CBETA No.

614
The Sutra of Sitting Dhyna Samadhi
Translated by Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva o !ao"in#
Fascicle I
Words spoken by guiding teachers are hard to meet,
For those who hear them and delight, how difficult it is.
What great people enjoy listening,
Petty people despise.
Sentient beings can be pitied and sadly regarded,
For they plummet into aging and dying, a dangerous path.
Wild men dote on their love slaves;
n a place to be feared, they are deluded and are unafraid.
! world may be big or small
"ut the #harma is devoid of the e$istence of permanence.
!ll do not long remain
"ut temporarily appear like lightning.
%his body belongs to old age and death&&
!ll sicknesses' place of return.
! thin layer of skin covers impurities
Foolishness and confusion are reasons for being deceived.
(ou are always the thief of aging
Swallowing and e$tinguishing the bla)ing colors of prime.
*ike strands of flowers that wither and rot,
#amaged and lost, they are of no value.
+urdhagata's merits and virtues
!llow him to be with ,akra, the lord of heavens, as they are seated.
! favorable retribution of blessings vast and numerous
%o this day are they still peacefully here-
%his king among gods and humans,
s endowed with the most sensual pleasures;
"ut at the time of death, he undergoes e$treme pain and hurt.
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From this you may reali)e insights.
!ll desires are tender and delightful at first,
"ut later become tremendous suffering.
So too !j.ta/atru was initially good,
"ut he eliminated his clan, a tragedy that came later.
%his body is a vessel for filth
With nine apertures constantly leaking vice.
So too the nari sores
0annot be cured with any medicine.
%he power of the cart&like skeleton is minimal;
Sinews and veins ensnare while consciousness circle about 1the skeleton2.
(ou think it is a wonderful vehicle
!nd bear it shamelessly.
#ead men gather in this place;
%hose abandoned are strewn about among the tombstones.
While alive we protect and cherish it;
!t death it is completely abandoned and forsaken.
0onstantly be mindful, just like so.
Single&mindedly contemplate and do not be scattered;
Shatter delusion and reverse the dark night;
3aise a torch and with it clearly see.
f abandoned were the abiding in the Four +indfulnesses,
%he mind will not create no evil,
*ike an elephant la$ and unchained,
t shall never follow and walk down the path.
Functioning on this karma today
0reating that action tomorrow,
#elightfully attached, no suffering is seen;
Without reali)ing, the bandit of death arrives.
3ushing about for the sake of our duties;
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CBETA No.614
4ther people's business is also not left idle.
(et the bandit of death does not wait;
When it arrives, there is not escaping that condition.
*ike a thirsty deer that approaches a spring
!nd drinks the water that runs one way.
%he hunter is neither kind nor helpful.
Forbidding the deer to drink, it was killed beforehand.
! deluded man is like so too,
#iligently tending to all business matters.
%he arrival of death does not wait.
Who will be your protector then-
People in their hearts hope for wealth and nobility,
%he five desires never satisfy them.
"ut the likes of kings in major countries
0annot avoid this misery,
mmortals who uphold the arrow&like mantras
!lso cannot avoid death and birth.
%he elephant of impermanence stomps
So ants and leeches become like dirt,
*et us leave aside all humans,
For all "uddhas of proper and true enlightenment
!nd of transcendence by crossing the flow of birth and death,
!lso do not stay forever.
From this therefore know,
(our lovable pleasures
Should all be abandoned soon;
Single&mindedly seek nirvana.
*ater the body is relin5uished at the time of death&&
Who will certify the self-
+oreover, those who have encountered the #harma 6ewel
!nd those who have not7
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CBETA No.614
4nce in a long while the sun&like "uddha comes out
!nd shatters the darkness of great ignorance,
With it the release of all these lights
%hat show us the human path is no path.
Where did come from-
Where was born-
Where will attain liberation-
Who shall clarify all these doubts-
%he "uddhist sage with all modes of wisdom
*ong unmet now emerges in the world.
"e single&minded and do not rela$,
%his can demolish your knot&like doubts.
4thers do not enjoy true benefits
"ut eagerly attach to base and evil thoughts;
(ou are developing for the sake of sentient beings,
(ou ought to pursue the marks of the reality of #harma.
Who can know at the time of death
%o which path they will be destined-
For instance, a lamp in the wind
#oes not know the season of its demise.
8aving reached the path, the #harma is not hard,
%he great sage points to phenomena and speaks.
8e e$plains wisdom and the source of wisdom&&
%hese two do not lean on anything outside.
f you do not rela$
"ut single&mindedly and constantly walk the path,
Soon you will attain nirvana,
%he foremost place of eternal bliss.
With sharp wisdom, you draw near good people.
With wholeheartedness, you respect the "uddhadharma.
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#etesting the filth of the impure body,
(ou leave suffering and attain liberation.
n leisure 5uietude, cultivating the goal of stillness;
n the lotus posture, sit among the trees.
Pick up the mind and do not la$;
!waken to thoughts and be aware of all conditions.
f you are not tired of being in the midst of e$istence,
Sleep soundly without waking yourself;
9nmindful of the world as impermanent&&
Something to be feared and yet you are unafraid,
%hen the bottomless pit of afflictions is deep,
!nd the sea of birth and death is boundless.
%he boat that ferries over suffering is not yet built,
8ow can you sleep in peace-
%herefore you should wake up
!nd not let sleep cover your mind.
With the four offerings
:now your limit and know contentment.
"efore the mighty terror is completely removed,
t would be best that you are diligent and vigorous.
When various forms of suffering arrive
3egret and resentment cannot touch you.
Sitting beneath the tree in ragged robes,
So deserved is the ac5uired food.
"ut avoid being greedy for its taste,
t leads you to self&defeat and demise.
8aving eaten, know the source of flavors;
Fine or flat, it is no different.
Fondness for fineries yields sadness and suffering;
%herefore do not form fondness.
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CBETA No.614
n a world of karma in action
%he pleasant and the unpleasant do not change;
;verything has been accepted in total.
%ake this as the reason for self restraint.
f beings were among animals and beasts,
<nashed grass is deemed most flavorful.
n the hells they swallow iron pellets,
"la)ing hot the metal suddenly e$plodes.
f beings were among hungry ghosts,
Pus, vomit, fires of e$crement and stool,
Snot, saliva and all impurities&&
%hese would be considered delicacies.
f beings were in heavenly palaces,
Watching from a palace of seven jewels,
0elestial food the taste of sweet dew
!nd celestial maidens who entertain with these.
!mong humans where elites are served,
%he seven delicacies are replete with many flavors;
"ut all had been a part of change.
=ow again what is there to love about them-
"ack and forth among worlds,
Weary furthermore of things painful and pleasurable.
!lthough not yet attained nirvana,
(ou should diligently pursue this gain.
+omeone ,-o studies dhy.na irst arrives at a master.s pla/e. T-e master s-ould ask t-e "uestion%
01o you up-old t-e pre/epts purely23 0No serious oenses and evil devian/es23 4 you say t-at
you ad-ere to t-e iveold pre/epts purely and -ave /ommitted no serious oenses or evil
devian/es% t-en t-e 1-arma o t-e pat- is tau#-t ne5t. 4 you say t-at you -ave broken t-e pre/epts%
t-e master s-ould a#ain ask% 06-at pre/epts -ave you broken23 4 you say a major pre/ept% t-e
master ,ill tell you% 07ike someone ,-ose ears and nose -ave been amputated% t-ere is no need to
look in t-e mirror. !ou may leave and #o ba/k% be dili#ent% re/ite t-e sutras% en/oura#e /-an#e and
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CBETA No.614
/reate blessin#s so t-at you may plant t-e /auses and /onditions or t-e 1-arma on t-e pat- in
uture lives. 8or t-is lietime% you may orever #ive up. 8or instan/e% t-ou#- a ,it-ered tree is
irri#ated urt-er% it ,ill not #ro, lo,ers% leaves or ruits.3 4 ot-er pre/epts ,ere broken% at t-at
time you s-ould be tau#-t to repent a//ordin# to t-e 1-arma. 4 you be/ome pure and t-e master
-as t-e 9eavenly Eye or t-e ability to read minds% -e ,ill e5plain t-e 1-arma o t-e dierent
realms dependin# on your si/kness. 4 -e does not yet -ave t-ose abilities% -e s-ould observe your
appearan/e or ask you urt-er% 0Amon# t-e t-ree poisons% ,-i/- is t-e -eaviest or you2 More
se5ual desire2 More -atred2 More delusion23
6-at does it mean by observin# your appearan/e2 T-e look o t-ose ,it- mu/- lust appears /asual
and easy:#oin#; t-ey keep many ,ives and /on/ubines% speak a lot and believe readily. T-ey -ave a
pleasant /ountenan/e and a/ility ,it- spee/-. T-eir -atred and resentment are sli#-t and t-eir
sadness and ,orries too. T-ey -ave multiple te/-ni/al skills. T-ey are erudite and learned% ond o
and atta/-ed to literature and re/itation. T-ey /onverse and debate /apably. Adept in observin#
people.s sentiments% t-ey -ave many ears. T-eir minds are on t-eir rooms and t-ey enjoy ,earin#
li#-t,ei#-t /lot-in#% /rave desire and emale beauty. T-ey are ond o and atta/-ed to beddin#%
dress and de/oration% in/ense and lo,ers. T-ey -earts tend to be sot and tender% /apable o bein#
sympat-eti/. T-ey beautiy ,ords and enjoy /ultivatin# blessin#s as karma. T-ey ,is- to be/ome
born in t-e -eavens and e5perien/e no dii/ulty in a #roup. T-ey jud#e someone.s look to be
beautiul or u#ly% and t-ey trust ,omen. 6-en t-eir ire o desire burns uriously% t-ey oten
e5perien/e re#ret and /-an#e t-eir minds. T-ey enjoy adornin# t-emselves and like to look at
embroideries and dra,in#s. T-ey are stin#y ,it- t-eir belon#in#s and eel lu/ky ,-en t-ey a/"uire
ot-er people.s ,ealt-. T-ey like to build relations-ips and riends-ips but do not enjoy bein# alone.
T-ey abide in t-eir pleasures and atta/-ments% ollo,in# and pursuin# t-e se/ular mainstream.
T-ey are easily surprised and ri#-tened all o a sudden. T-ey -ave t-e ,ill o a monkey. T-eir
vie,s are s-allo, and nearsi#-ted; t-ey a/t ,it- t-ou#-ts o ,orry. T-eir determination is sli#-t in
t-eir undertakin#s and t-ey #o or ,-at makes t-em /omortable. T-ey like to ,eep and /ry. T-eir
bodies are ine% sot% and /annot ,it-stand /old or bitterness. T-ey are easily obstru/ted and easily
pleased; t-ey /annot be patient ,it- undertakin#s. T-ey are e5tremely -appy ,it- a/"uirin# little
and e5tremely ,orried over minor losses. T-ey like to play <psy/-olo#i/al= -ide and seek. T-eir
bodies are ,arm% t-eir perspiration odorous% t-eir skin is deli/ate and -air t-in. T-ey tend to be
more ,rinkled and pale; t-ey /lip t-eir nails and #room t-eir beards. T-eir ,-ite teet- s-o, as t-ey
,alk alon#. T-ey enjoy /leanliness and /lean /lot-es. T-ey are not o/used in t-eir studies and like
to roam t-e orests and #ardens. T-ey tend to be more emotional and pleadin#; t-ey atta/- t-eir
ideas to t-e typi/al vie,s. 6-en t-ere are virtuous ones nearby% t-ey ,ill be t-e irst to /onvey a
,el/ome and #reet t-em. T-ey enjoy repeatin# /li/->s and /an or/e t-emselves to ,ear a smile
and bear -umiliation. T-ey immediately resolve problems t-ey -ear or t-e sake o t-eir ,ork.
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T-ey dis/riminate bet,een t-ose ,-o are beautiul and u#ly. T-ey are sympat-eti/ to and sad about
t-ose suerin# and perse/uted. T-ey are e#otisti/al% /ompetitive and reuse -arassment and
bullyin#. T-ey like to pra/ti/e #enerosity and re/eive #ood people. T-ey ,ill s-are deli/ious oods
t-ey a/"uire ,it- ot-ers. T-ey do not remember details at -and but set t-eir #oals on ,-at is distant
and #reat. T-eir vision is atta/-ed to lookin# at orm and sensuality. T-ey are not t-orou#- ,it-
t-eir tasks. T-ey do not -ave lon#:term ,orries and kno, t-e ,orld and its se/ular ,ays. T-ey
,at/- e5pressions /losely and test people.s -earts by /ontradi/tin# t-em. T-ey speak s,eetly and
debate ,it- ,isdom. T-e riends-ips t-ey build are volatile. T-eir -airs are e, and t-in. T-ey
sleep little. 6-et-er sittin#% re/linin#% ,alkin# or standin#% t-ey do not or#et t-eir looks and
/omportment. T-ey /an "ui/kly res/ue all valuables; t-ey re#ret ater t-ey #ive a,ay somet-in#.
T-ey are "ui/k to /at/- t-e unstated meanin#. 8urt-ermore% ater re/overin# somet-in#% t-ey tend
to or#et. T-ey /-eris- movement and a/tion. T-ey -ave dii/ulty /-an#in# t-emselves and
leavin# desire be-ind. T-ey /ommit oenses t-at are sli#-t and minor. T-ese are t-e various marks
o lust and desire.
T-e marks o people ,-o are -ateul and an#ry are t-at t-ey tend to be sad and ali/ted. T-ey
be/ome violent suddenly and -arbor an#er. T-ey are /rude in t-eir display o p-ysi/al a/tion and
spee/-. T-ey /an bear all kinds o suerin# but not a/tual tasks. T-ey are more oten sad and less
oten -appy. T-ey /an do #reat evil and -ave no sympat-y. T-ey enjoy i#-ts and ar#uments. T-eir
looks are -a##ard and ,it-ered. T-ey urro, t-eir bro,s and look askan/e. T-ey -ave a -ard time
speakin#% bein# pleased% ,orkin# and a#reein#. T-eir minds are like abs/esses so t-ey e5pose
people.s s-ort/omin#s. T-ey are brutal in t-eir ar#uments over meanin# and /annot be tamed. T-ey
are not easily ae/ted% not easy to be around and do not /ry easily. T-ey -ave dii/ulty spittin# up
t-e poisons t-ey nurse. T-ey do not or#et ,-at t-ey -ave re/eived and re/ited. T-ey -ave many
/apabilities and /lever skills and tend not to be la@y. T-ey do t-in#s "ui/kly and remain silent ,-ile
aimin# or a #oal. T-eir ideas are proound and dii/ult to understand. T-ey /an repay kindness
re/eived. T-ey are /apable o #at-erin# people to#et-er and take /are o problems and people. T-ey
/annot be deeated and /an /omplete undertakin#s. T-ey are dii/ult to distra/t and -ave e, ears
or dii/ulties. 8or e5ample% lions /annot be tamed; t-ey -ead do,n one dire/tion and do not turn
ba/k% ,orkin# and advan/in# uns,ervin#ly. T-ey remember rat-er t-an or#et. T-ey ,orry mu/-.
T-ey /ontemplate% re/ite and pra/ti/e% memori@e and up-old pra/ti/es. T-ey /an #ive a lot and do
not e5pe/t petty avors in return. T-ey -ave t-e s-arp a/ulties o a tea/-er. T-ey are apart rom
desires ,-en alone and -ave e, se5ual desires. 4nside t-ey al,ays ,is- to ,in and are ond o and
atta/-ed to anni-ilisti/ vie,s. T-eir eyes al,ays stare -ateully but t-eir ,ords are true. T-ey
e5plain t-in#s lo#i/ally and /learly. T-ey -ave e, relatives and riends and are steadast ,it-
,ork. T-ey -ave a solid memory and do not or#et. More oten t-ey -ave stren#t- in t-eir mus/les%
,it- ,ide s-oulders and /-est% a lar#e ore-ead and neat -air. T-ey are stubborn and dii/ult to
tame. T-ey do not or#et problems easily. T-ey /an leave desire on t-eir o,n and tend to in/ur
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serious oenses. T-ese are t-e various marks o -atred and an#er.
T-e marks o people ,-o are oolis- and deluded are t-at t-ey tend to be more skepti/al and more
re#retul. T-ey are la@y and not opinionated. T-ey are /on/eited and do not yield easily. T-eir
arro#an/e is dii/ult to tolerate. T-ey do not believe ,-at is believable and believe ,-at are
unbelievable. T-ey do not kno, to be respe/tul and yet believe ,-atever t-ey en/ounter. T-ey
-ave many tea/-ers% bein# ras- and restless% unembarrassed and abrupt. T-ey do not t-ink beore
t-ey a/t; urt-ermore% t-ey tea/- ot-ers to be muddled and violent. T-ey are not sele/tive about
relatives and riends. T-ey do not #room t-emselves. T-ey enjoy tea/-ers o various pat-s and do
not distin#uis- bet,een #ood and evil. T-ey or#et -ard eelin#s easily. T-eir sense a/ulties are
dull and t-ey are la5. T-ey /riti/i@e and slander t-e pra/ti/e o #enerosity and are unsympat-eti/.
T-ey destroy brid#es o 1-arma and do not understand t-in#s ,it- ,-i/- t-ey /ome into /onta/t.
