The Non-Destructive Path: Detachment, Mastery, Totality

Fascicle Ten
Spoken by the Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai, of the Sui dynasty
Recorded by his disciple Fashen
Revised and edited by his disciple Guanding
Explaining Dhyāna-Pāramitā's Cultivation and Realization, Topic 7, Part 6

From the eight forms of detachment onward, there are six dharma-gates, all belonging to and included within the non-destructive path. A śrāvaka of sharp faculties, complete with these six dharmas, gives rise to true undefilement and thereby becomes a great-strength arhat of the non-destructive path — hence the Mahāyāna scriptures say: "The arhat of the non-destructive path is able to become complete with the samādhi free of contention, the wisdom of aspiration, and the summit dhyāna."

These six dharma-gates are now divided into four senses, namely: contemplation, refinement, permeation, and cultivation. First, the eight forms of detachment, together with the eight stations of mastery and the ten totalities — these three gates all belong to contemplative dhyāna; hence the Mahāyāna scriptures say: "Detachment is the initial practice; the stations of mastery are the middle practice; the totalities are the final practice." All three, together, serve as the antidote breaking through the ignorant craving and attachment found within the root dhyānas' own flavor, as well as attachment to the pure dharma itself. Second, the nine sequential concentrations are precisely the refining dhyāna. Third, the lion's-frolic samādhi is precisely the permeating dhyāna. Fourth, the samādhi of transcendence is precisely the cultivating dhyāna.

Explaining the first, contemplative dhyāna, now has two senses: first, explaining in turn the method of cultivating the three tiers of contemplative dhyāna; second, clarifying contemplative dhyāna's own function. First, explaining the method of these three tiers of contemplative practice: first, explaining detachment; second, next explaining the stations of mastery; third, explaining the totalities.

First, explaining detachment. The eight forms of detachment are: first, form within, contemplating form without — this is the first detachment; second, no form within, contemplating form without — this is the second detachment; third, the pure detachment realized in the body — this is the third detachment; fourth, the detachment of the sphere of space; fifth, the detachment of the sphere of consciousness; sixth, the detachment of the sphere of nothingness; seventh, the detachment of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; eighth, the detachment of the cessation of sensation and perception.

Explaining detachment now has five senses: first, explaining the name; second, clarifying the sequence of stages; third, distinguishing the differing contemplative methods across schools; fourth, clarifying cultivation and realization; fifth, distinguishing the mark of how it leads toward the path.

First, explaining the name: as for why these eight dharma-gates are, in general, named detachment — "turning one's back on" refers to the pure and unblemished five desires, and "relinquishing" refers to the attached mind; hence this is named detachment. As for the pure and unblemished five desires: the desire realm's own coarse and debased forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations — craving and clinging to dharmas of this kind causes one to sink into the three evil destinies, and these are named the impure five desires. The desire-realm concentration, the not-yet-arrived state, the root four dhyānas, and the four formless states — though a subtle savoring attachment may still arise within these — are, all together, named the pure and unblemished five desires. Here, through detachment, one uses the undefiled as an antidote, breaking through and dissolving this attachment, no longer clinging to the joy and happiness of the desire realm's root dhyānas and concentrations — hence it is said: able to turn one's back on the pure and unblemished five desires, and relinquish the attached mind — this is named detachment.

Furthermore, many people say: "Detachment is itself merely another name for liberation." Examining this now with reference to the sense of the Mahāyāna scriptures, this claim does not hold. Why is this? As the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: "The bodhisattva, based upon the eight forms of detachment, enters the nine sequential concentrations." The non-returner who has realized this in the body, though he has obtained the nine sequential concentrations, does not yet receive the name of being complete with the eight liberations. Hence one knows: within the cause, wearying of and detaching from affliction is named detachment; only afterward, once complete with contemplation, refinement, permeation, and cultivation, does true undefilement arise, the fetters of the three realms entirely exhausted — at that time, detachment is renamed liberation. Explained in this way, the sense may be relied upon.

Second, clarifying the sequence of stages: the explanations here differ across schools. Following what the Dharmaguptaka masters clarify, the first two detachments are placed at the desire realm; the third, the pure detachment, is placed at the form realm's fourth dhyāna; the fourth through seventh — these four detachments — are placed at the four formless states; and the eighth, the detachment of the cessation of sensation and perception, is placed beyond the three realms entirely. Following what the Sarvāstivādin masters explain, the first two detachments are placed across the desire realm, the first dhyāna, and the second dhyāna; the third, the pure detachment, is placed solely at the fourth dhyāna. They say: "Within the third dhyāna, happiness is too abundant, and, moreover, it lies too close to impurity, hence no detachment is established there." The lower five detachments' own stages are explained no differently from before. There is, further, a master who says: "The third dhyāna has no station of mastery; the fourth dhyāna has no detachment" — this, then, differs from what was given before.

Here, following what is explained in the Mahāyāna treatise, the treatise itself says: "The first detachment is included within the first dhyāna; the second detachment is included within the second dhyāna." One should know, then, that these two detachments are placed within the first and second dhyānas, serving as an antidote breaking through the desire realm — in every case it is said that one uses this impure mind to contemplate external form. The third, the pure detachment, is placed at the third dhyāna; hence the treatise says: "The pure detachment takes purity as its object, and is thereby pure, the whole body receiving happiness — hence it is named realization in the body." Among the dharmas of the three realms, apart from the third dhyāna, there is nowhere else where happiness pervades the whole body. The treatise's own text further says: "Within this fourth dhyāna there is one detachment and four stations of mastery" — weighing this passage back and forth with due care, one should know that its own placement spans the third and fourth dhyānas; to assign it wholesale to one alone would run contrary to the treatise's own text. Were one to fully press this sense against what was given before, and attempt to reconcile every school's own teaching, the matter would grow exceedingly tangled. The lower five detachments' own assigned stages are no different from before; here, the later school's own explanation is followed, in order to distinguish the sequence of stages.

Third, explaining the differing contemplative methods across schools: following what the Dharmaguptaka masters clarify, these eight liberations' own contemplation takes emptiness-contemplation entirely as its substance; following what the Sarvāstivādin masters clarify, this detachment's own contemplation of impurity is, in every case, a contemplation of concrete existence, taking weariness and turning-away as its substance. Here, these eight forms of detachment are complete with both the contemplation of concrete phenomena and the contemplation of principle together — within the cause, this is named detachment; once the fruit is complete, this is named liberation, also named liberation-in-both-respects. Should one follow, one-sidedly, either of the two schools given above alone, then phenomena and principle would each, mutually, remain incomplete — how, then, could this receive the name of liberation-in-both-respects? The contemplative method given here differs from that of the two schools above; the distinction in relative depth may be seen for itself below.

Fourth, clarifying cultivation and realization. The practitioner wishing to cultivate the eight forms of detachment's own undefiled contemplative practice must diligently uphold the five divisions of the precepts, bringing them to the utmost purity. One should, further, be diligent and vigorous, adorned with a great vow, the mind never retreating or sinking, and able to bring this great matter to completion.

As for the first detachment: without yet destroying either the internal or external form, and without having extinguished the mark of internal or external form, one uses this very impure mind to contemplate form — this is named the first detachment. Why is this? Sentient beings divide into two kinds of conduct: the conduct of craving, and the conduct of view. Those in whom craving predominates are attached to pleasure, bound for the most part by fetters that are external; those in whom view predominates are, for the most part, attached to the view of a bodily self and every other such view, bound by fetters that are internal. For this reason, one in whom craving predominates contemplates the external body's own impurity, while one in whom view predominates contemplates the internal body's own impurity and decay. Here, in clarifying the contemplative practice of detachment, one generally begins first from within — once the internal contemplation is accomplished, one then uses this impure mind to contemplate what is external.

How does one contemplate what is within? The practitioner, body upright and mind correct, closely contemplates the big toe, imagining it swollen and blackened like a large bean, or like a callus upon the foot. Within the stilled mind, once this mark is accomplished in contemplation, one then imagines it swelling further, the size of a small pear-shaped bean, and so on, until the single big toe is seen as large as a hen's egg. Next, one contemplates the second toe, and the third, fourth, and fifth toes in just the same way. Next, one contemplates the foot itself, seeing it, too, swollen, all the way through the sole, heel, ankle, knee, and thigh, all seen swollen in turn. Next, one contemplates the right foot in just the same way. One should, further, with a stilled mind, closely imagine the passages of urination and defecation, the waist and spine, the belly, back, chest, and flanks, all seen swollen. One should, further, with a stilled mind, closely contemplate the left shoulder blade, arm, elbow, wrist, palm, and five fingers, all seen swollen, and the right shoulder blade in just the same way. One should, further, with a stilled mind, closely contemplate the neck, throat, and jaw, all seen swollen. The whole body rigid, neck upright — in this way, from the head down to the feet, and from the feet back up to the head, one contemplates the body in sequence, seeing only swelling, the mind giving rise to weariness and revulsion.

One should, further, contemplate its decay and festering, blood and filth impure, worms and pus flowing out from the passages of urination and defecation. The belly already split open, one sees the internal organs and the thirty-six substances themselves, stinking, rotten, and impure, the mind giving rise to weariness and revulsion, contemplating one's own body as worse even than a dead dog — and contemplating in just the same way the body of any man or woman one loves in the outside world, no longer anything at all to love or delight in. This is explained at greater length as in the nine contemplations, differing only in that the perceptions of scattering and burning are omitted here.

