concentration, no longer perceiving form at all — the mind thus freed from form, like a bird escaping its cage — this is named "the concentration of emptiness." Once this concentration subsides, one likewise enters a corresponding stage of approach. Taking consciousness as one's object, concentration arises, named "the sphere of infinite consciousness." Once this concentration subsides, taking nothing-whatsoever as one's object, one enters correspondence with the dharma of nothing-whatsoever, named "the sphere of nothingness" — anciently called "the sphere taking a mere trace of consciousness as its object." If this is so, is it not then, in fact, the sphere of something, the sphere of use — why, then, is it called "no-use," "nothing-whatsoever"? Once this concentration has passed, there suddenly arises neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This concentration does not take the sphere of consciousness as its object, hence "neither perception"; nor does it take the sphere of no-use as its object, hence "nor non-perception." There remains no higher dharma to reach for beyond this — it is the very summit dhyāna of the three realms. The world regards it as utterly sublime, and non-Buddhist practitioners take it to be nirvāṇa itself, yet it is, in reality, nothing but darkly realized attainment, still fully possessed of suffering and its origin, and, though the three modes of existence are on the very verge of exhaustion here, one falls back once more into the three lower paths from this very peak. The exhaustive clarification of the root dhyānas may be sought within the *Sequential Dharma-Gates*' own cultivation-and-verification manual.

Next, clarifying the manifestation of the special excellences: according to the vinaya teaching, this practice properly follows the impurity contemplation; according to its actual conduct, it properly precedes it. As the vinaya says: "The Buddha taught the monks the contemplation of impurity, and all fell into such world-weariness that they could no longer bear to remain alongside their own malodorous bodies, hiring others to slay them with a deer-hunter's staff by way of their robes and bowl. The Buddha thereupon had them set impurity aside, and instead cultivate the special excellences." Rhubarb root and croton seed purge the body to excess, and one whose bodily strength is already weak is thereby further debilitated by them; one must then apply a further medicine that both purges and restores at once — the restoring corresponds to attachment, the purging to exertion; exertion surpasses the root dhyānas, while attachment surpasses impurity. Since this practice involves contemplative insight, it is named "also uncontaminated"; yet since its power as an antidote remains comparatively weak, it is also named "also contaminated." It is like a person accustomed to plain food who is able to force himself to eat even a base dish containing pig entrails still holding excrement, yet, presented with a pig six months rotten and swarming with flies, finds it no longer possible to eat at all — the special excellences, being a genuine, realized contemplation, can still be approached with relative composure, whereas the impurity contemplation, being a visualized practice, cannot be so readily endured, and so on. As for the manifestation of the special excellences: one suddenly perceives the breath's own going out, coming in, its length and shortness, knowing that it comes from nowhere and goes nowhere, that what enters does not accumulate and what exits does not disperse. Mapped onto the root dhyānas, this corresponds to coarse and fine abiding. Perceiving the breath moving throughout the entire body corresponds, mapped onto the root dhyānas, to the stage of approach. Yet the root dhyānas' own dark realization, in which one perceives no body, no bed, and the rest, does not mean these things are genuinely absent — it is like ashes covering a fire, which a fool treads upon carelessly, unaware; or like eating in the dark of night, or a blind man touching his wife — in neither case does one's true feeling find full expression. Here, by contrast, possessing contemplative insight, one perceives the breath pervading the entire body while the concentrated mind remains bright, pure, and secure — hence this differs from dark realization. One further perceives the thirty-six impure substances within the body, as though opening a granary and beholding rice, millet, hemp seed, and beans. Mapped onto the root dhyānas, this corresponds to the stage of the first dhyāna: there, the eight sensations merely touch the body's own storehouse, without opening the mind's own eye, and one does not perceive the substances within. The special excellences, possessing contemplative insight, open the body's storehouse through this very touch, and the mind's eye then directly perceives the thirty-six substances: the liver like green mung beans, the heart like red beans, the kidney like black beans, the spleen like millet, the large and small intestines interconnected and communicating with one another, blood and vessels flowing through them like a great river. Twelve substances lie within: the liver, heart, phlegm, bile, and the rest; twelve lie in the middle layer: membrane, skin, fat, grease, and the rest; twelve lie without: hair, body-hair, and the rest. The in-breath and out-breath govern and pervade throughout this whole domain — impurity, impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self — every bodily activity thereby comes to rest, and one never again commits any evil for the sake of this very body. This is named "eliminating every bodily activity." Mapped onto the branches of the path, this corresponds to the foundation of mindfulness of the body; mapped onto the root dhyānas, this corresponds to the two branch-factors of applied and sustained thought — the mind's eye first opening corresponds to applied thought, and the flawless discernment of the thirty-six substances corresponds to sustained thought. The mind receiving joy corresponds to the joy branch-factor — the earlier joy [of the root dhyānas] is characterized as concealed, defiled, and savored, while this present joy is unconcealed, undefiled, and unsavored, being precisely "Dharma-joy" rather than "the joy of mere sensation." The mind receiving bliss is likewise so, being not "the bliss of mere sensation" — knowing that none of the three kinds of feeling within this bliss are themselves truly blissful is named the bliss branch-factor. The reception of every mental activity is the one-pointedness branch-factor — knowing every state of mind as itself this very one-pointedness, unlike the root dhyānas' mistaken supposition of a genuinely singular, substantial mind. Mapped onto the branches of the path, all of these correspond to the foundation of mindfulness of feeling. As for the mind producing joy and the mind producing restraint: the earlier joy arose from the thirty-six substances, whereas here joy is produced directly by the mind itself, and this is known to correspond to the second dhyāna — the *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* explains that the second dhyāna has only three branch-factors, lacking inner purity; here, the mind producing joy carries a sense resembling this very account. As for producing restraint: joy, once stirred, tends toward scattering, but through this restraint one is able to enter one-pointedness — the root dhyānas merely receive joy through inner purity, whereas the special excellences, possessing contemplative insight, constantly restrain and gather in this joyful mind. As for the mind producing liberation: this corresponds to the third dhyāna. The bliss of the root dhyānas, felt throughout the body by way of joy, is difficult for an ordinary being to relinquish; the special excellences, possessing contemplative insight, are free of any craving-attachment to it, and hence this is called "liberation." From the mind producing joy through the mind producing liberation, all of these belong to the foundation of mindfulness of mind. As for contemplating impermanence: this corresponds to the fourth dhyāna. Elsewhere, too, one contemplates impermanence, but this does not yet constitute a distinct antidote there, since one who attains the unmoving concentration tends to savor it as though permanent. Here, by contrast, possessing contemplative insight, one knows that, even freed from suffering and bliss alike, this remains, in the end, form-dharma, still impermanent, and one ought not give rise to attachment toward it — hence it is termed "contemplating impermanence." As for contemplating dispersal and departure: this corresponds to the sphere of emptiness. Extinguishing the three kinds of form, like a bird escaping its cage, is termed "departure"; taking emptiness as one's object is termed "dispersal" — though emptiness is here the object, contemplative insight nonetheless remains present. Contemplating freedom from desire corresponds to the sphere of consciousness — taking emptiness excessively as one's object tends toward scattering, and this scattering is itself named "desire"; the special excellences' contemplative insight is free of this very scattered mind, hence it is named "freedom from desire." Contemplating cessation corresponds to the sphere of nothingness — the special excellences' contemplative insight recognizes that consciousness, whether much or little, is in either case without genuine substance, hence it is named "contemplating cessation." Contemplating relinquishment corresponds to the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception — relinquishing both the sphere of consciousness and the sphere of nothingness, there remains a further subtle concentration named "neither-perception-nor-non-perception," which ordinary beings mistakenly suppose to be nirvāṇa itself; the Buddha's disciples recognize that, though free of coarse affliction, it still harbors subtle affliction, yet, being free of craving-attachment to it, it is nonetheless termed "the pure dhyāna." From contemplating impermanence through relinquishment, all of these are named "the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas." These sixteen dharmas, applied as antidotes both horizontally and vertically, differ at every single stage from one another. The merit of the root dhyānas' own dark realization remains comparatively meager, like food without salt; the merit of the special excellences is correspondingly weightier, like food properly salted. The exhaustive treatment of their manifestation is given in full within the *Sequential Dharma-Gates*' own cultivation-and-verification manual, and so on.

Next, clarifying the manifestation of the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna: when the special excellences are being cultivated, their contemplative insight remains still general in nature, and the perceiving of the thirty-six substances, too, remains a comparatively general realization. When the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna is cultivated, it is subtle and refined throughout, and its realization is precise and distinct. This name appears also in the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra*; the *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra*'s discussion of the "jeweled-torch dhāraṇī" is precisely this same dhyāna; the *Sūtra of Petitioning Avalokiteśvara* carries this same sense as well. In its cultivation, the three matters — form, breath, and mind — are cultivated together as one, and this is able to give rise to the three insights and the six spiritual powers. Further, in cultivating the jeweled-torch, one proceeds all the way to entering the concentration of the cessation of feeling and perception. One should recognize that this gate is complete with the eight liberations, the three insights, and the six spiritual powers all at once — hence it is named "the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna." The *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* sets forth this dhyāna's five branch-factors by name as follows: as-the-mind awareness, great awareness, reflection, great reflection, and contemplating the nature of mind — these together are named "the applied-thought branch-factor." Contemplating the activity of mind, great activity, and pervasive activity — these are "the sustained-thought branch-factor." Genuine knowing, great knowing, and the mind's movement all the way to the mind's own joy — these are "the joy branch-factor." The body at ease, the mind at ease, and the reception of blissful contact — these are "the ease branch-factor." The mind abiding, greatly abiding, and undisturbed with respect to its object — this is named "the concentration branch-factor." At the outset, one contemplates the three matters as all fused into one, and, at the moment of realization, the three matters are all recognized as one and the same — hence it is named "as-the-mind awareness." Awakening to the real truth, form, breath, and mind dissolve into a single undifferentiated whole. Further, one discerns the conventional truth: skin, flesh, bone, and the rest are each recognized as possessing ninety-nine distinct layers; one perceives the five organs generating the five vital energies; one likewise perceives the worm-nests within the body, their comings and goings, their speech and utterance, nothing however subtle left unclear. One perceives the very first aggregate at the moment of conception: the karma of past ignorance is the wax, and the sexual fluids of one's present parents are the clay. The past karma does not remain fixed, hence it is named "the seal broken"; the present consciousness, taking rebirth, is complete with name-and-form, hence it is named "the imprint formed." Dwelling below the stomach and above the intestines, within the small intestine's own coil, its form is exceedingly minute — there is present only a single thought-moment of deluded conception, form and mind mutually dependent, existing as though present, as though absent, as though within a dream. Through the very power of this karmic activity, one is naturally able to give rise to a single thought-moment's reflective mind, which calls forth its mother in turn. The mother then conceives a thought of blue-green color, a calling sound, a rank odor, a sour taste; through the power of this very thought, a subtle vital energy is generated, this energy transforms into water, the water transforms into blood, the blood transforms into flesh; the mother's own vital energy, entering and departing, nourishes and moistens this in turn, and thus the liver organ comes to be formed — extending upward it becomes the eyes, extending downward it becomes the thumbs of the hands and feet. Should one instead conceive of white color, a wailing sound, a fishy odor, a pungent taste, the lung organ is thereby formed — extending upward it becomes the nose, extending downward the second toes and fingers. Should one conceive of red color, a speaking sound, a scorched odor, a bitter taste, the heart organ is thereby formed — extending upward it becomes the mouth, extending downward the third toes and fingers. Should one conceive of yellow color, a singing sound, a fragrant odor, a sweet taste, the spleen organ is thereby formed — extending upward it becomes the tongue, extending downward the fourth toes and fingers. Should one conceive of black color, a chanting sound, a foul odor, a salty taste, the kidney organ is thereby formed — extending upward it becomes the ears, extending downward the fifth toes and fingers. Perceiving the subtle formation of the body's every part follows this same pattern throughout. Reflection and great reflection are precisely the reflection upon the real and the conventional truths. Contemplating the nature of mind is precisely emptiness itself — the real and the conventional alike entering together into this very nature of mind. The *Sūtra of Petitioning Avalokiteśvara* says: "Each and every one enters into the very ultimate of genuine reality." This applied-thought branch-factor thus differs by twofold depth from that of the excellences described above. Mental activity and great activity: the applied-thought branch-factor above was a matter of understanding, whereas mental activity here proceeds as contemplative practice. Mental activity with respect to the conventional truth is named "activity"; activity with respect to the real truth is named "great activity"; the three matters activated together are named "pervasive activity." Abiding of mind is attaining one-pointedness with respect to the conventional truth; great abiding is attaining one-pointedness with respect to the real truth. Being undisturbed with respect to one's object means that, though one perceives immeasurable objects belonging to both the real and the conventional, the mind is nowhere led astray by them. The full clarification of these marks is set forth at length within the treatment of the penetrating-and-clear contemplation itself. When this concentration arises, one perceives body, breath, and mind alike as resembling a plantain trunk, possessing no solid substance whatsoever — this is the mark of the stage of approach. Perceiving these three matters alike as resembling foam is the first dhyāna. Perceiving the three matters alike as resembling floating clouds is the second dhyāna. Perceiving the three matters alike as resembling a shadow is the third dhyāna. Perceiving the three matters alike as resembling a reflection in a mirror is the fourth dhyāna. Extinguishing these three matters, all become empty; extinguishing emptiness, one takes consciousness as one's object; extinguishing consciousness, one takes nothing-whatsoever as one's object; extinguishing nothing-whatsoever, one takes neither-perception-nor-non-perception as one's object; extinguishing the three kinds of feeling and perception belonging to neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one bodily realizes the dharma of the cessation of feeling, thereby accomplishing liberation. Since this dhyāna involves conventional contemplation, it is named "also uncontaminated." Since this dhyāna's own matters and principle are both thus fully complete, its stages, too, are complete in full. Masters of the *Satyasiddhi* ought properly to apply this account in clarifying the concentration proper to the path, entering the eight liberations — this would be convenient to their own doctrine, and yet they are unwilling to make use of it. The *Abhidharma*, treating the eight liberations, holds that they possess both matter and principle together, thereby differing entirely from non-Buddhist practitioners, and constitute the "both-liberated" practitioner. The *Satyasiddhi*, possessing only principle without matter, thus has no place at all for the both-liberated practitioner. Were non-Buddhist dhyāna to be treated as a merely material dhyāna, one ought equally to treat the ten wholesome deeds as mere precept and worldly wisdom as mere intellectual understanding — yet if precept and wisdom are properly held to differ from those of non-Buddhist practitioners, why, then, should concentration alone be held to be the same? This would leave the guest-physician with no guest-remedy of his own, and his eightfold art of healing would fail to be accomplished at all. The exhaustive treatment of these marks is set forth in full within the *Sequential Dharma-Gates*' own cultivation-and-verification manual, and so on.