T-eir an#ry eyes do not make /onta/t. T-ey -ave no intelli#en/e or in#enuity. T-ey -ave many
,ants and are pessimisti/. T-ey -ave a lot o doubt and little ait-. T-ey -ate #ood people and
/ommit oenses t-at ruin t-eir blessin#s. T-ey /annot tell ,-at are /onsidered kind ,ords and
/annot understand mistakes. T-ey do not a//ept e5-ortations or parables. T-eir dear ones leave
t-em be-ind and t-eir enemies resent t-em. T-ey kno, no manners and enjoy speakin# -ars-ly.
T-ey -ave lon# beards% -air and nails; t-eir teet- and /lot-es tend to be dirty. T-ey are at t-e
/ommand o ot-ers and -ave no ear or t-ose pla/es to be eared. T-ey are sad in -appy situations
and -appy in sad situations. T-ey lau#- ,-en t-ey s-ould be melan/-oly; t-ey are melan/-oly
,-en t-ey s-ould be lau#-in#. T-ey ,ill ollo, i dra##ed alon# and /annot tolerate -ards-ip.
T-ey /annot tell t-e dieren/e amon# t-e various lavors. T-ey rarely leave desires be-ind. T-ey
/ommit prooundly serious oenses. T-ese are t-e various marks o oolis-ness and delusion.
4 people -ad more lust and desire% t-ey may be /ured ,it- t-e 1-arma pra/ti/e o impurity. 4
people -ad more -atred and an#er% t-ey may be /ured ,it- t-e 1-arma pra/ti/e o kindness. 4
people -ad more oolis-ness and delusion% t-ey may be /ured ,it- t-e 1-arma pra/ti/e o
/ontemplatin# /auses and /onditions. 4 people t-ou#-t a lot% t-ey may be /ured ,it- t-e 1-arma
pra/ti/e o /easin# t-ou#-ts. 4 people dis/riminated a lot% t-ey may be /ured ,it- t-e 1-arma
pra/ti/e o bein# mindul o t-e Budd-a. All su/- various si/knesses and ot-ers may be /ured ,it-
various 1-arma pra/ti/es.
1. T-e 1-arma Bra/ti/e or Curin# Creed and 1esire
Beople ,it- more lust and desire may pra/ti/e t-e Contemplation o 4mpurities. 4mpurities ill t-e
body rom -air to eet. T-e body /onsists o various impuritiesD -air% body -air% nails% teet-% deli/ate
and /oarse skin% blood% les-% mus/les% veins% bone marro,s% liver% lun#% -eart% spleen% kidney%
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stoma/-% lar#e intestines% small intestines% e5/rement% urine% saliva% s,eat% tears% s/um% makeup%
pus% brain% membrane% bile% saliva% mi/ro:/ellular skin% at and brain membrane. 8urt-ermore% or
t-ose more advan/ed in t-e /ontemplation o impurities% /ontemplate t-e body as blue% bruised%
s,ollen% ripped% rottin#% bleedin#% smeared and looded ,it- stinkin# pus% eaten and /-e,ed
in/ompletely% and bones dispersed and burnt. T-is is t-e /ontemplation o impurities. 8urt-ermore%
people ,it- more lust -ave seven kinds o love. Ber-aps t-ey are atta/-ed to beauty% to upri#-t
eatures% to demeanors% to voi/es% to t-at ,-i/- is ine and smoot-% to sentient bein#s% or are ond o
and atta/-ed to all o t-ese. 4 t-ey ,ere atta/-ed beauty% t-ey s-ould pra/ti/e t-e /ontemplation
1-arma o blue bruises. !ello,% red and ot-er impure /olors are also done t-is ,ay% urt-ermore. 4
t-ey ,ere atta/-ed to upri#-t eatures% t-ey s-ould pra/ti/e t-e /ontemplation 1-arma o a s,ollen
body dispersin#. 4 t-ey ,ere atta/-ed to demeanors% t-ey s-ould pra/ti/e t-e /ontemplation
1-arma o blood smearin# t-e bones o a res- /orpse. 4 t-ey ,ere atta/-ed to voi/es% t-ey s-ould
pra/ti/e t-e /ontemplation 1-arma o a plu##ed up p-aryn5% ,-i/- leads to deat-. 4 t-ey ,ere
atta/-ed to t-at ,-i/- is ine and smoot-% t-ey s-ould pra/ti/e t-e /ontemplation 1-arma o t-e
dryin#% ,it-erin# and ailin# o e5posed bones. 4 t-ey ,ere ond o sentient bein#s% t-ey s-ould
pra/ti/e t-ese si5 kinds o /ontemplations. 4 t-ey ,ere ond o and atta/-ed to everyt-in#%
/ontemplate all t-ese pervasively. Ber-aps do various /ontemplations at one time t-en /-an#e and
do dierent /ontemplations. T-is is /alled t-e Contemplation o 4mpurities.
FuestionD 4 t-e body is impure like a stinkin# and rottin# /adaver% rom ,-ere did atta/-ment
develop2 4 people ,ere atta/-ed to a pure body% t-ey s-ould also be atta/-ed to a stinkin# and
rottin# body. 4 t-ey ,ere not atta/-ed to a stinkin# body% t-ey s-ould not be atta/-ed to a pure
body eit-er. T-e t,o types o bodies are e"uivalent. 4 ,e pursue t-is line o t-inkin#% bot- are
a/tually and /ompletely pure% ri#-t2 T-is is possible. T-e minds o people are /ra@y and deluded;
o//luded by perversions% t-ey /onsider impurities pure. 4 t-e perverse mind ,ere to s-atter% people
,ould a/"uire t-e /ontemplation o t-e 1-arma o t-e mark o reality. 6e ,ould t-en kno, t-at
impurities are de/eptive and unreal. 8urt-ermore% /orpses are devoid o ire% lie% /ons/iousness%
and all or#ans. 6-en people kno, t-e trut- t-en no atta/-ment o//urs in t-e mind. T-e mind%
bein# perverted% deluded and atta/-ed% /onsiders t-e body possessed o ,armt-% lie% /ons/iousness
and all normal sense or#ans. 8urt-ermore% ,-en t-e mind is atta/-ed to orm% it is /onsidered pure;
,-en t-ou#-ts o ondness and atta/-ment /ease% t-en t-ey kno, orm is impure. 4 orm ,ere
truly pure% it s-ould al,ays be pure. But t-at is not so no,. 7ike a do# t-at eats e5/rement
/onsiders it pure% -umans look at t-at and ind it most impure. T-ere is not a sin#le pure pla/e
inside or outside o t-e body. 4 people ,ere atta/-ed to t-e body.s e5terior% ,e /an take o t-e t-in
e5terior skin o t-e body and reali@e t-at t-e body is impure% not to mention t-e *6 t-in#s inside t-e
body. 8urt-ermore% dedu/in# t-at t-e /auses and /onditions o t-e body and various impurities ,ere
ormed by a /ombination o a at-er and a mot-er.s sperm% blood and su/- impurities% ,e reali@e
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t-at t-e body t-at ,e a/"uired is al,ays releasin# impurities. Clot-in# and beddin# also stink and
are un/lean% not to mention deat-. 9en/e% you s-ould kno, t-at in birt- and deat-% inside and out%
t-e body is impure.
8urt-ermore% t-is /ontemplation also /onsists o t-ree sta#esD or t-ose ,-o are startin# to pra/ti/e%
t-ose ,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# or t-ose ,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# or a lon# time. 4 t-ey ,ere
startin# to pra/ti/e% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD 0T-ink about torn skin. Gn/e t-e impurities
are eliminated% /ontemplate a naked skeleton. 6-en t-ere is a lurry o t-ou#-ts durin# t-is
/ontemplation% do not let t-e t-ou#-ts o/us on t-e e5ternals. 6-en t-ou#-ts #o out to various
/onditions% #ently pull t-e t-ou#-ts ba/k.3 4 t-ey -ave been pra/ti/in#% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese
,ordsD 0$isuali@e t-e body ,it-out skin and les-. Con/entrate on t-e /ranium ,it-out lettin#
t-ou#-ts #o to t-in#s outside. 6-en t-ou#-ts #o out to various /onditions% #ently pull t-e t-ou#-ts
ba/k.3 4 t-ey -ave been pra/ti/in# or a lon# time% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD 08o/us on
one s"uare in/- in t-e body% t-e -eart devoid o any skin and les-. Tie t-ou#-ts to ive spotsD t-e
/ranium% ore-ead% bet,een t-e eyebro,s% tip o t-e nose and t-e -eart. Keep t-e o/us in t-ese ive
spots just so and /ontemplate t-e bones ,it-out lettin# t-ou#-ts #o to t-e e5ternals. 6-en t-ou#-ts
#o out to various /onditions% #ently pull t-e t-ou#-ts ba/k. Al,ays be mindul and observe t-e
mind. 6-en t-e mind #oes outside% restrain and -old it.3
4 t-e mind is e5tremely tired% stay ,it- and #uard t-e obje/t o meditation% lettin# #o o t-e
e5ternals. 8or e5ample% a monkey tied to a pole ,ill stay put and rest t-ere ater be/omin# tired.
T-e obje/t o meditation is like t-e pole. Mindulness is like t-e rope and lo/k. T-e mind is
analo#ous to a monkey. T-is is also like a mot-er% /onstantly ,at/-in# over -er baby so t-at it does
not all. A pra/titioner ,at/-es t-e mind just so too. Hestrain t-e mind #radually and make it stay
,it- t-e obje/t o meditation. 6ere t-e mind to abide or a lon# time% t-en it s-ould be t-e dhy.na
1-arma.
4 dhy.na samadhi -ad been attained% t-ere ,ould be t-ree si#nsD T-e body eels pleasant% sot and
li#-t. T-e s-een to t-e bones is just like ,-ite sno,. 6-en t-e mind rea/-es t-is "uiet spa/e% it is
t-e /ontemplation o purity. At t-is time t-ey rea/- t-e /enter o t-e 8orm Healm. T-is is /alled t-e
be#inners. dhy.na 1-arma or a/"uirin# t-e mind o t-e 8orm Healm. T-e mind t-at a//ords ,it-
t-e dhy.na 1-arma is t-e 1-arma o t-e 8orm Healm. T-e mind t-at a/"uires t-is 1-arma% t-ou#-
its body is in t-e 1esire Healm% its our elements are e5tremely #reat% sot and -appy. 4ts /olor and
-ue are pure and /lean% s-iny and pleasant; -en/e it is pleased and -appy. +e/ond% a/in# t-e bones
and /ontemplatin# t-em% t-e marks o t-e ,-ite bones are a pervasive li#-t and a ,-ite /olor t-at
s-ines purely. T-ree% a mind t-at abides in one pla/e is /alled t-e /ontemplation o purity. T-e
bones are /ontemplated ,it- t-e les-% -en/e t-is is /alled t-e /ontemplation o purity. 6e /an
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kno, or ourselves t-ese t-ree marks above even t-ou#- ot-ers do not see t-em. Amon# t-e t-ree
sta#es des/ribed earlier% t-e be#inners do not initially -ave su/- t-ou#-ts% t-ose ,-o -ave been
pra/ti/in# -ave /ultivated or t-ree or our lietimes and t-ose ,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# or a lon#
time -ave studied t-is or -undreds o lietimes.
&. T-e 1-arma Bra/ti/e or Curin# 9atred and An#er
4 people tend to -ave more -atred and an#er% t-ey s-ould study t-e t-ree 1-arma pra/ti/es o
kindnessD or t-ose ,-o are startin# to pra/ti/e% t-ose ,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# or t-ose ,-o -ave
been pra/ti/in# or a lon# time. 8or t-ose ,-o are startin# to pra/ti/e% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t ,it-
t-ese ,ordsD 0Be kind to dear ones. 6-at does it mean by ulillin# t-e ,is-es o and brin#in# joy
to dear ones2 6ere pra/titioners to a/"uire various joys o t-e body and mind% t-ey ,ould attain
/lot-in# ,-en /old% attain /oolness ,-en -ot% attain ood and drink ,-en -un#ry and t-irsty% attain
,ealt- ,-en poor% and attain t-e /easin# o breat- ,-en t-e pra/ti/e rea/-es a /ertain level. T-ese
various attainments t-e pra/titioners enjoy and ,is- t-em upon dear ones. T-ey rea/- t-e state o
tyin# t-e mind to kindness ,it-out lettin# it t-ink ot-er,ise. 6-en ot-er t-ou#-ts about various
/onditions o//ur% t-ey #ently pull t-em ba/k.3
4 t-ey -ave been pra/ti/in#% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD 0Be kind to t-ose ,-om you eel
neutral. 6-at does it mean by besto,in# joy upon t-ose to ,-om you eel neutral2 6ere
pra/titioners to a/"uire various joys o t-e body and mind and ,is- t-em upon t-ose about ,-om
t-ey eel neutral% t-ey rea/- t-e state o tyin# t-e mind to kindness ,it-out lettin# it t-ink
ot-er,ise. 6-en ot-er t-ou#-ts about various /onditions o//ur% t-ey #ently pull t-em ba/k.3
4 t-ey -ave been pra/ti/in# a lon# time% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD 0Be kind to t-ose you
resent and -ate. 9o, do you besto, joy upon t-em2 6ere pra/titioners to a/"uire various joys o
t-e body and mind and ,is- t-ose you resent and -ate a/"uire joy in t-e same ,ay you ,is- to
besto, joy upon dear ones% t-en t-at one t-ou#-t o all o t-em a/"uirin# t-e same makes your
mind #reat and pure. T-ose dear to you% neutral to you% -ateul to you et/. /over t-e ,orld ,idely
and ininite bein#s are made -appy; every,-ere t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions is t-e same. T-e #reat
mind bein# pure% you see all sentient bein#s t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions just like you. !ou see
sentient bein#s beore your mind and understand t-is si#-t% ,-i/- makes you -appy. At t-at time%
you immediately attain t-e kindness samadhi.3
FuestionD 8or our dear ones and t-ose about ,-om ,e eel neutral% ,e ,is- t-em -appiness; but
or evil people ,-om ,e resent and -ate% -o, /an ,e be empat-eti/ and urt-ermore ,is- to
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besto, -appiness upon t-em2
Ans,erD 6e s-ould besto, -appiness upon t-em. 6-y2 T-ese people -ave various aspe/ts o
#oodness% t-e pure /auses in t-e 1-arma. No, -o, /ould ,e dro,n out t-eir #oodness ,it- a
sin#le in/ident o resentment2 8urt-ermore% /onsider -o, t-ese individuals ,ere per-aps my
relatives and dear ones in lives past. 9o, /ould ,e -ate t-em no, and urt-er% in/ur resentment
and evil2 6e ,ill be patient ,it- t-em and /onsider t-em our benea/tors. 4n addition% be mindul
o t-e boundless -umaneness and virtue o our pra/ti/in# t-is 1-arma% ,-i/- /ontains vast po,ers
o kindness and /annot be lost. Moreover% /onsider t-ese ,ordsD 04 t-ere ,ere no resentment and
-atred% -o, /ould patien/e /ome ort-2 Batien/e /omes ort- out o resentment; resentment is our
benea/tor. 8urt-ermore% amon# t-e multitude o evils% t-e retribution or -atred is t-e ,orst; no
ot-er ault is more e#re#ious. Add -atred to somet-in# and its poison be/omes dii/ult to restri/t;
alt-ou#- ,e ,is- to burn ot-ers% ,e are really -armin# ourselves.3 8urt-ermore% ,e are mindul o
t-ese ,ordsD 06-ile draped ,it- t-e robes o 1-arma outside% 4 pra/ti/e patien/e inside. As
sramanas% -o, /an ,e indul#e in -ars- sounds and /-an#e /olors to suo/ate t-e -eart2
8urt-ermore% t-e eelin# skandha amon# t-e 8ive Skandhas is t-e re/eiver o evil amidst t-e ,ide
array o suerin#% -o, /an ,e avoid t-e onset o suerin#% ali/tions and evils2 7ike t-orns t-at
pri/k t-e body% t-e number o bitter t-orns is /ountless. T-e multitude o resentment is numerous
and /annot be eliminated. 4 s-all #uard t-em and ,ear t-e sandals o patien/e.3 Iust as t-e Budd-a
saidD
%o repay hatred with hatred
8atred will only come back;
8atred and anger unavenged
0an break large army legions.
%o be free of hatred and anger
s the #harma of a great man;
! petty man is hateful and angry
So cannot move this mountain.
8atred is a serious poison,
%hat mutilates and mars so many;
f it does not harm you,
%he harm itself shall cease.
8atred is a great blindness,
!s if eyes that do not see.
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8atred is dust and scum
%hat taints the pure heart.
6ust as hatred and anger
Should be removed immediately,
So a venomous snake in a room
Will harm people if unremoved.
6ust so these various e$amples
3epresent countless poisons of hatred.
!lways practice kindness in the heart
%o put an end to hatred and anger.
T-is is t-e Samadhi 1oor o Kindness.