Should the practitioner, cultivating this contemplation, find the desire realm's own afflictions not yet stilled, one should abide within this contemplation for a long while, until the mind of weariness grows fully mature. Once free of craving and attachment, one should, at this time, advance to contemplating the white bones. One-pointedly still in concentration, one closely contemplates the space between the eyebrows, imagining the skin and flesh splitting open, seeing the white bone the size of a fingernail, utterly distinct and clear. Next, directing the mind upward, the skin and flesh split further open, and one sees the forehead bone and the bone at the hairline opening apart, and the very mark of bone is seen. One further contemplates the crown bone, likewise seeing the skin and flesh fall away, the skull itself exposed.

One should, further, with the mind in concentration, moving from the head downward, imagine the skin and flesh, following the mind, gradually peeling away all the way down to the feet. The skin and flesh having fallen away, one sees only a figure of bone, joint resting upon joint, sitting upright and unmoving. The practitioner, at that moment, with the mind in concentration, closely contemplates that these bones arise from causes and conditions: depending upon the toe bones, the foot bones rest upon them; depending upon the foot bones, the ankle bones rest upon them; depending upon the ankle bones, the knee bones rest upon them; depending upon the knee bones, the thigh bones rest upon them; depending upon the thigh bones, the hip bones rest upon them; depending upon the hip bones, the waist bones rest upon them; depending upon the waist bones, the spinal bones rest upon them; depending upon the spinal bones, the rib bones rest upon them. The spinal bones, further, rest the neck bones above them; depending upon the neck bones, the jaw bones rest upon them; depending upon the jaw bones, the teeth rest upon them, and above them the skull itself. The neck bones, further, rest the shoulder bones upon them; depending upon the shoulder bones, the arm bones rest upon them; depending upon the arm bones, the wrist bones rest upon them; depending upon the wrist bones, the palm bones rest upon them; depending upon the palm bones, the finger bones rest upon them. Resting upon one another in succession in just this way, there are three hundred and sixty bones in all — contemplating each one closely, knowing it as large or small, as hard or soft, resting together upon one another provisionally — within this, there is no master, no self at all: what, then, could be called a view of a bodily self? The breath entering and leaving is merely the movement of air, likewise neither body nor self; contemplating sensation, contemplating mind, and, further still, contemplating every dharma, one knows them all to be empty and illusory, without master, without self. Having performed this contemplation, one thereby breaks through the view of self, and arrogance and the five desires, too, are altogether extinguished.

At that time, one should, further, with the mind in concentration, from the head down to the feet, and from the feet back up to the head, contemplate the body closely in sequence, deeply refining the figure of bone, continuing on through some hundred or thousand repetitions, until the figure of bone's own tendons and flesh are entirely gone, the bones' own color like agate, like shell — contemplating still more deeply without pause, one then sees a white light shimmering upon the bones themselves. Having seen this mark, one should closely contemplate the space between the eyebrows; contemplating there, one likewise sees a bright white light, all converging toward the mind. The practitioner does not grasp at this mark of light, but simply keeps the mind in concentration at the space between the eyebrows. Should the mind grow calm and still, resting naturally of its own accord, the wholesome root opens forth, and, at the space between the eyebrows, eight colors of light are seen, spinning forth and radiating, illuminating the ten directions entirely, everywhere bright and pure.

The eight colors are: earth, water, fire, wind, blue-green, yellow, red, and white. Illuminating the great earth everywhere, one sees the color of earth like a pure yellow-white ground; one sees the color of water like clear, still water within a deep pool; one sees the color of fire like a smokeless, pure flame of burning wood; one sees the color of wind like a dustless, pure breeze; one sees the color blue-green like a mountain of refined gold; one sees the color yellow like a campaka blossom; one sees the color red like the morning glow of spring's own dawn; one sees the color white like frost or snow upon agate — following each of these colors' own marks, each, in turn, possesses its own radiance. Though one sees these colors distinctly, they possess no material substance whatsoever to be found — this color transcends and surpasses, nothing of its kind found anywhere in the world. When this mark arises, the practitioner's mind is settled and at peace, joy and happiness beyond measure, impossible to record fully in writing.

The practitioner should, further, from the head down to the feet, deeply refine the figure of bone once more, again gathering the mind, closely contemplating the forehead, the mind fixed upon its own object. Once more, eight colors of light are seen, spinning forth. In this way, in due sequence, with the mind in concentration, one contemplates the hairline, the crown, the two ear-openings, the brow bone, the eye sockets, the nose, mouth, teeth, jaw bone, and neck bone. From the top downward, all three hundred and sixty bones and joints are seen, each giving forth the eight colors of light, spinning forth in turn. The practitioner, gathering the mind ever more finely, from the head down to the feet, and from the feet back up to the head, contemplates this figure of bone, seeing the whole body radiating light, illuminating everything, entirely bright and pure. Should this be a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, buddha-images themselves are seen within this very light; should the practitioner's own wholesome root be weak and inferior, it is only upon reaching the fourth dhyāna that buddha-images come to be seen at all. The practitioner, the light now radiant, the mind in concentration joyful and happy, redoubled beyond what was obtained before — this is named realizing the mark of the first detachment.

Why is this? Because the internal figure of bone has not yet been extinguished, this is named "form-mark within"; because one sees the eight kinds of external light together with the desire realm's own impure objects, it is said: using this impure mind, one contemplates form without. External form is of two kinds: impurity such as the desire realm's own — this is impure external form; the eight kinds of pure color are the color belonging to the world-transcending form realm — this, too, is named external form. The practitioner, seeing both internal and external impure form, thereby turns away from the desire realm, the mind no longer taking delight in it. Seeing the eight kinds of pure color, one thereby knows that the root first dhyāna is itself obscured by ignorance, empty and unreal, its own objects coarse and inferior, and is thereby able to relinquish it, the mind no longer stained by attachment to it — hence the treatise says: "Turning one's back on the pure and unblemished five desires, relinquishing the attached mind — this is named detachment."

Furthermore, as explained in the Mahāyāna scriptures, the first dhyāna's own single detachment — one should know that detachment is itself precisely the undefiled first dhyāna. Being the first dhyāna, it is thereby complete with the sense of the five factors as well, which shall now be distinguished. As the practitioner, proceeding from the initial contemplation of impurity all the way through the figure of bone's own radiance, this is precisely the mark of contemplative dhyāna's own desire-realm concentration; next, gathering the mind at the space between the eyebrows, resting still and undisturbed in concentration, this is precisely the mark of contemplative dhyāna's own not-yet-arrived state; the eight kinds of light spinning forth, perceiving these eight colors never before seen, the mind greatly startled into awakening — this is precisely the mark of contemplative dhyāna's own factor of initial thought. Distinguishing the eight colors, each mark differing from the rest, found nowhere else in the world — this is precisely the factor of sustained reflection; the mind leaping with delight — this is precisely the factor of joy; the calm and tranquil dharma bringing pleasure and delight to the mind — this is precisely the factor of happiness; though beholding this very color, no inverted perception arises, samādhi unmoved — this is precisely the factor of one-pointedness of mind. This, in brief, distinguishes the mark of this undefiled contemplative dhyāna's own five factors; one should know that these differ markedly from the five factors already given above, within the root dhyānas, the special excellences, and the thorough-and-bright contemplation.

Second, the second detachment: destroying internal form, extinguishing the mark of internal form, while not destroying external form, nor extinguishing the mark of external form — using this impure mind to contemplate external form: this is the second detachment. Why is this? The practitioner, within the first detachment, the figure of bone already radiating light everywhere, now wishing to enter the second dhyāna's own internal purity, thereby destroys and extinguishes the internal figure of bone; yet, since the views and thoughts belonging to the desire realm are not yet entirely severed, one still contemplates the external mark of white bone's own impurity — hence it is said: using this impure mind, one contemplates external form.

Now, clarifying cultivation and realization: the practitioner, in the mind following the first detachment, no longer accepting initial thought and sustained reflection's own agitation and disturbance, closely contemplates that the internal figure of bone is empty and unreal, both internal and external hollow and sparse, taking up exclusively the mark of its own destruction, scattering, and dissolution. Contemplating in this way, one gradually sees the figure of bone rotting away and crumbling apart, like dust and powder, scattering into nothing and returning to emptiness — the internal form no longer seen at all. At this time, one simply gathers the mind and enters concentration, taking the external light together with impurity as one's object, the mind fixed one-pointedly upon it, no longer accepting the contemplation of initial thought. Afterward, the internal mind opens out, bright and pure, right samādhi arising together with great joy — one then sees the eight kinds of light shining forth from this internal purity, illuminating the ten directions, doubly surpassing what was obtained before. Having realized this internal dharma's own great joy and radiance, one thereby knows that the root second dhyāna is itself empty and illusory, coarse and inferior, and turns away from it in weariness, no longer attached to it — hence this is named detachment, also named the undefiled second dhyāna. Within this, the four factors are complete, and may be found through careful inquiry.

Third, the pure detachment realized in the body: as explained in the Mahāyāna scriptures, "Taking purity as its object, one is thereby pure; the whole body receiving happiness — hence this is named realization in the body." Why is this? The practitioner, wishing to enter this third detachment, following the second detachment, the mind no longer accepting the contemplation of external impurity, which has, in every case, already been utterly destroyed, scattered, and dissolved, nothing whatsoever remaining, and no longer accepting the great joy's own excited agitation either — simply gathers the mind and closely contemplates the mark of the eight colors' own radiance. Taking up this mark, one enters a deep samādhi, refining these eight colors until they grow utterly bright and pure, the mind resting fixed upon this very object, and thereupon settles, undisturbed, into concentration.

