Settling the Mind, Illness, and Demonic Affairs

Fascicle Four
Spoken by the Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai, of the Sui dynasty
Recorded by his disciple Fashen
Revised and edited by his disciple Guanding
The Preliminary Expedient Means for Dhyāna-Pāramitā, Topic 6, Part 4

Second, clarifying how to verify unwholesome capacity: this itself has four parts — first, clarifying beforehand the number and categories of affliction; second, clarifying next the arising of unwholesome roots; third, establishing the antidote methods; fourth, concluding by relating this to the siddhāntas, broadly encompassing the whole of the Buddhadharma.

Here, the first is now explained: the number and categories of affliction. As for affliction, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Affliction is itself unwholesome dharma." Were unwholesome dharma discussed in full, its names and categories would be manifold; here, in brief, the number and categories are distinguished with reference to five kinds of unwholesome dharma, opened out or brought together. The five unwholesome dharmas are: the unwholesome dharma of discursive thought; the unwholesome dharma of craving; the unwholesome dharma of anger; the unwholesome dharma of delusion; and the unwholesome dharma of unwholesome karma.

If opened out, these come to eighty-four thousand; discussing their root, however, they amount to no more than the three poisons together with the equal-portion affliction. If brought together, the five unwholesome dharmas form the four divisions of affliction: the three poisons remain as they are, forming three divisions, while discursive thought (belonging to the habituation-cause) and unwholesome karma obstructing the path (belonging to the retribution-cause) — these two unwholesome dharmas — combine to form a single division. Why is this? Discursive thought is itself brought forth carrying all three divisions of affliction within it, and so may also be spoken of as the habituation-cause's equal-portion affliction; unwholesome karma obstructing the path belongs to the retribution-cause's equal-portion affliction. Discussed together, habituation and retribution are simply spoken of as a single equal-portion.

Hence the five unwholesome dharmas, spoken of together in summary, come to just four divisions; discussed as opened out, they come to eighty-four thousand — as clarified in the Mahāyāna treatise: "The affliction of craving is complete in twenty-one thousand; the affliction of anger is complete in twenty-one thousand; the affliction of delusion is complete in twenty-one thousand; the equal-portion affliction is complete in twenty-one thousand; the four divisions of affliction together give rise to eighty-four thousand forms of worldly defilement. The Buddha, in response to this, taught the eighty-four thousand dharma-gates as their antidote."

Here, a middle course is taken in the exposition, and so the arising of unwholesome capacity is distinguished only with reference to these five kinds of unwholesome dharma. Why is this? Since the arising of wholesome capacity above was already distinguished with reference to five kinds, how could the arising of unwholesome capacity now fail to be distinguished on the very same basis of five unwholesome dharmas? This is precisely medicine matched to illness, the two patterns held evenly together — and the practitioner who wishes to cultivate dhyāna-concentration must be able to distinguish this well.

Second, next clarifying the arising of unwholesome roots: there are practitioners who, at the time of cultivating dhyāna-concentration, carry afflictions and karmic defilements so deep and heavy that, although the mind is brought to stillness exactly as described above, no single wholesome dharma — external or internal — is brought forth at all; only affliction itself is felt stirring and arising. Hence, next, the arising of unwholesome roots is clarified. Here, within the arising of unwholesome dharma, the same five kinds of unwholesome dharma are again used as the basis for distinguishing it, each of the five itself opening into three, so that five times three gives fifteen unwholesome dharmas in all. As for the actual order in which a practitioner brings these forth, there is no fixed sequence to it; here, they are distinguished in the order given by the teaching itself, exactly as listed above.

First, clarifying that discursive thought has three differing marks of arising: discursive thought within a sharp, lucid mind; discursive thought within a mind half-lucid and half-dull; and discursive thought within a mind entirely sunk in dullness.

First, the arising of discursive thought within a sharp, lucid mind: if a practitioner has not, in the past, deeply planted any wholesome root, then, at the time of cultivating concentration, no wholesome dharma of any kind is brought forth at all — only discursive thought chasing after one object after another, never remaining still for a single moment. Even within the three poisons, there is no fixed object either: at times it takes craving as its object, at times anger, at times delusion — yet whatever object it takes is entirely clear and distinct. Even after years and months pass in this way, no dhyāna-concentration is ever brought forth. This is the mark of discursive thought arising within a sharp, lucid mind.

Second, discursive thought within a mind half-lucid and half-dull: if a person, at the time of gathering the mind in, still feels discursive affliction never remaining still moment to moment, but, depending on when an object is taken, is at times lucid and at times dull — when lucid, discursive thought chases after its object, thinking never settling; when dull, the mind is blank and glazed over, aware of nothing at all — this is called the mark of discursive thought arising within a mind half-lucid and half-dull.

Third, discursive thought within a mind entirely sunk in dullness: if the practitioner, at the time of cultivating concentration, has a mind dark and dull, resembling sleep, and yet, within this very dullness, chases urgently after objects, discursive thought never remaining still — this is called the mark of discursive affliction arising within a mind entirely sunk in dullness.

Second, clarifying that craving has three differing marks of arising: external craving; craving both external and internal; and craving pervading every place.

First, the arising of the affliction of external craving: if, at the time the practitioner is cultivating concentration, a craving mind arises — if male, taking a woman as its object; if female, taking a man as its object — seizing upon their form, appearance, bearing, and speech, so that a fetter-mind arises, never remaining still moment to moment — this is precisely the mark of the fetter of external lustful craving arising.

Second, the arising of the affliction of craving both external and internal: if, at the time the practitioner is cultivating concentration, desire stirs and arises, whether taking as its object the bodily form, appearance, bearing, and manner of a man or woman externally, giving rise to attachment, or taking as its object one's own bodily form instead, stroking one's own head or touching one's own neck, growing attached and stained moment to moment, giving rise to every kind of craving and desire, thereby obstructing dhyāna-concentration — this is precisely the mark of the affliction of craving both external and internal arising.

Third, the arising of the affliction of craving pervading every place: this is a person who is attached both externally and internally exactly as described above, but who further gives rise to craving toward every object among the five sense-objects and every article of daily necessity as well — craving fields and gardens, houses, clothing, food and drink. This is the mark of craving pervading every place arising.

Third, clarifying that anger has three differing marks of arising: anger contrary to reason; anger in accord with reason; and anger through disputation.

First, the arising of anger contrary to reason: if, at the time the practitioner is cultivating concentration, an angry thought suddenly arises regardless of whether there is any reason for it or not, whether another has actually done wrong or not, growing angry over nothing at all — this is the mark of deviant anger contrary to reason arising.

Second, the arising of correct anger in accord with reason: if, at the time of cultivating concentration, another person truly comes and causes disturbance, and, taking this as its condition, an angry thought arises and continues without ceasing — just as one who upholds the precepts feels anger upon seeing another act against the Dharma — hence the Mahāyāna treatise says: "Within a pure buddha-land, although there is no deviant form of the three poisons, there is still a correct form of the three poisons." What is meant here by correct anger in accord with reason is precisely this kind of person.

Third, anger through disputation: if the practitioner, at the time of cultivating dhyāna, clings to the dharma of their own understanding as correct, taking whatever another practices or teaches to be entirely mistaken — then, since what the other person says fails to accord with one's own feelings, a mind of irritation arises. There are, in the world, people who, even when their own money or goods are encroached upon, are still able to remain calm and forbearing with little dispute, and yet, over a mere matter of doctrine, grow greatly enraged, refusing to have anything further to do with the other — this is called the mark of anger through disputation arising.

Fourth, clarifying that delusion has three differing marks of arising: holding to annihilationism or eternalism; holding to existence or nonexistence; and holding to a fixed worldly nature. All three of these are attachment to various wrong views, none of them leading out of birth-and-death — hence they are called, in general, delusion.

First, the delusion of holding to annihilationism or eternalism: the practitioner, within cultivating concentration, suddenly gives rise to a deviant train of thought, discriminating with a sharp mind: "Have the self and every other dharma of the past ceased, so that the self and every dharma of the present now exist? Or have they not ceased, and so continue to exist?" Reflecting in this way, the mind of view at once arises, tracing back through the three periods of time — if it is held that they have ceased, one falls into annihilationism; if it is held that they have not ceased, one falls into eternalism. Such a deluded discursive mind, never remaining still moment to moment, brings with it a sharp and quick intelligence, an eloquence with nothing to obstruct it, given over to disputation and idle discourse, and every manner of unwholesome conduct — able to obstruct right concentration and the world-transcending Dharma. This is the mark of the delusion of holding to annihilationism or eternalism arising.