*. T-e 1-arma Bra/ti/e or Curin# 8oolis-ness and 1elusion
4 people tend to -ave more oolis-ness and delusion% t-ey s-ould study t-e t-ree 1-arma pra/ti/es
o /ontemplationD or t-ose ,-o are startin# to pra/ti/e% t-ose ,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# or t-ose
,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# or a lon# time. 4 t-ey ,ere startin# to pra/ti/e% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t
t-ese ,ordsD 0Birt- /onditions old a#e and deat- ,-ile i#noran/e /onditions /ondu/t. Contemplate
just so and do not let t-ou#-ts #o out. 6-en t-ou#-ts #o out to various /onditions% pull t-em ba/k
#ently.3 4 t-ey -ave been pra/ti/in#% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD 0A/tivities /ondition
/ons/iousness% /ons/iousness /onditions name and orm% name and orm /ondition t-e si5
entran/es% t-e si5 entran/es /ondition /onta/t% /onta/t /onditions eelin#% eelin# /onditions love%
love /onditions #raspin#% and #raspin# /onditions e5isten/e. Contemplate just so and do not let
t-ou#-ts #o out. 6-en t-ou#-ts #o out to various /onditions% pull t-em ba/k #ently.3
4 t-ey -ave been pra/ti/in# a lon# time% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD 04#noran/e /onditions
a/tivities% a/tivities /ondition /ons/iousness% /ons/iousness /onditions name and orm% name and
orm /ondition t-e si5 entran/es% t-e si5 entran/es /ondition /onta/t% /onta/t /onditions eelin#%
eelin# /onditions love% love /onditions #raspin#% #raspin# /onditions e5isten/e% e5isten/es
/onditions birt-% and birt- /onditions old a#e and deat-. Contemplate just so and do not let t-ou#-ts
#o out. 6-en t-ou#-ts #o out to various /onditions% pull t-em ba/k #ently.3
FuestionD All ,ise individuals understand ,-ile t-e rest are i#norant. 6-at does it mean by
i#noran/e -ere2
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Ans,erD 4#noran/e means understandin# not-in#. 4#noran/e -ere means t-at it /an /reate e5isten/e
in uture livesD t-e -ave.s -ave none and t-e -ave:not.s -ave; t-ey abandon all #oodness and #rasp
all evil; t-ey s-atter t-e mark o reality and are atta/-ed to illusory alseness. Iust as t-e 0Mark o
4#noran/e C-apter3 saysD
Without understanding beneficial dharmas,
Without knowing virtuous karma,
%hey create the causes for mental knots and servants,
*ike boring a hole into logs to generate a fire.
%he mind attaches to evil dharmas
While distancing and abandoning good dharmas;
t is the thief that robs beings of their understanding,
3obbing understanding from the past and future too.
%houghts about permanence, bliss, true self and purity
!re calculated into the Five +kand-as.
Studying hard the comprehensive #harmas of the way,
%hey still will not know.
>arious ve$ations are on this dangerous path,
(et blind men enter them and walk.
>e$ations lead to an accumulation of karma;
:arma leads to the migrating return of suffering.
We grasp what we should not;
We abandon instead what we should grasp;
3oaming in the dark, we chase down the wrong paths;
Stomping on plants, we become lame.
We have eyes but no wisdom&&
%his analogy is just so too7
0auses and conditions lead to e$tinction.
Wisdom that understands is like the rising sun.
T-is is a brie e5planation. 4#noran/e and /onditions on up to old a#e and deat- are just so too.
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FuestionD Causes and /onditions o t-e Budd-ad-arma are most proound% -o, /an people ,it-
mu/- delusion /ontemplate /auses and /onditions2
Ans,erD T-ere are t,o types o deluded individuals. Gne type is like o5 and s-eep. T-e se/ond
type /onsists o t-ose ,it- various deviant vie,s. 1elusion and /onusion /over t-ese deluded
individuals ,it- deviant vie,s and it is or t-em t-at t-e Budd-a said t-ey s-all /ontemplate /auses
and /onditions to learn samadhi.
4. T-e 1-arma Bra/ti/e or Curin# T-inkin# and Attentiveness
4 people tend to -ave more t-ou#-ts and attentiveness% t-ey s-ould study t-e 1-arma pra/ti/es o
.n.p.nasati samadhi. T-ere are t-ree types o studentsD per-aps t-ere are t-ose ,-o are startin# to
pra/ti/e% per-aps t-ere are t-ose ,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# and per-aps t-ere are t-ose ,-o -ave
been pra/ti/in# or a lon# time. 4 t-ey ,ere startin# to pra/ti/e% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD
08o/us on bein# mindul ,-ile /ountin# in-alations and e5-alations. 6-et-er t-e breat- is lon# or
s-ort% /ount rom one to ten.3 4 t-ey -ave been pra/ti/in#% t-ey s-ould be tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD
0Count rom one to ten as you ollo, t-e in-alation and t-e e5-alation. T-ou#-ts and breat-in#
bot- stop in a sin#le pla/e in t-e mind.3 4 t-ey -ave been pra/ti/in# or a lon# time% t-ey s-ould be
tau#-t t-ese ,ordsD 0Count as you pause and /ontemplate% turnin# t-e /ontemplation into one o
purity. T-e si5 pra/ti/es o .n.p.nasati samadhi are divided into 16 parts. 6-at does it mean to
/ount 0one? as t-e mind noti/es t-e in-alation2 6-en t-e in-alation ends% /ount Jone.. 6-en t-e
e5-alation /on/ludes% /ount Jt,o.. 4 t-e breat- is not yet /omplete and is /ounted% t-en t-at does
not /ount. 4 you make a mistake ,-ile you /ount rom t,o to nine% t-en start a#ain rom one. 4n
/ountin# people% or instan/e% one and one are t,o% t,o and t,o is our% t-ree times t-ree is nine.
FuestionD 6-y /ount2
Ans,erD Be/ause it is easier to a//ess t-e /ontemplation o impermanen/e t-at ,ay. 4t also stops all
t-inkin# and o/us is a/"uired. T-e impermanen/e o /omin# into bein# and t-e /easin# to be o
t-e body and t-e mind is similar and dii/ult to see in /ontinuity. 9o,ever% t-e impermanen/e o
t-e /omin# into bein# and t-e /easin# to be o in-alations and e5-alations are easy to kno, and
easy to see. 8urt-ermore% ,-en t-e mind is tied to /ountin#% all t-inkin# and all a,areness stop%
in/ludin# t-ou#-ts and a,areness about desire% an#er% ve5ation% relatives% nations% and immortality.
8or t-ose ,-o ,is- to pursue a pure mind and enter t-e proper pat-% t-ey must irst eliminate t-ree
orms o /rude t-ou#-t and attentiveness% t-en t-e t-ree orms o ine t-ou#-t and attentiveness.
Gn/e t-e si5 types o attentiveness are eliminated% t-ey s-all a/"uire all pure d-armas. 8or
e5ample% a #old di##er irst ilters out t-e pebbles% t-en eliminates t-e ine #rains% so -e ,ill ne5t
obtain ine sand o #old.
FuestionD 6-at are /rude si/knesses2 6-at are ine si/knesses2
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Ans,erD Attentiveness or desire% an#er% and ve5ation are t-e t-ree so:/alled /rude si/knesses.
Attentiveness or relatives% nations% and immortality are t-e t-ree so:/alled ine si/knesses. Gn/e
t-ese attentivenesses are eliminated% you attain all pure d-armas.
FuestionD T-ose ,-o -ave not rea/-ed t-e pat- -ave not ended t-eir mental knots and servants.
T-e si5 types o t-inkin# and attentiveness or/e t-eir ,ay into t-e mind and /reate /-aos. 9o, do
,e eliminate t-em2
Ans,erD A mind t-at is ,eary o t-e ,orld. Broper /ontemplation /an /over but /annot uproot t-em
yet. 7ater t-e attainment o t-e pat- o non:outlo, /an uproot t-e ori#ins o t-e mental knots and
servants. 6-at is proper /ontemplation2
Seeing people with much desire suffer as they pursue desire
!nd suffer too as they guard what they have attained.
%hey suffer greatly in sadness and ve$ations due to loss,
%hen they suffer discontent when they get their hearts' desire.
#esires are effervescent and empty, the cause of sadness and afflictions.
!ll who share them should reali)e this and abandon them.
6ust as venomous snakes enter someone's room,
Will bring harm if not removed immediately.
9nstable, untrue, and of no value
!re the various pursuits of desire for mi$ed&up pleasures.
6ust as an ar-at with the si$ supernatural powers
%eaches his disciples about the attentiveness for desire saying7
(ou do not break the precepts; you keep your precepts pure.
(ou do not sleep in the same room with a woman,
"ut the snakes of desire and mental knots fill the room of your mind.
(ou linger out of love and joy, never being apart.
%hough you know you cannot ruin your precepts of the body,
(our mind always cohabits with the fire of desire.
(ou are a monk who seeks the path,
What conditions lead you to indulge your mind just so-
(our parents gave birth to and raised you,
(our family members cared for you and together supported you.
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!ll of them sobbed because they so cherished you,
(ou can leave them without another thought.
"ut your mind always resides in attentiveness for desire.
%ogether with desire you play without satiation.
(ou always enjoy being with the fire of desire,
#elighting and loving each other without parting momentarily.
T-ese are t-e various e5-ortations on attentiveness or desire. T-ese are t-e various proper
/ontemplations to eliminate attentiveness or desire.
FuestionD 9o, do ,e eliminate attentiveness or -atred and an#er2
Ans,erD
From out of the womb comes birth of constant suffering.
Sentient beings, do not hate or be afflicted,
f you are mindful of hatred and afflictions, compassion ceases.
0ompassion and hatred and afflictions are incomparable.
+indful of compassion, your hatred and afflictions 5uell,
6ust as brightness and darkness are different spaces.
f you uphold the pure precepts with hateful and angry thoughts,
(ou will self&destruct and ruin any gain in the #harma.
6ust as the elephants enter water to bathe
%hen paint their bodies with mud,
;verything always undergoes old age, sickness and death,
!nd various whippings and suffering in a thousand forms.
8ow could good people be mindful of sentient beings
%hen further benefit by being hateful and afflicted-
Were they wishing to harm another out of hatred or anger,
%hey first burn themselves before they reach another.
%herefore always be mindful and practice compassion
Without developing hatred and evil thoughts within,
!nd were they always mindful and practice good dharmas,
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n their mind, they practice what the "uddhas are mindful of.
%herefore you should avoid thoughts unwholesome.
!lways be mindful of wholesome dharmas with a joyous heart.
(ou will be happy in this life and future ones too,
3eaching the path of eternal bliss that is nirvana.
f your mind collects unwholesome attentivenesses,
(ou will lose your benefits and harm others too.
%his is unwholesomeness where both you and lose,
#rowning out too others' minds of purity.
6ust as practitioners in aranyas
3aise their hands and cry, @! bandit just robbed meA?
+omeone asks% 06-o robbed you23
T-ey say% 04 am not araid o bein# robbed o my money. 4 do not /olle/t money or pursue ,orldly
#ain. 6-at money robber /an atta/k me2 4 a//umulate t-e various 1-arma je,els o #ood roots and
t-e robbers o attentiveness /ome to ,re/k my #ain. 4 /an evade robbers o material ,ealt-% t-ere
are many -ideouts. T-ere is no,-ere to -ide ,-en robbers ,-o steal #oodness /ome.3
T-ese are t-e various e5-ortations on -atred and an#er. T-ese are t-e various proper
/ontemplations or eliminatin# attentiveness or -atred and an#er.
FuestionD 9o, do ,e eliminate attentiveness or ve5ation2
Ans,erD
%here are thousands of kinds of sentient beings,
>arious illnesses alternate to bother them perpetually
%he thief that is death waits in ambush, always ready to assassinate;
%hey drown themselves in endless suffering.
8ow can good people add ve$ations furthermore,
"y being obse5uious, slanderous and harmful without kindness or humaneness-
"efore they harm others, they already brought disaster onto themselves.
t is forgivable for laypeople to become afflicted.
%hough this is the cause of bad karma in the world,
do not self&proclaim that cultivate goodness.
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nstead, monastics who pursue the path of purity
#evelop hatred and harbor envy,
3eleasing to$ic fires in cool clouds.
We should know that this evil offense is e$tremely deep.
For individuals in aranyas who become jealous,
%here are arhats who read others' minds
%eaching, e$horting and bitterly critici)ing7 how foolish you are,
6ealousy naturally wrecks the core of merit and virtue.
f you wish for offerings, you shall collect them yourself;
!dorn yourself with various core merit and virtue.
f you do not uphold precepts, meditate, or become erudite
(ou wear the dyed robes in vain and ruin your #harma body.
(ou are indeed a beggar and a despised evil man,
8ow can you wish for offerings that benefit your body-
%hirst, hunger, cold, heat, and thousands of sufferings,
"eings are often trapped in these afflictions.
8ardship and maladies of the body and mind are endless,
8ow can good people add to these ve$ations-
6ust as a diseased sore is pricked with a needle
4r a prisoner whose sentence is not yet decided,
8ardship entangle them and a multitude of ve$ations gather,
Why would we e$acerbate them if we were compassionate-
T-ese are t-e various e5-ortations on attentiveness or ve5ation. T-ese are t-e various proper
/ontemplations or eliminatin# attentiveness or ve5ation.
FuestionD 9o, do ,e eliminate attentiveness or relatives2
Ans,erD 6e s-ould /ontemplate t-is ,ay. 7ie and deat- in t-e ,orld are led by /onditions o
personal karma:: ,-o are our relatives and ,-o are not our relatives2 4t is only be/ause o
oolis-ness and delusion t-at ,e a//identally develop atta/-ments and /onsider some people our
relatives. Non:relatives in past lives are no, relatives; non:relatives in uture lives are no,
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relatives; and relatives in t-is lie are not relatives in t-e past. 8or e5ample% birds per/-ed on a tree
#at-er in t-e evenin# ly o in t-e mornin# a//ordin# to /onditions% amilies and relatives are t-e
same ,ay. Ea/- t-inks dierently in t-is ,orld. 6-en /onditions #at-er% ,e are relatives; ,-en
/onditions disperse% ,e are distant. T-ere are no i5ed or true /auses and /onditions or retributions.
6e mutually dra, /lose to ea/- ot-er. 8or e5ample% dry sand /onditions a -and t-at rolls it and
-andles it. Be/ause o t-e /ondition o #rabbin#% t-ere is union; be/ause o t-e release o t-e
/ondition% t-ere is dispersion. Barents raise t-eir /-ildren s-ould t-ey deserve payba/k in old a#e.
T-e /-ildren ,ere -eld and nurtured% t-ereore s-ould pay ba/k. 6ere ,e to a//ord ,it- t-eir
,is-es% ,e ,ould be dear ones; ,ere ,e to /ontradi/t t-eir ,is-es% ,e ,ould be t-ieves. 9avin#
dear ones /annot beneit us% but a/tually do -arm; -avin# no dear ones is -armless% but a/tually
beneits us #reatly.
1ue to /auses and /onditions% people develop love. 1ue to t-e /auses and /onditions o love% t-ere
is /-an#e and /on/lusion. 8or e5ample% an artist ,-o paints emale ima#es is ond o t-em and
atta/-ed. T-is is just so too. 6e develop tainted atta/-ments and t-ey maniest e5ternally. !ou -ad
relatives in lives past% ,-at are you doin# or t-em in t-is lietime2 !ou /annot -elp past relatives%
just as past relatives /annot -elp you. +in/e neit-er o you /an -elp one anot-er% t-ou#-ts about
relatives or non:relatives are in vain.
T-e ,orld is uni5ed and ,it-out bounds. Iust as an arhat tea/-es ne,ly let:-ome dis/iples ,-o
miss t-eir relativesD 0Iust as bad people ,-o ,is- to eat t-eir vomit% you are t-e same ,ay. !ou
-ave already let -ome% ,-y do you ,is- to return to love and atta/-ment2 A s-aved -ead and dyed
robes are si#ns o liberation; bein# atta/-ed to relatives% you /annot be liberated be/ause you are
tied do,n by love. T-e T-ree Healms are impermanent and you transmi#rate ,it- no /ertainty.3
6-et-er someone is a relative or not <is not important=. Alt-ou#- someone is a relative no,% ater a
lon# time% t-e relation ,ill /ease. Iust as sentient bein#s t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions transmi#rate%
it is not /ertain ,-o are deinitely my relatives or non:relatives. 6-en people are about to die% t-ere
is no more mind or /ons/iousness% t-ey stare strai#-t a-ead ,it-out avertin#. T-ey stop breat-in#
and end t-eir lives as i plummetin# into a dark pit. At t-at time% t-eir relatives and amily members
are alive and ,ell. 4 at t-e time o birt-% non:relatives rom past lives ,ere or/ed to be/ome t-eir
relatives% t-en at t-e time o deat-% t-ey ,ill be/ome non:relatives a#ain. Contemplate in t-is ,ay
and you ,ill not be atta/-ed to your relatives. Iust as someone.s /-ild dies% parents in t-ree realms
instantaneously and simultaneously /ry and -oller% de/eivin# parents and spouse in t-e -eavens%
parents and spouse in t-e -uman realm% and parents amon# dra#ons too.
T-ese are t-e various proper /ontemplations or eliminatin# attentiveness or relatives.
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FuestionD 9o, do ,e eliminate attentiveness or nations2
Ans,erD 4 pra/titioners /onstantly t-ink about t-eir /ountry o abundan/e% stability% and its many
#ood people% t-ey are al,ays led by t-e rope t-at is attentiveness or a nation. T-ey ,ill #o to
pla/es o oense and so ,ill t-eir attentiveness. 4 people ,ere ,ise% t-ey s-ould not be atta/-ed to
t-ese t-ou#-ts. 6-y2 T-e various oenses o a /ountry burn as seasons pro#ress. 4t is be/ause
starvation and e5treme ati#ue e5ist in all lands; no /ountry is al,ays at pea/e. 8urt-ermore% no
/ountry is e5empt rom old a#e% si/kness% deat- and suerin#. +uerin# in t-is p-ysi/al body
leaves only lead to suerin# in a body else,-ere. Any land t-ey #o to are not devoid o suerin#.