Next, clarifying the manifestation of the impurity dhyāna: this is treated first in terms of the nine contemplations, which themselves apply to two kinds of practitioner: the dharma-destroying practitioner, and the dharma-preserving practitioner. Should a dharma-destroying practitioner cultivate the nine contemplations, these are: first, the contemplation of bloating; second, the contemplation of decay; third, the contemplation of blood-smeared disfigurement; fourth, the contemplation of festering pus; fifth, the contemplation of bluish-green discoloration; sixth, the contemplation of devouring by scavengers; seventh, the contemplation of scattering apart; eighth, the contemplation of bare bones; ninth, the contemplation of cremation. Such a person seeks merely to sever suffering, burning away even the very skeleton itself, hastening urgently toward the stage beyond further learning, taking no delight in concrete contemplative practice for its own sake. Since there remains no skeleton left for him to contemplate, he thereby possesses no meditative concentration, no spiritual powers or transformations, and no dhyāna of aspiration, wisdom, or the summit. Though he speaks of "burning away" the body entirely, his body in fact remains — comparable, for instance, to bodily realizing the cessation of feeling and perception while the body itself still remains present, and so on. This kind of person is prone to retreat, as the *Abhidharma* itself describes such a mark of retreat — the fourth fruit likened here to sand resting at the bottom of a well. The *Āgama* says: "A practitioner of the third fruit retreated from the precepts and returned to lay life, forsaking and losing his monastic discipline, yet without losing his shared attainment of the path. Laypeople, seeing this, raised slander, saying there was no noble dharma at all. The Buddha said: 'Having grown sated with desire, world-weariness arose in him — before long he shall return once more, seeking to go forth again.' None of the monks would receive him back, so the Buddha himself received him, and he thereupon attained arhatship. Ānanda asked: 'Great Worthy, was this the retreat of one still in training, or the retreat of one beyond further training?' The Buddha answered: 'The retreat of one still in training.'" If this is so, then it refers precisely to a worldly-wisdom-based practitioner who severs affliction and is liberated through wisdom alone, and such a person may indeed retreat — it is not that one with uncontaminated wisdom, having severed one grade of affliction and advanced one grade of understanding, is thereby subject to retreat as well. Should one manifest these nine contemplations while possessing none of the meritorious qualities of genuine dhyāna, this is precisely the dharma-destroying practitioner. As for the nine contemplations of the dharma-preserving practitioner: proceeding from the initial contemplation of bloating up through the contemplation of bare bones, without advancing to the contemplation of cremation, one attains the streaming light, the liberations, the bases of mastery, contemplation, refinement, permeation, cultivation, and spiritual powers and transformations, every meritorious quality complete in full, thereby becoming the "both-liberated" practitioner. In its cultivation, one whose craving predominates contemplates externally; one whose wrong views predominate contemplates the body itself; one in whom views and craving are evenly matched contemplates both internally and externally at once. As for their manifestation, this may be understood according to the very same pattern.

During seated meditation, one suddenly perceives a corpse lying upon the ground. Only just now speaking, how has it so abruptly departed? Its breath exhausted, its body cold, its spirit gone and its complexion altered — subject to impermanence, sparing neither the noble nor the base, neither the old nor the young, neither the comely nor the plain, with no place left for any of them to flee to; not even a loving father or a filial son can take its place. The corpse lies rank upon the ground, exposed to wind and sun, utterly transformed from what it was before. One may perceive a single corpse, or many corpses — this being the mark of the great impurity contemplation — or an entire village, or an entire country, filled with them; one corpse's discoloration, or the discoloration of many corpses at once. Though the mere corpse itself is not counted among the nine contemplations proper, it is the very foundation upon which all of them rest, and is therefore described first. Such a corpse's coloration turns dark and ashen; the body grows swollen and rigid, the hands and feet splayed outward like flower petals; it bloats and distends like a leather sack filled with wind, its nine orifices overflowing with utterly foul discharge. The practitioner reflects to himself: "My own body is exactly so, not yet freed, not yet delivered from this; and the person I love is likewise exactly so." When this mark first arises, one attains a measure of concentrated mind, dark and hushed, secure and at ease. In but a moment, one perceives this bloated corpse, exposed further to wind and sun, its skin and flesh breaking apart, its body splitting and cracking open, its form and color so altered as to become entirely unrecognizable — this is named "the mark of decay." One further perceives, at the very places where it has split open, blood issuing forth from within, spreading and smearing about, mottled here and there, pooling and flowing across the ground, its stench rising thick and heavy — this is "the mark of blood-smearing." One further perceives it festering and dissolving into pus, oozing and streaming in great quantity, like wax melting under fire — this is named "the mark of festering pus." One further perceives the remaining skin and flesh scorched dry by wind and sun, foul and blackened, half bluish-green and half discolored, cracked and fissured throughout — this is "the mark of bluish-green discoloration." One further perceives this very corpse devoured by foxes, wolves, owls, and vultures, contending and struggling over it in confusion, clawing, tearing, and dragging it apart — this is "the mark of devouring." One further perceives the head and hands scattered to different places, the five organs strewn apart beyond any possibility of gathering back together — this is "the mark of scattering." One further perceives two kinds of bone: one still bearing traces of pus and grease, the other purely white and clean; one may perceive a single complete skeleton, or skeletons scattered throughout an entire village. As these various marks pass through their successive stages, the concentrated mind transforms along with them, growing ever more deeply hushed and still, serene and subtly exquisite — a state of secure ease beyond any possible price. This is as far as the contemplation of the dharma-preserving practitioner extends.

Before perceiving this mark, one's craving-attachment remains exceedingly strong; but once one has perceived it, desire is entirely brought to a halt, and one finds oneself utterly unable to bear its recurrence any longer — like one who, not yet seeing excrement, can still eat rice with ease, but who, catching a sudden whiff of its stench, vomits at once. It is likewise like the brahmin devoted to purity who, having eaten a cake smeared with the pus and marrow of an abscess, strikes his own head in self-reproach, crying: "Now I understand at last!" Should one realize this mark fully, then even arched brows and gleaming eyes, gleaming teeth and crimson lips, appear as though covered over by a mound of urine and filth, or as a rotting corpse merely draped in fine silk brocade — one can no longer even bear to look upon it, let alone draw physically near it. One who once would even hire another to slay oneself with a deer-hunter's staff rather than continue in this state — how much less, then, would one embrace and caress it in search of sensual pleasure? A contemplation of this kind is precisely the great rhubarb-root purgative for the disease of lustful desire. It is like a person fond of food who, once he genuinely understands that pig entrails are simply a vessel filled with excrement, can still force himself to eat it regardless — yet, confronted with the sight of a rotting, worm-infested, foul-smelling pig, is he still able to eat it at all? Earlier, the power of the special excellences remained weak, unable to eliminate desire with any real certainty; here, by contrast, the power of this contemplation is strong, and the fire of lust is swiftly extinguished. Hence it is said: "Once the contemplation of the nine perceptions is accomplished, the six thieves are thereby already largely removed." One further comes to recognize love as a form of enmity and deception, and comes to know the distinction between the false and the genuinely real. World-weariness of this kind not only eliminates desire but is also able to produce the uncontaminated, and is also able to accomplish the Mahāyāna itself. Having finished expounding the contemplation of the corpse's transformation, the *Great Treatise* goes on immediately to discuss the six pāramitās and the four immeasurable minds — every commentator alike has declared this a corrupted, erroneous passage. Here, by contrast, it is made clear that the bodhisattva, cultivating even this very first contemplation alone, is already thereby complete with the entire Mahāyāna — hence, having set forth every dharma at length, the text then immediately says: "And so it is, extending even to the contemplation of cremation as well." How, then, could this possibly be dismissed as a corrupted, dropped-out passage?

Next, clarifying the manifestation of the eight liberations: of the ten dhyāna gates named earlier, the first three sets — the root dhyānas, the special excellences, and the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna — are savored and pure, while the nine contemplations, extended through the ten totality-bases, are together named "contemplation"; the nine sequential concentrations are "refinement"; the lion's swift-leaping concentration is "permeation"; and the transcendent concentration is "cultivation" — these last four together constitute this set of concentrations. Here, first, clarifying the liberations: the liberations themselves admit of both a general and a particular sense — the general shared alike by the two lesser vehicles, the particular belonging distinctively to the bodhisattva. The liberations are further not fixed in their naming: sometimes, speaking of the fruit in terms of the cause, "liberation" is called by the name "turning away"; and, conversely, sometimes, speaking of the cause in terms of the fruit, "turning away" is called by the name "liberation." Judged strictly, where affliction is ultimately severed and both matter and principle are fully complete, this is properly termed "liberation"; where affliction is not yet exhausted and concentration not yet fully perfected, this is termed merely "turning away." "Turning" (背) means turning away in world-weariness from the pure and refined five desires of the lower stage and of one's own present stage; "away" (捨) means relinquishing the very mind of attachment itself — hence together they are named "turning away" (背捨). Where craving predominates in breaking through desire, the outer mark manifests, as explained above [in the nine contemplations]; where wrong view predominates in breaking through desire, the inner mark manifests instead — this inner mark is precisely the eight liberations. The first is: possessing form within, contemplating form without; and so on up to the eighth, the liberation of the cessation of feeling and perception. As for "possessing form within, contemplating form without": one neither breaks nor destroys the inner form, but contemplates the white bones, skin, and flesh within, while contemplating the corpse and the rest without. As for the actual method of cultivating this, it is given in full within the *Dhyāna Gates*. Here, its manifestation shall be indicated only briefly. The practitioner suddenly perceives his own toes, the skin swelling up like a blister, gradually spreading to the calf, to the waist, and throughout the entire body up to the crown of the head. In but a moment, the body grows swollen and rigid, the whole form distended and taut, the five toes splayed like flower petals, the two legs like pillars, the waist and belly like a great jar, the head like a basin, swollen and distended everywhere, like a leather sack filled with wind. When this mark arises, whether spreading from the feet to the crown, or from the crown to the feet, filling an entire meditation-couch, the skin grows taut and the flesh splits open, on the very verge of bursting. Once it bursts, pus flows forth, soaking and dissolving everything around it. Further, from the crown down to the feet, the skin and flesh fall away of themselves, leaving only the bare white bones — the joints and limbs held together, propped one against another, rigid and unmoving. The fallen skin and flesh gather together in a single heap, swarming with worms, filthy and utterly repulsive. Should this mark manifest, one comes to feel a deep aversion toward one's own body, regarding it with the same disgust as excrement — how much more so, then, toward one's wife, children, and possessions, that one should feel any reluctance to give them up? Both the bodhisattva who sacrificed his own body [to feed the starving tigress] and the one slain by the deer-hunter's staff had both attained precisely this same contemplation. Inwardly, one no longer conceives of a self; outwardly, one no longer cherishes any possession; one lowers one's head in shame and remorse, this very sense of world-weariness continuing on without interruption, and so on. The Great Sūtra says: "Removing away the skin and flesh, one contemplates carefully the bare white bones, fixing one's mindfulness upon every single joint in turn, observing them forward and backward until the bones appear utterly pure and clean." This is named "the inner mark of possessing form." As for contemplating form without: one perceives, outwardly, a corpse bloated and rotting with pus, filling an entire village, or an entire country — this being the very same impurity contemplated in the nine contemplations described earlier, hence it is called "contemplating form without." This first liberation stands at the stage of the desire-realm concentration.

As this practice advances further, one perceives the skeleton emitting four colors — blue-green, yellow, white, and dove-gray — glowing and shimmering, on the very verge of manifesting fully yet not quite manifest. The blue-green color's blue-green light, and likewise for each of the others down to the dove-gray color's dove-gray light, resembles a flowing stream, its light enveloping the skeleton as though seen through mist or a hazy mirror in sunlight. Should the mind attend to the feet, the light correspondingly moves downward; should the mind attend to the head, the light correspondingly moves upward. Through the very power of the blue-green light, it illuminates and pervades the ten directions, so that one perceives blue-green everywhere, as though Mount Sumeru itself, however one turns to face it, showed but a single color throughout — and likewise for the dove-gray color as well. While this colored light remains on the verge of manifesting yet not quite manifest, one stands at the stage of the concentration of approach. Persisting in this way for a long while, the light ought eventually to manifest of its own accord; should it fail to do so, one should gather the mind and contemplate carefully the point between the eyebrows, and, releasing one's attention there, it will then manifest. It appears like smoke issuing from a bamboo pipe: small and slight at first, then gradually dispersing and expanding; the four colors, unfolding one after another, issue forth from between the eyebrows, illuminating the ten directions everywhere at once, opening suddenly into vast brilliance. Each single color, too, carries its own ten merits, eight sensations, five branch-factors, and marks of correctness or deviance, exactly as before. The initial arising of the color is named "applied thought"; distinguishing the eight colors is named "sustained thought." Though one previously already knew that bone lay within the flesh, one did not yet know of these eight colors within the bone itself — rejoicing at what one has never before perceived, mingled with sorrow and shame, is named "the joy branch-factor." When this color first arises, one experiences a profound bliss in the dharma, the very ground of the mind serene and joyful — this is named "the bliss branch-factor." The concentrated mind grows deep and clear, abiding securely and unmoving, its darkness deepening ever further; empty, luminous, wise, and settled, filled with faith, reverence, shame, and remorse, giving rise to no slander or ill will, in accord with freedom from every hindrance. Whether cold, warmth, or the rest, all arise together in thick clusters, entirely free of confusion or error — hence this is termed "a thicket-forest" of accompanying qualities. Yet the motion, itching, emptiness, brightness, five branch-factors, and other marks found here differ from the root dhyānas, for the mind's eye has opened into brightness and the dharma here is deep and its bliss weighty; they differ, too, from the special excellences and the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna, for those still retain the skin and flesh, and their contact remains not fully unobstructed, whereas here one makes contact directly with the bare skeleton itself, this very dharma being correspondingly deep and subtle. As for the deviant marks that may enter among these eight colors: should one, for instance, perceive the blue-green color only indistinctly, mottled and unattractive, this is precisely a deviant mark — and likewise for the remaining seven colors. Dark realization, lacking contemplative insight, is like a night filled with many thieves; this dhyāna, possessing contemplative insight, is like daylight, in which deception is scarce, and, should it arise at all, is readily dispelled. Should the Tripiṭaka teaching hold that "these eight colors are dharmas of the form realm, coming into contact with the skeleton of the desire realm, thereby producing these various merits," this represents an account given strictly according to the root dhyānas' own contaminated nature. The Mahāyāna's clarification of precept, concentration, and wisdom holds that none of these can ever be entirely exhausted — why is this so? For though this present life expires and the precepts taken for it thereby lapse, the "non-action" merit generated by them does not itself perish. Concentration, though it may subdue affliction, will inevitably sever it before long, like a parasite that has entered the body, damaging the organs and threatening life — though not yet dead, its condition cannot long endure. The path of wisdom suffers no such loss — the stream-enterer's own seven remaining rebirths, and the uncontaminated itself, remain constant and unbroken throughout. One should understand, then, that precept and concentration are themselves uncontaminated dharmas. If this is so, then the very light of these eight colors is itself a dharma beyond the three realms. Should this mark manifest, the first liberation is thereby accomplished, standing at the stage of the first dhyāna. The *Satyasiddhi* says: "The first two liberations belong to the desire realm; the pure liberation belongs to the form realm; the four liberations [of formlessness] belong to the formless realm; the liberation of cessation transcends all three realms." The *Abhidharma* says: "The first two liberations pertain jointly to the desire realm and the second dhyāna; the pure liberation lies within the fourth dhyāna; as for the third dhyāna, since its bliss so predominates there, no liberation is established for it." Still others hold: "The third dhyāna has no basis of mastery; the fourth dhyāna has no liberation." These three accounts differ from one another. Here, following the *Great Treatise*, the first liberation and the second basis of mastery both belong to the first dhyāna — since they already possess five branch-factors, this confirms that they belong to the first dhyāna. Second, possessing no form within, one contemplates form without with a mind of impurity: the skeleton is itself formed from sexual fluid and blood, and ought properly to be rebuked and dissolved, its bones analyzed down to the four subtle elements. The Mahāyāna's own embodying method recognizes that the skeleton arises from the mind itself, the mind being like an illusory transformation — the skeleton is thus empty and unreal, and dissolves of its own accord. It is like a fine horse that follows its rider's every intention, or like a capable person engaged in some joint task, coming and going without the slightest resistance. Once the skeleton has departed, and the new dharma has not yet arrived, one is prone to excessive joy and consequent retreat. Here, with a mind of impurity, one contemplates only form without — "without" referring to the corpse and the rest external to oneself, and also referring to the eight colors emitted by the skeleton itself. The reason for contemplating form without at this stage is that one still remains comparatively close to the desire realm, and must therefore contemplate outer impurity as well. As for the actual method of destroying the skeleton, this is treated separately elsewhere; here only its manifestation is discussed. One suddenly perceives the skeleton dissolving away of its own accord, leaving only the eight colors and the outer impurity remaining. At the moment the skeleton itself dissolves, one stands at an intermediate stage; one further perceives the eight colors arising together, simultaneously, with the inner purity, the blue-green and other colors undergoing a further round of intensification. Inner purity, joy, bliss, and one-pointedness, these four branch-factors' merit now surpassing what came before — this is the second liberation, standing at the stage of the second dhyāna.