Second, the arising of the delusion of holding to existence or nonexistence: likewise, at the time of cultivating concentration, one suddenly discriminates, reflecting with discursive thought on whether the self and the aggregates and other such dharmas definitely exist, or definitely do not exist, or, further still, neither exist nor do not exist. Tracing this back in this way, the mind of view at once arises, and, following whatever view arises, one clings to it as definitely real — a deviant discursive mind never remaining still moment to moment, bringing with it a sharp and quick intelligence, idle discourse and disputation, giving rise to every kind of deviant conduct, obstructing right concentration so that it cannot be brought forth. This is the mark of the delusion of holding to existence or nonexistence arising.

Third, the arising of the delusion of holding to a fixed worldly nature: likewise, at the time of cultivating concentration, one suddenly has this thought: "Because there are subtle particles, there is therefore a real dharma; because there is a real dharma, there are therefore the four elements; because there are the four elements, there are therefore sentient beings and the various worlds, existing only as provisional names." Reflecting in this way, the mind of view at once arises, never remaining still moment to moment, bringing with it a sharp intelligence and eloquence, able to question and able to expound, exalting oneself with a haughty mind, given over to disputes over right and wrong, devoted single-mindedly to deviant conduct, straying far from the true path — and even the thought that discriminates a single instant of mind is exactly the same. Because of this, dhyāna-concentration cannot be brought forth at all; and even should some concentration be brought forth, it falls among the deviant concentrations. This is the mark of the delusion of holding to a fixed worldly nature arising.

Fifth, clarifying that unwholesome karma obstructing the path has three differing marks of arising: the obstruction of sunken, dark dullness; the obstruction of unwholesome, deliberate thought; and the obstruction of oppressive states.

First, the obstruction of sunken, dark dullness: if the practitioner, at the very moment of wishing to apply the mind in cultivating concentration, immediately sinks into dark, dull drowsiness, blank and glazed over, aware of nothing distinctly, obstructing dhyāna-concentration so that it cannot be brought forth — this is the mark of the obstruction of sunken, dark dullness arising.

Second, the obstruction of unwholesome, deliberate thought: if the practitioner, wishing to cultivate concentration, though not sunk into dark, dull drowsiness, has an unwholesome thought arise instead — thinking, perhaps, of committing the ten unwholesome actions, the four grave offenses, the five heinous crimes, violating the precepts, returning to lay life, and other such matters, never pausing for a moment — thereby obstructing dhyāna-concentration so that it cannot be brought forth — this is the mark of the obstruction of unwholesome, deliberate thought arising.

Third, the obstruction of oppressive states: if the practitioner, at the time of cultivating concentration, though none of the matters above is present, suddenly feels pain somewhere in the body, sensing something oppressive taking place, and sees various external states — perhaps seeing bodies without head, hands, or feet, without eyes; or seeing one's own clothing torn and ruined; or sinking into the earth; or fire coming to burn the body; or standing on a high cliff and then falling from it; or two mountains closing in to block the way; rākṣasas, tigers, and wolves; or, in dreams, seeing various unwholesome signs — all such matters as these arise from the offense that obstructs the path, oppressing the practitioner, at times causing terror, at times causing distress; such things are manifold and cannot be described in full. This is the mark of the obstruction of oppressive states arising.

Here, with reference to these five unwholesome dharmas, they are brought together as three obstructions. The first three — the three poisons — form the obstruction of affliction, belonging to the habituation-cause. Within the equal-portion affliction, the disordered dharma of discursive thought is itself the coarse four aggregates, and so is called the obstruction of retribution. The three kinds of the path's obstruction described above form the obstruction of karma. How is this known? Because of unwholesome deeds committed in the past, unwholesome retribution is bound to be received in the future, and it is karma itself that sustains this unwholesomeness. If the practitioner, in the interval before that retribution is received, cultivates what is wholesome, the wholesome and the unwholesome come into conflict, and the karma rises up in support of the unwholesome, coming to obstruct the wholesome — hence it is known that this is precisely the obstruction of karma. These three obstructions obstruct every practitioner's dhyāna-concentration and wisdom from being brought forth at all — hence they are called obstructions.

Third, next clarifying the antidote methods: "matching" means governing the match, and "antidote" means to treat — as the contemplation of impurity is matched to govern lustful craving, hence it is called the matched antidote; in the same way, all the way through the buddha-recollection samādhi, which governs unwholesome karma obstructing the path. Here, within clarifying the antidotes, there are six differing senses: matched antidote treatment; transposed treatment; non-transposed treatment; combined treatment; combined transposed-and-non-transposed treatment; and treatment that is neither matched, transposed, nor combined.

First, clarifying the matched antidote: the fifteen marks named above, within the arising of wholesome and unwholesome capacity, are here given, in this discussion of antidotes, as fifteen once again. Question: is this not needlessly repetitive? Answer: this does not follow. What was said above was said for the sake of verification; what is said here is said for the sake of the antidote. What was said above was said with reference to a wholesome root's own arising; what is said here is said for the sake of cultivation — this is not mere repetition.

First, clarifying the treatment for one whose ailment is much discursive thought: as the sūtra says, "One with much discursive thought should be taught to count the breath." Since the ailment of discursive thought is itself of three kinds, the breath serves as its antidote in three corresponding senses as well.

First, treating discursive thought within a sharp, lucid mind: the practitioner's sharp mind, while sitting, chases after its object, never remaining still moment to moment — such a person should be taught to count the breath. Why is this? In the method of counting the breath, the mind is fixed upon the breath, and the breath is the true medicine for treating disorder. If one is able to count from one to ten without forgetting partway through, concentration is bound to be attained, and scattered thought is thereby broken through. The method of counting the breath keeps count within a settled, deliberate mind, and a settled, deliberate mind is able to treat sharp restlessness — hence counting the breath is able to remove the ailment of discursive thought within a sharp, lucid mind.

Second, treating discursive thought within a mind half-lucid and half-dull: the mark of this ailment is as described above; here, the antidote method should teach following the breath instead. As the breath is followed, going out and coming in, the mind constantly relies upon the breath. Because the mind relies upon the breath, when the breath is coarse the mind, too, is coarse, and when the breath is fine the mind, too, becomes fine — as the fine breath goes out and comes in, the mind, sustained by following it, is thereby able to break through discursive thought. The mind, stilled and clearly discerning, knows the breath's coming and going, its length and direction, illuminating it distinctly — able thereby to break through dullness and sinking as well. Hence following the breath is said to be its antidote. Were one to use counting the breath alone, there would be the fault of encouraging dullness; were one to use observing the breath alone, there would be the fault of encouraging restlessness — neither, by itself, could be called a properly matched antidote.

Third, treating discursive thought within a mind sunk in dullness: the mark of discursive thought arising here is as described above; the antidote method should teach observing the breath instead. As the breath enters, one closely observes exactly where this breath comes from, what course it travels through in between, and where it finally comes to rest upon entering; the same applies to the breath as it goes out through the mouth — this method will be explained more fully later. Tracing the breath back to its very root source in this way, one finds that, going out, it does not scatter, and, coming in, it does not accumulate; no fixed notion of it can be found at all. The mind grows clear, contemplating and illuminating; the mind's own eye thereby opens, breaking through sunken dullness. A mind stilled through relying on the breath is able to break through scattered disorder — hence observing the breath serves as the antidote to the ailment of discursive thought within sunken dullness.

Second, clarifying the treatment for one whose ailment is much craving: as the sūtra says, "One with much craving should be taught the contemplation of impurity." Since the ailment of desire is itself of three kinds, its antidote likewise has three corresponding senses.

First, treating one whose ailment is much external craving: this ailment arises from attachment to an external object's form, appearance, manner, speech, bearing, smooth skin, and other such marks, so that the fire of lust burns on without ceasing. The antidote method should teach the practice of the nine contemplations: going, if possible, to a charnel ground to take up the mark of an actual corpse, closely observing this very object once found so lovely, now fallen flat upon the ground, observing the corpse swollen, decaying, pus and blood flowing out, excrement and urine, and the various worms devouring it — reflecting that what I myself am so attached to is exactly the same as this: where, in it, could there possibly be anything to love? Once this contemplation is made, the mind of lust comes to rest of itself — hence the nine contemplations are able to treat the grave ailment of craving attached to an external object.