Even i t-ere ,ere sae and aluent /ountries% t-ere still e5ist mental knots o ali/tion t-at /reate
problems or t-e mind; t-ereore it is not a #ood /ountry. A #ood /ountry is one /apable o
eliminatin# mis/ellaneous evils and ,eakenin# mental knots and servants so t-at minds do not
be/ome ali/ted. All bein#s under#o t,o types o suerin#D t-e /onstant suerin# o t-e body and
o t-e mind. T-ere are no lands ,it-out t-ese t,o types o suerin#. 8urt-ermore% some lands are
e5tremely /old ,-ile some lands are e5tremely -ot% some lands e5perien/e amine% some lands
e5perien/e pla#ue% some lands -ave many t-ieves% and some lands -ave anar/-y. 6e s-ould not be
atta/-ed to t-e ne#ative t-ou#-ts about t-ese various lands.
T-ese are t-e various proper /ontemplations to eliminate attentiveness or nations.
FuestionD 9o, do ,e eliminate attentiveness or immortality2
Ans,erD 6e s-ould tea/- pra/titioners% i t-ey ,ere born in #ood amilies% belon#ed to a superior
/lan% or -ad ,innin# talents% skills% stren#t- or pro,ess; t-ey s-ould not -eed any o t-is. 6-y2 At
t-e time o deat- or everyone% re#ardless o ,-et-er t-ey are youn# or old% elite or lo,ly in /lass%
and possessin# ,-atever skill or stren#t-% t-e body is t-e /ause and /ondition or all sadness and
ali/tions. T-ose ,-o are at pea/e% be/ause t-ey -ave e,er opinions and lon#er liespans% are
deluded individuals. 6-y2 4t is be/ause t-e /ause and t-e base o sadness and ali/tions are t-e
our elements. T-e our elements /reate orm like t-e our venomous snakes and t-ey do not
support ea/- ot-er. +o ,-o is at pea/e2 T-e e5pe/tation t-at an e5-alation ,ill enter a#ain is not to
be trusted. 8urt-ermore% ,-en people #o to sleep% t-ey -ope and e5pe/t t-at t-ey ,ill ,ake up. T-is
p-enomenon is not to be trusted. T-e matter o deat- al,ays arrives ollo,in# in/eption on to old
a#e. 9o, /an ,e trust talk o immortality orever ,-en deat- is imminent2 8or e5ample% murderers
stab ,it- a knie or s-oot ,it- arro,s be/ause t-ey -ave no sympat-y and al,ays ,is- to kill. 4n
lie and t-e ,orld% t-e po,er o deat- is t-e #reatest. Not-in# /an over/ome t-e mi#-ty or/e o
deat-. 4 in lives past% none o t-e people ,-o are most ,onderul ,ere able to es/ape deat-% no
#reatly ,ise individuals no, /an over/ome deat-. T-ey /annot evade it ,it- tender pleas or /lever
de/eptions; t-ey /annot avoid deat- by up-oldin# t-e pre/epts or bein# dili#ent in pra/ti/e eit-er.
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T-ereore% you s-ould kno, t-at -uman lives are endan#ered% ra#ile and /annot be relied upon at
all times. 1o not trust t-e /onstant /al/ulations about a lie o lon#evity. All t-ese t-ieves o deat-
al,ays remove people% murderin# t-em beore t-ey are old.
Iust as an arhat tea/-es dis/iples ali/ted by all t-ese a,arenesses says% 06-y do you not kno, to
detest t-e ,orld and enter t-e pat-2 6-y do you -ave t-ese attentivenesses2 +ome people are dead
beore birt-. +ome die durin# birt-% ,-en breast:ed% ,-en ,eaned% durin# /-ild-ood% durin# t-eir
prime or durin# old a#e. T-e 1-arma Healm o deat- is in t-e midst o all t-ese periods. 8or
e5ample% trees and lo,ers. 6-en lo,ers bloom% t-ey all; ,-en ruits are bore% t-ey all; ,-en t-e
ruits are not yet ripe% t-ey all. T-ereore you s-ould kno, to dili#ently apply your eorts and
pursue t-e pat- o pea/e. 1o not trust t-e mi#-ty t-ie ,-o lives ,it- you. T-is t-ie is like a ti#er
t-at /leverly /on/eals itsel. Iust as t-e t-ie o deat- al,ays tries to kill% t-e e5isten/e o t-e ,orld
is empty like ,ater bubbles. 6-y do you say you ,ill ,ait to enter t-e pat-2 6-o /an #uarantee
and /laim t-at you ,ill deinitely a#e and be able to ,alk t-e pat-2 8or e5ample% a #iant tree on a
steep /li /ollapses at its roots due to -eavy storms above and -eavy loods belo,. 6-o ,ill
believe t-at t-is tree ,ill remain or lon#2 T-e -uman lie is just so too; ,e /annot trust it even or
a brie moment.
A at-er is like a seed% a mot-er is like a ine land% t-e oenses and blessin#s o /auses and
/onditions in past lives are like t-e moisturi@in# rain. +entient bein#s are like #rains; t-e /y/le o
birt- and deat- is like a -arvest /olle/tor. T-e ,isdom and virtues o all -eavenly and -uman lords%
su/- as -eavenly kin#s ,-o aided #od in battlin# and deeatin# t-e armies o asuras% allo, t-em to
enjoy various deli#-ts most supreme and radiant; and yet t-ey return to dro,n in darkness.
T-ereore do not believe in immortality and pro/laim% 04 ,ill do t-is today and do t-at tomorro,
and t-e day ater.3
T-ese are t-e various proper /ontemplations on eliminatin# attentiveness or immortality.
By irst eliminatin# /rude t-ou#-ts and attentiveness in t-is ,ay and eliminatin# ine t-ou#-ts and
attentiveness later% t-e mind be/omes puriied and birt- in a proper pat- o//urs and all mental knots
and servants vanis-. 8rom t-ese% t-e pla/e o pea/e is rea/-ed. T-is is t-e so:/alled result o
leavin# -ome. T-e mind a/"uires ease. T-e t-ree karmas be/ome most pure and t-ey are never
/on/eived a#ain. By readin# various sutras and be/omin# erudite% t-ey immediately attain t-eir
retribution. At t-e time o t-is attainment% t-ey ,ill not -ave broken t-e armies o demon kin#s in
vain; t-ey ,ill immediately a/"uire t-e title o bein# oremost in boldness. T-eir ali/tions
re#ardin# t-e ,orld are about to /ease% and yet t-at is not /onsidered -ealt-y. 6-at is /onsidered
-ealt-y is ,-en% ,it- virtuous and ,ondrous po,ers% t-ey are able to smas- t-e t-ieves o
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ali/tion% "uell t-e ire o t-e t-ree poisons and enjoy purity. T-ey are able to rela5 and rest in
pea/e in t-e orest o nirvana; t-ey are able to kindly re#ard -o, bein#s are dro,nin# in t-e sea o
t-e t-ree poisons ,-ile t-e /ool bree@e blo,s rom all dire/tions durin# various dhy.na samadhis
and t-e seven a,akenin#s o t-e senses. 6-en t-e mind is s/attered in t-ese various ,ays% be
mindul o .n.p.na and study t-e si5 d-armas to end all t-inkin# and attentiveness. T-is is ,-y ,e
mindully /ount t-e breat-.
FuestionD 4 t-e ot-er 8our Contemplations on impurity and mindulness o t-e Budd-a also end
t-ou#-ts and attentiveness% ,-y only /ount t-e breat-2
Ans,erD T-e rest o t-e 1-armas o /ontemplation are rela5in# and dii/ult to lose; ,-ereas t-e
met-od o /ountin# t-e breat- is "ui/k:pa/ed and easily turned. 4n tendin# o5% or e5ample% t-ere is
t-e p-enomenon t-at sin/e it is dii/ult to lose an o5en% little #uardin# o//urs. 6-ereas t-e
p-enomenon ,it- tendin# monkeys is t-at t-ey are easily lost% so more #uardin# o//urs. T-is is t-e
same ,ay. !ou /annot t-ink about somet-in# else even momentarily ,-ile /ountin# your breat- in
your -ead; you lose /ount ,-en you t-ink about somet-in# else even momentarily. T-ereore you
s-ould /ount your breat- ,-en irst endin# t-ou#-ts and attentivenesses. Gn/e you kno, t-e
/ountin# met-od% you s-ould pra/ti/e a//ordin#ly to end all t-ou#-ts and attentivenesses. 8ollo,
an in-alation to its /ompletion but do not /ount 0one.3 8ollo, an e5-alation to its /ompletion but
do not /ount 0t,o.3 8or e5ample% a /reditor initially pursues a debtor ,it-out separatin# at all.
Contemplate in t-is ,ay% in-alation t-at is released is dierent and e5-alation t-at /omes in is
dierent. !ou ,ill kno, t-e dieren/e bet,een in-alations and e5-alations at t-at time. 9o,2
E5-alations are ,arm ,-ile in-alations are /ool.
FuestionD An in-alation and an e5-alation make one breat-. 6-y2 An e5-alation ,ill return a#ain.
8or e5ample% ,ater kept in t-e mout- is ,arm ,-ile ,ater spit out is /old. Cold be/omes ,arm and
,armt- be/omes /old.
Ans,erD No. 4t is be/ause t-e mind stirs t-at t-ere are e5-alations. Gn/e e5-aled% it /eases. 6-en
t-e nose and mout- su/k outside air% breat- enters. Gn/e in-aled% t-e breat- /eases. T-ere is
not-in# t-at is about to be released and not-in# to enter. 8urt-ermore% amon# t-e youn#% t-e stron#
and t-e elderly:: youn#sters -ave lon#er in-alations% t-ose in t-eir prime -ave even in-alations and
e5-alations% ,-ereas elders -ave lon#er e5-alations. T-ereore it is not one breat-.
Moreover% air #enerated rom around t-e navel seems similar and /ontinuous. 6-en t-e e5-alation
rea/-es t-e mout- and t-e nose% t-e e5-alation /eases. 8or instan/e% as soon as t-e bello, opens%
air /eases. 4 t-e /auses and /onditions o nose and mout- invite it in% t-en air enters. 4t /omes ort-
rom t-ese ne, /auses and /onditions. 8or e5ample% ,ind o//urs ,-en various /onditions /ombine
,it- t-e an. T-ereore kno, t-at t-e /auses and /onditions or in-alations and e5-alations are
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alse and illusory; t-eir /omin# into bein# and /easin# to be are impermanent. Contemplate just so.
E5-alations are led:in by t-e /auses and /onditions o t-e nose and t-e mout- ,-ile t-e /auses and
/onditions o t-e mind.s stirrin# produ/es in-alations. Conused individuals do not kno, and
/onsider t-ese 0my breat-s.3 Breat- is air and no dierent t-an air outside; eart-% ,ater% ire% and
spa/e are just so too. T-e /auses and /onditions o t-e ive elements /ombine and produ/e
/ons/iousness. T-e same ,it- /ons/iousness% in t-at is does not e5ist be/ause o t-e sel. T-e same
#oes or t-e 8ive Skandhas% t-e T,elve Entran/es% and t-e Ei#-teen Kp-oldin#s too. T-ereore
kno, t-at t-e pursuit o in-alation and e5-alation is /alled ollo,in#. Gn/e you are amiliar ,it-
t-e met-od o ollo,in#% pra/ti/e t-e met-od o stoppin#. T-ose ,-o pra/ti/e t-e met-od o
stoppin# stops /ountin# as t-e mind stills% attention is on t-e #ates o t-e air as t-ey are mindul o
t-e in and out breat-.
FuestionD 6-y2
Ans,erD To end t-ou#-ts and attentiveness so t-at t-e mind is not s/attered. 6-ile ollo,in# t-e
breat- and /ountin# it% t-e mind is not stable be/ause o t-e many disruptions to t-e mind. Fuit
/ountin# and t-e mind is at leisure ,it- little ,ork; -en/e t-e mind is sin#le:pointed ,-ile it is
mindul o t-e in and out breat-. 8or e5ample% a #uard stands by t-e door and observes t-e /omin#s
and #oin#s o people. T-e mind at a stop is t-e sameD it kno,s ,-en t-e breat- is e5-aled% #oin#
rom t-e navel to t-e /-est% t-roat% t-en t-e mout- and nose. 6-en t-e breat- is in-aled% it moves
rom t-e nose and mout- to t-e t-roat% /-est% and t-en t-e navel. By i5in# t-e mind on one pla/e% it
is /alled 0stoppin#.3 8urt-ermore% residin# in t-e met-od o stoppin# is /ontemplation. T-e /omin#
into bein# and t-e /easin# to be o t-e 8ive Skandhas durin# in-alation is distin/t; t-e /omin# into
bein# and t-e /easin# to be o t-e 8ive Skandhas durin# e5-alation is distin/t. 6-en t-e mind is
s/attered% t-e /ontemplation disappears. By /ontemplatin# sin#ularly% /ontemplation #ro,s% ,-i/-
is /alled t-e met-od o /ontemplation. By leavin# be-ind t-e /ruder met-od o /ontemplation and
abandonin# d,ellin# on t-e #ates o t-e breat-% you kno, t-at breat-s are impermanent. T-is is
/alled t-e Turnin# Contemplation. Contemplatin# t-at t-e 8ive Skandhas are impermanent% bein#
mindul t-at t-e produ/tion and e5tin/tion o in-alations and e5-alations are impermanent% seein#
t-at t-e start o t-e irst breat- /omes rom no,-ere% t-en /ontemplatin# t-at t-ere is no tra/e ater
t-e breat- in t-at breat-s e5ist due to a /ombination o /auses and /onditions and disappear due to
t-e dispersion o /auses and /onditions is /alled t-e met-od o Turnin# Contemplation.
Eliminate t-e 8ive Coverin#s and all ali/tions. Alt-ou#- you irst be/ome amiliar ,it- stoppin#
and /ontemplatin# ali/tions% impurities and a s/attered mind% no, t-e mind alone -as be/ome
pure be/ause o t-is 1-arma o purity. 8urt-ermore% t-e earlier and dierent studies o
/ontemplation are similar to t-e pat- o bein# mindul o in-alations and e5-alations% no, t-e non:
outlo, pat- is similar to t-e pat- o outlo, by pra/ti/in# #ood deeds. T-is is /onsidered purity.
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8urt-ermore% t-ou#-ts stop ,-ile initially /ontemplatin# t-e body and #radually all t-ou#-ts about
t-e body stop. Ne5t% t-ou#-ts about t-e pains o pra/ti/e stop. 6it- t-is% t-e impure pat- o outlo,
is distant and t-ou#-ts abide in t-e 1-arma no,. Contemplate t-e 16 Bra/ti/es ,-ile bein# mindul
o t-e in and out breat-s and a/"uire t-e d-armas o ,armt-% summit% patien/e% oremost in t-e
,orld% patien/e ,it- suerin# and on up to /ompre-ensive ,isdom ,it-out learnin#. T-is is /alled
purity.
T-e initial means o in-alation in t-e 16 Bra/ti/es are t-e +i5 Bn.p.na Bra/ti/es. 4t is t-e same ,it-
e5-alation. +in#le:mindedly be mindul o t-e in-alations and e5-alations ,-et-er lon# or s-ort.
8or e5ample% someone ,-o is ri#-tened /limbs up a mountain. Ber-aps -e is /arryin# a -eavy load
or pantin#% so -is breat-s are relatively s-ort. 4 -e ,ere to #et some rest ,-ile under e5treme
pressure at t-at point% -e ,ould be -appy; it is as i -e #ot some -elp and ,as released rom jail. +o
-ere -is breat- is lon#. All breat-s belon# to t-ese t,o /ate#ories; t-ey are eit-er lon#er or s-orter.
9en/e ,e talk about ,-et-er breat-s are lon# or s-ort. 6it- t-em% ,e pra/ti/e t-e si5 types o
.n.p.nasati. 6e are mindul o -o, all breat-s pervade t-e body and t-e /omin#s and #oin#s o
t-e breat-s. 6e /ontemplate all in-alations and e5-alations o t-e entire body. Gur a,areness and
kno,in# /over t-e body rom t-e toes to all t-e pores like ,ater seepin# into sand. T-e a,areness
and kno,in# o e5-alations /over all pores% rom t-e eet to t-e -air% are like ,ater seepin# into
sand too. Iust as t-e bello, is ull ,-et-er air is enterin# or e5itin#; air enterin# and e5itin# t-e
nose and mout- are t-e same ,ay. Contemplate t-e entire body and see t-at it is ,-ere t-e air
travels t-rou#-out% just like -oles to lotus roots or a is- net. 8urt-ermore% t-e mind does not
/ontemplate t-e in and out breat-s o t-e mout- and nose alone% it also observes in-alations and
e5-alations t-rou#-out all -air pores and t-e nine apertures. T-ereore ,e kno, t-at breat-s
pervade t-e body and /ir/ulate despite t-e p-ysi/al body.