Third, the pure liberation realized bodily: neither the first nor the second dhyāna involves bliss felt throughout the entire body, while the fourth dhyāna has no bliss at all — with what, then, could this liberation possibly be realized? Masters of the *Satyasiddhi* hold that the fourth dhyāna together constitutes the pure liberation. Here, instead, two dhyānas together constitute the pure liberation: since it is said that the third dhyāna already involves bliss felt throughout the entire body, this may serve as its realization — this being its very starting point, its accomplishment occurring in the fourth dhyāna, where it is able to become fully complete with the bases of mastery. One should therefore understand that the pure liberation stands at the stage of the third dhyāna. As for "pure": the *Great Treatise* says, "made pure through a pure object." The eight colors are already a pure dharma, yet not yet refined and polished by a pure object. Pure form reaches its culmination in the fourth dhyāna, and, once this form arises, it further refines and polishes the eight colors, rendering them still more luminous and pure — hence it is said, "made pure through a pure object." As for "felt throughout the entire body": the culmination of bliss lies in the third dhyāna, hence these two dhyānas together are named the pure liberation. Purity itself carries a fourfold sense: "impure-impure" refers to the body of the desire realm, already impure in itself, now further bloated and distended — hence it is called "impure-impure"; "impure-pure" refers to removing away the skin and flesh to contemplate carefully the bare white bones, free of belly, sinew, and blood, resembling mother-of-pearl or shell — hence it is called "impure-pure"; "pure-impure" refers to the eight-colored light issuing from between the eyebrows — this light is itself pure, yet not yet refined and treated — hence it is called "pure-impure"; and "pure-pure" is precisely this third liberation, further refined and treated by a pure object — hence it is called "pure-pure." Fourth, the liberation of emptiness: transcending every form, extinguishing form possessing resistance, no longer conceiving of any form whatsoever of any kind. "Every form" refers to the internal and external forms of the desire realm; "possessing resistance" refers to what the five faculties encounter as their objects — both these kinds of form have already been extinguished by the first three liberations. There remain only the eight colors, transforming along with the mind, hence these are called "form of every kind." Rebuking form and taking emptiness as one's object, with no further separate dharma involved, one simply enters the concentration of emptiness. Ordinary beings, being heavily attached, tend to cling fast to this concentration of emptiness; sages, whose minds run deep and whose wisdom is sharp, proceed straight onward without turning back — hence this is named "turning away." Should one take emptiness excessively as one's object, this leads to scattering, an unreal and deceptive state; relinquishing emptiness, one takes consciousness as one's object instead, corresponding to the dharma of consciousness — this is named "the liberation of the sphere of consciousness." Further, consciousness, arising and ceasing, is itself impermanent, unreal, and deceptive, with no further object left to grasp, only the grasping faculty itself remaining — hence this is called "the sphere of nothingness." The sphere of consciousness is like an abscess; the sphere of nothingness is like an open sore. Relinquishing both consciousness and its very absence is precisely "neither-perception-nor-non-perception" — yet this state of no-perception still harbors subtle affliction within it. Here, one relinquishes even the very grasping of the feeling and perception belonging to this neither-perception state, and no further perception of even this act of relinquishing remains — the dharma of concentration sustaining the body in utter, dissolved non-perception, like a fish submerged in water or a hibernating insect. Were this liberation named merely after what it extinguishes, how would it differ from grasping upward while merely feeling aversion toward what lies below? Here, instead, it is named from the very fact that it extinguishes not only its own stage but every other stage as well — hence it is called "the liberation of the cessation of feeling and perception." This is explained in full within the *Sequential Dharma-Gates*' own cultivation-and-verification manual. The *Abhidharma* holds that one who attains the concentration of cessation is "both-liberated"; one who fails to attain this single concentration is named merely "liberated-through-wisdom." The *Satyasiddhi* holds that one who attains the lightning-flash is named "liberated-through-wisdom," while one who is fully complete with the mundane dhyānas is named "both-liberated." The *Satyasiddhi* holds that the last four liberations involve no further separate dharma of their own, since it is possible to cultivate these with an uncontaminated mind — yet what, then, is the reason that the first three should involve no separate dharma, being treated strictly according to non-Buddhist dhyāna? Should one have already attained the eight concentrations in a past life, this produces the arising of habituation from that past life — but the concentration of cessation alone does not produce the uncontaminated, and cultivation of it alone cannot be accomplished, hence habituation from past lives is not discussed with respect to it. As for the nine sequential concentrations, the transcendent concentration, and the rest, treated according to the Tripiṭaka teaching, there exists no ordinary being who cultivates these concentrations at all, hence the arising of habituation from past lives is likewise not discussed with respect to them. Treated according to the Mahāyāna, this same sense ought properly to apply as well, though it is not discussed here.

Next, clarifying the manifestation of the great impurity contemplation, also named "the great turning away." What was contemplated and manifested earlier — setting aside the skin and flesh, contemplating carefully the impurity of the skeleton and the corpse, whether one corpse or two, the impurity overflowing throughout an entire city or village, and the rest — pertained strictly to the direct retribution of oneself and others, and was therefore called "the lesser impurity." It was in terms of this that world-weariness and turning away were discussed, hence it was named "turning away" — this too involving both a general and a particular sense, and so on. As for the great impurity contemplation, why should it be confined merely to the overflowing impurity of direct retribution alone? Dependent retribution, too — dwellings, wealth, grain, clothing, food and drink, mountains and rivers, gardens and groves, rivers and lakes, ponds and pools — being, every one of them, form-dharmas, are likewise, without exception, impure. Worms and pus flow forth, foul and rank odors arise: a dwelling is like a burial mound, coins are like dead snakes, broth is like a filthy fluid, cooked rice is like white maggots, clothing is like foul skin, a mountain is like a heap of flesh, a pond is like a river of pus, a garden or grove is like a pile of bare bones, and rivers and seas are like pools of filth. The Great Sūtra says: "Regard even a delicious broth as though it were a filthy fluid" — this is precisely this very contemplation. During seated meditation, one suddenly perceives things exactly as described above, perceiving this entire earth as possessing not a single good place anywhere, so that neither direct nor dependent retribution can any longer be craved at all — this is named "the manifestation of the great impurity." It is like a fire first kindled: with effort applied and fuel gathered, the smoke and flame remain at first faint and slight; but once the fire has gathered full force, it no longer discriminates among the fuel it consumes, and can eventually dry up and exhaust even a great river itself. The initial contemplation of impurity was confined to a single corpse, a single country, and lustful desire still rose and subsided by turns; but now that the power of concentration is already fully accomplished, world-weariness, too, grows correspondingly powerful, so that every form of direct and dependent retribution alike is recognized as nothing but impurity, and desire is thereby forever stilled. Furthermore, do these various things possess any fixed mark of their own at all? Each is perceived differently according to the particular retribution of the person perceiving it — wholesome karma perceives pure form, unwholesome karma perceives impure form. As with the jeweled ground and jeweled palaces of the various heavens; or with wealth and pleasure among humankind, where one grasps mere tile and stone and finds them transformed into gold and silver — these being summoned forth by the very power of wholesome karma, both direct and dependent retribution alike appearing pure. As the *Sūtra of Saṃgharakṣa* describes the hells, whose very marks differ one from another: some perceive their own flesh as the very ground itself, plowed over by others; some perceive their own body as a forest, broken and felled by the crowd; some perceive their body as a mountain, or as a house, or as clothing — one hundred and twenty kinds in all, every one of them impure form summoned forth by unwholesome karma. Should one grasp firmly at pure form, cherishing and clinging to it with unshakable tenacity, one must apply the power of this great contemplation to break through this very great attachment, overturning this great inversion, thereby accomplishing the great impurity contemplation. Why is this so? For illusionist tricks are, for the most part, mere deception and fraud, whereas the methods of spiritual power grasp the genuine principle of the matter, whereby every object whatsoever, without exception, is capable of being transformed. It is like butter, wax, gold, or iron, which, meeting warmth, flow and transform into liquid, and, meeting cold, solidify into a hardened mass — this understanding-based contemplation accords precisely with this very principle of transformation, through the power of concentration acting in just this way. As for the root dhyānas, they remove only attachment to the lower stage, without being able to remove attachment to one's own present stage; as for the lesser and greater liberations, not yet being uncontaminated, they remove attachment to both the lower stage and one's own present stage; but only an uncontaminated object, penetrating fully, removes attachment to the lower, one's own, and the higher stages all at once. Should a person's great impurity contemplation manifest, the liberation he thereby enters is likewise great, belonging to the first dhyāna. Should there be no skeleton remaining within, while one contemplates the eight colors together with both direct and dependent retribution without, this object being correspondingly vast, this is named the second great liberation, belonging to the second dhyāna. Should the great impurity lead one into the pure liberation, this too is correspondingly great, and likewise extending all the way to the liberation of cessation.

As for the great bases of mastery: these further ripen the liberations, so that one gains complete freedom to transform one's very object at will. The *Great Treatise* explains that a person of dull faculties, having completed the eight liberations, only then cultivates the bases of mastery and the totality-bases; a person of middling faculties, having completed the first three liberations, cultivates the bases of mastery within the four dhyānas; a person of superior faculties, having cultivated only the first liberation, thereby cultivates every dharma of this kind at once. Here the matter shall be treated as pertaining to a middling case. As for "many" or "few": this, too, is treated in terms of direct and dependent retribution — a single corpse is "few," two corpses are "many," and this pattern may be extended indefinitely; a single garment, a single meal, a single mountain or river is "few," while immeasurable garments, meals, mountains, and rivers are "many." As the initial cultivation proceeds from few to many, so too ought its later manifestation to proceed in just the same way. As for "beautiful" or "ugly": form that is upright and comely through wholesome karma is "beautiful," form that is base and unsightly through unwholesome karma is "ugly." Alternatively, whatever appears pleasing to oneself is "beautiful," whatever appears displeasing to oneself is "ugly." Alternatively, whatever possesses wisdom is "beautiful," whatever possesses folly is "ugly." Alternatively, wealth and nobility are "beautiful," poverty and lowliness are "ugly." Yet, whether beautiful or ugly in any of these senses, both alike remain impure. Mountains and rivers, lands and countries, clothing and food, houses and dwellings — whether beautiful or ugly, both alike remain impure. Further, both direct and dependent retribution alike are ugly, while the eight colors emitted by the skeleton are beautiful; yet these eight colors, too, are in another sense ugly, while once refined and polished they become beautiful — beautiful and ugly alike, in every case, remain impure. These first two bases of mastery belong to the first dhyāna. As for possessing no mark of form within while contemplating form without, whether many or few, whether beautiful or ugly, with mastery of knowledge and mastery of vision: this refers to the skeleton dissolved away within, while the eight colors remain without, together with direct and dependent retribution, many or few, beautiful or ugly, exactly as explained above, and so on.

The Great Calming and Contemplation, Fascicle Nine, Upper Part, ends here.

The Great Calming and Contemplation, Fascicle Nine, Lower Part
Spoken by the Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai, of the Sui dynasty
Recorded by his disciple Guanding

As for mastery of knowledge: this mind masters form, no longer bound by form, the mind itself now able to transform form at will — hence it is named "mastery of knowledge." As for mastery of vision: purity, impurity, and every such distinction are now entirely within one's own mind's free command, one's contemplative understanding fully accomplished — hence it is named "mastery of vision." These two together belong to the second dhyāna. Once the bases of mastery are accomplished, one no longer even cherishes one's own body — how much less, then, wealth, possessions, or another's body? The sages of ancient times who relinquished the throne and yielded the kingdom, or who washed their ears at the mere mention of high office, all attained this same contemplation through cultivation in past lives, its nature becoming spontaneous and second nature to them, free of any further craving-attachment whatsoever. Without grasping this very sense, one clings to such things even unto death — how, then, could one possibly relinquish glory and abandon high office so readily? The remaining four bases of mastery are accomplished within the four dhyānas — yet, since the third dhyāna's bliss so predominates there, transformation cannot be accomplished within it. This holds true according to the śrāvaka's own teaching; but within the bodhisattva's teaching, transformation occurs within every single dhyāna without exception — how, then, could this one alone be excepted? The *Great Treatise* speaks of "blue-green, yellow, red, and white" in terms of the real dharma; the *Yingluo Sūtra* speaks of "earth, water, fire, and wind" in terms of conventional designation — the two accounts are mutually inclusive of one another. In these four bases of mastery, both internal and external form are entirely exhausted, leaving only the eight colors remaining — involving only transformation in quantity, many or few, without any transformation in quality, beautiful or ugly. The ten totality-bases occur within the four dhyānas. In the first dhyāna, applied and sustained thought predominate; in the second, joy remains in motion; in the third, bliss remains in motion — in none of these can the totality-base extend broadly and universally, pervading every place at once; only the unmoving wisdom of pure thought is able to extend broadly and universally in this way. Taking blue-green to pervade the ten directions, the ten directions become entirely blue-green; and likewise for every other color — hence this is named "the totality-base." As for "the totality-entry": taking blue-green to pervade every place, yellow then enters into this very blue-green, itself likewise pervading every place at once — the original marks of blue and yellow neither lost nor confusedly intermingled with one another. The remaining colors' mutual entry follows this same pattern — this is named "the totality-entry." This, then, is a matter of the inner mind projecting color to pervade every place — how, then, could this possibly be accomplished by taking some outer leaf of a tree as one's object, so as to pervade every place through it? Without the inner mind's own capacity, how could one possibly transform an outer leaf at all? Only once the mind itself can be transformed is one then able to transform the leaf as well. The *Great Treatise*'s reference to the blue lotus flower is meant only to aid understanding for those who might otherwise fail to grasp it, borrowing an outer illustration to clarify what is inward — one must not cling to this illustration as the true, primary meaning itself. In the penetrating-and-clear contemplation, there is no skeleton within, and no eight colors are emitted — when cultivating the bases of mastery in this context, borrowing an external condition may then indeed be appropriate. For the dharma-preserving practitioner, however, the projection occurs from within, requiring nothing external at all. Furthermore, the bodhisattva's cultivation of the bases of mastery is complete with every one of the practices: should one fail to penetrate direct and dependent retribution, greed and stinginess may readily arise — but once this contemplation is clear, one is willing to relinquish even one's own body, how much less, then, cling stingily to one's own possessions or covet another's wealth? This alone is named "generosity." Attaining this contemplation, one no longer breaks the precepts for the sake of wealth or desire, no longer harms the owner of some property, seizing it for oneself, nor practices deception in a hundred different ways merely to secure one's own survival — such conduct becomes altogether impossible for one who has attained it — this is named "moral discipline." Attaining this contemplation, should another cause one vexation or even seize one's belongings by force, one never gives rise to anger, no more than one would quarrel over a heap of filth — this is named "forbearance." Once this contemplation is accomplished, one no longer relies upon impure corpses or impure lands as an excuse to let the concentrated mind retreat — this is named "diligence." This contemplation is able to encompass contemplation, refinement, permeation, cultivation, spiritual powers and transformations, and the dhyānas of aspiration, wisdom, and the summit, all at once — this is named "dhyāna." Attaining this contemplation, every dharma, whether agent or object, proves altogether unobtainable, neither arising nor ceasing, ultimately pure — this is named "wisdom." Every dharma-gate of the path and of concentration is accomplished through transformation within these very bases of mastery. The mind, settled and free, turns about at will, departing and remaining as it pleases, producing every dharma-gate in accordance with its own intention the very instant it is willed — like a swift horse breaking through the enemy's ranks yet also able to rein itself in of its own accord. At this stage, the mind is bright and pure, free of any further demonic affair — the mind itself now commands Māra, and Māra is no longer able to break through the mind at all. Should a practitioner of the four kinds of samādhi manifest this very dharma, he is, for the most part, thereby carried directly into the stage of the five grades of disciple. Why is this so? Because the power of this auxiliary practice is so great that it swiftly approaches the very pool of coolness. Up to this point, what has manifested is the dhyāna of contemplation, and is likewise the manifestation of the very mark of Mahāyāna dhyāna itself. As for refinement, permeation, and cultivation, even an ordinary being is not permitted to study these at all — hence there is nothing further here to discuss regarding their manifestation; these are treated separately elsewhere in the scriptures and treatises, and need not be dwelt upon further here.