At the moment concentration arises, happiness is born together with it — one sees the eight external colors of light, pure and radiantly clear, like the color of some wondrous jewel's own light, each following its own mental image, shining and brilliantly illuminating, spreading throughout every direction, its own purity penetrating outward; this external color illuminates the mind, and the mind thereby grows bright and pure, happiness gradually increasing, spreading throughout the whole body, the entire body filled with delight. Having realized this dharma, one turns away from the root dhyāna, the mind no longer taking delight in or attaching to it. This, then, briefly explains the mark of realizing the pure detachment, also named the undefiled third dhyāna. Within this, the five factors are complete, and may be found through deep reflection; and, further still, the fourth dhyāna's own pure color is likewise so, equally included within the pure detachment, differing only in that happiness no longer pervades the whole body there.

Question: if this is so, from the very first detachment onward, pure color has already been present — why, then, is it only now that this is spoken of as the pure detachment? Answer: within this, four senses should be applied in distinguishing it: first, the impure-impure; second, the impure-pure; third, the pure-impure; fourth, the pure-pure.

As for the impure: such as the desire realm's own thirty-six substances, whose bodily nature and mark are already impure. Through the power of the contemplation of impurity, one further sees this very body swollen, festering, livid, and foul — this is impurity seen further within impurity itself. As for the impure-pure: such as the white bone, itself originally an impure substance; closely contemplating it, once its grease and residue are entirely gone, it becomes like agate, like shell, its white light shimmering — this is purity found within impurity.

As for the pure-impure: from the very first detachment onward, though pure light is already present, this very light bears three kinds of impure cause and condition: first, its place of origin is impure, since it issues from the figure of bone itself; second, that which it illuminates is impure, since it illuminates external objects; third, the light's own substance has not yet been refined, and is thus impure — like gold not yet refined, its dross and impurity not yet exhausted, its own light and color impure. For causes and conditions such as these, though the first dhyāna already possesses light, it is not yet named taking purity as its object and thereby being pure; the second dhyāna, though free of white bone, its light issuing from internal purity itself, still illuminates external impurity, and has not yet been refined — and, on account of the great joy present there as well, this, too, may only be named taking purity as its object in a qualified sense.

As for what is now spoken of as the pure-pure: the eight colors of light are, in their origin, already pure color; here, at this very stage, they are, further, freed of all three kinds of impurity — hence this purity is spoken of as pure-pure, also named taking purity as its object and thereby being pure. The sense of purity now being entirely complete, this is, for this reason, spoken of as the pure detachment.

Fourth, the detachment of the sphere of space: the practitioner, after the desire realm, has already removed the impure color of the skin and flesh of his own body; after the first detachment, has already extinguished the internal body's own color of white bone; after the second detachment, has already set aside every impure external color as well, leaving only the eight kinds of pure color, all the way up through the fourth dhyāna. These eight colors, all alike, rest dependent upon the mind — like an illusory color, dependent upon an illusory mind; should the mind relinquish this color, the color thereupon fades and vanishes. The mind fixed one-pointedly upon space, corresponding with space itself, one thereby enters the boundless sphere of space — this clarifies a skillful means for extinguishing color that differs from what came before. Realizing the concentration of the sphere of space follows the same sense as already explained above.

The practitioner, wishing to enter the detachment of the sphere of space, should first enter the concentration on emptiness. The concentration on emptiness is precisely the initial gate of detachment, since detachment takes form as its object and moves toward formlessness. The ordinary person entering this concentration, this is named formlessness; the Buddha's disciple entering this concentration, the deep mind turned wholly in one direction, never turning back — this is named detachment. What is meant by "the deep mind"? Skillfully cultivating calming. What is meant by "turned wholly in one direction, never turning back"? Within this concentration, skillfully cultivating insight, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, and no-action, one is thereby able to relinquish the root's own attached mind, and thereupon never again retreats or sinks back, turning through the wheel of birth-and-death — hence this is named turned wholly in one direction, never turning back.

Furthermore, when the Buddha's disciple is about to enter the formless concentration, the eight noble lineages' own contemplation is present as well. Through the four kinds of antidote-contemplation, such as seeing it as a boil or a wound, one is thereby able to grow weary of and turn away from the formless dharma; through the four kinds of correct contemplation, such as impermanence, one thereby breaks through the two inversions of the formless — provisional and real — and is able to give rise to the undefiled. The method of the eight noble lineages' own contemplative practice is entirely as already explained above, at the point of departing from the concentration of space and cultivating the concentration of consciousness. It is only that, there, one wishes to depart from the sphere of space, and so cultivates the eight noble lineages for that purpose; here, the practitioner, at the very moment of entering the concentration of space, already cultivates the eight noble lineages — though abiding within the concentration, one is not attached to the concentration of space itself, hence this is named detachment.

Fifth, the detachment of the sphere of consciousness; sixth, the detachment of the sphere of nothingness; seventh, the detachment of neither-perception-nor-non-perception — these, too, should each in turn be distinguished in just this same way.

Eighth, the detachment of the cessation of sensation and perception: turning away from and extinguishing sensation, perception, and every mental factor of the mind — this is named the detachment of the cessation of sensation and perception. Why is this? Every disciple of the Buddha, wearying of the scattered and disordered mind, enters concentration to rest, a dharma resembling nirvāṇa itself, settling securely within the body — hence this is named realization in the body.

The practitioner cultivating this detachment of the cessation of sensation and perception must extinguish the aggregates, elements, and sense-bases belonging to neither-perception-nor-non-perception, together with every mental factor. How does one extinguish them? Within this neither-perception-nor-non-perception, though free of coarse affliction, one is nonetheless complete with four aggregates, two sense-bases, the three realms, and ten kinds of subtle mental factors, namely: first, sensation; second, perception; third, formation; fourth, contact; fifth, intention; sixth, desire; seventh, resolve; eighth, mindfulness; ninth, concentration; tenth, wisdom.

What is sensation? Namely, the sensation belonging to consciousness. What is perception? Namely, the perception belonging to consciousness. What is formation? Namely, the formation belonging to dharmas. What is contact? Namely, mental contact. What is intention? Namely, intention toward dharmas. What is desire? Namely, the wish to enter and leave concentration. What is resolve? Namely, resolve regarding dharmas. What is mindfulness? Namely, mindfulness of samādhi itself. What is concentration? Namely, the mind abiding in accordance with the dharma. What is wisdom? Namely, the faculty of wisdom. The body of wisdom, together with craving for the formless realm, ignorance, the agitated and conceited mind, and the dissociated formations and the rest — through the coming together of causes and conditions belonging to the truth of suffering and its accumulation — neither-perception-nor-non-perception thereby comes to be.

In the earlier detachment of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, though this matter was already known, one was not yet attached to neither-perception-nor-non-perception — hence this, too, was named detachment — but the mental factors themselves had not yet been extinguished. Now, the practitioner wishing to enter the detachment of the cessation of sensation and perception must no longer accept neither-perception-nor-non-perception at all, the mind fixed one-pointedly upon reality itself, cutting off the aggregates, elements, and sense-bases entirely — the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements belonging to neither-perception-nor-non-perception are thereby extinguished, every conditioned formation's own causes and conditions entirely extinguished, sensation extinguished, and, further still, wisdom itself extinguished, craving, ignorance, and every other affliction extinguished, every mental factor extinguished, and every non-mental factor, too, extinguished — this is named "not shared in common with the ordinary person," not a worldly dharma at all. Should one be able to contemplate in this way, this is named the cessation of sensation and perception, using the sensation and perception that are able to contemplate reality itself to extinguish the sensation and perception belonging to the suffering and accumulation of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

Now, the practitioner wishing to enter this very detachment of the cessation of sensation and perception must, further, deeply know that even the sensation and perception able to contemplate reality are not themselves the ultimate stillness, and must thereupon relinquish the very concentration-sensation and wisdom-perception that are able to contemplate. Relinquishing these two minds of concentration and wisdom that take reality as their object — hence it is said: turning away from and extinguishing sensation, perception, and every mental factor. It is like using a later sound to still an earlier sound: the earlier sound having already ceased, the later sound, too, is able to be removed in just the same way. Sensation and perception having already ceased, the mind, on account of this, corresponds with the dharma of cessation itself; the dharma of cessation holds the mind fast, still and silent, without any awareness or perception at all — hence it is said: realization in the body of the cessation of perception and sensation. Within this very concentration, there being no consciousness at all, should one wish to leave it, one simply heeds the original interval of time set beforehand, whether long or short.

Fifth, distinguishing the mark of how detachment leads toward the path. The practitioner cultivating the eight forms of detachment enters the path in three differing ways.

First, one first uses detachment to break through the dharmas obstructing the path, and only afterward becomes complete in cultivating the stations of mastery, and, further still, the samādhi of transcendence — the two contemplations of concrete phenomena and of principle both complete, only then does true undefilement arise, and the path of the three vehicles is realized.

Second, should one, while cultivating the eight forms of detachment, already be so wearied by and detached from birth-and-death that one wishes to swiftly obtain liberation, at that time one broadly cultivates the true contemplation taking the truths as object and the rest, and true undefilement thereby arises within the eight forms of detachment themselves, the path of the three vehicles realized, also named being complete with the eight liberations. One should know that this person need not necessarily be complete with the remaining five dharma-gates below.

Question: if this is so, this person has not yet obtained the nine sequential concentrations — how, then, does he already receive the name of being complete with the eight liberations? Answer: this sense should be distinguished through four propositions: first, there is the case of one who possesses the nine sequential concentrations but not liberation; second, there is the case of one who possesses liberation but not the sequential concentrations; third, there is the case of one who possesses both the sequential concentrations and liberation together; and fourth, there is the case of one who possesses neither the sequential concentrations nor liberation, and yet still possesses the eight forms of detachment.