Also% on bein# mindul o in-alations and e5-alations. 6-en irst startin# to learn about breat-in#%
i our bodies ,ere la5% sleepy or -eavy% ,e ,ould abandon it /ompletely. As our bodies be/ome
li#-ter and soter in dhy.na samadhi% ,e are -appy. Also% on bein# mindul o t-e breat-s #oin# in
and out:: it eliminates la5ness% sleepiness% and -eaviness o t-e mind. 4t rea/-es a li#-tness in t-e
mind and tenderness t-at are enjoyed dependin# on t-e type o dhy.na samadhi. 8urt-ermore%
t-ou#-ts about in-alations stop; ne5t% t-e pain o /ir/ulation stops be/ause t-ou#-ts about t-e body
stop. No, t-at ,e really do stop t-ou#-ts about pain% ,e are truly deli#-ted. 8urt-ermore% ,e
already kno, t-e true marks o t-e body and no, ,is- to kno, t-e true marks o t-e /ountin#
met-od in t-e mind; t-ereore ,e are deli#-ted. Also% ,e love t-e joy rom bein# mindul o
in-alations and e5-alations% and bein# mindul o in-alations and e5-alations add to our deli#-t%
,-i/- is /alled joy. 8urt-ermore% ,-en t-e mind is pleased initially% it is /alled joy; later a deli#-t
pervades t-e entire body and is /alled joy. 8urt-ermore% t-e joy o pain durin# 8irst #hy.na and
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+e/ond #hy.na are /alled deli#-t ,-ile t-e joy o pain durin# T-ird #hy.na is /alled eelin#s o
joy t-at enjoy various a/tivities o t-e mind. Also% in bein# mindul o t-e breat- /omin# and #oin#%
all produ/tion and e5tin/tion d-armas o t-e mind% tainted or untainted d-armas o t-e mind%
d-armas o a s/attered or /olle/ted mind% proper or deviant d-armas o t-e mind and su/- marks o
t-e mind are /alled t-e mind.s a/tivities. 6-en t-e mind is makin# deli#-t% it irst eels t-e deli#-ts
o bein# mindul o in-alations and e5-alations. Ioy does not /ome ort- on its o,n% rat-er% it is
/reated by t-e mind; t-ereore it is about t-e makin# o deli#-t.
FuestionD 6-y do ,e make deli#-t on purpose2
Ans,erD As an antidote to t,o mindstatesD eit-er a mindstate t-at is s/attered or /olle/ted. Iust as
t-e mind a/ts to trans/end ali/tions% t-e mind t-ereore /reates joy ,it- mindulness.
8urt-ermore% i t-e mind is not pleased% en/oura#e it to be/ome more deli#-ted. 6-en t-e mind is
bein# #at-ered% also be mindul o in-alations and e5-alations. 4 t-e mind is not o/used% or/e it to
be/ome o/used. Iust as t-e +utra says% 0A o/used mind is t-e pat-; a s/attered mind is not t-e
pat-.3 6-en t-e mind is bein# liberated% also be mindul o in-alations and e5-alations. 4 your
t-ou#-ts are not ree% or/e t-em to be/ome ree. 8or e5ample% a s-eep enters t-e bus-es ,ill be
/overed by t-ose bus-es. Beople trans/end #radually. 6-en t-e mind is reein# itsel o all t-e
knots o ali/tion% it is t-e same ,ay. T-is is /alled t-e stoppin# o t-ou#-t in developin#
liberation. Contemplate impermanen/e also means bein# mindul o in-alations and e5-alations.
Contemplate all d-armas as impermanent; at t-e same time be mindul o in-alations and
e5-alations. Contemplate all d-armas as impermanent% produ/tion and e5tin/tion are empty and
,it-out a sel. At t-e time o produ/tion% all d-armas are born out o emptiness; at t-e time o
e5tin/tion% all d-armas /ease in emptiness. T-ere is no man% no ,oman% no person% no doin#% and
no re/eivin#% ,-i/- is /alled a//ordin# ,it- t-e Contemplation o 4mpermanen/e.
Contemplate t-e releasin# and dispersin# o /onditioned d-armas ,-ile bein# mindul o t-e
impermanen/e o in-alations and e5-alations is /alled releasin# and dispersin#. All /onditioned
d-armas maniest and emer#e in t-e present ,orld due to a /ombination o past /auses and
/onditions. T-ey disperse be/ause /auses and /onditions deteriorate. To /ontemplate in t-is ,ay is
/alled t-e Contemplation o Heleasin# and 1ispersin#. Contemplate t-e partin# o t-e knot o
desire ,-ile bein# mindul o in-alations and e5-alations. A mind apart rom all mental knots is t-e
oremost 1-arma. T-is is /alled t-e Contemplation o A//ordin# ,it- t-e Bartin# o 1esire. As
/ontemplation ends% also be mindul o in-alations and e5-alations. All t-e suerin# o mental
knots and servants s-all end t-ere; t-at is t-e pla/e o pea/e and stability. T-is is /alled t-e
Contemplation o A//ordin# ,it- an End. Contemplate abandonment ,-ile bein# mindul o
in-alations and e5-alations. Abandonin# all tainted love% ali/tions over t-e body and mind% t-e
8ive Skandhas% and all /onditioned d-armas means oremost pea/e and stability. T-is
/ontemplation is /alled A//ordin# ,it- t-e +toppin# and Contemplatin# o 1-arma T-ou#-ts.
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T-ese are /alled t-e 16 Bra/ti/es.
). T-e 1-arma Bra/ti/e or Curin# 1iver#en/e
T-e it- pra/ti/e /ures a/tions t-at are diver#ent% /overin# people ,it- -eavy oenses ,-o
besee/- t-e Budd-a. T-ese individuals are tau#-t to o/us on t-e Samadhi o bein# Mindul o t-e
Budd-a. T-ree types o individuals pra/ti/e t-e Samadhi o bein# Mindul o t-e Budd-aD per-aps
t-ere are t-ose ,-o are startin# to pra/ti/e% per-aps t-ere are t-ose ,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# and
per-aps t-ere are t-ose ,-o -ave been pra/ti/in# or a lon# time. 4 t-ey ,ere startin# to pra/ti/e%
t-ey s-ould #o to a Budd-a ima#e. Ber-aps t-ey s-ould be tau#-t to look at and /ontemplate t-e
ine eatures o t-e Budd-a ima#e. Ea/- eature is /lear in t-eir minds as t-ey /on/entrate on
absorbin# t-em until t-ey return to a "uiet pla/e. As t-eir mind.s eye /ontemplates t-e Budd-a
ima#e so t-at t-eir t-ou#-ts do not turn% t-ey o/us on t-e ima#e and reje/t ot-er t-ou#-ts. Gt-er
t-ou#-ts are #at-ered:in so t-at t-e t-ou#-ts are al,ays on t-e ima#e. 4 t-e mind does not abide%
t-e master s-ould tea/- t-em sayin#% 0!ou s-ould reprimand your mindD you -ave suered
in/al/ulable oenses t-rou#-out boundless birt-s and deat-s and repeatedly a/e various orms o
suerin# ,it-out e5/eption. 4 you ,ere in t-e -ells% you s,allo,ed and drank li"uid /opper and
ate burnin# iron pellets. 4 you ,ere in t-e animal realm% you ate e5/rement and /-e,ed #rass. 4
you ,ere amon# t-e -un#ry #-osts% you suered starvation. 4 you ,ere in t-e -uman realm% you
e5perien/ed poverty and -ards-ip. 4 you ,ere in t-e -eavens% you ,ere sad and ali/ted over t-e
loss o desire. 4t is be/ause you are al,ays ,it- me t-at 4 e5perien/e t-ese p-ysi/al and mental
ali/tions and endless suerin#. 4 s-all dis/ipline you no,. !ou ,ill ollo, me. 4 ,ill no, tie you
to one pla/e; 4 ,ill never a#ain be trapped be/ause o you and urt-ermore suer -ards-ip and
venom. !ou al,ays trap me% so no, 4 s-all trap you.3
1o t-is /ontinuously and t-e mind ,ill not be s/attered. At t-at time% t-e mind.s eye ,ill see t-e
li#-t rom t-e eatures o a Budd-a ima#e. T-ey ,ill be no dierent t-an ,-at t-e les- eyes see.
9ave t-e mind d,ell like t-is is /alled t-e Be#inners. Contemplation. At t-at time you s-ould
urt-er t-ink% 0T-is is an ima#e o ,-om2 4t is t-e eatures o t-e ima#e o +-akyamuni Budd-a in
t-e past. Iust as 4 see t-e Budd-a ima#e no,% t-e ima#e never /ame and 4 never ,ent. 4n t-is ,ay%
t-ink about seein# t-is past Budd-a ,-o made t-e universe "uake ,-en -e irst des/ended. T-e
Budd-a -ad *& -allmarks o a #reat manD
1. 6ell:supported and even soles.
&. T-ousand:spoked ,-eels arise beneat- t-e sole o t-e eet.
*. T-e in#ers and toes are lon#.
4. T-e -eels are proje/tin#.
). T-e -ands and eet are net:like.
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6. T-e ankles are raised -i#- and evenly.
?. T-e lo,er part o t-e le# is like an antelopeLs.
A. T-e arms -an# past belo, t-e knees ,-en -e is standin#.
E. T-e #enital is ,ell:-idden.
1'. A rame like Nya#rod-a.
11. +in#le -airs arise% t-ey to ea/- pore.
1&. T-e -air pointin# up,ards; dark% bla/k in /olor% turnin# in rin#s to t-e ri#-t.
1*. T-e skin s-ines like #old.
14. An aura t-e diameter o t,o meters around t-e body.
1). +kin t-at is t-in and reined.
16. +even parts o -is body are ull.
1?. T-e areas belo, -is armpits are even and ine.
1A. T-e upper part o t-e body is lion:like.
1E. A tall and strai#-t body.
&'. T-e s-oulders are evenly rounded.
&1. T-ere are orty teet-.
&&. T-ere are no #aps bet,een t-e teet- and t-eir roots are deep.
&*. T-e our /anine teet- are /rystal and rounded.
&4. T-e ja, is lion:like.
&). T-e e5perien/e o t-e inest tastes ,-en tastin#.
&6. A mi#-ty ton#ue t-at is ,ide% lon# and t-in.
&?. T-e voi/e o "rahm. t-at is deep and ar:rea/-in#.
&A. A voi/e like a kalavinka bird.
&E. T-e eyes are very blue.
*'. T-e eyelas-es are like t-ose o a /o,.
*1. T-e /ro,n o -is -ead protrudes ,it- a /a,l.
*&. T-e ,-ite ilament bet,een t-e eyebro,s is lon#% ine and /ir/les to t-e ri#-t.
8urt-ermore% -e -ad A' se/ondary /-ara/teristi/s.
1. T-e /ro,n o -is -ead /annot be seen.
&. 9is nose is strai#-t and tall and -is nostrils are not overtly visible.
*. 9is eye bro,s are like t-e ne, moon and t-e /olor o blue lapis la@uli.
4. 9is ears are ine.
). 9is body is like NMrMyaa.
6. 9is joints are like -ooks.
?. 9e turns about like t-at o a kin#:elep-ant.
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A. 9e ,alks our in/-es o t-e #round ,-ile leavin# imprints on t-e #round.
E. 9is in#ernails and toenails are t-in and s-one ,it- a rosy tint.
1'. 9is knees -ave no protrudin# knee/aps.
11. 9is body is ree o impurities.
1&. 9is body is sot.
1*. 9is body is not /rooked.
14. 9is in#ernails and toenails are smoot- and rounded ,it-out rid#es.
1). 9is in#erprints and toe prints are like adorned dra,in#s o various /olors.
16. 9is veins are deep and not readily visible.
1?. 9is ankles are deep and not readily visible.
1A. 9is body is al,ays radiant.
1E. 9is body is al,ays reres-ed and never ,ilts.
&'. 9is body is illed out N/on/eived in Mar/- and born in 8ebruaryO.
&1. 9e is di#niied.
&&. 9e is at pea/e ,-ile standin# Nstandin# unmoved like a royal o5O.
&*. 9is mi#-t s-akes up everyt-in#.
&4. All enjoy be-oldin# -im.
&). 9is a/e is not lon#.
&6. 9is appearan/e is upri#-t and not sedu/tive.
&?. 9is lips are t-e /olor o apples.
&A. 9is a/e is ull.
&E. 9is voi/e is deep.
*'. 9is navel is round% deep% and not protrudin#.
*1. 9is -air s,irls to t-e ri#-t.
*&. 9is -ands and eet and ull.
**. 9is -ands and eet are auspi/ious Nprevious versions say t-ey /an #rasp in,ardly and
out,ardlyO.
*4. T-e lines in -is palms and on -is soles are /lear and strai#-t.
*). T-e lines in -is palms are lon#.
*6. T-e lines in -is palms are /ontinuous.
*?. All evil bein#s are deli#-ted at t-e si#-t o -im.
*A. 9is a/e is lar#e and -andsome.
*E. 9is a/e is like a moon.
4'. Bein#s are not ri#-tened by t-e si#-t o -im.
41. 9is pores emit a ra#ran/e.
4&. 9is mout- emits a ra#ran/e.
4*. 9e -as t-e demeanor o a lion.
44. 9e -as a beautiul #ait% like t-at o a kin#:elep-ant.
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4). 9e -as a beautiul #ait% like t-at o a s,an.
46. 9is -ead is like a +aala ruit Nt-is ruit is neit-er round nor lon#O.
4?. 9is voi/e /ontains a ull ran#e Nt-e Budd-a is replete ,it- 6' types o voi/eO.
4A. 9is teet- are s-arp.
4E. NNot-in# named -ere be/ause t-ere are no C-inese terms or t-isO.
)'. 9is ton#ue is lar#e and red.
)1. 9is ton#ue is t-in.
)&. 9is body -air is an imma/ulate /olor o pure red.
)*. 9is eyes are lon# and ,ide.
)4. 9is apertures are ull N-e is replete ,it- t-e marks o t-e nine aperturesO.
)). 9is -ands and eet are rosy like t-e /olor o lotuses.
)6. 9is stoma/- is not readily seen and does not protrude.
)?. 9is stoma/- is not /onve5.
)A. 9is body is still.
)E. 9is body is -eavy.
6'. 9is body is lar#e.
61. 9is body is lon#.
6&. 9is -ands and eet are ull and /lean.
6*. 9e -as a brilliant aura around -im% ,-i/- s-ines on -im ,-ile -e ,alks.
64. 9e is impartial to,ard sentient bein#s.
6). 9e is not atta/-ed to tea/-in# and is not #reedy or dis/iples.
66. 9is voi/e rea/-es t-e entire audien/e ,it-out dei/ient or e5/ess.
6?. 9e speaks t-e 1-arma ,it- a voi/e t-at a//ords ,it- t-e audien/e.
6A. 9e is not -indered by lan#ua#e.
6E. 9e speaks t-e 1-arma /ontinuously and se"uentially.
?'. All bein#s ,-o be-old -im /annot kno, -im /ompletely by si#-t.
?1. Bein#s never tire o seein# -im.
?&. 9is -air is lon#.
?*. 9is -air is ine.
?4. 9is -air is neat.
?). 9is -air does not split.
?6. 9is -air is sot.
??. 9is -air is t-e /olor o dark lapis la@uli.
?A. 9is -air /urls up,ard.
?E. 9e -as a ull -ead o -air.
A'. 9e -as t-e /-ara/ter o virtue on -is /-est and t-e /-ara/ter o auspi/iousness on -is -ands
and eet% t-e li#-t o ,-i/- s-ines upon ininite ,orlds.
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Kpon birt-% -e ,alked seven steps and uttered important ,ords. 9e let t-e -omelie% dili#ently
pra/ti/ed as/eti/ism and tamed t-e demon army beneat- t-e Bod-i Tree. 4n t-e latter part o t-e
ni#-t ,-en da,n irst arrived% -e reali@ed E"ual and Broper Enli#-tenment. 9is luminous eatures
,ere /lear and s-one ar t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions ,it-out e5/eption. A/ross t-e sky% musi/
,ere sun# and played as oerin#s% lo,ers rained do,n like a ra#rant do,npour. All bein#s ,ere
ininitely reverent. 9e traveled t-e Triple Healm alone and turned to #lan/e like a kin#:elep-ant. 9e
be-eld t-e tree o enli#-tenment as -e irst turned t-e 1-arma ,-eel. Celestial bein#s a,oke and
/ertiied to t-e pat- and rea/-ed nirvana. T-e p-ysi/al Budd-a in t-is ,ay inspired /ountlessly
many bein#s so t-ey o/used on bein# mindul o t-e Budd-a and not t-ink about any e5ternal
/onditions. 6-en t-eir t-ou#-ts /ondition t-e e5ternals% t-ey are #at-ered:in. T-is ,ay% t-ou#-ts do
not be/ome s/attered; -en/e at t-at time% bein#s see one Budd-a% t,o Budd-as% and even all
p-ysi/al bodies o Budd-as in endless ,orlds t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions. As lon# as t-ey ,is-ed%
t-ey ,ill see t-em. +in/e t-ey see t-e Budd-as and -ear t-em speak t-e 1-arma% t-ey may ask
"uestions so t-at t-e Budd-a speaks t-e 1-arma to unravel t-eir nets o doubt. 9avin# a/"uired t-e
met-od o bein# mindul o t-e Budd-a% you s-all urt-ermore be mindul o t-e meritorious
1-arma body o t-e Budd-a ,it- ininite #reat ,isdom% bottomless kno,led#e% and an in/al/ulable
"uantity o virtue.
%ath.gata C%atha is t-e same as .gata, ,-i/- means understandin#% trut-% t-e pat- o pea/e or all sa#es /omin#.