Second, treating the affliction of craving both external and internal: the arising of this affliction is as described above. To treat it, one should be taught to practice the first liberation and its related contemplations, closely observing the inner body as impure, decaying, and repugnant, thereby breaking through craving that takes the inward body as its object; and, as before, observing the outward body as impure and repugnant as well, thereby leaving behind craving that takes an external object — this is precisely the first liberation. Through this mind that contemplates form, both inward and outward, as impure, one is able to break through the ailment of craving attached both externally and internally.

Third, treating one in whom craving arises toward every place without exception: the mark of this ailment's arising is as described above. The treatment method should teach the great contemplation of impurity taking every place as its object, observing every state — men and women, one's own body, others' bodies, fields and gardens, houses, clothing, food and drink, everything whatsoever in the world — all seen as impure, with not a single place left where a craving mind could possibly arise; at that point, a mind of weariness and detachment arises with respect to every place, and craving no longer has anywhere left to arise from at all. This is called the antidote to the ailment of craving toward every place.

Third, clarifying the treatment for one whose ailment is much anger: as the sūtra says, "One with much anger should be taught the contemplation of loving-kindness." Since the ailment of anger is itself of three kinds, its antidote likewise has three corresponding forms.

First, treating deviant anger: day and night, the mind dwells on what is contrary to reason, wishing to trouble another through some unwholesome act — the mark of this ailment's arising is exactly as described above. To treat it, one should be led to cultivate loving-kindness that takes sentient beings as its object, taking up the mark of a single loved one's happiness and taking this as the object through which concentration is entered. Seeing this loved one gaining happiness in this way, one then extends the same to neutral persons and even to enemies, letting them all gain happiness as well — taking up the mark of another's happiness in this way is able to give rise to a loving regard, thereby breaking through the mind of anger, vexation, and enmity harbored toward sentient beings.

Second, treating correct anger: this is a person with no angry mind at all in every other matter, yet who, simply upon seeing another do wrong, or violate the precepts, has an angry mind arise — the mark of this ailment's arising is exactly as described above. To treat it, one should be taught to cultivate loving-kindness that takes dharma as its object, contemplating the five aggregates as empty and unreal, so that no sentient being is seen at all — how, then, could there be any matter of upholding or violating, right or wrong, to speak of? One simply takes the dharma-joy present within every sensation and offers it to others, a mind of loving-kindness and affection that ought never to add further vexation. Once right and wrong have dissolved away in this manner, the angry mind comes to rest of itself — hence practicing loving-kindness that takes dharma as its object is able to treat anger in accord with reason.

Third, treating anger through disputation over every dharma: the mark of this ailment's arising is exactly as described above. The antidote method should teach the cultivation of objectless loving-kindness. Why is this? Such a person, whatever teaching they have grasped, takes it to be correct of themselves and takes another's as therefore mistaken — delighting in whoever agrees, growing angry at whoever differs — clinging, perhaps, to one of the four propositions or to their total negation, or even clinging to the middle way itself. In every such case there is something relied upon, and so there is contention and fixed conceptual grasping as its cause and condition, giving rise to an angry thought. The antidote method has one cultivate objectless loving-kindness instead: in practicing this loving-kindness, the path of language is cut off, the sphere of mental activity is extinguished, and with respect to every dharma there is nothing recalled, nothing dwelt upon. If there is nothing recalled or dwelt upon, on what basis could contention give rise to an angry mind at all? Great loving-kindness, equal toward all, bestows this same, originally pure happiness on every being alike, free of any mark of troubling another — hence loving-kindness is said to be that which bestows happiness. It may also be said that when a bodhisattva teaches this same dharma to sentient beings, this, too, is called great loving-kindness. One should know that cultivating objectless loving-kindness serves as the antidote to anger through disputation over every dharma.

Fourth, clarifying the treatment for one whose ailment is much delusion: as the sūtra says, "One with much delusion should be taught to contemplate causation." Question: the dharma of causation is exceedingly profound in its meaning — how, then, can a deluded person be taught to contemplate causation at all? Answer: what is meant here by "delusion" does not refer to something like an ox or a sheep; rather, it refers to a person of genuine intelligence and sharp faculties who nonetheless, in discriminating and reasoning things through, fails to attain right wisdom, seizing upon principle instead with a deviant mind — this is what is called delusion. Since the ailment of delusion is itself of three kinds, its antidote should likewise be established in three forms.

First, treating the delusion of holding to annihilationism or eternalism: deviant thought clings fixedly, giving rise to either the view of eternalism or the view of annihilationism, thereby breaking apart cause and effect — the mark of this ailment is exactly as described above. The antidote method should teach the contemplation of the twelve links of dependent origination across the three periods of time: two links belong to the past, eight to the present, and two to the future — these together are the twelve links. Causing one another across the three periods of time, they are neither permanent nor cut off, exactly as the sūtra verse says:
"Within my own true Buddhadharma, though empty, it is nonetheless not cut off;
Continuing on, it is nonetheless not permanent; the wholesome and unwholesome are nonetheless never lost."
If the practitioner is able to properly contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination, clinging neither to annihilationism nor to eternalism, the mind of wrong view comes to rest — and this may likewise serve as the antidote breaking through the delusion of provisional reality established by continuity.

Second, treating the delusion of holding to existence or nonexistence arising: deviant thought reflects on whether a self exists or does not exist, whether the aggregates exist or do not exist, and so on, exactly as described above. To establish its antidote, one should be taught the contemplation of the twelve links as karmic result. The twelve links as karmic result are contemplated thus: observing that, at the present moment of kalala, this is named ignorance, on through birth, old age, and death; in the present, the five aggregates, the twelve sense-bases, and the eighteen elements are already complete, all arisen from causes and conditions. At the very moment of kalala, there are already three things present: life-force, warmth, and consciousness — hence it is named ignorance. Since this arises entirely from conditions, it has no nature of its own; it cannot be said to exist, and it cannot be said not to exist — and the same holds all the way through to old age and death as well. Knowing that it is neither empty nor existent breaks through the two views of emptiness and existence. One should know that the contemplation of the twelve links as karmic result serves precisely to treat the ailment of the view of existence or nonexistence — and this may likewise serve as the antidote breaking through the delusion of provisional reality established by cause.

Third, treating the delusion of holding to a fixed worldly nature arising: seeing some subtle, fundamental nature as able to give rise to the ten thousand dharmas — such a deviant notion is called holding to a fixed worldly nature, described at length above. Its antidote method returns instead to the contemplation of the twelve links within a single thought-moment. Why is this? The practitioner deeply contemplates that, within a single thought-moment, all twelve links are already present in full: the one is not the twelve, and the twelve are not the one, and yet, here, the twelve are spoken of in terms of the one, and the one is spoken of in terms of the twelve. One should know that the one has no fixed nature of its own — and, since there is no fixed "one," no fixed worldly nature can be found either. Hence the contemplation of the twelve links within a single thought-moment breaks through the deviant delusion of holding to a fixed worldly nature. This same contemplation of the twelve links within a single thought-moment is, moreover, especially effective at breaking through the view that clings to sameness or difference — and this, too, may serve as the antidote breaking through the delusion of provisional reality established by mutual dependence.

Fifth, clarifying the treatment for one whose ailment is much unwholesome karma obstructing the path: as the sūtra says, "One whose path is obstructed should be taught to recollect the Buddha." Since the path's obstruction is itself of three kinds, its antidote should likewise be established in three forms.

First, treating the obstruction of sunken, dark dullness arising: the mark of this unwholesome-karma ailment is as described above. Its antidote should teach taking up, from among the thirty-two marks of the response-body buddha, any single mark as its object — perhaps first taking the mark of the tuft of hair between the Buddha's brows, closing the eyes and contemplating it. If the mind is too dull and dark to sustain this without any physical support, one should instead face a fine, dignified image, single-mindedly taking up its mark as the object through which concentration is entered. If it remains unclear, one should open the eyes and look again, then close them once more — taking up a single mark in this way until it becomes clear, then, in sequence, contemplating the rest of the marks one after another, so that the mind's own eye opens into clarity, thereby breaking through the sunken, drowsy, dark mind; the merit of buddha-recollection then removes the offense obstructing the path. Question: if simply taking up a mark clearly is able to break through sunken dullness, why not instead practice the nine contemplations, the white bones, and the like? Answer: the nine contemplations and the white bones concern only this body of birth-and-death and its impurity — their power to remove offense is comparatively weak, and so they do not serve as the antidote here.