Seventh, clarifying the manifestation of loving-kindness: loving-kindness may depend upon the root dhyānas, arising either before or after them, and so on. One suddenly extends this attention to every sentient being, apprehending their happiness directly, free of any enmity or vexation, the mind joyful and at ease — perceiving some attaining human happiness, others attaining heavenly happiness. Skillfully cultivated and understood, the concentrated mind grows clear and distinct, until there remains not a single sentient being who fails to attain happiness. At first this proceeds gradually, subtle and still; afterward it deepens into a fuller concentration. Its object admits of three degrees: extending to a beloved person's attainment of happiness is named "broad"; to a neutral person, "great"; to an enemy, "immeasurable." Alternatively, extending to the happiness of sentient beings in a single direction is named "broad"; to the four intermediate directions as well, "great"; to the ten directions entire, "immeasurable." This concentration admits of both a concealed and an unconcealed mode. Should the mind, extending to sentient beings, form a firm conviction of their attaining happiness, this conviction being altogether clear and distinct, and yet the very place one attends to shows no visible sign of beings actually receiving happiness — this is unconcealed within, yet concealed without. There is, further, a mode in which the inner mind is bright and pure while the attainment of happiness is also visibly perceived without — this is unconcealed both within and without. Should one first attain this concentration, and only afterward manifest its five accompanying branch-factors: the initial awareness that every sentient being, without exception, has attained happiness, the mind united with this concentration, one's own mind thereby joyful as well, skillfully cultivated and understood, is named "the applied-thought branch-factor." Distinguishing this attainment of happiness — whether among humans or in the heavens, in whatever immeasurable variety of grades — with complete clarity, is named "the sustained-thought branch-factor." Enemy and beloved regarded with perfect equanimity, free of any further suffering born of dread toward an enemy or anxious concern for a loved one, is named "the joy branch-factor." This joy, once stirred, subsiding into stillness, the mind and spirit made joyfully content, resembling the very mark of happiness attended to as one's object, is named "the bliss branch-factor." The dharma of concentration deepening further, sustaining the mind unmoving, is named "the one-pointedness branch-factor." Though these branch-factors share the same names as those of the root dhyānas, the flavor of their dharma differs permanently from them — like sugar-syrup mixed with water compared to plain water, cold in the same way yet utterly different in flavor. Should one manifest the root dhyānas alone, unaccompanied, their retribution is confined merely to the Brahmā-multitude or Brahmā-ministers heavens; but should one attain the concentration of loving-kindness, its retribution becomes rebirth as the very Great Brahmā king himself. Since its fruit is thus superior, its cause, too, is correspondingly greater. Should one first attain the root dhyānas, and only afterward add the concentration of loving-kindness, the root dhyānas' own depth is thereby further enhanced. Further, manifesting the second dhyāna within this concentration of loving-kindness, its four branch-factors of inner purity and the rest are accomplished; manifesting the third dhyāna, its five branch-factors of bliss and the rest are accomplished; manifesting the fourth dhyāna, each and every branch corresponds fully with its respective dhyāna, the accompanying merits complete and the flavor of the dharma correspondingly redoubled, exactly as illustrated above. Yet loving-kindness, whose object is fundamentally another's attainment of happiness, involves inwardly experiencing the concentration of bliss while outwardly perceiving another's happiness — this correspondence extends only as far as the third dhyāna. In the fourth dhyāna, one merely perceives another's attainment of happiness, without any inward reception of bliss oneself, since suffering and bliss are both alike relinquished there — this is how the Hīnayāna makes this particular distinction. The Buddha, at times, breaks through this very attachment as an object of teaching, saying: "Loving-kindness's merit reaches as far as the heaven of universal purity; compassion's merit reaches the sphere of emptiness; sympathetic joy's merit reaches the sphere of consciousness; equanimity's merit reaches the sphere of nothingness" — yet the bodhisattva is constantly accompanied by loving-kindness and compassion at every stage; in what stage, then, could loving-kindness and compassion possibly be absent? Loving-kindness and compassion permeate every wholesome deed without exception — how, then, could they possibly be confined merely to the third dhyāna? This is, in truth, only a provisional, one-sided statement. Should one first manifest the root dhyānas and only afterward manifest the concentration of loving-kindness, the very same pattern applies. In every case, however, these remain darkly realized and concealed, whether unconcealed within yet concealed without, and so on.

Should the concentration of loving-kindness manifest founded upon the special excellences or the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna, the underlying concentration remains distinct in its own right, while the loving-kindness resting upon it arises without becoming confused with it. Since this underlying concentration already possesses contemplative insight, the concentration of loving-kindness founded upon it is likewise unconcealed, and its five branch-factors' flavor of dharma correspondingly redoubles that of the root dhyānas alone. Or, conversely, the special excellences or the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna may themselves manifest founded upon the concentration of loving-kindness — in this case, too, the loving-kindness itself remains unconcealed, its flavor of dhyāna likewise deep. Or, again, the lesser or greater impurity contemplation may manifest founded upon the concentration of loving-kindness — yet since the impurity contemplation takes as its object sentient beings' own decay and destruction, no sentient being remains left as an object at all; who, then, could possibly attain this very happiness? Though no sentient being remains as the object of worldly happiness, there remains the happiness of nirvāṇa itself — this manifests loving-kindness founded upon the Dharma. Question: loving-kindness takes as its object sentient beings' pure, pleasing marks, free of anger and vexation, apprehending what is agreeable about them; the impurity contemplation, by contrast, takes as its object sentient beings' own decay and destruction, apprehending what is repellent about them — how, then, could the two possibly manifest jointly together? Answer: there is, in fact, no difficulty here at all — just as perceiving impurity does not preclude one from also perceiving a pure person in neat, upright clothing, so too does giving rise to the concentration of loving-kindness not preclude the impurity contemplation as well. The concentration of loving-kindness is, moreover, able to adorn the liberations and the rest, causing their merit to redouble in depth, surpassing what arises from the impurity contemplation manifesting alone — or the two may manifest reciprocally, each triggering the other, and so on. The remaining three immeasurable minds' reciprocal manifestation with other dhyānas may likewise be understood according to this same pattern established for loving-kindness. Should the four immeasurable minds manifest founded upon the root dhyānas, they become contaminated; founded upon the special excellences or the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna, they become both contaminated and uncontaminated; founded upon the impurity contemplation, they become uncontaminated. Since their underlying causes and conditions differ so, the concentration of loving-kindness and the rest vary in depth across countless thousands upon thousands of distinct forms, beyond any possibility of exhaustive description. It is comparable to how the four great elements of the desire realm produce every kind of terrain — blue-green, yellow, red, white, high and low, all differing from one another; produce every kind of tree, plant, and fruit — sweet, bitter, pungent, sour, medicinal, poisonous, fragrant, foul; produce every kind of person — comely or plain, clever or dull, rich or poor, good or evil; produce every kind of bird and beast — furred, horned, flying, or running — an endless variety of kinds, each distinct grade never intermingling with another, each following strictly its own particular nature and capacity. As a person of meager merit subsists on nothing more than coarse millet, never even believing that sugarcane or grapes could exist at all, so too is it with the pure dharmas of the form realm. Their transforming branch-factors, in every manner of differing flavor, add to and blend with one another without ever truly merging into confusion — and this holds true, further, all the more so, for the four immeasurable minds, whose scope is wider still. Why is this so? Because sentient beings themselves are immeasurable in number, the very thought of their attaining happiness is correspondingly immeasurable as well; and since the dharmas involved are themselves immeasurable, the flavor of the branch-factors arising in dependence upon them is likewise immeasurable, beyond any possibility of exhaustive reckoning. Sentient beings of meager merit place no faith in meditative concentration at all; and even should they come to believe in a single such dharma, they still fail to believe in its immeasurable further merits — like one dwelling west of the mountains who has never known of delicacies from the east, or a well-frog who cannot conceive of the great sea-god Ruo — a truly pitiable condition indeed. Those who are able to believe, by contrast, recognize that the domain of the sages is beyond ordinary conception, and give rise to no slander toward it whatsoever, and so on.

Eighth, clarifying the manifestation of dependent origination: the practitioner, having accumulated great merit, is granted meditative samādhi by the buddhas; or, through habituation accumulated in past lives, the concentration of dependent origination manifests either before or after the other dhyānas, and so on. During seated meditation, one suddenly reflects upon the very object to which the mind attends, whether a wholesome or an unwholesome state of mind — this attending mind and its attended object are precisely the link of "existence," a link capable of containing within itself a future fruit. This "existence" arises from "grasping" — for it is the mind's very grasping of good and evil that gives rise to existence; were there no grasping, this existence, too, would not arise — hence one knows that existence arises from grasping. One further comes to know that grasping arises from "craving" — for it is precisely because of craving that grasping becomes possible, as when one craves form even unto death and thereby grasps it, whereas without such craving one would not grasp it at all. Craving arises, in turn, from "feeling" — for it is precisely through the reception of good or evil sensation that craving arises; were there no such reception, craving, too, would not arise. Further, one contemplates that feeling arises from "contact" — for it is when the six sense-objects come into contact with the six sense-faculties that feeling is able to arise; without contact, there would be no feeling. The sūtra says: "The six contacts, as causes and conditions, give rise to every feeling" — hence feeling arises from contact. One further knows that contact arises through the gates of the sense-fields — for, without the six consciousnesses governing the six faculties, one would be unable to engage with the sense-objects so as to generate contact at all. Contact arises from the sense-fields, and the sense-fields arise from "name-and-form." Were there form alone, form alone could not make contact, as with a corpse; were there name alone, name alone likewise makes no contact, as with a blind and deaf person. It is precisely because form and mind are conjoined that contact becomes possible. Form is the aggregate of form itself; mind is the remaining four aggregates. Discerning this form is named "the aggregate of consciousness"; receiving this form is named "the aggregate of feeling"; the activity that gives rise to craving and aversion is named the two aggregates of "perception" and "formation." The five aggregates being thus complete, sensory contact becomes possible. One should understand, then, that contact arises from name-and-form, and name-and-form arises from the very first consciousness taking rebirth in the womb, this first conception being named "kalala." At this moment, three things are already present together: life-force, warmth, and consciousness. Within this, there is a retributive vital wind, and, depending upon this wind, it is named "life-force"; the sexual fluids, neither putrid nor decayed, are named "warmth"; and the mind and intention present within are named "consciousness." Because consciousness takes rebirth in the womb, the congealed, curd-like substance gradually forms, its six protuberances opening and expanding, name-and-form thereby harmonized together. One should understand, then, how could name-and-form possibly fail to arise from consciousness? Consciousness, in turn, arises from karmic action — the wholesome karma of past observance of the five precepts causes karma to bring about the reception of name-and-form as a human being; the unwholesome karma of past violation of the five precepts causes karma to bring about rebirth in the three lower paths instead. One thus knows that consciousness arises from karma, karma being precisely "formation." Formation, in turn, arises from "ignorance" — deluded craving fashions every manner of formation, causing consciousness to flow onward and transmigrate, proceeding from the past into the present; and, from the present, craving and grasping condition existence, existence in turn capable of containing a further fruit, drawing forth future birth and death. The causes and conditions spanning the three time-periods are thus empty, possessing no master or controller whatsoever. Reflecting in this way, as contemplative wisdom arises, the false conception of a self and a person is thereby broken through; the concentrated mind, settled and calm, proceeds from coarseness into subtlety, through the desire realm and the stage of approach, all the way to the root dhyānas — the five branch-factors of merit arising in due sequence. Awakening to the emptiness of causes and conditions, possessing no master, is named "the applied-thought branch-factor"; the mutual dependence of the three time-periods' own flowing transmigration, understood with unerring clarity, is named "the sustained-thought branch-factor"; attaining the wisdom of dependent origination, understanding the three time-periods with such depth — how could this fail to bring rejoicing? — is named "the joy branch-factor"; the dharma of concentration sustaining the mind, serene and exquisite, is named "the bliss branch-factor"; the concentrated mind, deep and clear, free of any further object or thought, is named "the one-pointedness branch-factor." This samādhi of dependent origination is itself of the very nature of wisdom, and, this wisdom being bright and clear, the root dhyānas are thereby produced in turn; or the root dhyānas and dependent origination may harmonize together, the resulting flavor of the dharma correspondingly rich and full, differing from the manifestation of the five branch-factors alone. This samādhi, too, admits of both a concealed and an unconcealed mode. Should the inner mind merely understand the dharma of dependent origination without yet giving rise to false conception of a self, corresponding only to the root dhyānas, this understanding remaining dim and unmanifest, this is named "concealed." Should this samādhi manifest with the mind bright and pure, perceiving the very place and moment of the kalala's five protuberances opening and expanding, and perceiving, too, the good and evil of one's own karmic action, its beauty or ugliness, and perceiving, further, the very events of future birth and death, the three time-periods entirely clear and distinct — this is named the "unconcealed" mark. Both of these modes possess, in full, the ten dharmas of emptiness, brightness, and the rest already described — this is the root dhyānas manifesting by way of dependent origination. Extending further to the special excellences, the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna, the liberations, and the rest, their concealed and unconcealed manifestation by way of dependent origination follows this same pattern as well.