T-e Budd-a t-us /omes; urt-ermore% never /omes be/ause e5isten/e is in t-e uture.O
!rhat NT-e opposite o a /onused ool.O
! Carhat means killer o t-ieves. T-e Budd-a takes patien/e as armor% vi#or as s-ield% dhy.na samadhi as bo,% and
,isdom as arro,. Killin# arro#an/e and ot-er t-ieves #ive -im t-e name% killer o t-ieves.O
Samyak NT-e opposite o dimness.O
Sabuddha Nsamya means true. Sabuddha means enli#-tenin# to all% enli#-tenin# to t-e /ause o suerin#%
t-e /ause and pra/ti/in# or nirvana. T-e our proper understandin#s and vie,s truly /annot be turned and are
/ompre-ensive ,it-out remainder; t-ereore /alled true enli#-tenment o all.O
>idya NT-e opposite o endin# t-e ni#-t.O
0araa Cvidya means understandin#. 0arana means #ood /ondu/t. Knderstandin# reers to t-ree types. By
pra/ti/in# pure /ondu/ts% -e alone be/omes t-e #reatly enli#-tened ,it-out a tea/-er% t-ereore -e understands
#ood /ondu/ts.O
Sapanna Npere/tly reali@ed.O
Sugata Nunderstandin# ,ell% attains ,ell% or arti/ulates aultlessly.O
*oka&vid Ct-e opposite o loka% ,-i/- means ,isdom. T-e ,ise one kno,s t-e /auses o t-e ,orld and t-e end o
t-e pat-; t-ereore -e is /alled ,isdom o t-e ,orld. 9e -as t-e ,isdom to kno, t-e ,orld.O
!nuttar. (4t means t-e unsurpassed d-arma o #oodness and sa#ely ,isdom. 4t #uides all #reatly virtuous ones.
None o t-e ininite bra-mM #ods% demons and t-e multitude o sa#es is /omparable to -im% not to mention
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surpassin# -im. T-e Budd-a.s -onorable virtues are #reat% t-ereore it means unsurpassed.O
Purusa&damya CPurusa means #reat -ero. #amya means able to speak% able to transorm% -ero% and
dis/iplinarian. 6it- #reat kindness% #reat /ompassion and #reat ,isdom% t-e Budd-a sometimes speak tenderly and
elo"uently% sometimes bitterly and ur#ently% or -e models t-e tea/-in#. 9e dis/iplines in t-is ,ay so t-at no bein#s
be/ome lost on t-e pat-. T-e Budd-a is t-ereore /alled t-e tamin# -ero and d-arma dis/iplinarian.O
Sarathi
,.sta NT-e opposite o /ompletely -un#ry.O
#eva&manu
y.a NT-e opposite o a ,illin# slave. 4t means tea/-er o #ods and -umans ,-o /an /ompletely ree all
people o t-eir ali/tions and al,ays d,ell in t-e supreme d-arma o non:retreat.O
"uddha "hagav.t NBra/ti/in# t-e impossible in t-e past% present and uture. Kno, and pra/ti/e all endin# and
unendin# d-armas. Knderstandin# everyt-in# rom sittin# underneat- t-e Bod-i tree% -e is t-ereore /alled Budd-a
"hagav.t. 4t means -e is one ,it- a #reat reputation. 8urt-ermore bha means emale #enitalia and vat means spit
out. 8orever abandonin# t-e emale #enitalia; -en/e spittin# out emale #enitalia.O
At t-at time% be mindul urt-ermore o t-e spiritual virtues o t-e t,o Budd-as% t-ree% our% ive
Budd-as and even ininite o t-em t-rou#-out spa/e and t-e realms too. Ne5t% return to seein# one
Budd-a. Be able to see one Budd-a as Budd-as t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions; be able to see
Budd-as t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions as one Budd-a. Iust as individuals /an per/eive one /olor as
t-e /olors #old% silver% /rystal% and lapis la@uli a//ordin# to t-eir individual pleasure.
At t-at time% /ontemplate only t,o t-in#sD t-e body o t-e Budd-a in spa/e and t-e merits and
virtues o t-e Budd-a. 9ave no ot-er t-ou#-ts. At t-e time ,-en t-e mind is at ease and t-ou#-ts
do not roam and be/ome s/attered% you ,ill reali@e t-e Samadhi o bein# Mindul o t-e Budd-a. 4
t-e mind ,anders and t-ou#-ts are on t-e ive sense obje/ts or t-e si5 types o attentivenesses% t-en
you s-ould en/oura#e and e5-ort yoursel to dis/ipline your mind. Contemplate t-en% t-at t-e
-uman body is dii/ult to a/"uire and t-e Budd-ad-arma is dii/ult to en/ounter; t-ereore% it is
said t-at t-e sun is bri#-test amon# all li#-ts and t-e ,isdom o t-e Budd-a is t-e oremost amon#
all ,isdom. 6-y2 T-e Budd-a is e5tremely /ompassionate or t-e sake o all% savin# bein#s ,it-
-is -ead% eyes% marro, and brain. 9o, /an you be la5 ,it- your mind and not /on/entrate on bein#
mindul o t-e Budd-a and disappoint t-eir tremendous #ra/e2 9ad t-e Budd-a not emer#ed in t-e
,orld% t-ere ,ould be no -uman pat-% t-e pat- o devas or pat- to nirvana. 4 someone ,ere to oer
s/ented lo,ers or oer t-eir bones% les-% blood% and marro, to /onstru/t stupas% -e /annot
/ompare to a pra/titioner ,-o oers t-e 1-arma so t-at ot-ers rea/- nirvana% t-ou#- t-at ,ould
still leave -im o,in# t-e Budd-a. Even i you reap not-in# rom bein# mindul o t-e Budd-a% you
s-ould nevert-eless be dili#ent and o/used% never or#ettin# to repay t-e kindness o t-e Budd-a.
9o, /an bein# mindul o t-e Budd-a allo, you to rea/- all t-e samadhis and ,isdom o
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Budd-a-ood ,it-out /on/entration2 Bra/titioners s-ould al,ays /on/entrate and not let t-eir minds
be s/attered% so t-ey may see t-e Budd-a and ask "uestions. T-is is /alled t-e Samadhi o bein#
Mindul o t-e Budd-a% ,-i/- eliminates diver#en/e and ot-er serious oenses.
%he Sutra of Sitting #hy.na Samadhi 8as/i/le 4
%he Sutra of Sitting #hy.na Samadhi 8as/i/le 44
Translated by Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva o !ao"in#
At t-at time t-e pra/titioners may -ave rea/-ed sin#le:pointed /on/entration o t-e mind but -ave
not yet a/-ieved samadhi. T-ey are still disturbed by t-e ali/tions o t-e 1esire Healm. T-ey
s-ould a/t e5pediently and urt-er learn about t-e 8irst #hy.na and abandon love and desire. 9o,
do t-ey abandon t-em2 Contemplate e5/essive desires in t-e 1esire Healm as bein# impure and as
an array o un,-olesomeness. T-ey s-ould be mindul o t-e 8irst #hy.na as pea/eul and joyous.
9o, do t-ey /ontemplate desire2 Kno, t-at desire is impermanent and t-e enemy o merit and
virtue; it is like illusion and transormation% empty and unattainable. Beore be/omin# mindul% t-e
deluded mind is already disturbed% not to mention ,-en it is s,at-ed by lust. Beople atta/-ed to
desire ,ill never be at pea/e in t-e pleasurable pla/es o t-e -eavens% not to mention t-e -uman
realm. T-ey are insatiable like ire ueled ,it- lo#s or o/eans s,allo,in# streams. 7ike
Murd-a#ata% t-ou#- -e rains do,n seven types o #ems and rules over t-e our /ontinents% -e
remains dissatisied even ,-en 7ord Pakra oers -im a seat. Iust as t-e Cold 6-eel Turnin# Kin#
,it- t-e surname Na-usa% driven by desire% ell amon# pyt-ons. Gr just like immortals ,-o eat
ruits% ,ear #rass and let t-eir -air #ro,% live in se/lusion deep in t-e mountains in pursuit o t-e
pat-. T-ey are nevert-eless and unavoidably -urt by t-ieves o desire. T-ey -ave very e, desires
and joy but mu/- resentment and venom. Beople atta/-ed to desire dra, in bad riends and are
distan/ed by #ood people. 1esire is t-e poisonous ,ine t-at ools and deludes so t-at people die
drunk. 1esire is a de/eptive raud t-at /ommands ools% ,-o suer e5/ru/iatin# pain% never at ease.
Gnly by leavin# desire do people be/ome at pea/e and e5tremely -appy in body and mind. 1esire
t-at reaps not-in# is like a do# #na,in# on dry bones. T-e vi#orous pursuit o desire makes t-em
suer tremendously. <6ants= are dii/ult to a/"uire and easy to lose. Iust as a temporary loan
/annot maintain lastin# aut-ority and just as dreams are blurry and end soon% desire is a problem. 4t
is bitter to seek it and bitter to -ave it. T-e more t-ey #et% t-e more t-ey suer. Iust as a ire ,it-
lots o uel -as a lot o use and a lar#e lame% desire is like a pie/e o meat /au#-t in a bra,l ,-ere
all t-e birds /ompete or and pursue. Essentially% it is like mot-s t-at poun/e on a ire or is- t-at
s,allo, -ooks; it is just like deer t-at /-ase ater sounds or someone t-irsty drinks salt ,ater. All
bein#s are diseased due to desire% ,-i/- leads to t-e disembarkin# o all orms o suerin#.
T-ereore ,e s-ould kno, t-at desire is a -armul to5in. 4n seekin# t-e 8irst #hy.na% ,e must
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e5tin#uis- t-e ire o desire. Bra/titioners ,-o dili#ently% ait-ully and deli#-tully /on/entrate on
doin# so ,ill improve t-eir mind so t-at t-ey are not s/attered. Contemplate -o, detestable t-e
mind o desire is and knots and ali/tions are /ompletely eliminated. T-ey ,ill t-en a/"uire t-e
samadhi o t-e 8irst #hy.na% leave be-ind t-e bla@e o desire% and a/"uire /ool and reres-in#
samadhi; t-ey are like t-ose s/or/-ed #ettin# s-ade or like t-e poor a/"uirin# ri/-es. T-ey
immediately a//ess t-e a,areness o t-e deli#-ts o t-e 8irst #hy.na at t-at time. Contemplate t-e
various merits and virtues o /ontemplative dhy.na and /ontemplate t-e #ood and t-e u#ly aspe/ts
o dis/rimination% t-en t-ere is t-e sin#leness o mind.
FuestionD 9o, do ,e kno, ,-en dhy.na /ultivators -ave rea/-ed t-e sin#leness o mind2
Ans,erD T-eir a/es are pleasant and lustrous. T-ey stroll alon# upri#-tly ,it-out losin# t-eir
sin#leness o mind. T-eir eyes are not #lued to orm and t-ey enjoy spiritual virtues and t-e po,er
o samadhi. T-ey are not #reedy or ame or #ain% but -ave kno/ked do,n and s-attered arro#an/e.
T-ey are #entle by nature% -arborin# no ,is- to -arm or miserliness and envy. T-ey are
strai#-tor,ard and trust,ort-y. T-eir minds are pure. T-ey do not i#-t durin# ar#uments. T-ey do
not de/eive ,it- p-ysi/al #estures and are approa/-able. T-ey are tender ,it- a sense o s-ame.
T-eir mind is al,ays on t-e 1-arma. T-ey dili#ently /ultivate and up-old t-e pre/epts /ompletely.
T-ey re/ite t-e sutras ,it- proper t-ou#-t and t-eir t-ou#-ts a//ord ,it- t-e 1-arma pra/ti/es.
T-ey are al,ays joyous and do not be/ome an#ry in situations eli/itin# an#er. T-ey do not a//ept
any impure oerin#s amon# t-e our types o oerin#s. T-ey a//ept pure donations and kno, t-eir
/apa/ity and ,-en to be /ontent. T-ey ,ake up eelin# li#-t and ,ell. T-ey /an pra/ti/e t-e t,o
types o #ivin# and eliminate t-e deviant t-rou#- patien/e. T-ey are not /on/eited and rarely
parti/ipate in ar#uments. T-ey are -umble and respe/tul to,ard seniors% peers and juniors. T-ey
al,ays dra, near and /omply ,it- #ood tea/-ers and kind advisors. T-ey kno, restraint in t-eir
diet and are not atta/-ed to desirable lavors. T-ey enjoy bein# alone in "uiet pla/es and remain
patient and unae/ted by -ards-ip or -appiness. T-ey do not resent or /ompete and do not enjoy
i#-tin# or liti#ation. 6e kno, t-ose ,-o -ave t-ese various /-ara/teristi/s -ave rea/-ed t-e
sin#leness o mind.
T,o t-in#s in t-is a,areness /ontemplation disturb dhy.na samadhi. 7ike ,ater t-at is /lear and
still be/omes turbid ,-en ,aves stir% pra/titioners ,-o are already o/used in,ardly are rustrated
by a,areness /ontemplation. 7ike #ettin# some rest ,-en e5-austed or eelin# at pea/e ,-en
asleep% at t-is point in t-e se"uen/e% t-ey develop t-e samadhi o purity ,-en t-ey are ,it-out
a,areness or /ontemplation. 6-en t-ey are pure and joyous inside% t-ey rea/- t-e +e/ond #hy.na.
Gri#inally t-ey did not a//ess t-e still and "uiet mind% no, t-ey -ave t-is deli#-t. At t-at time% t-e
mind /ontemplates t-is deli#-t as a problem. Iust as t-e above a,areness /ontemplations use t-e
met-od o no deli#-t so t-ey may leave t-e sta#e o deli#-t and attain t-e joy t-at sa#es and ,ort-y
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ones talk about. T-ey kno, t-e trut- ,it- a sin#le:pointedness o mind% ,-i/- minded and #uarded
,ill lead t-em to t-e T-ird #hy.na. T-ey -ave abandoned deli#-t% t-ereore kno, t-e trut- and
mindully prote/t joy. +a#es say t-at prote/tin# joy is dii/ult or ot-ers to abandon% but it is t-e
oremost orm o joy. Beyond t-is% t-ere is no more joy; t-ereore all sa#es at all levels o purity
say kindness is t-e oremost orm o joy.
6-y is joy a problem2 4n t-e 8irst #hy.na% t-e mind is unae/ted. +in/e not-in# is #oin# on% ,-en
somet-in# stirs% it is ae/ted. Ae/ted% t-ere is suerin#. T-ereore t-e T-ird #hy.na takes joy to
be a problem. 8urt-ermore% t-ose ,-o are ,-olesome and ,ondrous abandon t-is suerin# o joy.
T-ey irst abandon sadness and deli#-t% t-en eliminate t-ou#-ts o suerin# and joy. By #uardin#
so t-eir t-ou#-ts are pure% so enter t-e 8ourt- #hy.na. Neit-er suerin# nor joyous% t-ey #uard
pure t-ou#-ts ,it- a sin#leness o o/us. T-ereore t-e Budd-a said% oremost in prote/tin# purity
at its best is t-e 8ourt- #hy.na. +tirrin# due to joy in t-e T-ird #hy.na is /alled suerin#. 9en/e
t-e 8ourt- #hy.na eliminates suerin# and joy% ,-i/- is /alled t-e unmovin# pla/e.
Cradually /ontemplate t-e spa/e o emptiness and s-atter t-ou#-ts about inner and e5ternal orm
and eliminate dualisti/ t-ou#-ts. 1o not t-ink about any orm but /ontemplate t-e spa/e o endless
emptiness. Al,ays /ontemplate t-e aults o orm and be mindul o t-e samadhi derived in t-at
spa/e o emptiness and its supremely ,onderul merit. Bra/ti/in# and bein# mindul o su/- a
met-od allo,s you to /apture t-at spa/e o emptiness. Be mindul o t-at pla/e o ininite
/ons/iousness and /ontemplate t-e aults o t-at spa/e o emptiness. Be mindul o t-e merit and
virtue o ininite /ons/iousness. Bra/ti/in# and bein# mindul o su/- a met-od allo,s you to
/apture /ons/iousness. Be mindul o t-e spa/e o not-in# ,-atsoever and /ontemplate t-e aults o
t-at spa/e o /ons/iousness. Be mindul o t-e merit and virtue o t-at spa/e o not-in# ,-atsoever.
Bra/ti/in# and bein# mindul o su/- a met-od allo,s you to rea/- t-at spa/e o not-in#
,-atsoever. Be mindul o t-e spa/e o neit-er t-ou#-t nor no:t-ou#-t. 4 t-ere ,ere any t-ou#-ts
at all% t-ere ,ould be many problems. 4t is a oolis- and deluded spa/e i t-ere ,ere si/kness% skin
disease or no t-ou#-ts. T-ereore t-e spa/e o neit-er t-ou#-t nor non:t-ou#-t is t-e oremost in
pea/e and stability. Contemplate t-e aults o t-e spa/e o not-in# ,-atsoever and be mindul o
t-e merit and virtue o neit-er t-ou#-t nor non:t-ou#-t. Bra/ti/in# and bein# mindul o su/- a
met-od allo,s you to rea/- t-at spa/e o neit-er t-ou#-t nor non:t-ou#-t.