Second, treating the obstruction of unwholesome, deliberate thought: the arising of this obstruction is as described above. Its antidote should teach recollecting the Buddha's own merit. What is meant by such recollection? A mind of right mindfulness taking as its object the Buddha's ten powers, four fearlessnesses, eighteen unshared qualities, and the wisdom that knows all things in every mode, illuminating the entire dharma-realm completely, forever still and unmoving, manifesting bodily forms everywhere, benefiting all beings, its merit measureless and inconceivable. Recollecting in this way is itself the antidote. Why is this? This merit of buddha-recollection gives rise to a mental factor arisen from taking the finest wholesome dharma as its object, whereas unwholesome, deliberate thought gives rise to a mental factor arisen from taking an unwholesome dharma as its object; the wholesome is able to overcome the unwholesome — hence one should recollect the reward-body buddha. It is like an ugly, unintelligent person who, standing among the handsome and greatly wise, feels ashamed of themselves of their own accord; the unwholesome is exactly the same — standing within a wholesome mind, shame and remorse come to rest of themselves. Taking the Buddha's own merit as one's object, every obstruction is extinguished moment by moment.

Third, treating the obstruction of oppressive states: the mark of this karmic-offense arising is as described above. Its antidote method should teach recollecting the dharma-body buddha. The dharma-body is precisely the equality of the nature of dharmas itself, neither arising nor ceasing, without any form or shape, empty, still, and unconditioned. Within the unconditioned, there is no state present at all — what, then, could possibly be an oppressive mark? Knowing that every state is empty is itself the antidote. Were one instead to recollect the thirty-two marks, this would not serve as the antidote here. Why is this? Such a person, even before taking up any mark at all, has already been troubled and disturbed by these very states — and to take up a mark under these conditions risks, more often than not, becoming possessed by a demon through it, throwing the mind into further derangement. Here, instead, one contemplates emptiness, breaking through every state entirely, while still holding the mind fixed on buddha-recollection, whose merit is measureless — and grave offense is thereby extinguished. This is the antidote; its meaning can be readily seen. This concludes, in brief, the matched antidote treatment.

Second, clarifying transposed treatment: this is given in the Mahāyāna treatise, in its explanation of the ten powers, within the discussion of the power of concentration's defilement and purity, and the power of wisdom. That treatise says: "One with much craving is taught to cultivate loving-kindness; one with much anger is taught the contemplation of impurity; one with much delusion is taught to contemplate the bounded and the unbounded; a scattered, agitated mind is taught to apply the discrimination of wisdom; and a sunken mind is taught to gather the mind in. If it is done in this way, it is called transposed treatment; if not, it is called non-transposed treatment." This runs contrary to what was said above. Here, transposed treatment is clarified as being of two kinds: the ailment itself is transposed and the dharma transposes along with it; or the ailment itself is not transposed while the dharma alone transposes.

Here, transposed treatment is first clarified with reference to a single contemplation as an example. Within the matched antidote treatment above, one with much craving was taught to contemplate impurity. Once this contemplation is accomplished, and impurity is genuinely seen, weariness and disgust arise toward the very object once desired, and an angry mind then arises instead — just as, while the Buddha was still in the world, there were monks who studied the contemplation of impurity and, upon its completion, turned around and harmed themselves. In such cases as these, one should be taught to shift the contemplation, cultivating loving-kindness instead, in order to treat this anger — this is called transposed treatment, the medicine transposing right along with the ailment itself. Stated in this way, however, upon careful and thorough examination, this still does not quite fit the teaching's true intent.

Second, as for the ailment not transposing while the medicine alone transposes: the ailment of craving does not transpose, and yet, rather than continuing with the contemplation of impurity, loving-kindness is cultivated to treat it instead. Question: the dharma of a craving mind takes up another's attractive appearance as its object, and loving-kindness likewise takes up another's attractive appearance as its object — how, then, could this serve as an antidote at all? Answer: the bodhisattva precepts state explicitly: "Every man is my own father, and every woman is my own mother — and should a bodhisattva fail to give rise to loving-kindness and compassion, engaging in lust without restraint, showing no regard for these six kinds of kin, this constitutes a pārājika offense." If one contemplates the man or woman before them as though each were truly one's own father, mother, or child, then a reverent affection arises of itself, the mind giving rise to a thought of loving-kindness able to break through craving — just as a parent, after all, never gives rise to any improper thought toward their own child. Furthermore, loving-kindness is precisely that which bestows happiness upon another, whereas craving, being unwholesome, only increases another's affliction — this is no path toward truly bestowing happiness at all. Reflecting in this way, fixing the mind on cultivating loving-kindness, once the concentration of loving-kindness is brought forth, craving is thereby treated. Why is this? The immeasurable minds are dharmas of the form realm, within which no craving mind ought to be able to arise at all — this, then, is a case where, although the ailment itself does not transpose, the contemplation is transposed instead to treat it.

Here, using the contemplation of impurity as a single example, the same twofold sense of transposed treatment should be understood to hold for the remaining fourteen gates of dhyāna as well. Furthermore, transposed contemplation is itself of two kinds: the mind is transposed while the object is not; or both mind and object are transposed together. This may be readily seen through careful reflection of one's own.

Third, clarifying non-transposed treatment: this, too, has two senses — the ailment itself does not transpose and the contemplation does not transpose either; or the ailment itself transposes while the contemplation does not.

First, the ailment does not transpose and the contemplation does not transpose either: as when a person of much craving practices the contemplation of impurity, and the craving mind fails to come to rest — rather than shifting to a different contemplation, one instead intensifies the very same contemplation further: producing marks of pus, blood, and decay in still greater detail; if picturing a single corpse fails to bring it to rest, picturing many corpses instead; and so on, all the way to picturing an entire city or an entire village as equally impure, exactly as explained at length in the Chan Sūtra. Or one may progress further into the white bones and their flowing light as the treatment, until the craving mind finally comes to rest — this is called non-transposed treatment. Although this sense has its own validity, upon careful reflection, this, too, may not quite be the teaching's true intent.

Second, the ailment transposes while the contemplation does not: the practitioner, having the ailment of craving, practices the contemplation of impurity to treat it, and the craving then transposes into anger instead. At this point, rather than shifting away from the contemplation of impurity, one instead intensifies this very same contemplation further, practicing the contemplation of impurity together with the white bones and their flowing light to enter concentration, and the angry mind is thereby removed of itself. This, too, may be understood as two further senses: the object does not transpose while the mind does; or neither the object nor the mind transposes at all. The same pattern of non-transposed treatment should be understood to hold for the remaining fourteen antidotes as well.

Fourth, clarifying combined treatment: this, too, is given in the Mahāyāna treatise, within its explanation of the passage on the eight recollections' recollection of relinquishment. That treatise says: "As for a bodhisattva's giving of the Dharma: through the causes and conditions of giving the Dharma, one may expound the teaching, or manifest supernormal powers, or emit light — benefiting and liberating sentient beings through such means as these is called giving the Dharma. Furthermore, one who practices giving the Dharma should skillfully recognize how many afflictions a sentient being carries — whether only a single afflictive ailment, or two mixed together, or three mixed together. If there is a single affliction, a single dharma is taught as its treatment; if two are mixed together, two dharmas are taught as their treatment; if three are mixed together, three dharmas are taught as their treatment." This is precisely the mark of combined treatment.

A single ailment treated by a single dharma is as described above. As for two ailments treated by two dharmas together: if a person has both the ailment of craving and the ailment of anger, one should use the contemplation of impurity together with the contemplation of loving-kindness to treat both at once. Why is this? If only a single method were used, although it might treat one side, it would only aggravate the other — this would itself be an error. Here, with the two methods combined together, both ailments are cured at once — whether the contemplation of impurity combined with loving-kindness, or loving-kindness combined with the contemplation of impurity, one should weigh and judge according to whichever ailment has actually arisen. Combining three, combining four, and even combining five methods together, all have their own applicable sense — this is not given here in full.