Third, should a person's mind be so heavy with weariness toward and detachment from birth-and-death that, upon realizing only the first detachment, he already deeply contemplates the truth of the Four Noble Truths' own real concentration, and, should the undefiled arise, thereupon enters the vajra samādhi at this very stage and realizes the path of the three vehicles — one should know that this person, too, need not necessarily be complete with the seven remaining forms of detachment above.

The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, the mind like empty space, grasping and relinquishing nothing at all, through the power of skillful means, skillfully cultivates detachment, becoming complete with the accomplishment of the whole Buddhadharma, and delivers sentient beings across. One should know, then, that detachment is itself precisely the bodhisattva's own Mahāyāna.

Next, explaining the dharma-gate of the eight stations of mastery. The eight stations of mastery are: first, form within, contemplating little form without, whether good or ill — this is named the first station of mastery, of superior knowledge and vision; second, form within, contemplating much form without, whether good or ill — this is named the second station of mastery, of superior knowledge and vision; third, no form within, contemplating little form without, whether good or ill — this is named the third station of mastery, of superior knowledge and vision; fourth, no form within, contemplating much form without, whether good or ill — this is named the fourth station of mastery, of superior knowledge and vision; fifth, the station of mastery of blue-green; sixth, the station of mastery of yellow; seventh, the station of mastery of red; eighth, the station of mastery of white. Following the Sūtra of the Original Acts That Adorn a Bodhisattva, the four elements are taken as the four stations of mastery.

Explaining the stations of mastery now has four senses: first, explaining the name; second, clarifying their stages; third, distinguishing the mark of their cultivation and realization; fourth, clarifying how they lead toward the path.

First, explaining the name: as for why these eight dharmas are, in general, called stations of mastery — this has two senses. First, whether the five desires be pure or impure, once one obtains this contemplation, one is thereby able to break through them at will — hence this is named a station of mastery. Second, one skillfully regulates the contemplating mind — like a rider on horseback striking at a bandit, not only breaking through the enemy's own line, but also skillfully mastering the horse itself — hence this, too, is named a station of mastery. This, then, differs from detachment. The sutras also speak of this as the eight bases of transcendence. Should one, through the stations of mastery, sever affliction entirely, one thereby knows that the illusory aggregates and sense-bases are all extinguished — at that time, the stations of mastery are renamed the eight bases of transcendence.

Second, clarifying their stages: here, following only what is explained in the Mahāyāna scriptures, the first two stations of mastery are placed at the first dhyāna; the third and fourth stations of mastery, next, are placed at the second dhyāna; and the last four stations of mastery are placed at the fourth dhyāna. As for why no station of mastery is established at the third dhyāna: because happiness there is too abundant and the mind too dull. The first two dhyānas lie close to the desire realm, whose afflictions are difficult to break through — hence, though placed within the second dhyāna, one still contemplates impurity there, breaking through the lower stage's own fetters. The fourth dhyāna, being the very utmost of the form realm, is thus where form's own mastery reaches its own limit. The four formless states, already lacking form entirely, and their own afflictions already thin, have, for this reason, no station of mastery established within them either.

Third, clarifying cultivation and realization: as for why it is said "form within, contemplating little form without" — since the object taken is small, this is named little. Because the contemplative path has not yet increased in strength, one contemplates a small object as the condition; contemplating a large object is feared too difficult to master. It is like a deer not yet tamed, which should not, then, be let loose to roam too far.

What is meant by "contemplating little"? The practitioner contemplates his own body's own impurity, and also contemplates the impurity, swelling, decay, and white bones of the person he loves, the mind deeply wearied and revolted — as already explained within the first detachment. As for "whether good or ill": contemplating external forms in general, that born of wholesome karmic fruit is named good, and that born of unwholesome karmic retribution is named ill. Furthermore, the practitioner, receiving this contemplative method from a teacher, contemplates every kind of external impurity as its object — this is named ill form. Should the practitioner, at times, call something falsely to mind, giving rise to a mistaken perception of purity, and contemplate a pure form — this is good form. Furthermore, the practitioner, fixing the mind upon a single point within his own body, contemplates that form within the desire realm is of two kinds: first, that able to give rise to lustful desire; second, that able to give rise to anger and hatred. That able to give rise to lustful desire is pure form, named good; that able to give rise to anger and hatred is impure form, hence named ill.

As for "superior knowledge, superior vision": the contemplating mind having grown mature, within good form the mind no longer craves or loves it, and within ill form the mind no longer grows angry or hateful toward it, but simply contemplates that form arises from the union of the four elements' own causes and conditions, like foam upon water, without any solidity at all, wisdom penetrating deeply into the mark of the provisional and the real. The practitioner, abiding within this very gate of impurity, is no longer swept along by the fetters of lustful desire and anger and hatred as they arise — hence this is named a station of mastery: mastering the purity found within impurity, and every inverted affliction as well.

Furthermore, "good" and "ill" themselves admit of two kinds of contemplation of impurity: first, seeing one's own body and another's body's own thirty-six substances, stinking and filthy, impure — this is named ill; second, removing the internal and external skin, flesh, and five organs, contemplating only the white bone, like agate, like snow, and, further still, its flowing light radiating forth — this is named good. The practitioner, seeing impurity, thereby knows it to be empty and illusory, the mind no longer fearful and overwhelmed by it; seeing pure form, knows it to arise from conditions, the mind no longer stained by love for it — this is named superior knowledge, superior vision. Furthermore, the practitioner, within a small object, contemplating form at will, transforming it freely, is also thereby able to skillfully master the contemplating mind itself — hence this is named a station of mastery.

Second, "form within, contemplating much form without, whether good or ill — this is named superior knowledge, superior vision": the practitioner's own contemplating mind now regulated, at this time one no longer extinguishes the internal figure of bone, but, further, within concentration, broadly contemplates external form — namely, closely contemplating a single corpse, and then ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand; a single land, and then ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand lands; a single Jambudvīpa, and then a single four-continent world-system — all seen, entirely, as corpses. Contemplating a single body swollen, one sees every body swollen at once; and so, too, with decay, blood-smearing, festering, livid discoloration, and skeletonization, each in turn.

The practitioner, having broadly seen the corpses' own impurity, the mind deeply wearied and revolted, next closely contemplates a single corpse stripped of its skin and bone, seeing only white bone — and so, too, all the way through every corpse, each stripped of skin and flesh, until white bone is seen filling the whole world. This contemplation is explained at length in the Dhyāna Sūtra, and should be given there in full.

The practitioner, the contemplation of external bone now accomplished, should, further, with the mind in concentration, closely contemplate the internal body's own white bone, refining it to bright purity, like agate, like shell. Contemplating his own bones in this way, he sees every external figure of bone rise up together, arrayed in rows facing one another, raising their hands and approaching. The practitioner, within samādhi, thereby knows that all these figures of bone arise entirely in accordance with his own thought, possessing no fixed reality at all, the mind unafraid and untroubled. He should, further, silently reflect, reproaching these figures of bone: "Ha! You figures of bone — from where have you come?" Reproaching them in this way, he sees every figure of bone collapse back to the ground at once — this may happen many times over.

The practitioner, deeply contemplating the internal bone, thereupon sees light illuminating the ten directions everywhere, every figure of bone illuminated by this light, all alike bright and pure. Once this contemplation is accomplished, toward every enemy, every loved one, and every neutral person, and every mark of good and ill alike, the mind is equal throughout, free of both love and hatred — this is named "whether good or ill, superior knowledge, superior vision." The sense of superior knowledge and vision regarding good and ill is as already explained above.

Furthermore, the practitioner, abiding within this contemplation, is able to see a single figure of bone, and then see the whole four-continent world filled entirely with figures of bone — this is named "much." Gathering the mind once more, contemplating a single figure of bone again — hence this, too, is named superior knowledge, superior vision: able to master, at will, the five desires, whether male or female, whether pure or unblemished in mark — hence this is named a station of mastery. And, further, one is thereby able to skillfully master the contemplating mind itself — though knowing that the very nature of the mind able to contemplate possesses nothing at all, one nonetheless turns freely within its own object, contemplating every realm without any obstruction whatsoever — hence this, too, is named a station of mastery. This sense is explained at greater length in the Mahāyāna scriptures.

Furthermore, there is a master who says: "Should one merely contemplate every person, seeing the impure white bone alone, this is named little; should one perform the great contemplation of impurity, this is named much." The great contemplation of impurity is for the sake of breaking through craving and attachment toward every possible object. What is meant by contemplating everything? Contemplating elephants, horses, oxen, sheep, and every kind of the six domestic animals, and every bird and beast, all seen as corpses, swollen. Furthermore, contemplating food and drink as though it were worms or excrement, and clothing, silk, and cloth as though they were strips of rotten skin and rotten flesh, foul and abhorrent. Money, wealth, gold, and jewels seen as poisonous snakes and vipers, transforming in an instant into death, stinking and rotten, impure; grain and rice seen as stinking, dead worms; houses, fields and gardens, one's own land, cities and towns, the great earth, mountains, rivers, and forests, all, alike, rotting and decaying, foul and impure, overflowing and pouring forth — and, further still, seeing white bones scattered everywhere, the whole world impure — a matter, in this way, utterly to be wearied of and abhorred. The practitioner, within samādhi, sees whatever he contemplates at will, turning freely, able thereby to break through every worldly good and ill, love and hatred, craving and sorrowful affliction — hence this is named "form within, contemplating much form without, whether good or ill, superior knowledge, superior vision."