As for dependent origination manifesting founded upon the root dhyānas: one suddenly reflects, within concentration itself, that every one of the root dhyānas' own states is likewise constituted through causes and conditions — the very state constituted, and that which constitutes it, being precisely the link of "existence." Coarse and fine abiding themselves already contain within them the existence proper to the deva-realms of the fire-radiance and Tuṣita heavens; and wherever there is birth, death must inevitably follow. The desire-realm concentration is likewise an existence constituted through causes and conditions, this existence containing its own fruit, properly bringing about rebirth in the heaven of transformed enjoyment — and, once born there, death inevitably follows as well. The stage of approach is likewise an existence constituted through causes and conditions, this existence containing its own fruit, properly bringing about existence in the heaven of Māra himself. The first dhyāna, corresponding in kind, likewise contains its own existence within it — and so on, extending even to neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Every one of these forms of existence arises, in every case, from grasping — grasping the mark of the first dhyāna, for instance, exactly as in the twenty-five preliminary expedients described earlier, where every manner of hope and anticipation grasps at its corresponding characteristic mark — hence one knows that existence arises from grasping. Grasping, in turn, arises from craving — for it is upon hearing another describe the merits of the first dhyāna that craving-attachment toward it arises. One further knows that this craving arises from feeling — for it is upon hearing of those very merits and receiving them into oneself that craving is thereby aroused. One further knows that this feeling arises from the sense-fields — the sense-field being precisely the faculty itself; without a faculty as sense-field, there could be no reception of feeling at all. Feeling, in turn, arises from contact with a sense-object, and it is through contact that the sense-field itself comes to be. Contact arises from name-and-form, since it is through the conjunction of the five aggregates that contact becomes possible. Name-and-form arises from the very first consciousness's three constituent factors; these three factors arise, in turn, from karma, through which one comes to receive a body; and karma arises from ignorance, whereby consciousness comes to arise, extending all the way to old age and death. From the very summit of neither-perception-nor-non-perception down to the most basic coarse abiding, one thereby recognizes the twelve links of dependent origination throughout, each and every one understood with complete clarity. Extending further to the special excellences, the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna, and the rest, manifesting founded upon the root dhyānas, this same pattern may likewise be understood. This contemplation, breaking through as it does the false inversion of self, carries the same underlying sense as the "expedient means of the realm" contemplation used to break through self elsewhere — it is simply that, following the *Dhyāna Sūtra*, it receives here the name "the samādhi of dependent origination." Though this examination across the three time-periods is itself of the nature of wisdom, it is still named merely "the stilling of the mind" — the mind having attained this stillness, like a sealed chamber free of any wind, one may then undertake the contemplation of the foundations of mindfulness proper. Only once the contemplation of the foundations of mindfulness is accomplished is it rightly named "the wisdom of hearing" — the wisdom of hearing being itself already a principle-contemplation. As when Pūrṇa, expressing his own understanding, said: "I have already understood, I have already known" — and, asked, "How do you know it?" — replied: "One who knows ignorance no longer gives rise to grasping or existence" — this is precisely the sense of the wisdom of hearing. This contemplation of dependent origination, occurring prior to the foundations of mindfulness, does not yet possess this full power, and hence belongs properly to the category of concrete-practice contemplation. This gate of dependent origination is treated differently according to differing capacities: the *Yingluo Sūtra* explains it in ten kinds; the *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* explains it as retributive result within a single thought-moment; most other masters transmit it in terms of the three time-periods. When Nāgārjuna composed the *Madhyamaka-śāstra*, he first clarified it in the "Chapter on Causes and Conditions" — some commentators on this treatise have held that, since this chapter does not exhaustively encompass the entire Dharma, causes and conditions cannot properly serve as the treatise's own central doctrine, being merely conventional truth, and that it is only the thorough refutation of causes and conditions that constitutes the real truth, and hence the two truths together are taken as the treatise's central doctrine. Here, however, it must be asked: which chapter of the treatise is not itself simply conventional truth thoroughly refuted throughout? This applies universally to every chapter, and carries no special, separate significance of its own. At the very outset of the treatise, causes and conditions are contemplated in general; then, in the "Chapter on Defilement and the Defiled" and elsewhere, the links of craving and grasping are refuted specifically; in the "Chapter on the Sense-Faculties," the link of suffering is refuted specifically; and, extending to the final two chapters, the śrāvaka's own contemplation of dependent origination is set forth specifically. Whether treated generally or specifically, in every case it is dependent origination that is being contemplated — how, then, could it fail to constitute the treatise's own central doctrine? Northern masters, taking up the corrective argument found within these final chapters, hold that the six causes and four conditions constitute the treatise's central doctrine — yet this pertains merely to the arising-and-ceasing form of dependent origination, and the sense of these final two chapters does not represent the treatise's own true, central doctrine. After the Buddha's passing from the world, people's faculties grew increasingly dull, clinging fixedly to dependent origination as though it possessed some fixed, determinate mark of its own, failing to grasp the Buddha's genuine intent — and it was for this very reason that this treatise was composed, to clarify the true gateway of contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination.

Now that this very dharma of dependent origination has manifested, calming-and-contemplation shall be clarified in terms of it, treated according to the same pattern in ten parts, and so on. As for the discursible object: within the mind of past ignorance, one performs dark, unwholesome acts, thereby forming the realms of the three lower paths; or performs pure acts and unshakable acts, thereby forming the realms of the three wholesome paths. Should one transform ignorance into the light of arising-and-ceasing, this is named "inferior wisdom's contemplation," attaining the bodhi of the śrāvaka. Transforming contaminated formation into supramundane auxiliary practice of the path, the seven kinds of trainee, their remaining karma not yet exhausted, are still born within the wholesome realms. Should one beyond further training employ uncontaminated karma while still clinging to the real truth, craving combines with root ignorance, giving rise to birth in the land of skillful means, receiving there a corresponding name-and-form, and, through craving and aversion arising there, giving rise once more to grasping and existence — this is the realm of the śrāvaka. Should one transform ignorance into the light of the neither-arising-nor-ceasing, this is middling wisdom, attaining the bodhi of the pratyekabuddha. The *Sūtra of Petitioning Avalokiteśvara* says: "Contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination as a dream, an illusion, a plantain trunk, one accomplishes the path of the pratyekabuddha" — this carries precisely this same sense. Transforming contaminated formation into uncontaminated auxiliary practice, whether the fetters of karma are exhausted or not exhausted, following the same pattern as before, this is the realm of the pratyekabuddha. Should one transform ignorance into prajñā, and transform unwholesome formation into the five pāramitās, since the real truth has not yet been realized, the twelve links of dependent origination proper to the three realms remain still fully present — this is the realm of the six pāramitās. Should one transform ignorance into the wisdom of emptiness, and transform formation into the six pāramitās, then, prior to the sixth and seventh grounds, affliction not yet fully severed, this follows the same pattern as before; once severance is complete, one is born into that very land, one's merit and wisdom only slightly superior — this is named "middling wisdom's contemplation," attaining the bodhi of the shared teaching. Should one transform ignorance into the light of sequential progression, and transform formation into distinctly graded practice, then, through the ten stages of faith and the ten abidings, severance not yet complete, and through the ten practices and the ten transferences, severance complete, this follows the same pattern as before. This is named "superior wisdom's contemplation," attaining the bodhi of the distinct teaching. Should one transform ignorance into the light of the Buddha's own wisdom, then, from the very first arising of the bodhi-mind, one knows the twelve links to be the three buddha-natures themselves. Contemplated generally: the true suchness, the real principle of the twelve links, is the correct-cause buddha-nature; the wisdom that contemplates the twelve links is the complete-cause buddha-nature; the mind, complete with every formation, that contemplates the twelve links is the conditioning-cause buddha-nature. Contemplated distinctly: ignorance, craving, and grasping are precisely the complete-cause buddha-nature; formation and existence are precisely the conditioning-cause buddha-nature; consciousness and the remaining seven links are precisely the correct-cause buddha-nature. Why is this so? The path of suffering is birth-and-death itself, and transforming the body of birth-and-death is precisely the Dharma-body; affliction is a dark dharma, and transforming ignorance produces light; karmic action is a binding dharma, and transforming this binding accomplishes liberation — the three paths are thus precisely the three virtues. When these natures are obtained as cause, they are neither vertically sequential nor horizontally separate — this is named "the three buddha-natures"; when these are cultivated to fruition as result, they are likewise neither vertically sequential nor horizontally separate, like the worldly letter *i* — this is named "the nirvāṇa of the three virtues." The *Vimalakīrti Sūtra* says: "Every sentient being is itself the great nirvāṇa, is itself the Buddha, is itself bodhi" — this carries precisely this same sense. This is named "the supreme wisdom's contemplation," attaining the very bodhi of the Buddha himself. Should the five grades of disciple not yet have achieved severance, this remains the same as one still in training; the iron-wheel stage, permanently separated from the sea of suffering, is the same as one beyond further training. Though there is, further, transformation-birth involved, the merit generated by the five faculties differs vastly from stage to stage. The Great Treatise says: "The two lesser vehicles receive only the Dharma-nature body, their faculties remaining dim and dull, since they take so circuitous a route toward the Buddha's own path." The distinct and perfect teachings, by contrast, are able to break through ignorance directly, opening at once the very real dharma of the path of suffering, obtaining a genuine retributive result directly from this real dharma, proceeding straight through formation and existence, complete with every practice, thereby attaining both direct and dependent retribution entirely unobstructed — their faculties sharp and their merit deep, differing altogether from the middling and lower capacities. The three worthies and ten sages, abiding within retributive result, all alike accomplish this very twelve-link dependent origination; at the stage of equal enlightenment, only a single further lifetime's worth of dependent origination remains. Only at the very final exhaustion of the source of ignorance, craving and grasping ultimately exhausted, is this named "ultimate prajñā"; consciousness and the remaining seven fruit-links exhausted, this is named "ultimate Dharma-body"; formation and existence exhausted, this is named "ultimate liberation." Though this is spoken of as "exhaustion" and "severance," there is, in truth, nothing whatsoever actually severed — this is an inconceivable severance. One enters the perfect, pure nirvāṇa without severing ignorance, craving, or grasping; one enters the nature-pure nirvāṇa without severing name-and-form and the remaining seven links; one enters the expedient-means pure nirvāṇa without severing the good and evil of formation and existence. The *Vimalakīrti Sūtra* says: "Through the very marks of the five heinous transgressions one attains liberation, yet is neither bound nor liberated at all." Reasoning in this way, the twelve links of dependent origination are themselves precisely the whole of the Buddha's own immeasurable Dharma — this is named "an object beyond what discriminating consciousness alone can encompass."

Furthermore, correlating the twelve links with the Lotus Sūtra's ten suchnesses: such-a-nature corresponds to ignorance — the *Vimalakīrti Sūtra* says, "should one know the very nature of ignorance, this is itself the nature of light"; such-a-mark corresponds to formation; such-a-substance corresponds to consciousness and the remaining seven links; such-a-power corresponds to craving and grasping; such-an-activity corresponds to the causal factor of existence, this being likewise the habituated cause of ignorance, craving, and grasping; such-a-condition corresponds to formation and existence; such-an-effect corresponds to the habituated fruit of wisdom generated from ignorance; such-a-retribution corresponds to the five kinds of nirvāṇa generated from formation and existence; such-a-beginning corresponds to the three buddha-natures of the three paths; such-an-end corresponds to the nirvāṇa of the three virtues. Furthermore, correlating with the ten objects of contemplation: among the ten dharma-realms, the objects of the aggregates and of illness correspond to consciousness and the remaining seven links; the objects of affliction, views, and pride correspond to ignorance, craving, and grasping; the objects of karma, demons, meditative states, the two lesser vehicles, and the bodhisattva correspond to formation, existence, and the remaining links. Furthermore, the twelve links of dependent origination, the ten suchnesses, and the ten objects of contemplation, considered across separate, differing moments of mind, are discursible in terms of arising-and-ceasing; considered within a single thought-moment, they are neither arising nor ceasing, inconceivable. The *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* says: "The twelve links of dependent origination are present within a single thought-moment." The *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* says: "The twelve links of dependent origination are entirely complete within a single person's single thought-moment." Even this remains somewhat general — only when a single person's single thought-moment is recognized as entirely complete with the ten realms, the ten suchnesses, and the twelve links of dependent origination all at once may this properly be called the Mahāyāna's own inconceivable twelve-link dependent origination. Question: the *Twelve Gate Treatise* says: "Dharmas arising through conditions have, in truth, no genuine arising at all. Were one to speak of their arising, would this occur within a single mind, or within many minds?" — could one, then, still properly speak of this occurring within a single thought-moment? Answer: the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* says: "The immeasurable is within the one; the one is within the immeasurable." The *Larger Prajñāpāramitā* says: "Every dharma tends toward ignorance, this tendency reaching no further — extending even to every dharma tending toward old age and death." Here, then, to speak of a single mind complete with the twelve links of dependent origination — what fault could this possibly carry? Furthermore, in speaking of "a single thought-moment," this is not the same as the world's own attachment to some fixed, determinate mark of oneness or difference in a single thought-moment — it is, rather, that, being neither one nor different, one nonetheless speaks provisionally of "oneness." It is like a dissolving dharma covering the mind, within a single thought-moment dreaming of countless ages — a matter treated just as in the *Lotus Sūtra*, and so on.

As for giving rise to the true bodhi-mind: should one give rise to compassion and vows founded merely upon the arising-and-ceasing, the neither-arising-nor-ceasing, or the provisionally-named account of the twelve links of dependent origination, this is not yet the true and genuine bodhi-mind — hence the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* speaks of "the bodhi-mind that is itself a demon," carrying precisely this same sense. Only should one give rise to compassion founded upon the inconceivable twelve links of dependent origination, universally delivering all beings without exception, is this properly named true and genuine. Extracting suffering has two aspects: first, extracting the ten dharma-realms' own suffering of the five causal links — ignorance, craving, grasping, formation, and existence; second, extracting the ten dharma-realms' own suffering of the seven fruit-links — consciousness, name-and-form, and the rest. Loving-kindness in granting happiness likewise has two corresponding aspects: contemplating, on behalf of the ten dharma-realms, ignorance, craving, and grasping, thereby accomplishing the direct path of wisdom-conduct, and transforming formation and existence into the auxiliary path of conduct-in-action, this is named "granting the cause of happiness." Contemplating the ten realms' name-and-form and the remaining seven links as themselves possessing the very nature of peace and happiness, this being precisely the great nirvāṇa, never again to be extinguished, is named "granting the fruit of happiness." Founded upon these four senses, the four universal vows arise: those not yet delivered shall be delivered — delivering the ten realms' seven fruit-links from the suffering of birth-and-death; those not yet released shall be released — releasing the ten realms from the accumulation of ignorance, craving, grasping, formation, and existence, these five causal links; those not yet at peace shall be brought to peace — bringing the ten realms' ignorance, craving, grasping, formation, and existence to peace, through the direct and auxiliary paths together; those not yet attained to nirvāṇa shall attain it — attaining, through consciousness and the remaining seven links, the very peace and happiness of nirvāṇa itself, and so on. As for skillfully pacifying the mind: skillfully contemplating the ten realms' consciousness and the remaining seven links as themselves precisely the Dharma-nature, not giving rise to the eight inversions of delusion and confusion belonging to ignorance, craving, and grasping, is named "contemplation"; the ten dharma-realms' every manner of inverted delusion belonging to formation, existence, and the rest thereby coming to rest, is named "calming," and so on.