Ber-aps t-ere are pra/titioners ,-o move irst rom t-e irst #round to t-e upper #rounds% t-en
pra/ti/e kindness in t-e upper #rounds. 4nitially t-ey a/"uire joy and destroy t-e poison o -atred
and an#er% s-arin# t-at in turn ,it- ininite bein#s t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions; t-ey rea/- t-e
Samadhi o Kindness at t-at time. Bein# /ompassionately sympat-eti/ o sentient bein#s. suerin#%
t-ey /an s-atter a multitude o ali/tions and rea/- ininite bein#s. At t-at time% t-ey attain t-e
Samadhi o Compassion. T-ey /an break displeasure% /ausin# ininite bein#s to be deli#-ted. At
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t-at time% t-ey attain t-e Samadhi o 1eli#-t and /an s-atter t-e suerin# o joy. T-ey /ontemplate
ininite bein#s t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions dire/tly and rea/- t-e Samadhi o a Brote/ted Mind.
T-e +e/ond #hy.na is just so too. T-e T-ird and 8ourt- #hy.nas eliminate deli#-t. Ne5t study t-e
8ive +piritual Bo,ers so your p-ysi/al body /an ly and transorm ,it- ease. Bra/titioners must
/on/entrate on t-e samadhi o desire% t-e samadhi o vi#or% t-e samadhi o sin#le:mindedness% and
t-e samadhi o ,isdom. Al,ays sin#le:mindedly /ontemplate t-e body as bein# li#-t and ,is- to
be able to ly. 6-et-er #reat or sli#-t Ne5/essive samadhi ,it- re#ard to desire is /onsidered #reat ,-ile
redu/tion in samadhi due to desire is /onsidered pettyO% bot- are problems so you must be vi#ilant and
dili#ent. Be able to sin#le:mindedly /ontemplate li#-t:,ei#-tedness at all times. 7ike someone
,-o /an loat -as an e5tremely po,erul mind% -en/e does not sink. And like a monkey t-at alls
rom -i#- altitudes does not e5perien/e any p-ysi/al pain be/ause o a po,erul mind. T-is is just
so too. T-e po,ers o desire% vi#or% samadhi and ,isdom make t-e body lar#e. 6-en t-e body is
smaller% it /an be done.
8urt-ermore% /ontemplate t-e Healm o an Empty Body. Al,ays pra/ti/e t-is /ontemplation. 6-en
t-e po,ers o desire% vi#or% samadhi and ,isdom are tremendous% t-e body /an be lited. 7ike t-e
po,er o a -eavy storm is intense and ar:rea/-in#; similarly% ,-en you irst try you may be o t-e
#round -al a oot or a oot. Cradually you ,ill rea/- si5 or seven eet% t-en ba/k do,n. 7ike baby
birds learnin# to ly and /-ildren learnin# to ,alk% /ontemplate and rele/t on t-e mi#-t o t-e mind
so you ,ill deinitely #o ar. 7earn to /ontemplate t-e our elements. Contemplate t-e t-ree
elements and not t-e element o eart-. 6-en t-e o/us is not s/attered% you are at ease. T-e body is
un-indered like a bird in li#-t. 8urt-ermore% you s-ould learn to ima#ine distant destinations as
bein# /lose; t-ereore t-at ,-i/- is near is e5tin#uis-ed and t-at ,-i/- is distant emer#es.
8urt-ermore% you /an transorm various obje/ts. 7ike /ontemplatin# a tree bein# planted into t-e
#round% ,it- t-e remainin# seeds eliminated% t-is tree t-en turns into soil. 6-y2 T-e ,ood element
/ontains t-e seeds o t-e eart- element. +o it is ,it- ,ater% ire% ,ind% spa/e% #old% silver% and ot-er
#ems. 6-y2 T-e ,ood element /ontains various seed elements. T-is is t-e /ore to t-e initial
development o spiritual po,ers. T-ere are 14 transormational mindstates in 8ourt- #hy.na. T-e
8irst #hy.na ,it- t,o resultsD one% t-e 8irst #hy.na and t,o% t-e 1esire Healm. T-e +e/ond
#hy.na /onsists o t-ree resultsD one% t-e +e/ond #hy.na% t,o% t-e 8irst #hy.na% and t-ree% t-e
1esire Healm. T-e T-ird #hy.na /onsists o our resultsD one% t-e T-ird #hy.na% t,o% t-e +e/ond
#hy.na% t-ree% t-e 8irst #hy.na and our% t-e 1esire Healm. T-e 8ourt- #hy.na /ontains 8ive
HesultsD one% t-e 8ourt- #hy.na% t,o% t-e T-ird #hy.na% t-ree% t-e +e/ond #hy.na% our% t-e 8irst
#hy.na and ive% t-e 1esire Healm.
T-e rest o t-e spiritual po,ers are just as stated in t-e +ah.y.na %reatisesD t,o types o
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individuals amon# t-e dis/iples o t-e 6orld 9onored Gne study t-e 8ive Bra/ti/es ,it- an aim or
nirvana. Ber-aps t-ey enjoy samadhi more be/ause it makes t-em -appy; per-aps t-ey enjoy
,isdom more be/ause t-ey are araid o -ards-ip. T-ose ,it- more samadhi irst study dhy.na
t-en nirvana; t-ose ,it- more ,isdom -ead strai#-t or nirvana. T-ose ,-o -ead strai#-t or
nirvana -ave not yet ended ali/tions and -ave not yet rea/-ed dhy.na; but t-ey o/us ,it- a mind
not s/attered in t-eir strai#-ta,ay pursuit o nirvana by trans/endin# love and ot-er ali/tions.
T-is is /alled nirvana. T-e body is really impermanent% ull o suerin#% impure and /ontains no
true sel. 1ue to t-e perversions o t-e body% t-ere is permanen/e% bliss% true sel and purity. 1ue to
t-e ondness or and atta/-ments to t-e body in various situations% sentient bein#s be/ome inerior.
Bra/titioners ,-o ,is- to s-atter perversion s-all study t-e 8our Mindulnesses% stoppin# and
/ontemplatin#. Contemplate -o, various aspe/ts o t-e body are ull o problems. 4t is due to t-e
/omin# into bein# o /auses and /onditions and t-e various ali/tions asso/iated ,it-
impermanen/e t-at t-ere is suerin#. T-e body /ontains *6 dierent obje/ts% t-ereore impure. 4ll
at ease% t-ere is no true sel. Bra/ti/e t-is /ontemplationD /ontemplate t-e insides o t-e body%
/ontemplate t-e outside o t-e body% and /ontemplate t-e body inside and out. Bra/ti/e t-is
/ontemplation. 6it- it% t-ou#-ts about t-e body stops and t-e body.s mark o reality is just so.
6-y do ,e be/ome perverted and atta/-ed to t-is body2 4t is be/ause ,e t-ink about p-ysi/al
pleasures and pains. 1ue to t-e love or pleasure and pain% ,e are atta/-ed to t-is body. 6e s-ould
/ontemplate t-at ,e really /annot a/"uire pleasure and pain2 6-y not2 4t is be/ause ,e e5perien/e
pleasure by /onsumin# ood and /lot-in#; -o,ever% suerin# develops on/e pleasure is over% ,-i/-
is not true pleasure. Iust as ,e apply medi/ine to a painul ,ound and /onsider t-e stoppin# o pain
pleasurable; ,e /onsider it pleasurable ,-en major suerin# turns into minor suerin#. T-ese are
not true pleasures. 8urt-ermore% ,e /onsider past suerin# to be suerin# but ne, suerin#
pleasures. Iust as ,e /-an#e a -eavy load rom one s-oulder to anot-er and /onsider t-e /-an#e
pleasurable% it is a/tually not /onstant pleasure% just as t-e "uality o -eat to ire never abates% even
temporarily. 4 su/- e5perien/es ,ere true pleasure% t-en ,e s-ould -ave no pleasure. Gr ,e say%
e5ternal e5perien/es are pleasures ,-ile /auses and /onditions are not ne/essarily pleasures.
+ometimes t-ere are /auses or pleasure and sometimes t-ere /auses or suerin#. 4 t-e d-armas o
t-e mind /li/k ,it- love% t-en t-ere is pleasure; ,-en t-ey /li/k ,it- -atred% t-en t-ere is suerin#;
,-en t-ey /li/k ,it- delusion% t-en t-ere is neit-er suerin# nor pleasure. 1edu/in# in t-is ,ay%
,e may /on/lude t-at t-ere is pleasure and t-ere is no pleasure.
Ans,erD T-ere is no pleasure. 7ust s-ould not be pleasure. 6-y2 4 t-ere ,ere lust ,it-in% t-en
people ,ould not seek t-e opposite se5 outside. Bursuin# t-e opposite se5 outside% ,e kno, t-e
suerin# o lust. 4 lust is pleasure t-en ,e s-ould not abandon it /onstantly. 4 ,e do abandon it%
t-en it s-ould not be pleasurable. 4n t-e midst o major suerin#s% ,e /onsider minor suerin#s to
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be pleasurable; just as someone ,-o deserves to die is ,-ipped severely instead ,ill /onsider -is
bein# able to live a pleasure. 6it- -ei#-tened lust% desire is pleasurable; ,it- t-e onset o old a#e
and detest or desire% t-ey kno, t-at desire is no pleasure. 4 it ,ere pleasure truly% t-en t-ey s-ould
not #ro, ,eary o it. Iust as t-ese various /auses and /onditions o p-ysi/al pleasure /annot be
attained% pleasure lost is also suerin#. T-e Budd-a said% 0Contemplate suerin# ,-en t-ere is
pain in pleasure; /ontemplate pleasure ,-en t-ere is pain in suerin#. Iust as someone ,-o is s-ot
,it- an arro, and e5perien/es neit-er suerin# nor pleasure s-ould /ontemplate t-e impermanen/e
o produ/tion and e5tin/tion% ,-i/- is -o, t-ou#-ts o pain stop. 6e s-ould kno, t-at t-e mind
eels pain and pleasure but eelin#s t-emselves are neit-er painul nor pleasurable.
6-y t-e mind2 T-e mind is impermanent and /omes ort- due to /auses and /onditions. Brodu/tion
and e5tin/tion do not d,ell% so it seems like t-ere is produ/tion. 1ue to our perversions% ,e
/onsider it all one. 6-ere t-ere ,as none ori#inally no, it e5ists; ,-ere t-ere is somet-in# already
e5istent no, returns to not-in#Q-en/e impermanen/e. Contemplate and kno, t-at t-e mind is
empty. 6-at does it mean by emptiness2 8rom /auses and /onditions /ome eyes and orm or us to
see% re/all and t-ink about. 6is-in# to see% t-ese /ome into bein# by /ombinin# ,it- t-e eye
/ons/iousness. Iust as t-e sun loves t-e pearl% ,-ere t-ere is t-e sun% t-ere is t-e pearl. 6it- dry
-ay% /o, dun# and various /onditions t-at /ome to#et-er% ire t-en /omes into bein#. Any /ondition
on its o,n /annot produ/e ire; -o,ever ,-en t-ese /onditions /ombine% t-ere is ire. T-e eye
/ons/iousness is t-e same ,ay. 4t neit-er d,ells in t-e eyes nor in orm. 4t does not d,ell in:
bet,een t-e t,o. 4t -as no d,ellin# and yet it is not ,it-out. T-ereore t-e Budd-a said% 07ike
illusions and transormations% t-e present mind /ontemplates t-e past and t-ere may be t-ou#-ts o
suerin#% pleasure or neutrality. Ea/- t-ou#-t is dierent and /eases. T-ou#-ts about desire and no
desire are t-e same ,ay% ea/- is dierent and ea/- /eases. +imilarly% /ontemplate t-e inside o t-e
mind% t-e outside o t-e mind and t-e mind inside and out. T-is is /alled t-e +toppin# o T-ou#-ts
about t-e Mind.
8urt-ermore% /ontemplate to ,-om t-is mind belon#s. Contemplate and /onsider ,-et-er t-ou#-ts%
desire and ot-er mindstates resonate or not ,it- t-e 1-arma. T-e -ost ,-o /ontemplates trut-ully
/annot be rea/-ed. 6-y2 Born out o /auses and /onditions is impermanen/e. 6it- impermanen/e%
suerin#; ,it- suerin#% t-e absen/e o ease; ill at ease% t-ere is no -ost; and ,it-out a -ost% t-ere
is emptiness. !ou t-en /annot a//ess t-e mind 1-arma o t-e earlier uni"ue /ontemplation o
p-ysi/al pain. No,% you s-ould urt-er /ontemplate overall t-at you /annot a//ess t-e -ost ,-ile
abidin# in t-e 8our Mindulnesses. !ou /annot a//ess it by pursuin# it beyond t-is pla/e eit-er. 4
you /annot a//ess permanen/e% you /annot a//ess impermanen/e eit-er. 4 permanen/e% you s-ould
al,ays suer or al,ays be joyous% never or#ettin# t-em eit-er. 4 t-ere is al,ays a #od% t-en t-ere
is no ali/tion or oense rom killin# and no nirvana. 4 t-e body is #od% t-en ,-en t-e
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impermanent body /eases to be% #od s-ould /ease to be too. Also% t-ere ,ould be no uture lives
and no oenses or blessin#s.
By /ontemplatin# t-e absen/e o a -ost in t-is ,ay% all d-armas are empty and ill at ease be/ause
t-ey /ome into bein# due to a /ombination o /auses and /onditions and /ease to be due to t-e
deterioration in /auses and /onditions. T-e /omin# to#et-er o t-ese /onditions is /alled t-e
+toppin# o T-ou#-ts about t-e 1-arma. 4 pra/titioners -ave stopped t-eir t-ou#-ts about t-e
1-arma% bein# ,eary o t-e ,orld.s emptiness% old a#e% si/kness and deat- and bein# t-at t-ere is
not t-e sli#-test bit o permanen/e% bliss% true sel% and purity% t-ey ask% J6-at more do 4 e5pe/t
rom t-is emptiness2 4 s-ould enter nirvana and abide in t-e most ,-olesome d-armas.3 Buildin#
on t-eir po,er o vi#or% t-ey a/"uire proound /amatha Nt-ose in deep /amatha reside in t-e sin#le pla/e o
mind. T-is ,ord -as no parallel term in C-ina.O. 6-en t-ey a/"uire deep /amatha% t-ey d,ell in t-e
stoppin# o mindulness about t-e ourt- 1-arma and /ontemplate t-at all marks o d-arma are
utter suerin# and joyless. Ioylessness is t-e trut- ,-ile everyt-in# else is a lie. T-e /auses o
suerin# su/- as love and ot-ers% various ali/tions and karma /ome ort- rom t-e various lies
about no -eaven% no time% and no sense obje/ts. Ali/tions and karma produ/e t-ese suerin#s.
T-ese suerin#s /ompletely /ease ,-en t-ey enter nirvana. T-e various lies about no realms o
orm and ormlessness and t-e #enesis o t-e ,orld Nnon:Budd-ists /onsider t-e initial ormation o all
materiality to be t-e #enesis o t-e ,orld. Non:Budd-ists /laim t-is #enesis /an /reate all t-in#s% ,-i/- is /alled
/reation.O. Broper vie, and ot-ers o t-e Ei#-told Bat- is t-e ,ay to nirvana% unlike t-e non:
Budd-ists. various as/eti/ pra/ti/es ,-ereby t-ey vainly up-old t-e pre/epts% vainly enjoy dhy.na
samadhi and vainly possess ,isdom.
6-y2 T-e pra/ti/e o /ombinin# t-e t-ree 1-armas o pre/epts% samadhi and ,isdom in t-e
Budd-ad-arma allo, pra/titioners to enter nirvana. 8or e5ample% someone standin# on lat #round
-old a bo, and arro, ,ell /an s-oot and kill t-eir -ated t-ieves. 4t is t-e same ,ay ,-en t-e t-ree
1-armas are pra/ti/ed in /ombination. T-e pre/epts are t-e lat pie/e o land; dhy.na samadhi is
t-e speedy bo,% and ,isdom is t-e s-arp arro,. Heplete ,it- t-ese t-ree items% pra/titioners /an
kill t-e t-ie o ali/tions; t-ereore non:Budd-ists /annot enter nirvana. Bra/titioners t-en pra/ti/e
t-e /ontemplation o t-e 8our Conditions o t-e 1-arma bein# like ar/-ery.
Contemplate t-ese our aspe/ts o suerin#D impermanent be/ause t-ey /ome rom /auses and
/onditions% bitter be/ause t-e body and mind are ali/ted% empty be/ause t-ere is not-in# to attain%
and ,it-out a sel be/ause t-ere is no subje/t or obje/t. Contemplate t-ese our aspe/ts o pra/ti/eD
/umulative be/ause ali/tions and karma o outlo, /ombine% a /ause be/ause similar results are
#enerated% #enerative be/ause all /ondu/ts /an be a/"uired ,it- it% and /onditional be/ause
dissimilar results /ontinue. Contemplate t-ese our aspe/ts o /ompletionD bolted be/ause all
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ali/tions /over it% e5tin#uis-ed be/ause it eliminates t-e ire o ali/tions% ,onderul be/ause it is
t-e oremost amon# all d-armas and trans/endental be/ause t-e ,orld passes. Contemplate t-ese
our aspe/ts o t-e pat-D t-e ,ay be/ause it /an lead to nirvana% proper be/ause it is not upside
do,n% a trail be/ause it is ,-ere all sa#es -ead% and a departure be/ause ,orld.s ,orries and
ve5ations are relieved o. Contemplate just so and attain t-e non:outlo, d-arma o similarity%
,-i/- is /alled t-e 1-arma o 9eat.