Question: since the world's own resources for living are, in every case, dharmas of skin, flesh, tendon, and bone, and thus already impure, how can they all be seen as impure and decaying? Answer: this is a path toward attaining understanding, the mind's own power transforming appearances — it is not a contemplation of what is literally real. Why is this? Nothing is, in reality, entirely pure; through the power of the inverted view of purity, one comes to see everything as pure and thereby gives rise to craving and attachment toward it. Though nothing is, in reality, entirely impure either, here, through the power of the contemplation of impurity's own wisdom, everything is seen as impure, breaking through every affliction — what fault, then, could there be in this? It is like the fire that arises at the eon's own burning: every being and every non-sentient thing upon the whole earth, of whatever kind, all alike become flame, through the very power of that fire. Here, too, using the impure mind to contemplate the whole world, one sees it, in every case, as impure — just as a person of supernormal power is able to transform tile and stone into gold and jewels. One should know, then: what fixed nature could any dharma possibly possess? This master explains it in just this way, and, deeply reflecting on this sense with respect to the second station of mastery, its own principle and contemplative practice may, in every case, be relied upon and put to use.

Next, clarifying the third and fourth stations of mastery: the contemplative method here differs not at all from what came before, differing only in taking "no form within" as its own mark. The method for extinguishing internal form is already explained at the opening gate of the second detachment above. Here, the practitioner, wishing to break through the desire realm's own afflictions still further, once more cultivates these two stations of mastery within the second dhyāna, serving as an antidote to eliminate the lower stage's own fetters entirely, leaving nothing whatsoever behind, and, further, repeatedly transforming the contemplative path itself, so that it grows ever sharper, more mature, and more illuminating, firm and never lost, its own effort and power growing ever more excellent.

Next, explaining the four stations of mastery of blue-green, yellow, red, and white: the practitioner, no longer accepting the third dhyāna's own happiness realized in the body, upon entering the fourth dhyāna, mindfulness and wisdom now pure, these four colors turn ever more radiant and clear, like the light of some wondrous jewel, surpassing the colors that came before — hence this is named a station of mastery. Furthermore, the practitioner, within the fourth dhyāna, using unshakeable wisdom, refines these four colors, able to make the small great and the great small, transforming them freely at will, seeing them the moment he wishes to see them, and dissolving them the moment he wishes to dissolve them — hence this, too, is named a station of mastery. Furthermore, the practitioner, seeing this very superior color within samādhi, the fetters and contaminants not yet severed, may, at times, give rise to a mind of attachment to the dharma itself; in order to sever this attachment to the dharma, one closely contemplates this very color, knowing it to arise from the mind — like a magician contemplating his own conjured form, knowing it to arise from the mind, and thereby giving rise to no attachment toward it. At this time, detachment is renamed a station of mastery.

Fourth, clarifying the mark of how the stations of mastery lead toward the path: this, too, has three senses.

First, one first uses the stations of mastery to regulate the mind, and only afterward becomes complete in cultivating the samādhi of transcendence and the rest, true undefilement thereby arising, and the path of the three vehicles realized. Second, these eight stations of mastery, complete in their own accomplishment, penetrate deeply into the true contemplation of the Four Noble Truths, true undefilement arising within the fourth dhyāna itself, complete with the thirty-four moments of mind, severing the fetters of the three realms, and realizing the path of the three vehicles. Third, there is the case of a practitioner who, obtaining the first station of mastery upon entering the first dhyāna, the mind heavy with weariness and dread, thereupon reflects: "What use, now, do I have for these many dhyānas amid such concrete matters? I need only swiftly seize hold of nirvāṇa itself." Having reflected in this way, he thereupon, at this very stage, deeply contemplates the Four Noble Truths, the twelve links of dependent origination, the middle way, and true reality — should the undefiled arise, he thereby realizes the noble fruit of the three vehicles directly. The remaining seven stations of mastery should each, in turn, be distinguished in this same way.

The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, though knowing that every dharma is, in the end, empty and still, out of compassion for every sentient being, deeply cultivates the stations of mastery. Within the stations of mastery, great supernormal powers arise, subduing the heavenly māras, breaking through every non-Buddhist teaching, and delivering sentient beings across. One should know, then, that the stations of mastery are themselves precisely the bodhisattva's own Mahāyāna.

Next, explaining the dharma-gate of the ten totalities. The ten totalities are: first, blue-green; second, yellow; third, red; fourth, white; fifth, earth; sixth, water; seventh, fire; eighth, wind; ninth, space; tenth, consciousness. These ten are, in general, named totalities because each and every color illuminates and pervades all ten directions completely — hence they are named totalities, and space, too, follows this same pattern. The eight colors given earlier, within detachment and the stations of mastery, though present, illuminate only a narrow scope, not yet able to pervade everywhere — hence they do not receive the name of totality.

Furthermore, the sutras, at times, speak of these as the "ten totality-entries." Some explain this as merely another name for the totalities themselves. Here, this is not so: the earlier name, taking a single color pervading and illuminating the ten directions, is named a totality; the later mind, growing yet more skillful, is able, within every pervasively illuminating color, to mutually enter one into another without any hindrance whatsoever — hence this stage is given the name totality-entry.

Explaining the ten totalities now has two senses: first, clarifying their stages; second, distinguishing their cultivation and realization.

First, clarifying their stages: among the ten totalities, the first eight color-totalities are placed within the fourth dhyāna; next, the ninth, the totality of space, is placed at the sphere of space; and the tenth, the totality of consciousness, is placed at the sphere of consciousness. As for why no totality is established within the first three dhyānas: the practitioner, newly learning within these three stages, still has initial thought, sustained reflection, joy, and happiness moving about, and is thus unable to make color pervade completely and rest unmoving there. As for the sphere of nothingness above, there being nothing there to extend, nor any happiness to be obtained, and the Buddha, moreover, never speaking of the sphere of nothingness as boundless or infinite, no totality is established there either; and the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the mind too dull, finding it difficult to grasp any broad, extended perception, no totality is established there either.

Second, next clarifying cultivation and realization: the practitioner, abiding within the fourth dhyāna, having already accomplished mastery's own superior colors, should, at this time, use the pure mind of mindfulness, setting aside the other seven colors, and hold in mind blue-green alone, taking up a small mark of blue-green light, the size of a blade of grass, the mind fixed one-pointedly upon this object, thereupon corresponding with this small blue-green mark. The contemplating mind then extends this small blue-green mark, illuminating the ten directions completely — one thereupon sees this light, following the mind, illuminating everywhere, the whole world seen entirely filled with the mark of blue-green, resting there unmoving, like a world made entirely of blue-green — this is named the totality of blue-green. The remaining seven totalities' own contemplative mark should each, in turn, be distinguished in this same way.

There is a certain master who says: "Cultivating the totalities means taking up the mark of a blade of grass and the like as one's object, the mark arising by way of external color, and pervading and illuminating everywhere." Explained in this way, this not only strays from and loses the very method of this contemplative gate, but also has nothing whatsoever to do with what is explained in the Mahāyāna scriptures.

The practitioner, already having accomplished these totalities, wishing to enter the totality of space by way of the totalities themselves, should enter the detachment of the sphere of space; it is only that detachment's own object is narrow, and does not yet receive the name of totality — here, one further broadens the object to the space of the ten directions, hence this is named the totality of space. Wishing to enter the totality of consciousness, one should likewise first enter the detachment of the sphere of consciousness, and, within the concentration on consciousness, broadly contemplate this very consciousness, pervading and filling the ten directions, seeing everything, entirely, as consciousness — hence this is named the totality of consciousness.

Should the practitioner wish to cultivate the totality-entries, having already accomplished the totalities themselves, one should take the totalities as the basis, and then, using a skillful contemplating mind, within the totality of blue-green, cause yellow, red, white, and the rest to each enter within it as well, without destroying blue-green's own original mark, and yet able, within the color blue-green, to see every other color present in full. This, then, briefly explains the totalities and the totality-entries, and brings them to a close.

Question: why is the mark of how the totalities lead toward the path not separately distinguished here? Answer: throughout the śrāvaka scriptures, the totalities are, for the most part, explained as a contaminated object, serving merely as a method for cultivating supernormal powers — being, then, of lesser significance for giving rise to the undefiled, this is not separately distinguished here. Should one wish to distinguish this according to the sense of the Mahāyāna scriptures, it follows the same pattern already given above, within detachment and the stations of mastery. Here, the bodhisattva, wishing to cause supernormal powers to pervade everywhere and to accomplish the manifestation of every form completely, becoming complete with every matter throughout the whole dharma-realm, thereby cultivates these very totalities — hence the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra, too, speaks of this as the totality-pāramitā.

Second, clarifying contemplative dhyāna's own function. Once the Buddha's disciple has already obtained these three tiers of contemplative practice, should he wish to transform sentient beings, manifesting rare and extraordinary things, purifying the mind, he should broadly cultivate the whole power of the supernormal path — namely, the six supernormal powers, the fourteen transformations, the four kinds of eloquence, the samādhi free of contention, the wisdom of aspiration, the summit dhyāna, mastery over concentration, the refining dhyāna, and the eighteen transformations, and every other great merit of this kind — all of which should be learned while abiding within detachment, the stations of mastery, and the totalities. Once this learning is accomplished, it causes the great multitude of sentient beings to behold it with joy, to believe and submit, and to be delivered thereby — hence one cultivates supernormal transformation.

Next, explaining the six supernormal powers. The six powers are: first, the heavenly eye; second, the heavenly ear; third, knowledge of others' minds; fourth, knowledge of past lives; fifth, mastery at will; sixth, the power of exhausting the contaminants. As for why these are, in general, called supernormal powers: "supernormal" names the heavenly mind, and "power" is the very nature of wisdom — through this heaven-born wisdom, one sees through, without any obstruction whatsoever, every dharma of form and mind alike — hence this is named supernormal power.