Fifth, clarifying combined transposed-and-non-transposed treatment: this sense, too, follows the same pattern already given for transposed and non-transposed treatment — only here, among however many ailments have arisen in combination, one applies the same distinction between transposed and non-transposed given above, and this may be seen through careful reflection.

Sixth, clarifying treatment that is neither matched, transposed, nor combined: this is precisely the right contemplation of prajñā, the siddhānta of ultimate meaning. This contemplation is able, in common, to treat all fifteen ailments, and is able, in common, to bring forth all fifteen gates of dhyāna as well — hence it is said to be neither matched, transposed, nor combined. Right contemplation is itself the very nature of dharmas, itself dharma — one dharma cannot be matched against another dharma, hence it is said to be unmatched. Right contemplation, being without any partial bias, needs no further increase, and no other ailment needs to be transposed against it either; its power is able to break through every ailment universally, and so it has no need to be combined with anything else. Although nothing can be found that breaks through, and nothing that is broken through, every unwholesome dharma is nonetheless treated and utterly removed — hence it is called treatment. Hence the Mahāyāna treatise says: "There is a samādhi able only to remove craving, unable to remove anger or delusion; and there is a samādhi able to remove all three poisons together" — this latter is precisely the right contemplation, the siddhānta of ultimate meaning, clarified here.

As for why the single contemplation of prajñā is able to treat all five ailments: first, right contemplation is able to treat craving — as the Sūtra of Resolving Doubts says: "Those with much craving are liberated through the pure contemplation, not through the impure — the World-Honored One knows this of himself." Second, right contemplation is able to treat anger — as the Prajñāpāramitā says: "When, in the past, I had my body cut apart limb by limb by King Kalinga, at that very moment there was no mark of a self, no mark of a person, no mark of a sentient being — and so no anger arose." Hence it is known that the true mark itself is able to treat anger. Third, right contemplation is able to break through and treat delusion — wisdom breaks through ignorance; the sense of this can be readily seen. Hence the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "When there is brightness, there is no darkness; when there is darkness, there is no brightness. When there is wisdom, there is no affliction; when there is affliction, there is no wisdom." Fourth, right contemplation is able to treat discursive thought — within right contemplation's own mind, the path of language is cut off and the sphere of mental activity is extinguished; from what, then, could discursive thought possibly arise? Hence the Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: "How does one bring the chasing after objects to rest? By the mind's having nothing at all that it can find." Fifth, right contemplation is able to treat the obstruction of offense — as already cited above from the Samantabhadra Contemplation Sūtra: "Sitting upright and being mindful of the true mark — this is called the foremost repentance. Every offense, like frost or dew, the sun of wisdom is able to dissolve away entirely."

Furthermore: it is like every other worldly medicine, each matched to its own particular ailment, able to treat only that one ailment and no other — unable to treat every ailment universally. The agada medicine, however, is able to treat every ailment universally — this is precisely what is meant by treatment that is neither matched, transposed, nor combined, and it is likewise able to be complete in every gate of dhyāna at once. As the Larger Sūtra says: "Wishing to learn every wholesome dharma, one should learn prajñā." Why is this? It is like a king's arrival, which is necessarily accompanied by his whole retinue — once the wisdom of prajñā is brought forth, the whole of the myriad practices is thereby complete within a single mind. This may be illustrated by the simile of the wish-fulfilling jewel.

Fourth, next clarifying the conclusion in terms of the siddhāntas, broadly encompassing the Buddhadharma: here, with reference to the antidotes distinguished within this verification of unwholesome capacity, they are now matched against the sense of the four siddhāntas clarified in the Mahāyāna treatise. Why is this? The fifteen kinds of unwholesome states and their marks of arising are precisely the worldly siddhānta — and, further back, the marks of wholesome roots arising already clarified likewise belong to the worldly siddhānta, since both are, in every case, encompassed within the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements arisen through causes and conditions.

Next, the fifteen kinds of antidote-gates of dhyāna just clarified are precisely the siddhānta of the antidote, since it is exactly there that medicine is properly matched against illness. Next, the transposed treatment and the combined transposed-and-non-transposed treatment just clarified are precisely the siddhānta for the individual — this precisely follows each person's own capacity and conditions, unfixed from person to person, benefiting through skillful means according to the individual, hence it is called "for the individual." Next, the treatment that is neither matched nor transposed, just clarified, is precisely the siddhānta of ultimate meaning; its sense can be readily seen.

Hence the Mahāyāna treatise says: "These four siddhāntas encompass the twelve divisions of the scriptures, the eighty-four thousand stores of the Dharma, and the whole of the Buddhadharma." Reasoning this through, one should know that the meaning of the dharma-gates of dhyāna is thus vast and far-reaching, leaving nothing whatsoever outside what it gathers in.

Third, next clarifying the dhyāna-gates for settling the mind: in brief, this has five parts — clarifying following what is expedient; clarifying following what the antidote has already accomplished; clarifying following inclination; clarifying following sequence; and clarifying following ultimate meaning.

Here, the first is now explained: following what is expedient. Among the fifteen dhyāna-gates whose arising was clarified within the arising of wholesome roots, whatever dharma has actually arisen should be understood to have already been cultivated in the past — it can be cultivated again and brought to completion; one should settle the mind by cultivating whatever dharma has actually arisen. For instance, if, after the tactile sensation of movement has arisen and one wishes to settle the mind, one should be taught to count the breath. Why is this? The root first dhyāna, for the most part, arises through counting the breath — hence it should be understood that such a person has already cultivated dhyāna through counting the breath in some past life. If, now, one enters again through the path of the breath, this supports what was already there, and dhyāna is thereby brought forth easily; continuing to apply effort without pause, one is able to become complete in the four dhyānas and the formless concentrations, and, through this, the noble path of the three vehicles and its fruits are brought forth as well.

The goldsmith's son was taught to count the breath — this is precisely following what is already one's own foundation: once the wholesome root has arisen, the method for settling the mind is then given accordingly. The same holds for settling the mind following what is expedient among the remaining fourteen wholesome roots arising as well.

Second, clarifying settling the mind by following what the antidote has already accomplished: as when a practitioner originally has the unwholesome, obstructing dharma of craving, and, in order to treat this ailment, practices the contemplation of impurity, this contemplation being accomplished and the ailment extinguished. At that point, although the ailment of desire is now absent, deep attainment has not yet been realized — one should apply the mind further still, continuing to cultivate the contemplation of impurity. Having accomplished the various forms of impurity, one should next strip away skin and flesh, cultivating the white bones and their flowing light, entering the eight liberations, severing the fetters of the three realms, and accomplishing the path of the three vehicles — this way, the effort already made is not lost. Were one instead to settle the mind on some other method at this point, effort would have to be built up all over again, and the matter would be difficult to accomplish. The same pattern, settling the mind by following what the antidote has already accomplished, should be understood to hold for the remaining fourteen antidotes as well.

Third, following inclination: if one is able, through the antidotes, to sever the afflictive, unwholesome troubles of the desire realm, then all fifteen kinds of dhyāna are open in common, with no obstruction remaining. At that point, one should settle the mind according to whichever dhyāna-samādhi the practitioner's own mind actually delights in and inclines toward, cultivating it through its own gate — and it will be brought forth in every case, accomplished from beginning to end. This may be understood on the model of the Ābhidharma masters' shared treatment through cultivation.

Fourth, establishing the method for settling the mind with reference to sequence: once the obstruction is removed, there are practitioners who wish to proceed from the shallow to the deep, cultivating every dhyāna-concentration in full — such a person should be taught to begin with counting the breath, within mindfulness of the breath; once the four root dhyānas and the formless concentrations are realized, one is next taught to follow the breath; once the sixteen special excellences are realized, one should next observe the breath; once the thorough-and-bright contemplation is complete, one is next taught the contemplation of impurity, entering the nine contemplations, the liberations, and the other such dhyānas; and, further still, one should next contemplate the nature of mind, entering the nine kinds of great dhyāna. The sequence of dhyāna-concentration follows entirely as given above.

The fifth topic's own sequence of dhyāna — its methods of cultivation and realization distinguished in detail — belongs properly below, where it will be given in full; here, it is only clarified with reference to how, once wholesome and unwholesome capacity has been verified, the method for settling the mind is used afterward. Since there is this kind of expedience already available, it is therefore explained here, immediately following.