As for comprehensively breaking through every dharma: horizontally, breaking through the twelve links of dependent origination across all ten realms as entirely a single thought-moment, this thought-moment being neither self-caused, nor other-caused, nor jointly caused, nor uncaused — one should recognize thereby that all ten realms are entirely unborn. Vertically, breaking through, across all ten realms, formation, existence, view-and-thought affliction, dust-and-sand affliction, ignorance-of-particulars, and fundamental ignorance as themselves unborn, extending through all forty-two grades as unborn upon unborn — this is named "the great nirvāṇa." As for skillfully distinguishing blockage from passage: penetrating to the very truth of causes and conditions is named "passage"; giving rise to attachment through view-and-thought affliction is "blockage." Sinking into the real truth alone constitutes non-passage; penetrating the concrete practice of causes and conditions constitutes non-blockage. Giving rise to Dharma-attachment with respect to the three paths constitutes blockage; penetrating the underlying principle within causes and conditions constitutes passage. Should ignorance, craving, grasping, formation, and existence arise anew at each successive round, this is failure; should wisdom be present at each successive round instead, this is attainment. Or, treated strictly in terms of the four kinds of active, artificial suffering and origin, these constitute blockage, while the four kinds of path and cessation constitute passage. Or, treated strictly in terms of the threefold provisional, this constitutes blockage, while breaking through the threefold provisional into the unborn constitutes passage. As the shared afflictions are thus, so too are the distinct afflictions. Or, treated strictly in terms of the ten proclivities arising from the four views, these constitute blockage, while breaking through view constitutes passage, and so on.

As for skillfully cultivating the branches of the path: treated generally, among the ten realms' own causes and conditions, every form-dharma is named "body"; every dharma of feeling is named "feeling"; every dharma of consciousness is named "mind"; every dharma of perception and formation is named "dharmas." Treated specifically: the form taken up within the name-and-form link, the five sense-fields taken up within the six sense-fields link, the five contacts and five feelings taken up within the contact link, and the form-portion taken up within each of the birth and death links, are all together classed under the foundation of mindfulness of the body. The consciousness-portion taken up within the name-and-form link, the mental sense-field taken up within the six sense-fields link, and the consciousness-portion taken up within each of the birth and death links, are all together classed under the foundation of mindfulness of the mind. The perception and formation taken up within the ignorance, formation, and name-and-form links, the mental contact taken up within the contact link, the perception and formation taken up within the craving, grasping, existence, and birth links, and the perception and formation likewise taken up within the death link — all of these are classed under the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas. It is sometimes said that ignorance is craving from a past life, and craving is itself the defiled five aggregates. Treated in terms of the present alone: ignorance is classed under the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas; formation likewise under dharmas; consciousness under mind; name-and-form under both body and mind; the six sense-fields, taking the six sense-objects as their condition, the objects classed under dharmas and the fields themselves under body; contact classed under dharmas; feeling classed, naturally, under feeling; craving, being itself defilement, classed under both body and mind; grasping classed under dharmas; existence classed under formation; birth being the arising of form and death being the ceasing of form, both classed under dharmas. Question: masters of numerical categories hold that birth and death are both alike formations dissociated from mind, and hence ought to be classed under the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas alone — how, then, can they pertain to all three foundations of mindfulness at once? Answer: the Great Sūtra says: "As these five aggregates cease, those five aggregates continue to arise, like a wax seal pressed into clay — the seal itself broken even as the impression it leaves is formed." One thus knows that the dharma of birth and death is never apart from the five aggregates, and this account may accordingly be given. Contemplating the general and particular forms belonging to causes and conditions as neither defiled nor pure, able to illuminate both defilement and purity at once, is named "the foundation of mindfulness of the body." Contemplating the general and particular feelings belonging to causes and conditions as neither suffering nor pleasure, illuminating both suffering and pleasure at once, is named "the foundation of mindfulness of feeling." Contemplating the general and particular consciousness belonging to causes and conditions as neither permanent nor impermanent, illuminating both permanence and impermanence at once, is the foundation of mindfulness of mind. Contemplating the general and particular perception and formation belonging to causes and conditions as neither self nor non-self, illuminating both self and non-self at once, is the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas. These four are able to break through the eight inversions found within the twelve links of dependent origination, the eight inversions transforming in turn into the four withered and four flourishing trees, which are themselves also neither withered nor flourishing — entering nirvāṇa in the very midst between them, one thereby beholds the buddha-nature itself. Diligently contemplating these four is named "correct diligence," extending through the eightfold path as explained previously. Contemplating the root dhyānas as free of the four propositions, neither arising nor ceasing, is precisely ultimate emptiness. This emptiness is complete with the eighteen kinds of emptiness; yet these eighteen kinds of emptiness are, in truth, but a single emptiness. The *Vaipulya* scriptures say: "Lesser emptiness and greater emptiness both alike return to a single emptiness." The *Larger Prajñāpāramitā* says: "There is but a single, solitary emptiness." This is named "the gate of liberation of emptiness." Entering entirely into this emptiness, one takes up none of the four marks of the Dharma-nature, neither receiving, nor clinging to, nor conceiving, nor discriminating between new and old, inner and outer, and so on. Should the mind rest upon no support whatsoever, beholding the true buddha-nature through seeing nothing at all, abiding in the great nirvāṇa through abiding in no dharma whatsoever — this is named "the gate of liberation of marklessness." This great nirvāṇa is neither cultivated nor fabricated; being not self-caused, it has no cause; being not other-caused, it has no condition; being uncombined, it involves no conjunction; being not uncaused, it involves no separation either — without cultivation and without attainment, this is named "the gate of liberation of non-fabrication."

As for auxiliary remedies: the branches of the path treated above take the underlying principle as their object directly, transforming ignorance, craving, and grasping into light — yet, though one thereby possesses correct wisdom, one is still unable to gain entry. Why is this so? Ignorance, craving, and grasping are the evil proper to principle itself, contending directly against the wisdom of principle; but there is, further, the concrete evil belonging to formation and existence, which further obscures and overlays the wisdom of principle — like a horde of bandits against a single defender — hence one must additionally cultivate the concrete good belonging to formation and existence, so as to assist in opening the gate of nirvāṇa. Should the formation and existence of stingy greed arise, transforming these into the formation and existence of generosity gives rise to the wholesome root of the dāna pāramitā; should the formation and existence of precept-breaking arise, transforming these into the formation and existence of upholding the precepts gives rise to the wholesome root of the śīla pāramitā; should the formation and existence of anger arise, transforming these into the formation and existence of forbearance gives rise to the wholesome root of the kṣānti pāramitā; should the formation and existence of laziness arise, transforming these into the formation and existence of diligence gives rise to the wholesome root of the vīrya pāramitā; should the formation and existence of distraction arise, transforming these into the formation and existence of meditative concentration gives rise to the accompanying merits of dhyāna; should the formation and existence of folly arise, transforming these into the formation and existence of awakening to impermanence, suffering, and emptiness thereby produces, through concrete-practice wisdom, a clear and distinct assistance in breaking through principle-level affliction. Should even a single one of these coverings remain, one is thereby prevented from beholding the underlying principle — how much more so, then, should all six remain? Here, one need only break through whichever proves strongest, and the weaker ones will follow along in its wake. This auxiliary practice's power runs deep, accomplishing every meritorious quality, regulating every faculty, fulfilling the six pāramitās completely, and becoming complete with the Buddha's own bearing — the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, and the major and minor marks, and the rest, exactly as explained earlier — one may reflect upon this and work it out for oneself. Further, as for the Buddha's own bearing: the Buddha's sitting in the place of enlightenment, turning the wheel of the Dharma, and entering nirvāṇa are all, in every case, treated in terms of the twelve links of dependent origination. The *Larger Prajñāpāramitā* says: "Should one be able to contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination deeply, this is itself sitting in the place of enlightenment." The place of enlightenment itself has four forms: should one contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination to the ultimate point of arising-and-ceasing, this is the Tripiṭaka Buddha's sitting in the place of enlightenment, upon a seat of grass beneath a wooden tree; should one contemplate the twelve links to the ultimate point of emptiness, this is the shared teaching's Buddha sitting in the place of enlightenment, beneath a tree of the seven jewels, upon a seat of heavenly garments; should one contemplate the twelve links to the ultimate point of provisional designation, this is the distinct teaching's Vairocana Buddha sitting in the place of enlightenment, upon a seat of the seven jewels; should one contemplate the twelve links to the ultimate point of the middle, this is the perfect teaching's Mahāvairocana Buddha sitting in the place of enlightenment, with empty space itself as his very seat. One should understand, then, that no place of enlightenment, whether lesser or greater, ever departs from this very contemplation of the twelve links of dependent origination. Further, every buddha, without exception, turns the wheel of the Dharma through this same contemplation. At the place of quiescent enlightenment itself, across the seven locations and eight assemblies, the twelve links of dependent origination are taught to sharp-faculty bodhisattvas as neither arising nor ceasing, also named "provisional designation," also named "the sense of the middle way"; at the Deer Park, the twelve links are taught to dull-faculty disciples as the mark of arising-and-ceasing; in the twelve divisions of scripture belonging to the Vaipulya period, the twelve links of arising-and-ceasing are taught as themselves emptiness, themselves the provisional, themselves the middle; in the *Great Prajñāpāramitā*, the twelve links are likewise taught as themselves emptiness, themselves the provisional, themselves the middle; in the *Lotus Sūtra*, the twelve links are taught as themselves the middle alone, the three expedient vehicles set aside entirely; in the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*, the twelve links are taught complete with all four of these senses at once, every being possessing the buddha-nature, just as milk already possesses the very nature of ghee within it. The Four Teachings and the Five Flavors, though differing from one another, are, in every case, simply skillful distinctions made in terms of this very twelve-link dependent origination, guiding beings according to their respective capacities. Further, the image of "concealing poison within milk" found in the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* likewise clarifies, in terms of the twelve links of dependent origination, the indeterminate teaching. Further, the statement "when I first attained enlightenment, bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions had already inquired into this very matter" refers, within the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*, to the secret teaching treated in terms of the twelve links of dependent origination. Why is this so? At the very outset, the mark of arising-and-ceasing belonging to the twelve links was taught to dull-faculty disciples, while sharp-faculty bodhisattvas, present separately within that same assembly, secretly heard the mark of the twelve links as neither arising nor ceasing, and thereby awakened at once to the buddha-nature, attaining the forbearance of the unborn — this is precisely the secret sense referred to here. This, then, is the mark of turning the wheel of the Dharma within the land where sages and ordinary beings dwell together. Further, every buddha, without exception, enters parinirvāṇa through this same contemplation as well. Treated according to dull faculties, ignorance extinguished all the way through old age and death extinguished, both the transgression itself and its residual habituation entirely exhausted, this is the Tripiṭaka Buddha's nirvāṇa with and without remainder; treated according to the contemplation of emptiness, ignorance extinguished all the way through old age and death extinguished, this is the shared teaching's Buddha's nirvāṇa with and without remainder; treated according to the contemplation of the provisional designation and the middle way applied to causes and conditions, ignorance extinguished all the way through old age and death extinguished, this is the distinct teaching's Buddha's nirvāṇa of permanence, bliss, self, and purity; treated in terms of the twelve links of dependent origination, the three paths being themselves the three buddha-natures, and likewise the three nirvāṇas, nirvāṇa itself being named the very Dharma-realm of every buddha, this is the perfect teaching's Vairocana Buddha's nirvāṇa of the four virtues. These are the marks of nirvāṇa manifested within the land where sages and ordinary beings dwell together, fourfold in kind, as set forth in the *Sūtra Resolving Doubts in the Age of the Semblance Dharma*. The lands of skillful means and of real reward, and their respective marks of attaining enlightenment, turning the wheel of the Dharma, and entering nirvāṇa, may likewise be understood accordingly. This is named "the twelve links of dependent origination gathering in the entire meaning of the Dharma," and so on.

As for knowing one's own stage: the relative severity of the three evil paths is entirely brought about by the unwholesome activity, unwholesome craving, and grasping proper to ignorance; the relative loftiness of the three wholesome paths is likewise brought about by the wholesome activity, unshakable activity, craving, grasping, and existence proper to ignorance. Should one transform ignorance, craving, and grasping, giving rise to the wisdom of arising-and-ceasing, this constitutes the relative stages of the noble ones liberated through wisdom within the Tripiṭaka teaching; should one transform formation and existence, giving rise to the meritorious qualities of contemplation, refinement, and permeation, this constitutes the relative stages of the noble ones both-liberated within the Tripiṭaka teaching. The lesser and greater Kāśyapa-lineage may be understood by the same pattern. Transforming the five pāramitās, one accomplishes prajñā through formation and existence; transforming ignorance, craving, and grasping, one regulates every faculty — this gives rise to the stages of the three incalculable kalpas. Should one transform ignorance, craving, and grasping, embodying and penetrating directly to the real; and transform formation and existence, cultivating the six pāramitās like planting a tree within emptiness — this gives rise to the relative stages of the four forbearances. Transforming ignorance, craving, and grasping, one generates the wisdom of the paths' particular varieties; transforming formation and existence, one accomplishes, across many kalpas of cultivation, every pāramitā, spiritual power, purification of buddha-lands, and perfecting of sentient beings — this gives rise to the relative stages of the six wheels. Should the transformation of ignorance, craving, and grasping itself become the very blazing lamp of perfect bodhi, this gives rise to the relative stages of the perfect teaching's six identities. The twelve links of dependent origination are entirely complete within a single person's single thought-moment — delusion is, like empty space, inexhaustible, extending even to old age and death, likewise, like empty space, inexhaustible. Where there is emptiness, there is neither exhaustion nor inexhaustion — emptiness is itself the Mahāyāna. The *Twelve Gate Treatise* says: "Emptiness is named the Mahāyāna — the very vehicle ridden by the great beings Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī, hence it is named 'the Great Vehicle.'" The *Larger Prajñāpāramitā* says: "This vehicle neither moves nor departs. Should anyone wish to make the real limit of the Dharma-nature itself depart, this vehicle, too, would neither move nor depart." The Great Sūtra says: "Every sentient being is itself this very one vehicle." Names of this kind all belong to identity-in-principle. From this very identity-in-principle, there comes to be identity-in-name. From the very first arising of the resolve, hearing the Mahāyāna taught, one knows that sentient beings are themselves already the Buddha — yet, should the mind grasp at this in error, one thereby remains unable to carry it into actual contemplative practice, like a worm gnawing through wood that happens, by pure chance, to trace out a written character. From identity-in-name, there comes to be identity-in-contemplative-practice — as in the sevenfold method of contemplation explained earlier, penetrating it without obstruction is itself the very domain of practice. From identity-in-contemplative-practice, there comes to be identity-in-resemblance. Attaining the first grade is simply perfect faith; the second grade, reading and reciting, further supports this faith; the third grade, expounding the Dharma, likewise further supports this faith — these first three grades are all cases of the vehicle advancing swiftly while the precepts lag comparatively behind. The fourth grade brings the precepts somewhat more into step; the fifth grade brings both concrete practice and principle equally into full urgency, advancing to manifest every samādhi and dhāraṇī, attaining purification of the six faculties, and entering the iron-wheel stage. From identity-in-resemblance, there comes to be identity-in-a-portion-of-the-truth — the three paths being themselves the three virtues, one suddenly awakens in full, beholding the three buddha-natures, abiding in the three nirvāṇas, entering the secret treasury, the pure and subtle Dharma-body responding to every being with perfect clarity. Extending even to the stage of equal enlightenment, every one of these stages belongs to identity-in-a-portion-of-the-truth. Transforming ignorance to generate the light of wisdom is like the moon from the first night through the fourteenth night, waxing; transforming formation and existence to generate liberation is like the moon from the sixteenth night through the twenty-ninth night, waning. The consciousness, name-and-form, and Dharma-body one already possesses gradually manifest more fully, exactly like the moon's own body throughout this cycle. From identity-in-a-portion-of-the-truth, there comes to be identity-in-the-ultimate — the three virtues perfectly complete, ultimate prajñā, the most subtle and consummate Dharma-body, liberation entirely free and unhindered, passing beyond even the very letter "ṭha," beyond which there remains nothing further that words can express. One should understand, then, that every stage, whether lesser or greater, is treated, in every case, in terms of the twelve links of dependent origination across the ten dharma-realms. As for the quiescent true suchness itself, what stage could it possibly have? The first ground is itself the second ground; the ground itself arises from suchness, yet suchness itself has no arising; or the ground itself ceases from suchness, yet suchness itself has no ceasing. Every sentient being is itself the great nirvāṇa, never again to be extinguished — what stage, high or low, great or small, could it possibly have? "Unborn, unborn" cannot properly be spoken of at all — yet, since causes and conditions exist, it may nonetheless, provisionally, be spoken of. The ten causes and conditions serve as the very cause of birth, like drawing a tree in empty space through skillful means, in order to speak of every stage at all. Should a person fail to understand these various stages described above, giving rise in error to attachment toward them, this becomes overweening pride, and such a one is properly called a bodhisattva-outcast.