Here, following upon these dhyānas, the six powers are now explained, in three senses: first, clarifying the differing causes and conditions by which the powers are obtained; second, directly clarifying the method of cultivating the powers; third, clarifying the function of transformation.

First, clarifying the differing causes and conditions by which the powers are obtained: there are, of themselves, three kinds. First, obtained through retribution — as when the various heavenly beings of great merit, or a person reborn within a pure land, thereby obtains the five powers as a matter of retribution itself. Second, obtained spontaneously — should a person, merely through repentance, or through deeply cultivating the dhyāna concentrations already explained above, though making no deliberate effort toward obtaining the powers, nonetheless find the supernormal powers arising of themselves; hence the sutra says: "Deeply cultivating dhyāna concentration, one obtains the five supernormal powers." Third, obtained through cultivation: should a practitioner, though having already realized the various deep dhyāna concentrations already explained above, not yet have severed the very ignorance that obstructs the powers, the supernormal powers, in the end, never arise. Should one, within dhyāna concentration, further make deliberate effort toward obtaining the powers, severing the ignorance that obstructs them, the supernormal powers thereupon arise. Here, this very sense is directly clarified.

Second, next clarifying the method of cultivating the powers: the sutras and treatises explain this each in their own differing way; here, taking only the sense given in the Mahāyāna scriptures, the method of cultivating the powers is briefly clarified.

First, cultivating the heavenly eye: the practitioner, the mind deeply compassionate toward all, arouses the vow to see the mark of sentient beings across the six realms dying here and being born there. At that time, one should abide within the form realm's own detachment, stations of mastery, and totalities, together with the four bases of supernormal power, cultivating right mindfulness, complete with four conditions, and the heavenly eye thereby arises. What are these four? First, light constantly illuminating, day and night alike; second, closely contemplating that every obstruction throughout the world is itself like empty space, with no mark of concealment whatsoever; third, single-mindedly first taking up one easily visible object, the mind fixed upon it, constantly diligent and vigorous, skillfully cultivating this, wishing to see what lies ahead; fourth, within dhyāna concentration, giving rise to the four elements' own construction of a pure eye-faculty, brought to accomplishment. This is named being complete with the union of these four conditions, through which pure consciousness thereby arises, and one thereupon sees, throughout the ten directions, the six realms of sentient beings dying here and being born there, their marks of suffering and happiness — whether bright or dark, near or far, obstructed within or without, coarse or fine in form — seeing through them all without any obstruction whatsoever, utterly clear and distinct: this is named the heavenly eye.

Second, next clarifying cultivation of the heavenly ear: the practitioner, having already seen form, wishing further to hear its sound, should, within dhyāna concentration, closely take up some faint sound audible beyond an obstruction, listening to it one-pointedly, wishing and vowing to hear it. Should the mind grow bright and sharp, the four elements' own construction of a pure form-based ear-faculty is thereby brought forth, and one thereupon hears, whether beyond an obstruction or within it, every sound throughout the six realms — of suffering, happiness, sorrow, and joy, their words and expressions each differing from the rest — this is named the heavenly ear.

Third, clarifying cultivation of knowledge of others' minds: the practitioner, having already heard sound, wishing further to know the very thoughts within sentient beings' own minds, should, within dhyāna concentration, contemplate the person before him — his mark of joy, his mark of anger, his mark of fear, and the rest — knowing that these, in every case, rest dependent upon the mind itself; borrowing these very marks, one closely contemplates the very dharma his mind takes as its object, one-pointedly wishing and vowing to know it. Should the mind grow bright and sharp, the power thereby arises through this very method, and, following whatever sentient being one sees, one thereupon knows the very matter held within his mind — this is named knowledge of others' minds.

Fourth, next clarifying cultivation of knowledge of past lives: the practitioner, having already known others' minds, wishing further to know, of himself, his own past lives, and others' past lives, and the deeds performed across a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand lifetimes, should, within dhyāna concentration, recall to himself the deeds performed across the days, months, and years of his own life, all the way back to the very deeds performed at the kalala-stage itself. Recollecting in this way, one-pointedly wishes and vows to know it. Should the mind grow bright and sharp, the supernormal power thereupon arises, and one thereby knows, of oneself, the mark of the deeds performed across one past life, and, further still, across a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand lifetimes and kalpas, utterly clear and distinct — and, further still, knowing others' past lives is likewise so — this is named knowledge of past lives.

Fifth, next clarifying cultivation of the power of mastery over the body at will: the practitioner, having already known his past lives, wishing further to obtain the power over the body's own transformation, should, within samādhi, fix the mind upon the emptiness within the body, extinguishing the coarse and heavy mark of form, constantly taking up the mark of lightness and emptiness, arousing a mind of great aspiration and vigorous effort, wisdom weighing and measuring whether the mind's own power is able to lift the body. Before this measuring is complete, one already knows of oneself that the mind's own power has already grown great, able to lift the body — like one learning to leap, constantly lightening his own body of his own accord. Should this contemplating mind be brought to accomplishment, the power of mastery over the body at will thereupon arises, of three kinds: first, the ability to reach anywhere; second, transformation; third, mastery.

As for the ability to reach anywhere, this, too, is of four kinds: first, the body is able to fly through the air, like a bird, without obstruction; second, moving what is distant to make it near, arriving without having traveled at all; third, vanishing here and appearing there; fourth, arriving in a single thought-moment. Second, next clarifying transformation: the great made small, the small made great, one made many, many made one — every kind of thing is able to be transformed. Third, noble mastery at will: among the external six sense-objects, an object not fit to be used, being impure, one is able, through contemplation, to make it pure; an object fit to be used, being pure, one is able to make it impure — this is the dharma of mastery. This mastery-at-will supernormal power arises from cultivating the stations of mastery, the totalities, and the four bases of supernormal power — this is named realizing the power of mastery over the body at will.

The practitioner, having obtained this power of mastery over the body at will, is thereby able to manifest transformation at will; should he wish to obtain liberation for himself and deliver sentient beings across as well, he must sever the very illness of the mind — at this time, he should cultivate the undefiled power. Cultivating the undefiled power will be distinguished at greater length below, within the clarification of close contemplation.

Question: is the sequence for cultivating these six powers below always exactly as already explained above? Answer: this is explained here with reference to a single general path of sequence; should the practitioner wish to cultivate whichever power he prefers, he may learn it first and obtain it directly — it need not always follow the order distinguished above.

Third, clarifying transformation: the fourteen transformations are able to give rise to supernormal power, and, likewise, through supernormal power one is able to bring about transformation. What is meant by the fourteen transformations?

First, the desire realm and the first dhyāna together accomplish two transformations: first, the first dhyāna transforming into the first dhyāna; second, the first dhyāna transforming into the desire realm. Second, the second dhyāna accomplishes three transformations: first, the second dhyāna transforming into the second dhyāna; second, the second dhyāna transforming into the first dhyāna; third, the second dhyāna transforming into the desire realm. Third, the third dhyāna accomplishes four transformations: first, the third dhyāna transforming into the third dhyāna; second, the third dhyāna transforming into the second dhyāna; third, the third dhyāna transforming into the first dhyāna; fourth, the third dhyāna transforming into the desire realm. Fourth, the fourth dhyāna accomplishes five transformations: first, the fourth dhyāna transforming into the fourth dhyāna; second, the fourth dhyāna transforming into the third dhyāna; third, the fourth dhyāna transforming into the second dhyāna; fourth, the fourth dhyāna transforming into the first dhyāna; fifth, the fourth dhyāna transforming into the desire realm. These are the fourteen transformations.

Should a person accomplish these transformations, he is thereby complete with the whole supernormal power of the eighteen transformations, the merit of this contemplative practice measureless and boundless — the matter itself being subtle and fine, how could it be recorded in full through mere written words? Here, only the names themselves are briefly given, so that the student may know that every supernormal transformation, without exception, issues from contemplative dhyāna itself. Should these supernormal powers reside within the bodhisattva's own mind, they are named the pāramitā of supernormal power.

Next, explaining the nine sequential concentrations. The nine sequential concentrations are: departing from every desire, departing from every unwholesome and evil dharma, possessing initial thought and sustained reflection, departing giving rise to joy and happiness, entering the first dhyāna; and, in this same sequence, entering the second dhyāna, the third dhyāna, the fourth dhyāna, the concentration of the sphere of space, the concentration of the sphere of consciousness, the concentration of the sphere of nothingness, the concentration of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception — this is named the nine sequential concentrations.

Explaining the nine sequential concentrations now has three senses: first, explaining the name; second, clarifying the sequence of stages; third, clarifying cultivation and realization.

First, explaining the name: as for why these nine dharmas are, in every case, renamed the sequential concentrations — in the dharma-gates already given above, the contemplative practice not yet mature, the mind still had gaps at the moment of entering each dhyāna, and hence these were not named the sequential concentrations. The practitioner, the dharma of concentration and contemplation already accomplished beforehand, here, in this very stage, cultivating and refining this until it grows mature, is able, from the mind of one dhyāna arising, to enter, next, the very next dhyāna, mind following mind without any gap whatsoever, allowing no differing thought whatsoever to intrude, whether wholesome or defiled, and so on, all the way through the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception — this is named the nine sequential concentrations, also named the refining dhyāna. Why is this? Every disciple of the Buddha, the mind delighting in the undefiled, having first obtained the various flavor-dhyānas, now wishes to remove their own dross and impurity, refining them with the undefiled dhyāna, bringing them all to purity — like the method of refining gold.