Fifth, clarifying following ultimate meaning: nirvāṇa, the true jewel of the Dharma, has as many gates as there are sentient beings. After these fifteen kinds of wholesome roots have arisen, and after the obstructions have been removed through the five antidotes, one should settle the mind on whichever single dharma-gate proves easiest to awaken through — practitioners, for the most part, enter the noble path precisely through this gate.

Fourth, next clarifying the methods for treating illness: once the practitioner has settled the mind and taken up cultivation of the path, it may happen that the four elements, already carrying some underlying illness, are struck and stirred by the very application of mind and breath now underway, and illness is thereby brought on; or, at times, the practitioner simply fails to properly regulate the three matters of body, breath, and mind, some fault arising internally or externally, and illness is brought on in this way as well. As for the method of sitting meditation: if one is able to apply the mind skillfully, the four hundred and four illnesses will naturally be cured of themselves; but if the mind is applied improperly, these same four hundred and four illnesses will instead be stirred into motion. Hence, whether practicing for oneself or teaching others, one must properly recognize the source of illness, and properly know the methods for treating illness with the inner mind while sitting. If these methods are unknown, then, once illness is actually stirred up, not only will one's practice of the path be obstructed, but one's very life may be placed in jeopardy. Here, within clarifying illness, there are two parts: clarifying the marks of illness arising; and clarifying the methods of treating illness.

Although illness arises through many different paths, in brief, no more than three kinds are given: the marks of illness arising through the four elements' excess and disturbance; illness arising from the five internal organs; and illness within the five faculties.

Clarifying briefly the illnesses of the four elements: when the earth element is in excess, swellings, hardness, and heaviness arise, the body withering and thin — a hundred and one such afflictions arise from this. When the water element is in excess, phlegm and distension arise, food and drink failing to digest, abdominal pain and diarrhea — a hundred and one such afflictions arise from this. When the fire element is in excess, alternating chills and high fever arise, every joint aching, the mouth parched, urination and defecation obstructed — a hundred and one such afflictions arise from this. When the wind element is in excess, a hollow, unsteady trembling arises, aching pain and cramping, vomiting, coughing, and shortness of breath — a hundred and one such afflictions arise from this. Hence the sūtra says: "When a single element is unregulated, a hundred and one illnesses trouble the body; when all four elements are unregulated, four hundred and four illnesses stir all at once." The illnesses of the four elements each have their own distinct appearance, to be observed both while sitting and in dreams; their marks are manifold and cannot be recorded in full.

Second, next clarifying the marks of illness arising from the five internal organs: illness arising from the heart mostly shows as alternating chills and fever throughout the body, a parched mouth, and the like, since the heart governs the mouth. Illness arising from the lungs mostly shows as distension throughout the body, aching in all four limbs, a feeling of oppression, a stuffed nose, and the like, since the lungs govern the nose. Illness arising from the liver mostly shows as excessive worry, sorrow, and unhappiness, grief and anger, headache, and eye pain or dimness, since the liver governs the eyes. Illness arising from the spleen shows as a wandering, wind-like sensation over the face and body, an all-over numbness, itching, oppression, and pain, and a loss of taste in food and drink, since the spleen governs the tongue. Illness arising from the kidneys shows as, perhaps, a choked, obstructed throat, abdominal distension, and a stuffed feeling in the ears, since the kidneys govern the ears. Illness arising from the five organs is manifold, each with its own distinct mark, to be observed both while sitting and in dreams; their marks are manifold and cannot be recorded in full.

Third, next briefly clarifying the marks of illness within the five faculties. Illness of the body shows as sudden pain throughout the body, aching in every joint, sores and itching, and the like. Illness of the tongue shows as sores, stiffness, a loss of taste in food and drink, and the like. Illness of the nose shows as a blocked, stuffy nose and thick, flowing mucus, and the like. Illness of the ears shows as a stuffed, aching, or deafened feeling, and, at times, a buzzing sound, and the like. Illness of the eyes shows as a strained, unsteady gaze, and cloudiness, dimness, or pain, and the like. Such illnesses of the four elements, the five organs, and the five faculties arise from more than one cause, and their afflictions are manifold, not to be described in full. Question: are the afflictions of the five faculties not simply the inward-outward counterpart of the five organs' own afflictions — why, then, are they explained separately here? Answer: because there is a distinct treatment method specific to sitting practice for each, their marks must be explained separately.

If the practitioner, wishing to cultivate dhyāna, happens to have illness arise, one should properly recognize its cause oneself. The arising of the three kinds of illness comes about through both external and internal triggers in common. If external injury from cold, chill, heat, or wind, or carelessness with food and drink, causes illness to arise from these three sources, one should know this arises from an external cause. If the mind is applied unevenly, contemplative practice goes astray, or some internal mental dharma arises without one knowing how to properly rest and regulate it, so that illness arises from these same three sources, this arises from an internal cause.

Furthermore, the practitioner should know that falling ill comes about in three differing ways: illness from the excess or deficiency of the four elements, as described above; illness obtained through the actions of spirits or through contact and disturbance from demonic affairs; and illness obtained through karmic retribution. Illnesses such as these, if treated as soon as they first arise, are cured quite easily; but if allowed to persist for a long time, the illness becomes established and the body grows weak, and treatment then becomes difficult to bring to a cure.

Second, directly clarifying the methods of treating illness: once the source of the illness's arising is deeply understood, one should apply the proper method to treat it. The methods for treating illness are themselves manifold; stated in their essentials, they come to no more than five: first, treating illness through the breath, namely the six kinds of therapeutic exhalation and the twelve kinds of therapeutic breath.

What are the six kinds of therapeutic exhalation? Chuī; hū; xī; hē; xū; and xì. These six kinds of exhalation are all made through skillfully shaping the lips and mouth in different ways: while sitting, one should use chuī when cold and hū when hot. As treatments: chuī expels cold; hū expels heat; xī expels pain, and also treats wind; hē expels vexation, and also brings the breath down; xū disperses phlegm, and also relieves distension; and xì replenishes fatigue. As treatments for the five organs: hū and chuī together may treat the heart; xū treats the liver; hē treats the lungs; xī treats the spleen; and xì treats the kidneys.

Furthermore: there are twelve kinds of therapeutic breath able to treat every affliction: the rising breath; the sinking breath; the filling breath; the scorching breath; the augmenting breath; the dissolving breath; the warming breath; the cooling breath; the surging breath; the sustaining breath; the harmonizing breath; and the replenishing breath. All twelve of these breaths are applied through visualization within the mind. Here, the mark of each of the twelve breaths' treatment is briefly clarified: the rising breath treats heaviness and sinking; the sinking breath treats a hollow, unsteady feeling; the filling breath treats withering and thinness; the scorching breath treats swelling and distension; the augmenting breath treats depletion; the dissolving breath treats excess; the warming breath treats cold; the cooling breath treats heat; the surging breath treats blockage and obstruction; the sustaining breath treats trembling and shaking; the harmonizing breath treats disharmony among the four elements generally; and the replenishing breath restores and nourishes the four elements. Used skillfully, these breaths are able to treat every affliction universally; used improperly, each in turn gives rise to its own further afflictions — this may be readily understood through reflection. The various masters' methods for treating illness through the breath are themselves manifold and are not given here in full; only one or two points are shown here in brief, so that the general sense may be known.

Second, clarifying treating illness through visualization: this is explained at length in the Saṃyukta Āgama and in the Secret Methods for Treating the Illnesses of Dhyāna, among its seventy-two methods. But since people's spiritual faculties in the present age are already dull, this contemplative visualization is, for the most part, not successfully accomplished; or, failing to grasp its proper sense, not only does it fail to cure the illness, it may increase one's afflictions still further. Hence, among masters who have genuinely grasped its sense, where there is some secret essential, visualization is used and there is nowhere it fails to cure — but this cannot be conveyed in full through writing.

Third, treating illness through mantra: every dharma whatsoever has its own antidote, warded off and dispelled through its corresponding counter-force; one who properly knows this method and its technique, using it, finds nowhere it fails to cure at once. Mantra methods are given in the various sūtras and in the Chan Sūtra; the technique itself is kept secret by the various masters, and, for the most part, is not transmitted carelessly.