As for bearing with adversity: contemplating the causes and conditions of the ten realms, every manner of dharma obstructing the path is bound to arise — namely, the three obstructions and the four māras, in every manner of adverse and favorable form. Karma, demonic affairs, meditative states, the practice-dharmas of the two lesser vehicles and of the bodhisattva, all alike arise from the two links of formation and existence. Should one be able to bear with adversity here, one is thereby able to accomplish the Tathāgata's own meritorious qualities of formation and existence — namely, the retributive mark of the purification of the six faculties. As for the manifestation of the obstruction of affliction: this refers to greed, anger, false calculation, the deep and sharp forms of wrong view, pride, and the wisdom-conduct of the two lesser vehicles and of the bodhisattvas of the shared, distinct, and Tripiṭaka teachings — all of these manifest from within the links of ignorance, craving, and grasping. Should one be able to penetrate this thoroughly and bear with it, the Buddha's own knowledge and vision are thereby opened. As for the manifestation of the obstruction of retribution: this refers to every manner of the aggregates, entries, and elements, every manner of the eight winds, and every manner of illness — these manifest precisely within the seven fruit-links. Should one recognize these as themselves the very buddha-nature, neither moved to grasp them nor to reject them, remaining like empty space throughout, this is precisely not severing birth-and-death while yet entering nirvāṇa, not destroying the aggregates and entries while yet manifesting the true and genuine Dharma-body. Able to penetrate thoroughly in this way, one thereby meets with no obstruction from any of the three obstructions. Abiding in the ground of forbearance, gentle, compliant, and never rash or hasty, the mind, too, remains unstartled — this is named "the accomplishment of the mind of bearing with adversity." As the śrāvaka, once abiding in the dharma of forbearance, never again retreats into committing the five heinous transgressions or becoming an icchantika, so too does the bodhisattva, abiding in the ground of forbearance, never again give rise to a grave transgression obstructing the path. As for freedom from attachment to the resemblance of the path: this has two aspects, the resemblance and the genuine. The bodhisattva, proceeding from the initial subduing forbearance into the compliant forbearance, manifests the iron-wheel stage's own resemblance-understanding merit, yet must remain untainted by attachment to these three dharmas — namely, resemblance-wisdom, resemblance-merit, and resemblance-Dharma-nature. Since this wisdom still involves ignorance, craving, and grasping; since this merit still involves the karma of formation and existence; and since this Dharma-nature still involves name-and-form and birth-and-death — one ought not become attached to any of these three. Should craving arise toward these three dharmas, one neither enters the bodhisattva's own stage nor falls back into the two lesser vehicles — this is named "falling at the summit," also named "compliance with the path." Contemplating ignorance, craving, and grasping is compliance with the path of wisdom-conduct; contemplating formation and existence is compliance with the path of conduct-in-action; contemplating consciousness and the rest is compliance with the path of the Dharma-nature. Through compliance with these three paths, one does not fall into the stage of the śrāvaka; yet, through craving toward these same three paths, one likewise fails to enter the stage of the bodhisattva. How, then, does this craving arise? It is like entering a forest of campaka blossoms and no longer smelling any other fragrance at all — the bodhisattva craves only the merit of the buddhas, no longer giving thought to the two lesser vehicles or to any other expedient path — this is named "craving." Because of this very craving, one remains unable to transform ignorance, craving, and grasping into true light; unable to transform formation and existence into wondrous conduct; unable to manifest consciousness and form as the very Dharma-body. Should these three paths remain untransformed, how could one possibly enter the bodhisattva's own stage at all? Should one instead remain free of attachment to these three resemblance-dharmas, free of craving for mere compliance with the path, then: "every immeasurable transgression is removed, the pure mind constantly unified; such a person, honored and sublime, is then able to behold prajñā itself." Since even prajñā itself is not clung to, how much less, then, any lesser dharma? "Entering the very principle of prajñā is named 'abiding'" — this is precisely "at the very moment the first abiding of the resolve is attained, perfect enlightenment is thereby accomplished, knowing the true and genuine nature of every dharma, complete with the very body of wisdom, awakened not through any other's instruction." Beholding prajñā means genuinely beholding the three paths as the three kinds of prajñā themselves. From this point onward, thought after thought grows quiescent, flowing naturally into the very ocean of omniscience — immeasurable ignorance is thereby broken through of its own accord. The *Great Treatise* says: "'Why is it that the breaking-through of ignorance's own samādhi is spoken of at every single stage?' Answer: 'The categories of ignorance are exceedingly numerous — from the very first arising of the resolve all the way to the vajra-summit, ignorance is broken through and the Dharma-nature revealed at every stage, with only a single remaining category left at the very end. Once this final category, too, is removed, one is then named a buddha.'" The body of the Tathāgata is the very substance of the vajra itself — every evil already severed, every good universally gathered together, the three virtues brought to their ultimate completion, passing beyond even the letter "ṭha," beyond which there remains nothing further that words can express — this is named "riding this very jeweled vehicle directly to the place of enlightenment," "arriving to abide within the very ocean of omniscience itself." The rest is as explained above, and so on.

Ninth, clarifying the manifestation of buddha-recollection: buddha-recollection may manifest first, followed by the various dhyānas; or the various dhyānas may themselves give rise to buddha-recollection. During seated meditation, one suddenly reflects that the merit of every buddha is immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable, giving rise to deep faith, reverence, shame, and yearning admiration. One holds in mind that the buddhas possess great spiritual power, great wisdom, great merit, and great physical marks — such-and-such marks arising from this particular merit, such-and-such marks arising from that particular merit; such-and-such marks possessing this particular store of merit, such-and-such marks possessing that particular store of merit. Knowing the substance of these marks, knowing their fruit, and knowing the karma that produces them, one illuminates and penetrates every single dharma-gate with complete clarity, understanding this vast ocean of marks in depth, free of any doubt or hesitation. The concentrated mind remains calm and settled, undisturbed and unmoved; abiding within this concentration, it gradually deepens further, until coarse and fine abiding suddenly manifest, then the desire-realm concentration, then the stage of approach, advancing onward into the first dhyāna and the rest. Buddha-recollection and the root dhyānas each stand somewhat apart from one another — awareness of this very object of buddha-recollection is named "the applied-thought branch-factor"; distinguishing the buddha-recollection's every manner of mark and every manner of meritorious dharma-gate, recognizing each with complete clarity, is "the sustained-thought branch-factor"; having thus perceived this, the mind fills with great joy, rejoicing and delight welling up within, is named "the joy branch-factor"; the mind at ease and secure, the whole body suffused with contentment, is named "the bliss branch-factor"; free of any further object or thought, deep and clear, penetrating ever further, is named "the one-pointedness branch-factor." These five branch-factors, arising together with this very dharma of buddha-recollection, are permeated by the power of the Tathāgata's own merit, their flavor redoubling that of any other branch-factors, beyond any possibility of full description — only one who has realized it can truly know it. Yet since the Buddha's own dharma of merit and physical marks is itself immeasurable, the samādhi thereby manifested ought likewise to be immeasurable, and the five branch-factors thereby manifested likewise immeasurable, beyond any possibility of description, utterly beyond description. Each and every one of these five branch-factors is complete with its own ten accompanying merits, forming a rich thicket-forest of qualities. This, then, is the first dhyāna manifesting through the very samādhi of buddha-recollection — and likewise extending to the four formless attainments, the special excellences, the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna, impurity, the liberations, loving-kindness, and the rest, and so on. How, conversely, does the samādhi of buddha-recollection manifest through dhyāna? Should the practitioner manifest the root dhyānas or the like, and, within this very concentrated mind, suddenly call to mind the buddhas and tathāgatas, moved by their merit arising from their physical marks, and their physical marks arising, in turn, from their wholesome karma — these three dharma-gates correspond with the mind, opening into complete and vivid clarity. When this dharma manifests, the five branch-factors of dhyāna redouble in their subtlety, and likewise for the fourth dhyāna, the special excellences, the liberations, and the rest. This concentration of buddha-recollection likewise admits of two kinds: concealed, and unconcealed. Should one first attain the concealed mode, understanding the Buddha's merit with clear and distinct recollection, and only afterward attain the unconcealed mode, clearly beholding the Buddha's own radiant form, gazing directly upon his divine countenance with utterly vivid clarity — this is not demonic at all, but is able to further increase one's merit and nurture one's wholesome roots to full flourishing. Through buddha-recollection, one is able to penetrate broadly into the six recollections as a whole: recollecting the Buddha's own meritorious dharma-gates is precisely recollection of the Dharma; the disciple's own receiving and practicing of this teaching, recollecting the harmonious union of mark, substance, and fruit, is named recollection of the Saṅgha; and this very recollection of the Saṅgha, recollection of the Buddha, and recollection of the Dharma together skillfully dispel every evil thought — this is precisely recollection of generosity; recollecting in this way with faith, reverence, shame, and remorse is precisely recollection of the precepts; recollecting this very concentration's own thicket-forest of merit as equal to that of the heavenly beings is precisely recollection of the heavens. Three of these are recollections of oneself, three are recollections directed toward others, and, extending further to penetrate every dharma whatsoever, this gate of buddha-recollection accomplishes the entire Mahāyāna. As when Sadāprarudita beheld the Buddha and thereby attained immeasurable dharma-gates, neither inwardly nor outwardly concealed in the slightest. Should one instead remain darkly concealed within, recognizing not even a single meritorious dharma-gate, while outwardly beholding a radiant form filling one's very eyes, this is demonic — severing the sprout and stalk of goodness, damaging the very flower and fruit of the path. People of the present age who behold "the Buddha" with a mind devoid of any dharma-gate whatsoever are, in every case, beholding something that is not the Buddha at all. Should one grasp this very sense, one takes up the Dharma alone as correct, form and mark alone being incorrect. Should one instead grasp exclusively at form and mark, then Māra's own transformed apparitions, or mere images fashioned from clay and wood, would all equally have to be regarded as the Buddha himself. Further, the Tathāgata's own manifestation is entirely free and unobstructed — why should it always take the form of a radiance sixteen feet in height? The very form of this sixteen-foot radiance is manifested merely to resemble an upright, dignified human being. The Buddha manifests universally in whatever body a being finds pleasing, in whatever body suits a being, in whatever body serves as an antidote for a being, in whatever body brings a being to liberation — teacher, parent, deer, horse, ape, or monkey — every manner of form and image, whenever it is beheld, arises together with its corresponding dharma-gate. And should this further increase one's own original wholesome roots, it is then properly named "the samādhi of buddha-recollection," and so on.

Tenth, clarifying the manifestation of spiritual powers, treated briefly in five kinds: the heavenly eye, knowledge of others' minds, the heavenly ear, knowledge of past lives, and the power over the body. The uncontaminated power belongs properly to a lower-numbered object treated elsewhere. Here, only dhyāna is able to give rise to spiritual power; spiritual power is never able to give rise to dhyāna. Why is this so? Every dhyāna is itself a dharma of concentration, and dhyānas are mutually able to trigger one another. Every dhyāna is the very substance of spiritual power; spiritual power is the very function of dhyāna. Function arises from substance, hence spiritual power attaches itself to substance and thereby arises; function never arises in isolation on its own, so how could it possibly give rise to substance in turn? The sūtra says: "Deeply cultivating meditative concentration, one attains the five spiritual powers" — this carries precisely this same sense. Treated generally, each and every dhyāna is able to give rise to all five powers. Treated specifically, in terms of what most readily and conveniently arises: the root dhyānas, for the most part, are unable to give rise to spiritual power at all, and, should they do so, the result is rarely sharp or effective. The special excellences and the penetrating-and-clear dhyāna, for the most part, give rise to the bodily power of light, effortless movement. The liberations and the bases of mastery, for the most part, give rise to the bodily power of transformation at will. Should the concentration of loving-kindness take a person's own bodily appearance as its object, apprehending the mark of their happiness, and, through this very form, come to know their mind, discerning their suffering and joy — this, for the most part, gives rise to the power of knowing others' minds; and, having already come to know the mind through form in this way, one likewise comes to know their speech and vocal sound, thereby also giving rise to the heavenly-ear power. The contemplation of dependent origination, observing a person across the three time-periods, illuminating events of the past, for the most part gives rise to the power of knowledge of past lives; illuminating events of the future, for the most part gives rise to the heavenly-eye power. Should the concentration of buddha-recollection remain unconcealed, this, for the most part, gives rise to the heavenly-eye power. Further, should any of these powers become especially refined and precise, they become the three insights proper — though these are not, in themselves, the uncontaminated insight. It is like one blind and deaf, whose eyes and ears suddenly open, filling them with immense joy — how much more so, then, when the five faculties, blind from within across countless kalpas, now have their five obscurations broken through, purely giving rise to the five spiritual powers? Each and every power, too, possesses its own five branch-factors. As when the obstruction of the eye is broken through, awareness of the eye faculty coming into contact with form is precisely the applied-thought branch-factor; distinguishing form and its immeasurable varieties of mark is the sustained-thought branch-factor; this power opening forth brings great rejoicing, this being the joy branch-factor; the inner mind receiving bliss is the bliss branch-factor; free of any further object or thought, deep and clear, is the one-pointedness branch-factor. The remaining four powers are exactly the same. Considered in terms of the very substance of the various dhyānas themselves, whether the inner mind attains understanding or the outer mark remains unclear, there remains, in either case, a sense of concealment involved. Spiritual power, however, is precisely the function belonging to concentration itself, and this function is necessarily clear and manifest — hence spiritual powers are, in every case without exception, entirely unconcealed.