Question: the refining method spoken of within the nine sequential concentrations — how does this differ from what the Abhidharma masters clarify as the method of the permeating dhyāna? Answer: there is both similarity and difference. They use the undefiled to refine the contaminated; here, too, the undefiled is used to refine the contaminated — hence the similarity. They, however, explain only the refining of the fourth dhyāna, in order to guard against regression, turning dullness into sharpness, for the sake of manifest happiness in this very life and rebirth among the five pure-abode heavens — hence they refine the fourth dhyāna alone, and the formless realm has, for them, no refining method at all. Here, it is clarified that, from the first dhyāna all the way through neither-perception-nor-non-perception, every one, without exception, is refined, causing every dhyāna to grow pure and pliant, its merit increasing — hence the difference. Inquiring into the cultivation and realization given below, this may be seen for itself.

Second, clarifying their stages: though this stage, in a general sense, refers to the four dhyānas, the four formless states, and the concentration of cessation, its own stage, in reality, extends throughout every dhyāna. Why is this? As already explained above, the special excellences, the thorough-and-bright contemplation, detachment, and the stations of mastery are all, alike, complete with the four dhyānas and four formless states, and need not be confined to the root dhyānas alone. Here, the method of refining cultivation should, in every case, universally enter every dhyāna, causing the mind to be without any gap — it cannot be fixed narrowly with reference to the root mundane dhyānas alone as its own stage. Hence the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: "The bodhisattva, based upon the eight forms of detachment, enters and leaves the nine sequential concentrations, both forward and backward."

Should one follow the sense of the Satyasiddhi-śāstra and the Abhidharma, one uses only the undefiled mind to enter the eight dhyānas, taking reality as the object and entering cessation — this alone is taken as the nine sequential concentrations. Here, using what is clarified as the nine sequential concentrations within the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra and the Mahāyāna treatises, and weighing this sense against that other reading, there proves to be a great deal of conflict and deficiency between them. Should the student inquire into what has already been given above, the sense and intent prove difficult to reconcile — the mark of their similarity and difference may be seen plainly for itself.

Third, clarifying cultivation and realization: the practitioner, already complete with every dhyāna, now wishing to enter the nine sequential concentrations, should first, proceeding from the shallow to the deep, cultivate and refine the dharma of concentration and contemplation belonging to every dhyāna, bringing it to the utmost pliancy, sharpness, and maturity, and only afterward unite the two dharma-gates of concentration and contemplation together, entering them one-pointedly and simultaneously, skillfully severing attachment to the dharma itself, knowing one's own mind directly — proceeding from the initial regulation of the mind into the first dhyāna, allowing no differing thought whatsoever to intrude between them, and so on, all the way through the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception.

Why is this? The practitioner, within the root dhyānas, has concentration in abundance but wisdom in short supply, and the mind is thus not yet pliant — hence entering each dhyāna, there is a gap. Within detachment and the other dhyānas of this kind, contemplation is abundant but concentration is in short supply, and the mind is likewise not yet pliant — hence entering each dhyāna, there is again a gap. It is like a cart with two wheels: should one be strong and the other weak, the load rides unsteadily; it is likewise like a blade's own edge: should its hardness and softness be unbalanced, it proves of no use at all. This, too, is just the same.

Here, cultivating this very concentration, concentration and contemplation now equally balanced, concentration grows deep and wisdom sharp. Because concentration is deep, one remains, within one's object, undistracted; because wisdom is sharp, one advances and enters swiftly, without any obstruction. For this reason, rising from one dhyāna and entering the next, one does so swiftly and sharply, mind following mind in immediate succession, free of any intervening gap whatsoever, entering the very moment it is called to mind — this is also named the samādhi without any interval. Should the practitioner use this very mind to enter every dhyāna throughout, not only does this bring pliancy to their own sequence, the mind free of any intervening gap, but it also increases every dhyāna's own merit, growing ever deeper and more subtle — like the refining of gold, whose own light and color grow ever brighter, its own worth doubling as well — hence this concentration is named the refining dhyāna.

Question: within this, there is also the desire realm, the not-yet-arrived state, and the intermediate dhyāna — why, then, is only the nine concentrations spoken of? Answer: though these dharmas are indeed present, they are not yet firm and stable, and, moreover, the great merit obtained by the noble ones does not reside in these peripheral stages — hence they are not separately spoken of here. Furthermore, in the dharma-gates given above, the mind entering dhyāna being dull, one tends to dwell within these expedient, intermediate stages for a long while — hence the not-yet-arrived state and the intermediate dhyāna's own mark were distinguished separately there. Here, within these nine concentrations, the mind of concentration and wisdom being sharp, wishing to enter the true stage itself, one enters the very moment it is called to mind, no longer dwelling long within these expedient, intermediate stages — hence they are not separately spoken of here. Should one wish to distinguish the mark of how this leads toward the path, this is entirely as already explained above, within detachment and the stations of mastery — hence it is not separately clarified again here.

Next, explaining the three samādhis. The three samādhis are: first, the samādhi possessing initial thought and sustained reflection; second, the samādhi without initial thought but possessing sustained reflection; third, the samādhi without either initial thought or sustained reflection. As for why the three samādhis are explained here, following the nine sequential concentrations: though these two kinds of dhyāna differ in name, their own dharma-marks are closely alike. Why is this? The nine concentrations, already universally refining every dhyāna, possess no separate substance of their own; the three samādhis, too, are just the same — this sense may be seen for itself below.

Explaining the three samādhis now has three senses: first, explaining the name; second, distinguishing their mark; third, naming the samādhis they give rise to.

First, explaining the name: the three dharmas of initial thought, sustained reflection, and the rest, their name matching their own sequence of stages, have already been explained above, within the root dhyānas; samādhi shall now be distinguished. Every dhyāna concentration that gathers in the mind is, in general, named samādhi — in the language of the Qin, "the place where the mind moves correctly." This mind, ever since beginningless time, has constantly been crooked and never upright; obtaining this very place where the mind moves correctly, the mind thereby becomes upright and straight — hence this is named samādhi. It is like a snake, whose movement is always crooked, entering a bamboo tube and thereby made straight — this, too, is just the same.

Question: should one say that dhyāna concentration gathering in the mind is named samādhi, how, then, does this differ from the root dhyāna concentrations themselves? Answer: there is a difference. Those explain only the gathering of the mind within the root dhyānas; here, it is clarified, universally, with reference to gathering the mind within every dhyāna — this being so, the concentration is both deep and broad — how could it not differ? Furthermore, the root dhyānas merely gather the mind by taking concrete phenomena as their object, not yet severing the crookedness of wrong views, and thus are not named upright and straight. Here, clarifying samādhi, this is, in every case, based upon gathering the mind by taking principle itself as the object, able to sever the very crookedness of wrong views — hence the place where the mind is upright and straight is named samādhi.

Second, next distinguishing their mark: the sense of these three samādhis is identical to that of the nine concentrations, possessing no separate substance of their own, and are distinguished in their mark solely with reference to the various dhyānas themselves.

First, clarifying the samādhi possessing initial thought: as already explained above, the root first dhyāna, and, further still, the first dhyāna belonging to the special excellences, the thorough-and-bright contemplation, detachment, and the stations of mastery, each, alike, possess initial thought and sustained reflection, their own corresponding mental factors, and every merit belonging to them. The practitioner, entering these various first dhyānas, abiding in the place where the mind moves correctly — this is, in every case, named the samādhi possessing initial thought and sustained reflection.

Second, as already explained above, the various dhyānas' own intermediate stage, and, further still, the intermediate stage belonging to the special excellences, the thorough-and-bright contemplation, detachment, and the stations of mastery, each, alike, possess an intermediate stage together with sustained reflection's own corresponding mental factors and every merit belonging to them. The practitioner, through the place where the mind moves correctly, entering these various intermediate stages — this is, in every case, named the samādhi without initial thought but possessing sustained reflection.

Third, as already explained above, the root second dhyāna, and, further still, up through the peak of existence, together with the second dhyāna belonging to the special excellences, the thorough-and-bright contemplation, detachment, and the stations of mastery — from the second dhyāna onward, all the way through the peak of existence and the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception, there is present the dharma corresponding to neither initial thought nor sustained reflection, together with every merit belonging to it. The practitioner, through the place where the mind moves correctly, entering these various dhyānas' own merit — this is, in every case, named the samādhi without either initial thought or sustained reflection.

One should know, then, that these three samādhis possess no separate substance of their own whatsoever, but are simply every dhyāna gathered together and divided into three portions. The great sage, wishing to ensure that sentient beings, though hearing every dhyāna explained at length, would not lose sight of the root, therefore gathered in every dhyāna, in general, through these three dharmas, leaving nothing whatsoever uncovered — like the method of counting: reaching a million, one gathers this, in general, into a single hundred-million; this, too, is just the same.

Third, clarifying the mark of the samādhis these three give rise to: this, too, is of two kinds. First, giving rise to the two vehicles' own samādhis. Why is this? As already explained above, the various first dhyānas possessing initial thought and sustained reflection all give rise to the samādhi of the foundations of mindfulness, and, further still, the eight-fold noble path, emptiness, signlessness, no-action, the sixteen practices, the twelve links of dependent origination, the samādhis of heat, summit, forbearance, and the supreme mundane dharma, the lightning-flash samādhi, the vajra samādhi, and, further still, the buddha-wisdom's own samādhi free of contention and the rest. These very dharma-gates are, throughout the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, in every case, spoken of and named samādhis. Should one, within these various first dhyānas, give rise to samādhis such as these, one thereby realizes the path or the fruit belonging to the two vehicles — hence this is named the samādhi possessing initial thought and sustained reflection. And, further still, the samādhi without initial thought but possessing sustained reflection, and the samādhi without either, should each, in turn, be distinguished in this same way.