Fourth, treating illness by fixing the mind as ruler over its object: one master says: "The mind is the ruler of this present life's own retribution — just as, wherever a king arrives, the surrounding bandits scatter and flee, the mind as ruler is exactly the same: wherever illness has arisen, if the mind is made to dwell there and not disperse for a long while, the illness is thereby removed and extinguished." Another master says: "Fix the mind, dwelling on udāna" — this refers to the cinnabar field, two and a half inches below the navel — "which treats a great many afflictions." Yet another master says: "Settling the mind at the soles of the feet also treats a great many afflictions." The essentials here are themselves manifold, and are not given here in full.

Fifth, treating illness through analytic contemplation: using right wisdom to examine the illness one is undergoing, and finding that it cannot be found at all, the affliction of the four elements is thereby extinguished of itself. If the illness is caused by spirits or by contact with a demon's affairs, one should use a fortified mind together with mantra, and such methods as contemplative illumination, to assist in its treatment. If it is a karmic illness, one must assist its treatment with cultivating merit, repentance, and reciting the sūtras, and the affliction will be extinguished of itself.

As for these five methods of treating illness: if the practitioner properly grasps even a single one of them, this alone is enough to practice for oneself and assist others as well, let alone were one to master all five completely. But if none of the five is known at all, then, once illness has arisen, there is no way to treat it — not only would this cause one's proper cultivation to be abandoned, it might also place one's very life at risk. How, then, could one practice or teach others without this knowledge? Hence anyone wishing to cultivate dhyāna must properly understand these inner methods of treating illness with the mind. The methods for treating illness with the inner mind are themselves manifold — how could they possibly be conveyed in full through writing? Should one wish to study them properly, one should further seek out the sources cited above; what is given here only indicates their general sense. If one relies on this text alone, the text itself being incomplete, it may not be entirely reliable as a guide — the wise, having properly grasped its sense, will apply it with skillful adaptability; and, in a place with no wise teacher at hand, even this alone is enough to serve as an emergency remedy.

Question: is applying the mind while sitting to treat illness certain to be effective? Answer: if the ten conditions are all present, there is no case where it fails to benefit. The ten conditions are: faith; application; diligence; constantly dwelling within the object; distinguishing the illness's cause; skillful means; sustained practice over time; knowing what to take up and what to set aside; skillfully guarding and protecting oneself; and recognizing obstruction.

What is meant by faith? Believing that this method is truly able to treat the illness. What is meant by application? Applying it constantly, at every appropriate time. What is meant by diligence? Applying it with single-minded devotion, without pause, taking the appearance of sweat as the measure of its effect. What is meant by constantly dwelling within the object? A fine, attentive mind, moment to moment, relying on the method without becoming scattered. What is meant by distinguishing the illness's cause? Distinguishing its cause exactly as described above. What is meant by skillful means? Skillfully and successfully coordinating the breath, the movement of the mind, and visualization together, without losing what is proper to the moment. What is meant by sustained practice over time? Even if the method brings no immediate benefit, continuing to practice it without ever abandoning it, regardless of how many days or months pass. What is meant by knowing what to take up and what to set aside? Knowing that where it benefits, one should apply it diligently, and where it causes harm, one should set it aside, gradually redirecting the mind toward what actually treats the condition. What is meant by skillfully guarding and protecting oneself? Properly recognizing and avoiding whatever different conditions might cause a relapse. What is meant by recognizing obstruction? Not speaking of one's benefit to others, and not doubting or denouncing the method before any harm has actually occurred. If one relies on these ten conditions in treatment, there is certain to be an effect.

Next, the fifth topic, clarifying demonic affairs: Māra, in the Qin-dynasty translation, means "the killer." It seizes the wealth of the practitioner's merit and kills the very life of wisdom — hence it is named Māra. What is meant by "demonic affairs"? Just as the Buddha takes liberating sentient beings through merit and wisdom, entering nirvāṇa, as his own work, Māra is exactly the same: it constantly takes destroying sentient beings' wholesome roots and keeping them turning through birth-and-death as its own work. If one is able to settle the mind on the gate of the path, then, as the path grows exalted, Māra grows correspondingly active — hence one must properly recognize demonic affairs. Here, this is explained in three parts: distinguishing the different kinds of demonic dharma; clarifying the marks of demonic affairs arising; and clarifying the methods for defeating demons.

First, distinguishing the different kinds of demonic dharma: there are four kinds of demon — the demon of affliction; the demon of the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements; the demon of death; and the demon of the desire realm's Heavenly Son.

First, the demon of affliction: this is precisely the three poisons, the ninety-eight fetters, grasping, existence, the outflows, the yokes, the bonds, the hindrances, the entanglements, the vexations, the fetters, and the rest — all able to destroy the work of cultivating the path. As the Mahāyāna treatise says in verse:
"Desire is your first army, sorrow the second;
Hunger and thirst the third, contact and craving the fourth;
Sleep the fifth army, fear the sixth;
Doubt and regret the seventh, anger the eighth;
Profit and empty fame the ninth, self-exaltation and contempt for others the tenth.
Such armies as these overwhelm and submerge the one gone forth.
Through the power of dhyāna and wisdom, I shall break through these very armies of yours,
And, having accomplished the buddha-path, shall liberate every person."

Second, the demon of the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements: the five aggregates, the twelve sense-bases, and the eighteen elements — every name and form binding sentient beings — obscure the practitioner's own pure wholesome roots, so that merit and wisdom fail to grow; hence they are named demons. This holds for the aggregates and sense-bases of the desire realm, and likewise for those of the form and formless realms as well. If the practitioner's mind fails to understand this and remains attached, all of it is named demonic; but if one is able to remain free of both reception and attachment, contemplating it as though empty space, it no longer serves as any obscuring obstruction, and the demon's own work is thereby broken through.

Third, the demon of death: every karmic result of birth-and-death, turning on without cease, is named demonic. Furthermore: if a practitioner, wishing to give rise to the resolve to cultivate the path, instead falls ill and dies, or is harmed by another, and so fails to cultivate the path — this, too, is an abandonment of practice. Even should one continue cultivating the noble path into a subsequent life, causes and conditions having shifted and changed, one's original resolve forgotten — all of this, too, is named demonic affairs. Furthermore: if the practitioner, at the time of cultivating the path, worries over death and clings to life, and so becomes attached to their own body instead of cultivating the path, this too is subsumed under the demon of death.

Fourth, the demon of the Heavenly Son: this is precisely Pāpīyas. This demon is the sworn enemy of the Buddhadharma, constantly fearing that the practitioner might escape from its own domain — hence it sends its various spirit-retinues to cause every kind of disturbance, destroying the practitioner's wholesome roots. This is the demon of the Heavenly Son of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Emanations.

Second, clarifying the marks of the four demons arising: as for the demon of affliction, this is explained at length above, within the three poisons and the equal-portion affliction, in the discussion of unwholesome capacity. As for the marks of the demon of the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements arising, this is explained above, within the various states of form and mind arising, in the discussion of both unwholesome and wholesome capacity. As for the marks of the demon of death arising, this is explained at length above, within the dharma of illness — why is this? Because illness is the very cause of death.

As for the demon of spirits, this shall now be distinguished. Spirit-demons are of three kinds: spirit-glamours; mischievous spirits; and Māra proper.

As for spirit-glamours: these are the twelve double-hour animals in transformed shape, taking on various forms and colors — perhaps the form of a young man, a young woman, or an elder, and other such fearsome bodily forms not of one kind only — in order to trouble the practitioner. Each comes at its own proper hour, and one must properly learn to distinguish them. If one comes for the most part during the hour of the rabbit, it must be a fox-spirit, a hare-spirit, a badger-spirit, or the like — speaking its name aloud causes the spirit-glamour to disperse at once. The forms belonging to the remaining eleven double-hours may be understood by this same pattern.

Second, as for mischievous spirits: these, too, cause every kind of disturbance to the practitioner — crawling like insects over a person's head and face, pricking and tingling; striking or tickling under both armpits; suddenly embracing a person; or making loud, clamorous sounds and speech, and taking on the forms of various beasts, in strange forms not of one kind only. Should such a spirit come to trouble the practitioner, one should recognize it at once, closing the eyes with a single-pointed mind, and silently rebuke it, saying: "I now recognize you. You are, within this Jambudvīpa, a fire-eating, fragrance-sniffing piśāca-thief-spirit, a seed of wrong view delighting in breaking the precepts. I now uphold the precepts, and shall never fear you." If one is ordained, one should recite the preamble to the precepts; if a layperson, one should recite the three refuges, the five precepts, or the bodhisattva's ten grave and forty-eight lesser precepts — and the spirit will then retreat, crawling away. Such various forms of hindrance as these, and the methods for dispelling them, are explained at length in the Chan Sūtra.