Fourth, clarifying the cultivation of calming-and-contemplation: should the practitioner manifest these various dhyānas without any skillful means, and give himself over to craving-attachment to the very savor of dhyāna, this is a bondage upon the bodhisattva — following dhyāna into further rebirth, one continues to flow onward in birth-and-death. Should one seek the essential way out, one ought to contemplate this object in ten parts, and so on. One ought to contemplate dhyāna as being like a bitter cucumber, capable of serving as a cause and condition for all ten dharma-realms alike. At first, once concentration is manifested, the body and speech are softened and subdued, like a snake entering a bamboo tube, made straight by the very dhyāna that contains it — but afterward, once one emerges from contemplation to face outer objects again, it curves back into its former crookedness, and affliction arises anew, at first like a trickle of water, later filling an entire vessel. Once the dharma of dhyāna is thereby lost, one breaks the precepts, turns against the path, and commits karma of unrelenting severity. In the Buddha's own time, monks who attained the fourth dhyāna mistook it for the fourth fruit of arhatship — the story of the "bear cub" and the rest illustrate exactly this, and so on. Further, the monk Sthiramati, attached to his own dhyāna and grown arrogant, slandered and had the monk Priyaṅkara expelled, and so on. Further, while remaining within concentration, no evil arises — but upon emerging from contemplation, evil arises and karma is thereby formed. Should one lose one's concentration entirely, evil then drags one down into an evil path; should one not lose one's concentration, but its retributive reward simply comes to its natural end, evil karma then rises up in its place — as in the story of receiving the body of a flying wildcat that devours fish and birds, this being precisely this same sense. Should one fail to attain dhyāna at all, fame and profit fail to arrive as well; but once dhyāna is attained, one may, on this very basis, come to create the dharma-realms of the three lower paths instead. Should one, while within dhyāna, become tainted with attachment to the very mark of concentration, yet, upon emerging from contemplation, give rise to a mind of compassion, benevolence, propriety, and righteousness; and should one not lose this concentration, but its retributive reward simply come to its natural end, one is then born into the human path. Should one apply the contemplation of dhyāna to permeate the ten wholesome deeds, accomplishing this spontaneously and effortlessly, without needing to guard against transgression at all, this is the karma leading to the heavens — the four dhyānas and the four formless attainments being the karma of the two upper realms. Should one cultivate the root dhyānas exclusively, this merely increases rebirth among humans and devas, with no prospect of ever escaping this cycle at all — as in the time of the Buddha Mahābhijñā-jñānābhibhū, when the Brahmā gods themselves declared: "One hundred and eighty kalpas have passed in vain, with no buddha appearing in the world, and the three evil paths filled to overflowing" — not a single being, in all that time, managed to escape birth-and-death. Should one cultivate the impurity contemplation, the liberations, and the rest exclusively, these are able to produce the uncontaminated without needing to wait upon the wisdom of the truths at all, thereby accomplishing the dharma-realm of the śrāvaka. Should one contemplate these various dhyānas as able to break through the six coverings — the coverings being themselves the origin of suffering, this origin inviting the very fruit of suffering; the breaking-through being itself the path, this path being able to reach cessation — this, too, is the dharma-realm of the śrāvaka, and is likewise the dharma-realm of the bodhisattva of the six pāramitās. Further, dhyāna necessarily involves the relinquishing of desire, and this is precisely dāna; should one fail to uphold the precepts, samādhi fails to manifest at all, and hence this is precisely śīla; attaining dhyāna, one is thereby free of anger, and this is precisely kṣānti; attaining dhyāna, one is thereby free of scattered thought, and this is precisely vīrya; this very dharma of dhyāna is itself named dhyāna proper; and knowing that every dharma is impermanent is named prajñā. This is named the dharma-realm of the bodhisattva of the six pāramitās arising through dhyāna. Further, contemplating this very dhyāna as a dharma produced through causes and conditions — should one contemplate the various dhyānas as themselves the link of "existence," this existence arising from grasping, extending through to old age and death, exactly as explained earlier — this is the dharma-realm of the pratyekabuddha. Further, contemplating the various dhyānas as dharmas produced through causes and conditions, themselves precisely empty — this arising-dharma's very emptiness being the truth of the path of the unborn — this is the dharma-realm of the śrāvaka and bodhisattva of the shared teaching. Further, contemplating this very dhyāna as a dharma produced through causes and conditions, itself precisely emptiness, precisely the provisional, and precisely the middle all at once — the ten dharma-realms themselves arising from dhyāna and ceasing from dhyāna. Why is this so? Should dhyāna, as cause, give rise to the dharmas of the three lower paths and the six paths generally, this is precisely increasing the twenty-five modes of existence, generating six dharma-realms while extinguishing four; should dhyāna, as cause, give rise to the dharmas of the liberations and the rest, subduing the twenty-five modes of existence, this is likewise suppressing and obscuring six dharma-realms. Should one contemplate the liberations and the rest as impermanent, this employs the clumsy method of arising-and-ceasing to break through the twenty-five modes of existence, extinguishing six dharma-realms and generating one; should one contemplate dhyāna as a dharma produced through causes and conditions, precisely empty, this employs the skillful method of the unborn to break through the twenty-five modes of existence, extinguishing seven dharma-realms and generating one; should one contemplate dhyāna as precisely the provisional, this employs the immeasurable clumsy method to break through the twenty-five modes of existence together with adventitious affliction, extinguishing eight dharma-realms and generating one; should one contemplate dhyāna as a dharma produced through causes and conditions, precisely the middle, this employs the single, genuine, skillful method to break through the twenty-five modes of existence together with the affliction of ignorance itself, extinguishing nine dharma-realms and generating one.

Accomplishing the king-samādhi, which gathers in every samādhi universally, the root dhyānas and the liberations all enter into it entirely, like streams returning to the sea; the root dhyānas and liberations are thereby transformed, becoming entirely the Mahāyāna itself. The sense of "gathering in" is like streams flowing into the sea; the sense of "extinguishing" is like their salinity fading away; the sense of "generating" is like the sea's own salinity being produced in turn. The pāramitā of dhyāna transforms that concentration of loving-kindness into unconditioned compassion; transforms that buddha-recollection into the great ocean of buddha-recollection, every buddha throughout the ten directions manifesting directly before one; transforms those spiritual powers into the Tathāgata's own effortless skillful means. To state the essential point: whenever the precepts, concentration, and wisdom of the nine dharma-realms enter into this very king-samādhi, they are transformed and named "sagely conduct." What this sagely conduct attains, abiding securely in the very truth of principle, is then named "heavenly conduct." Heavenly conduct, possessing an identity-of-substance, unconditioned loving-kindness, is "brahma-conduct." Compassion alone, identified with affliction, wishing to extract suffering, is "the conduct of illness." Loving-kindness alone, identified with lesser good, wishing to grant happiness, is "the conduct of the infant." Through these five practices, ten meritorious qualities are generated, extending ultimately to the accomplishment of the great nirvāṇa itself. This is named the ten dharmas of arising and ceasing produced through dhyāna, the three truths, concealed and revealed, arising in due sequence, advancing and deepening in turn until gathered together to accomplish the entire Buddha-dharma, all of this contained within this very king-samādhi identical with the middle. This, however, remains the discursible object, and is not what is contemplated here and now.

As for the inconceivable contemplation: should a single thought-moment's concentrated mind manifest — whether savored or pure, extending even to spiritual power itself — one recognizes at once that this very mind is precisely the Dharma-nature of ignorance, the Dharma-realm itself. The hundred dharmas of the ten realms, every manner of concentration and distraction alike, are entirely complete within this single thought-moment. Why is this so? Through delusion regarding the Dharma-nature, every manner of scattered, evil dharma comes to be; through understanding of the Dharma-nature, every manner of dharma of concentration comes to be. Since concentration and distraction are thus themselves precisely ignorance, ignorance itself is likewise precisely the Dharma-nature. Delusion and understanding, concentration and distraction — their nature is not two, subtle and profound beyond ordinary conception, cut off from every path of words; conceptual thought and calculation applied to it only exhaust themselves in vain — how, then, could this possibly be the domain of an ordinary being or of the two lesser vehicles? Though transcending ordinary experience entirely, it is nonetheless never apart from the multitude of existing beings. The sūtra says: "Every sentient being is itself the very concentration of cessation." Though this mind itself is thus named "concentration," sentient beings have never, from the very outset, simply been this concentration, nor have sentient beings ever, from the very outset, simply not been this concentration. Why is this so? Were one to depart from sentient beings entirely, where else could this concentration possibly be sought? Hence sentient beings have never, from the outset, simply not been it. Yet were sentient beings themselves simply identical with this concentration, this concentration would then not be sentient beings at all — hence sentient beings have never, from the outset, simply been it either. Since they have never simply been it, they are not identical with it; since they have never simply not been it, they are not separate from it either — this very non-identity and non-separation is where the subtlety lies. Difficult to fathom, as though empty itself, only buddha and buddha together are able to exhaust its full depth. Since a single thought-moment of meditative concentration is thus, so too is every other object of contemplation exactly the same. Should one, through this very contemplation, suddenly attain awakening, then the very moment one hears this teaching spoken, the sickness of affliction is cured at once, with no need to proceed through the remaining nine modes at all. Should this contemplation fail to bring awakening, one gives rise once more to compassion. This underlying principle is itself quiescent, and yet sentient beings, giving rise to delusion regarding it, allow the frivolous discourse of ignorance to obscure the very treasury of the Tathāgata, forming a dense thicket-forest of affliction — hence compassion arises, extracting this fundamental, heavy suffering. Further, ignorance is itself precisely the Dharma-nature, and affliction is itself precisely bodhi — wishing to lead sentient beings to manifest the very truth and the very Dharma-body within their own concrete circumstances just as they are, loving-kindness thereby arises, granting ultimate happiness. Vows of this kind, pure and genuinely true, seeking the Buddha's own path above while transforming sentient beings below, uncontaminated by any poison, free of any partiality or deviation, resting upon no support whatsoever, apart from both extremes — this is named "giving rise to the bodhi-mind." The very moment this mind arises, one may suddenly attain awakening, like a swift horse that needs only glimpse the shadow of the whip to arrive directly upon the correct road. Should one not yet arrive there, one ought then to pacify the mind through calming-and-contemplation, skillfully turning and adapting, cultivating through skillful means either calming or contemplation as suits the case. Contemplating a single thought-moment of meditative concentration as the quiescence of both extremes is named "embodying-the-real calming"; illuminating the Dharma-nature's own purity, free of every obstruction and hindrance, is named "the contemplation of emptiness." Further, contemplating the mind of dhyāna as itself precisely emptiness and precisely the provisional, illuminating the two truths at once while remaining unmoved from the real limit itself, is named "according-with-conditions calming"; penetrating the correspondence of remedy to illness, precisely fitting each occasion, is named "the contemplation of the provisional." Further, contemplating the mind of dhyāna still more deeply, this mind of dhyāna being precisely emptiness, precisely the provisional, and precisely the middle, without any duality or distinction among them, is named "non-discriminating calming"; penetrating to true reality, the treasury of the Tathāgata, the ultimate truth, without any duality or distinction, is named "the contemplation of the middle." These three kinds of calming and three kinds of contemplation exist within a single thought-moment of mind, neither before nor after, neither one nor different. To break through the two extremes, they are named "one" and "the middle"; to break through partial attachment and mere arising-and-ceasing, they are named "perfect" and "quiescent"; to break through the sequential, step-by-step version of the three kinds of calming and contemplation, they are named "the three contemplations in a single mind." In truth, there exists no fixed mark whatsoever of "middle," "perfect," or "a single mind" — it is simply by means of this very calming-and-contemplation that the mind is pacified, and so on.

Should these two dharmas, calming and contemplation, refine the mind and yet still fail to gain entry, one should recognize that, prior to the manifestation of the genuine, everything remains delusion and disorder. Through the single mind's three contemplations, comprehensively breaking through every delusion and disorder, both horizontal and vertical, delusion departs and wisdom manifests, disorder subsides and concentration is accomplished. Should one still fail to awaken, this indicates blockage rather than passage — one ought then to contemplate further which aspect remains blocked and which remains unblocked. Where there is no blockage, this indicates passage; where there is blockage, further contemplation is required. Knowing whether a character is truly a character, one distinguishes gain from loss within the Four Noble Truths. Should one still fail to awaken, this indicates a failure to understand the proper coordination of the branches of the path. Why is this so? A single thought-moment of dhyāna-mind is already complete with the five aggregates of all ten realms — these aggregates being precisely empty, one breaks through the four inversions within the three realms, forming the four withered trees; these aggregates being precisely the provisional, one breaks through the four inversions beyond the three realms, forming the four flourishing trees; these aggregates being precisely the middle, neither internal nor external, neither flourishing nor withered, one enters parinirvāṇa in the very midst between them. Contemplations of this kind, the four foundations of mindfulness, open the very gate of the branches of the path; the branches of the path open the three gates of liberation; entering nirvāṇa, the path and its concentration are thereby both complete. Why, then, does one still fail to awaken? This must be on account of obstruction accumulated in past lives, one's present attachment to the very savor of dhyāna proving impossible to relinquish. Past and present reinforcing one another, they together form the covering of stinginess — how, then, could the path possibly manifest? One ought to repent with utmost earnestness, relinquishing body, life, and wealth, relinquishing craving for the savor of dhyāna, cultivating the pāramitā of generosity so as to assist in overcoming the obstruction of stinginess. Further, craving-attachment to the various dhyānas itself breaks the precepts that accord with the path, extending even to breaking the complete precepts themselves — past and present reinforcing one another, they together form the covering of precept-violation. One ought to repent with utmost earnestness, making one's concrete conduct scrupulous and pure, so as to assist in overcoming the obstruction of moral discipline. Further, just as even Kālodāyin and the Brahmā gods themselves still harbor anger, how, then, could one who has newly manifested a mere concrete dhyāna possibly be free of anger? Further, whatever meditative concentration one possesses, it remains, in truth, neither unborn nor genuinely quiescent, since it lacks the twofold forbearance — hence anger arises of its own accord regardless. Past and present reinforcing one another, they together form the covering of anger. One ought to repent with utmost earnestness, further cultivating concrete loving-kindness so as to assist in overcoming the obstruction of forbearance. Further, craving-attachment to the savor of dhyāna is itself a blindness born of heedless folly, scattered and disordered, intermixed with confusion — past and present reinforcing one another, they together form laziness. One ought to sustain diligence with utmost earnestness, without interruption, so as to assist in overcoming the obstruction of diligence. Further, the marks of karma that manifest within dhyāna itself disturb and vex the very mind of dhyāna, preventing it from settling into deep unity. Should the two lesser vehicles merely sever affliction, departing while still owing their karmic debt, without addressing the severing of karma itself; while the bodhisattva, severing affliction, receives the Dharma-nature body, yet finds certain dharma-gates open to him and others still closed — one should recognize that this is due to obstruction by karma, requiring one to cultivate every wholesome karmic action with utmost earnestness. If even the Dharma-nature body remains thus affected, how much more so the body of birth-and-death — how could it possibly be free of karma at all? Cultivating goodness thus assists in overcoming the obstruction of concentration. Further, one who savors dhyāna in this way entirely fails to understand impermanence and arising-and-ceasing — how much less, then, does he understand the savoring-attachment to the unborn and unceasing itself? Past and present reinforcing one another, they together form the obstruction of folly. One ought to repent with utmost earnestness, treating this concrete delusion and deviation directly. This has clarified the antidotes only in brief outline — treated in full, they could never be exhausted. The practitioner's own contemplative method reaches its very limit at this point; should one still fail to awaken even here, this indicates an exceedingly dull faculty, a grave obstruction of transgression. Fearing that further transgression and obstruction might arise from this very failure, the remaining three modes are once more clarified below in brief. Knowing one's own stage guards, from within, against overweening pride; bearing with adversity guards, from without, against the eight winds; freedom from Dharma-attachment guards against falling at the very summit. With these ten modes thus accomplished, one swiftly enters the unborn, attains the single great cart, and travels through all four directions directly to subtle enlightenment itself, breaking through the twenty-five modes of existence and realizing the king-samādhi — practice for oneself and the transformation of others both complete, from beginning to end. The rest is as explained above, and so on.
The Great Calming and Contemplation, Fascicle Nine, Lower Part, ends here.