Second, as already explained above, the various dhyānas possessing initial thought and sustained reflection each also give rise to the Mahāyāna's own samādhis — such as the samādhi of buddha-contemplation, the twenty-five samādhis, the pratyutpanna samādhi, the Śūraṅgama samādhi, and every other bodhisattva samādhi, a full hundred and eight in number; and the buddhas' own samādhis, the unmoving and the rest, a full hundred and twenty, together with the eighty-four thousand samādhis and the rest — all, alike, arising through the samādhi possessing initial thought and sustained reflection. And, further still, the samādhi without initial thought but possessing sustained reflection, and the samādhi without either, should each, in turn, be distinguished in this same way.

The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, having obtained these samādhis, thereupon enters the bodhisattva's own stage, and is also able to manifest the body, delivering every sentient being across, just as the Buddha himself does. The sense of the three samādhis is explained at greater length in the Mahāyāna scriptures.

Next, explaining the lion's-frolic samādhi. Here, clarifying the lion's-frolic samādhi: as explained in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, the practitioner, based upon the nine sequential concentrations, enters the lion's-frolic samādhi. What is meant by the lion's samādhi? Departing from desire, departing from unwholesome dharmas, possessing initial thought and sustained reflection, departing giving rise to joy and happiness, entering the first dhyāna; and, in this same sequence, entering the second dhyāna, the third dhyāna, the fourth dhyāna, the sphere of space, the sphere of consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, entering the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception; then, rising from the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception, entering back into the concentration of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; rising from the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, entering back into the sphere of nothingness; and so, in this same sequence, entering back into the sphere of consciousness, entering the sphere of space, entering the fourth dhyāna, entering the third dhyāna, entering the second dhyāna, entering the first dhyāna — this is named the lion's-frolic samādhi.

It is like the lion, at the moment of its own frolicking leap, not merely able to bound forward in its leap, but also able to leap backward in its return — something no other beast whatsoever is able to do. The practitioner, entering this dharma-gate, is likewise so: not merely able, mind following mind in sequence, to proceed from the first dhyāna directly through to the cessation of sensation, but also able, from the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception, to turn back and enter neither-perception-nor-non-perception, all the way back to the first dhyāna. This, then, is identical in sense to the lion's own frolicking leap, something none of the dhyānas given above were able to do — hence this concentration is named the lion's-frolic samādhi.

The practitioner, abiding within this dharma-gate, is thereby able to turn back and forth, entering every dhyāna throughout completely, permeating every contemplative concentration, causing them all to flow freely, transforming at will, giving rise to every kind of merit belonging to the deepest samādhis, spiritual wisdom growing ever more excellent — also named the permeating dhyāna. It is like an ox-hide, once thoroughly permeated and softened, able to be fashioned into any worldly object at will — this, too, is just the same. Distinguishing its own stage, this is identical to the nine concentrations, differing only in its own turning back and forth without any interval. The skillful and fine application of the mind's own cultivation here is, in brief, known in its general sense, and not distinguished at greater length.

Next, explaining the samādhi of transcendence. Here, clarifying the samādhi of transcendence: as explained in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra: "The practitioner, through the lion's-frolic samādhi, enters and leaves the samādhi of transcendence, both forward and backward. What is meant by the samādhi of transcendence?

Departing from every desire, evil, and unwholesome dharma, possessing initial thought and sustained reflection, departing giving rise to joy and happiness, entering the first dhyāna; rising from the first dhyāna, transcending directly into neither-perception; rising from neither-perception, entering non-not-perception; rising from non-not-perception, entering the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception; rising from the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception, entering back into the first dhyāna; rising from the first dhyāna, entering the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception; rising from that concentration, entering the second dhyāna; rising from the second dhyāna, entering that concentration; rising from that concentration, entering the third dhyāna; rising from the third dhyāna, entering that concentration; rising from that concentration, entering the fourth dhyāna; rising from the fourth dhyāna, entering that concentration; rising from that concentration, entering the sphere of space; rising from the sphere of space, entering that concentration; rising from that concentration, entering the sphere of consciousness; rising from the sphere of consciousness, entering that concentration; rising from that concentration, entering the sphere of nothingness; rising from the sphere of nothingness, entering that concentration; rising from that concentration, entering neither-perception; rising from neither-perception, entering non-not-perception; rising from non-not-perception, entering that concentration once more.

Rising from the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception, entering the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, entering that concentration; rising from that concentration, entering back into the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, entering neither-perception; rising from neither-perception, entering non-not-perception; rising from non-not-perception, abiding in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, entering the fourth dhyāna; rising from the fourth dhyāna, abiding in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, entering the third dhyāna; rising from the third dhyāna, abiding in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, entering the second dhyāna; rising from the second dhyāna, abiding in the scattered mind; rising from the scattered mind, entering the first dhyāna; rising from the first dhyāna, abiding in the scattered mind. This is the samādhi of transcendence."

Here, clarifying the mark of transcendence itself: there is, of itself, the mark of transcending inward and the mark of transcending outward, as explained in the two passages of scripture given above. Within transcending inward and transcending outward, each, alike, has four kinds: first, forward transcendence, entering; second, backward transcendence, entering; third, forward-then-backward transcendence, entering; fourth, backward-then-forward transcendence, entering. Transcending outward follows this same pattern as well.

Furthermore, within this very samādhi of transcendence, there is, further, sideways transcendence as well. Sideways transcendence, too, has four kinds, following the same pattern as already given above. It is like the lion, which has four kinds of leap: first, leaping forward forty li — this illustrates the mark of forward transcendence; second, leaping backward forty li — this illustrates the mark of backward transcendence; third, leaping sideways to the right forty li — this illustrates the mark of sideways transcendence into the root dhyāna concentrations; fourth, leaping sideways to the left forty li — this illustrates the mark of sideways transcendence into contemplative dhyāna.

There are, further, two kinds of transcendence: first, complete transcendence; second, incomplete transcendence. Complete transcendence is precisely the bodhisattva's own transcendence, as already explained above. Incomplete transcendence is precisely the śrāvaka's own samādhi of transcendence, unable to move freely, since it can transcend across only a short distance. Hence the Mahāyāna scriptures say: "It is like the yellow lion and the white lion, both, alike, able to leap. Should the yellow lion leap, it does not go far; should the white lion leap, it is able to leap a great distance. The śrāvaka, entering the samādhi of transcendence, is able only to transcend from the first dhyāna directly into the third — unable even to transcend across two stages, how much less three? This, then, is like the yellow lion's own leap. The bodhisattva is not so: from the first dhyāna, he is able to transcend directly all the way into the concentration of the cessation of sensation and perception, moving freely at will — this, then, is like the white lion's own leap."

Should a practitioner of the three vehicles enter this samādhi, becoming complete in the cultivation of every dharma-gate, at that time the dharmas of contemplation and concentration alike grow ever deeper, brighter, and sharper, further giving rise to a hundred, a thousand samādhis, their merit deep and abundant, their supernormal power fierce and sharp — hence this is named contemplative dhyāna.

There is, further, the refining dhyāna and mastery over concentration. The refining dhyāna is as already explained above. Mastery over concentration means being free to leave, enter, and abide within every dharma-gate at will, transforming and manifesting the eight kinds of mastery. This is also named the summit dhyāna, being the very highest and utmost among every dhyāna, able to turn lifespan into merit and merit into lifespan — hence it is, further, named the buddha-wisdom samādhi: wishing to know something according to one's own aspiration, one thereby knows matters of the three times at once, included within two stages, namely the desire realm and the fourth dhyāna.

There is, further, the samādhi free of contention, causing another's own mind to give rise to no contention at all, included within five stages: the desire realm and the four dhyānas. There are, further, the four kinds of eloquence: eloquence in dharma and eloquence in expression, included within two stages, namely the desire realm and the first dhyāna; eloquence in meaning and eloquence in ready speech, included within nine stages, namely the desire realm, the four dhyānas, and the four formless concentrations. There are, further, the five supernormal powers, the fourteen transformations of mind, and the eighteen transformations, all as already explained above. Should one, within dhyāna, wish to hear, see, or touch something, one uses, in every case, the consciousness belonging to the Brahmā world; once this consciousness ceases, this, too, ceases.

Furthermore, within all these dhyānas there are, present throughout, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, the three liberation-gates, the Four Noble Truths' own sixteen practices of contemplation, the eleven kinds of wisdom, and the three undefiled faculties — wisdom and practice of this kind shall be distinguished further below.

Should a practitioner of the two vehicles become complete with all these dhyānas, this is precisely liberation-in-both-respects: phenomena and principle both complete, its accomplishment free of any entanglement whatsoever — hence this, too, is named the indestructible liberation; complete in the accomplishment of every world-transcending dhyāna concentration dharma, complete with the three insights, the six supernormal powers, and the eight liberations, and every other great merit — hence this is named the great-strength arhat.

Should this be a bodhisattva, entering this samādhi within the correctly contemplating mind, obtaining the equal mark of every dharma, he thereby obtains the twenty-five samādhis, able to break through the twenty-five states of existence, abiding in the king of samādhis, every samādhi entirely entering within it — at this time, this is also named the pāramitā of dhyāna, fulfilled and complete.

This, then, briefly concludes the practice-dharma-gates of dhyāna common to the three vehicles. Within this, the dharma-gates are without limit — how, then, could one who wishes to explain further the essential practices for entering the path ever hope to set them all forth in full?

Shi Chan Boluomi Cidi Famen, Fascicle Ten, ends here.