Third, as for the disturbance caused by Māra proper: this demon, for the most part, creates three kinds of appearance in order to destroy the practitioner. First, creating matters contrary to one's feelings — that is, creating fearsome objects among the five sense-objects. Second, creating matters in accord with one's feelings — that is, creating lovely objects among the five sense-objects, causing the mind to become attached. Third, creating matters neither contrary nor in accord — that is, creating neutral objects among the five sense-objects that nonetheless disturb the practitioner. Hence Māra is named "the killer," and is also called "the flower-arrow," and, further still, "the five arrows," since it shoots the five faculties of feeling. Within each single faculty there are three kinds of object, each troubling the practitioner in relation to that faculty — the five faculties together thus having fifteen kinds of object in all.

Among the three within form: first, form in accord with one's feelings — perhaps taking the form of one's parents, siblings, or the images of various buddhas, or a lovely object of a handsome man or woman, causing the mind to become attached. Second, form contrary to one's feelings — perhaps taking the form of a tiger, a wolf, a lion, or a rākṣasa, various fearsome images coming to frighten the practitioner. Third, form neither contrary nor in accord — simply taking on neutral forms and colors, causing neither love nor fear to arise, yet still able to disturb the mind, causing the loss of dhyāna-concentration; hence it, too, is named demonic. The same distinctions should be understood to hold for every other faculty as well, differing only in terms of the particular sense-object involved. Should the practitioner fail to distinguish these various deviant illusions, one will be undone by them — thrown into deranged conduct and wrongdoing, going about naked and shameless, giving rise to every kind of fault, destroying others' wholesome undertakings, and damaging the Triple Gem — matters not possible to describe in full; at times, one may even fall ill and die from it. One must therefore be exceedingly cautious, applying careful recognition.

Question: why is the discussion not framed in terms of the dharma-object paired with the mind-faculty, as a third kind of demonic affair? Answer: speaking in terms of what is most common, demonic affairs, for the most part, enter through the five faculties of feeling — hence only these five faculties are discussed here. Examined closely, however, the mind-faculty, too, is certainly not without its own three kinds of disturbance; this may be understood by the same pattern. Furthermore, the various Mahāyāna sūtras discuss, at length, the illusory falseness within the various six sense-objects, and the marks of demonic affairs arising in relation to the mind-faculty specifically — hence the Larger Sūtra says: "Such demonic affairs and demonic offenses as these, if not spoken of and not taught, should be known as the mark of an evil companion to the bodhisattva."

Third, clarifying the methods for defeating demons: one should employ three methods to remove demonic offense.

First, understanding clearly that everything seen, heard, felt, and known has, in truth, nothing to it at all — neither receiving it nor becoming attached to it, neither troubled by it nor discriminating it — and it will not manifest at all.

Second, simply turning the contemplation back upon the very mind that sees, hears, feels, and knows, and finding no place where it truly arises — from what, then, could any disturbance possibly come? Contemplating in this way, neither receiving nor discriminating it, it will then pass away and vanish of itself.

Third, if, having made this contemplation, it still fails to depart at once, one should simply hold to right mindfulness, giving rise to no fear, unattached even to one's own body and life, the mind kept correct and unmoving, knowing that the suchness of the demon's realm is precisely the very same suchness as the buddha's realm. The suchness of the demon's realm and the suchness of the buddha's realm are one and the same suchness, with no second suchness apart from it — within the demon's realm there is nothing to reject, and within the buddha's realm there is nothing to grasp; the Buddhadharma then manifests directly before one, and the demon retreats and scatters of itself. Once one no longer sees any coming or going, and is neither troubled nor delighted by it, how, then, could one possibly still be troubled by the demon at all?

Furthermore: no one has ever actually been seen, while sitting, to have a demon truly appear as a tiger and devour them, flesh and bone scattered about — this is simply meant to frighten a person, causing the mind to startle and fear; there is, in truth, no real matter to it at all, and one should know it to be empty and false. Knowing this, the mind is no longer startled or afraid. One should further reflect: "Even should this be real, I have already given this body and life for the sake of the path — why, then, should it be feared at all? Let this body of mine now be however you would have it — my mind is like vajra, and cannot be turned back." Even should it persist in this way for a month, two months, or even a full year without departing, one should still keep the mind upright, right mindfulness held firm, harboring no worry or fear, reciting the various Mahāyāna Vaipulya mantras for treating demons, silently reciting them, keeping the mind fixed on the Triple Gem. Upon emerging from concentration, one should likewise recite mantras to protect oneself, feeling shame and remorse in repentance, and recite the prātimokṣa precepts as well — deviance cannot interfere with the correct, and, over time, it will vanish of itself.

The methods for removing demons, in terms of both phenomenal practice and underlying principle, are themselves manifold and cannot be given here in full; the practitioner must properly recognize them, and remove them through skillful means. Hence a beginning practitioner wishing to learn sitting meditation must draw close to a wise teacher, precisely because of difficulties such as these. When this demon enters into a person's mind, it is able to make the practitioner believe they have realized the various dhyāna-concentrations, samādhis, wisdom, supernormal powers, and dhāraṇīs — how much more, then, could it fail to produce these lesser, trivial states as well? Should one wish to know more of this, the various Mahāyāna sūtras and the Sūtra of the Ninety-Six Paths distinguish it in some small part as well. This is given here only in brief, so that the practitioner may deeply understand this point, and thereby not carelessly accept any such state at face value.

To state the essential point: if one wishes to dispel the deviant and return to the correct, one should contemplate the true mark of all dharmas. Hence the Mahāyāna treatise says: "Apart from the true mark of all dharmas, everything else whatsoever is demonic affairs." Hence the verse says:
"If one discriminates and gives rise to deluded thought, this is precisely Māra's own net;
Unmoving and free of discrimination, this is precisely the Dharma-seal.
One who is forever mindful of the principle of emptiness, and yet
Still gives rise to discriminating thought within what neither arises nor ceases — this person is not truly walking the path."

Furthermore: the sense in which demons are defeated differs somewhat depending on the source. As the Mahāyāna treatise says: "Through attaining the bodhisattva path, the demon of affliction is defeated; through attaining the dharma-nature body, the demon of the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements is defeated; through attaining both the bodhisattva path and the dharma-nature body, the demon of death is defeated; through attaining the unmoving samādhi, free and unattached within every dharma, the demon of the desire realm's Heavenly Son is defeated." The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra clarifies that attaining the four foundations of mindfulness defeats all four demons at once — these two accounts differ in name but agree in sense. The Yingluo Sūtra clarifies that the Tathāgata of Sublime Enlightenment has already passed beyond three of the demons, with only a single remaining grade of the demon of death still present. The Lotus Sūtra says that followers of the two lesser vehicles defeat only three of the demons, the demon of the desire realm's Heavenly Son alone remaining undefeated by them. These sūtras and treatises thus differ from one another in what they say, each carrying its own profound intent. Speaking generally of all four demons together, they are, in every case, only fully exhausted upon reaching bodhi itself.

Why is this? The demon of affliction — the subtle delusion of ignorance — can only be severed by the Buddha's own bodhi-wisdom. The demon of the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements is as the Buddha told Kauṇḍinya: "Form is impermanent; through the cessation of this form, a permanent form is attained. Sensation, perception, formations, and consciousness are exactly the same." The demon of death is as already cited above from the Yingluo Sūtra. The demon of the desire realm's Heavenly Son comes to wage great battle against the bodhisattva only at the very moment of sitting at the seat of enlightenment itself. Hence it is known that all four demons are only ever brought to their final, eternal end upon reaching bodhi.

Because the mahāsattva bodhisattva's mind is vast and expansive, abiding unmoved, cultivating profound dhyāna-concentration from the very first arising of the resolve all the way through to the fruit of buddhahood, subduing the four demons while carrying out the Buddha's own work, broadly transforming sentient beings, the mind never regressing or sinking. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra speaks of eight demons, and the Avataṃsaka Sūtra speaks of ten demons; properly grasping their sense, all are fully encompassed within these same four demons, with no separate dharma apart from them. The various sūtras' discussions of demonic affairs are themselves manifold; this is only given here in brief, not in full.