6-y is it /alled -eat2 4t is /alled t-e 1-arma o 9eat be/ause t-ese pra/titioners are al,ays
dili#ent. All uels o ali/tion% t-e ire o outlo, ,isdom% t-e initial si#n o t-e ire o ,isdom
,it-out outlo, ueled by various ali/tions is t-at it burns a,ay desire. 8or e5ample% drillin# into
a lo# or ire releases smoke at irst% t-is is ,-y t-is d-arma is /alled -eat. 4t is t-e initial si#n or
t-e pat- o nirvana. T-ere are t,o types o individuals amon# dis/iples o t-e Budd-a. Gne enjoys
bein# o/used more and pursues dhy.na samadhi% ,-i/- is a pat- ,it- outlo,. T-e se/ond type
eliminates atta/-ments more and enjoys true ,isdom. T-ese individuals -ead strai#-t or nirvana
and enter t-e 1-arma o 9eat. T-ose ,it- t-e si#ns o -eat -ave a/"uired deep o/us so t-at t-e
mirror o true 1-arma tou/-es t-e ed#es o t-e realm o no:outlo, Nsin/e t-e mirror is a sura/e ,-ere
t-e ed#es are not in t-e middle% it ,orks as a metap-or -ereO. Bra/titioners at t-at time are very mu/- at pea/e
and t-ink to t-emselves% 04 ,ill deinitely rea/- nirvana and see t-is pat-. 7ike people ,-o drill a
,ell and tou/- ,et mud kno, t-at t-ey ,ill soon #at-er ,ater. 7ike people ,-o stru/k some
t-ieves ,-o t-en retreated% kno, t-at t-ey -ave ,on and eel sae. 7ike people araid o deat- and
,ant to kno, ,-et-er t-ey ,ill live. T-ey irst try and beat t-emselves ,it- a sti/k. 4 t-e -idden
veins appear% t-ey kno, t-ere is -eat and t-ey ,ill deinitely live. 4t is also like listeners o t-e
1-arma ,-o are atta/-ed to and -appy about some train o t-ou#-t% -eat is in t-e -eart at t-at time.
Bra/titioners su/- as t-ese enjoy t-e 1-arma o 9eat% ,-i/- is /alled t-e e5isten/e o -eat. 4t is also
/alled t-e ability to a/"uire t-e roots o #oodness to nirvana. T-e 1-arma o roots o #oodness
/ontains 16 Bra/ti/es and 8our Conditions o t-e Trut-. 6isdom in t-e si5 #rounds is t-e
oundation or all d-armas o non:outlo,. 6ild men ,-o /an do t-is pea/eully Nt-ose ,-o e5perien/e
a /rude orm o non:lo, are /alled ,ild men. A//ordin# to earlier +anskrit editions% t-ese are not ordinary peopleO.
T-is is /alled t-e e5isten/e o t-e 1-arma o 9eat. Advan/e and make pro#ress% t-ere is
urt-ermore ,-at is /alled t-e 1-arma o t-e +ummit. Iust as milk turns into #-ee% t-ese
individuals /ontemplate t-e true marks o t-e 1-arma and kno,% 04 s-all be/ome liberated rom
suerin#. T-e mind loves t-is 1-arma or it is t-e true 1-arma t-at /an eliminate various
suerin#s and troubles asso/iated ,it- old a#e% si/kness and deat-.3 At t-at time% t-ey /onsider
,-o spoke t-is 1-arma :: it ,as t-e Budd-a% t-e 6orld 9onored Gne. By re/eivin# t-e Budd-a
je,el% t-ey enjoy ait-% purity% and #reat -appiness. 6it-out t-is 1-arma% ,-o /an prevent any
ali/tion2 09o, /an 4 understand a little bit o t-is true ,isdom23 By re/eivin# t-e 1-arma je,el%
t-ey enjoy ait-% purity% and #reat -appiness. 04 4 do not -ave Budd-ist dis/iples as ine
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/ompanions% -o, /an 4 understand a little bit o t-is true ,isdom23 By re/eivin# t-e +an#-a je,el%
t-ey enjoy ait-% purity% and #reat -appiness. 4n t-e midst o t-e Triple Ie,el% t-ey a/"uire t-e
purity o t-e sin#leness o mind /ombined ,it- true ,isdom% ,-i/- are t-e #ood roots or t-e
summit% /alled t-e 1-arma o t-e +ummit. 4t is also /alled t-e ability to a/"uire roots o #oodness
or nirvana. Iust as t-e Par.yanDa Sutra saysD
%he "uddha, the #harma and the Sangha jewels
!nyone with a bit of pure faith
8ave what is called the good roots of the summit
(ou shall focus and continue to uphold these.
6-at does it mean by little ait-2 4t is a little amon# t-e Budd-as% Bod-isattvas% Pratyekabuddhas
and arhats% but a lot amon# ,ild men. 8urt-ermore% it /an s-atter or be lost% t-ereore /alled little.
Iust as t-e #harmapada saysD
"ananas are produced but really are dead;
%he spouting of bamboo is in truth the same.
! mule, once with offspring, dies;
! petty man, with material support, dies.
Shattered and lost, it is no gain.
! petty man wins fame
"ut his purity completely lost,
%o the point that he plummets from the #harma summit.
8urt-ermore% or t-ose ,-o -ave not yet ended t-eir various mental knots and servants and not yet
a/"uired t-e ininite ,isdom devoid o outlo,% <ait-= is t-ereore /onsidered 0little.3 1ili#ently
o/us on enterin# t-e pat- o nirvana and understand and /ontemplate t-e 8ive Skandhas% t-e 8our
Noble Trut-s and t-e 16 Bra/ti/es urt-er. At t-at time% do not s-irk ba/k% do not re#ret and do not
retreat. 9appily enterin# patien/e is /alled 9avin# t-e Cood roots or Batien/e. To ,-at is patien/e
e"uivalent2 4t a//ords ,it- t-e pra/ti/es o t-e 8our Noble Trut-s% t-ereore /alled patien/e. T-e
t-ree types o #ood roots in/lude t-e superior% avera#e% and inerior ones durin# t-e t-ree periods o
time. 6-at is patien/e2 Contemplatin# t-e 8ive Skandhas as bein# impermanent% ,it-out a sel%
ull o suerin# and empty% t-e mind is patient and does not retreat% -en/e /alled patien/e.
8urt-ermore% /ontemplate t-e entire ,orld as ull o suerin# and devoid o bliss. 4t is ull o
suerin# be/ause -abits% love and ot-er ali/tions. T-e end to t-e /onditions o -abits and
kno,led#e is /alled t-e supreme 1-arma% t-ere is none more superior. T-e Ei#-told Broper Bat-
/an ensure t-at pra/titioners rea/- nirvana% and t-ere is not-in# more supreme. T-is kind o ait- in
bein# patient ,it- no re#rets and no doubts is /alled patien/e. T-ere is urt-er patien/e in t-eir
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midst. $arious mental knots and servants% various ali/tions% doubts and re#rets enter t-eir minds
and yet /annot break <t-eir ait-=. 8or instan/e% a mountain o boulders /annot loat on or be moved
by ,ind and ,ater; t-is is t-ereore /alled patien/e. T-is situation earns pra/titioners t-e name true
and #ood ,ild men. Iust as t-e Budd-a says so in t-e #harmapadaD
!mong the proper views in the world,
8as anyone who ac5uired many,
For millions of millennia even
"ut never fall into evil realms-
Broper vie,s in t-e ,orld are /alled t-e #oods roots o patien/e. Beople ,-o make re"uent
pro#ress in bein# sin#le:minded are e5tremely ,eary o t-e a/tivities in t-e ,orld. 6is-in# to
understand t-e eatures o t-e 8our Noble Trut-s% t-ey vo, to -ead to,ard nirvana% t-is kind o
o/us is /alled t-e oremost 1-arma in t-e ,orld. Abidin# in t-e impermanen/e o t-e 8our
Condu/ts and t-e absen/e o t-e sel in suerin# and emptiness simultaneously% /ontemplate t-e
sin#le trut- o suerin# and be patient ,it- t-e s-ared /onditions. 6-y /ontemplate t-e ive eelin#
skandhas o t-e 1esire Healm as impermanent and t-at suerin# and emptiness are ,it-out a sel2
Bein# patient in t-eir midst is to enter ,isdom. T-is is /alled t-e Batien/e ,it- t-e 1-arma o
+uerin# Nt-e d-arma is a d-arma o non:outlo, ,-ere pra/titioners are patient and ait-ul ,it- re#ard to
eelin#sO. Ne5t t-e ,isdom rom t-e d-arma o suerin# and t-e patien/e ,it- t-e d-arma o
suerin# eliminates t-e suerin# o mental knots and servants% and /ertiies to t-e ,isdom o t-e
1-arma. Iust as an individual a5es a bundle o /rop and just as a s-arp knie sli/es bamboo% bend
,-en t-e ,ind blo,s is t-e skill and t-e ,isdom o patien/e. T-is p-enomenon /an mana#e t-e end
to suerin# and entan#lements by vie,s in t-e 1esire Healm; -en/e t-e ten mental knots end. At
t-at time% pra/titioners a/"uire uni"ue and impartial ,isdom t-ou#- t-ey -ave not yet a/"uired t-e
,isdom o non:outlo,. 6-en t-e ,isdom o non:outlo, is a/"uired% t-e number one ,isdom
Nimpartial ,isdom t-at is reali@ed in t-e utureO is a//omplis-ed at t-at time. +e/ondly% t-e ,isdom o t-e
1-arma% t-e ,isdom o suerin#% and impartial ,isdom are reali@ed in t-e mind. Beyond t-e t-ird
and t-e ourt- mindstates% pra/titioners reali@e t-e 8our 8orms o 6isdomD t-e ,isdom o suerin#%
t-e ,isdom o t-e 1-arma% relative ,isdom and impartial ,isdom. By pra/ti/in# t-ese orms o
,isdom e5-austively alon# t-e pat-% ea/- aspe/t o ,isdom stren#t-ens. T-ose ,-o -ave parted
,it- desire stren#t-en t-e reali@ation o t-e kno,led#e o ot-ers. minds. T-e suerin# o relative
orbearan/e and suerin# o relative kno,led#e end t-e 1A Knots% ,-i/- allo, pra/titioners to
a/"uire t-e trut- o t-e suerin# o t-e 8our Mindstates. Bra/ti/es o patien/e ,it- t-e 1-arma and
t-e ,isdom o t-e 1-arma end t-e +even Mental Knots t-at entan#le us in t-e 1esire Healm and
t-e T,elve Mental Knots t-at entan#le us in t-e 8ormless Healm. T-e pat- o patien/e ,it- t-e
1-arma and t-e pat- o kno,led#e o t-e 1-arma end t-e Ei#-t Mental Knots t-at entan#le us in
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t-e 1esire Healm. T-e pat- o relative patien/e and t-e pat- o relative kno,led#e end t-e 14
Mental Knots t-at entan#le us in t-e 8orm and 8ormless Healms. T-e pat- o relative kno,led#e is
/alled srotap.nna (), t-ose ,-o truly kno, all marks o t-e 1-arma. T-e 16 Mindstates
enable t-e s-arp sense a/ulties in t-e 1) mindstates; t-is is /alled t-e Bra/ti/in# in A//ord ,it- t-e
1-arma. 1ull sense a/ulties are /alled Bra/ti/in# in A//ord ,it- 8ait-.
+e/ondly% or t-ose ,-o -ave not parted ,it- desire% t-ey are /alled t-ose at t-e level o t-e 8irst
8ruition. T-ey -ave a/"uired t-e 16 Mindstates; t-ey are /alled srotap.nnas. 8or t-ose ,-o -ave
ended t-e +i5 Crades o Mental Knots and a/"uired t-e 16 Mindstates% t-ey are /alled
sakd.g.mins Nmeanin# 0on/e:returner3O. T-ose ,-o -ave irst severed t-e nine #rades o mental knots
and a/"uired t-e 16 Mindstates are /alled an.g.mins Nmeanin# 0none:returner3O. 8or t-ose ,-o -ave
not parted ,it- desire but -ave ended t-eir AA Mental Knots% t-ey are /alled srotap.nnas.
8urt-ermore% sin/e t-ey -ave t-e #ood roots to enjoy t-e result o non:outlo,% t-ey are t-ereore
/alled srotap.nnas. T-ose ,it- s-arp sense a/ulties are /alled t-ose ,-o a/"uire vie,s; t-ose ,it-
dull sense a/ulties are /alled t-ose ,-o love ait-. T-eir mental knots o t-inkin# -ave not yet
ended and t-ey s-all be/ome reborn or yet anot-er seven lietimes. 4 t-e t-ree types o mental
knots end% t-en t-ey ,ill be/ome reborn in a amily or t-ree lietimes. T-e Ei#-told Broper Bat-
and t-e *? Means are streams t-at lead us to nirvana. T-ose ,-o ollo, t-is stream are
srotap.nnas. T-ey are dis/iples o t-e Budd-a ,-o -ave an initial amount o merit and ,ill es/ape
t-e evil realms. T-ose ,-ose t-ree mental knots -ave ended and t-ree poisons -ave t-inned are
/alled sakd.g.mins. 8urt-ermore% t-ere are nine types o knots in t-e 1esire Healm Nt-e supreme
amon# t-e supreme% t-e avera#e amon# t-e supreme% t-e inerior amon# t-e supreme% t-e supreme amon# t-e avera#e%
t-e avera#e amon# t-e avera#e% t-e inerior amon# t-e avera#e% t-e supreme amon# t-e inerior% t-e avera#e amon# t-e
inerior% and t-e inerior amon# t-e ineriorO. T-eir vie,s o t-e trut- -ave severed and t-eir t-ou#-ts -ave
ended. 4 ordinary individuals ,ere to use met-ods o outlo, to irst end t-e +i5 Types o Mental
Knots t-at entan#le us in t-e 1esire Healm% t-ey ,ill enter t-e pat- o seein# t-e trut-. T-ey
a/"uire t-e 16 Mindstates and are /alled sakd.g.mins.
T-ere are nine types o an.g.minsD an.g.mins ,-o ,ill deinitely enter nirvana in t-is lietime;
an.g.mins ,-o ,ill enter nirvana durin# mid:skandha body; an.g.mins ,-o be/ame born t-ou#-
t-ey -ave already entered nirvana; an.g.mins ,-o dili#ently seek to enter nirvana; an.g.mins ,-o
do not dili#ently seek to enter nirvana; an.g.mins ,-o enter nirvana ,it- supreme pra/ti/e;
an.g.mins ,-o enter nirvana in t-e !kaniha 9eaven; an.g.mins ,-o enter nirvana in 8ormless
Samadhi; an.g.mins ,-o be/ome /ertiied in t-eir very bodies; and an.g.mins ,-o are aimin# or
ar-ats-ip.
T-ere are nine types o mental knots in t-e 8orm and 8ormless Healms. All mental knots are
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s-attered ,it- t-e >ajra Samadhi o t-e Nint- Knobstru/ted 6ay. T-e nint- pat- o liberation
applies all ,isdom to /ultivatin# all roots o #oodness. T-is is /alled ar-ats-ip. T-ere are nine types
o arhatsD T-ose ,-o retreat rom t-e 1-arma% t-ose ,-o do not retreat rom t-e 1-arma% t-ose o
t-e 1-arma o deat-% t-ose ,-o #uard t-e 1-arma% t-ose ,-o abide in t-e 1-arma% t-ose ,-o must
kno, t-e 1-arma% t-ose ,-o embody indestru/tible 1-arma% t-ose ,-o are liberated based on
,isdom% t-ose ,-o are liberated in total% t-ose ,-o are immersed in kno,led#e% t-ose ,-o are
immersed in pro#ress. T-ose ,-o retreat rom t-e 1-arma are #iven t-at name be/ause t-ey
pra/ti/e t-e 8ive 1-armas o Hetreat. T-ose ,-o do not retreat rom t-e 1-arma are #iven t-at
name be/ause ,it- s-arp kno,led#e and s-arp pro#ress t-ey pra/ti/e t-e 8ive 1-armas o non:
Hetreat. T-ose o t-e 1-arma o deat- are #iven t-at name be/ause ,it- immersed kno,led#e and
immersed pro#ress% t-ey /ome to detest #ain and /ontemplate sui/ide. T-ose ,-o #uard t-e
1-arma are #iven t-at name be/ause ,it- immersed kno,led#e and #reat pro#ress% t-ey prote/t
t-emselves. T-ose ,-o abide in t-e 1-arma are #iven t-at name be/ause ,it- avera#e kno,led#e
and avera#e pro#ress% t-ey abide at a level ,-ere t-ey neit-er advan/e nor re#ress. T-ose ,-o must
kno, t-e 1-arma are #iven t-at name be/ause ,it- little #ain% kno,led#e% dili#en/e and vi#or%
t-ey are able to rea/- indestru/tible liberation in t-e mind. T-ose ,-o embody indestru/tible
1-arma are #iven t-at name be/ause ,it- s-arp kno,led#e% #reat pro#ress% t-ey rea/- t-e initial
sta#e o t-e indestru/tible liberation in t-e mind. T-ose ,-o are liberated based on ,isdom are
#iven t-at name be/ause t-ey -ave not been able to enter t-e various dhy.na sta#es and not yet
ended all outlo,s in varyin# de#rees. T-ose ,-o are liberated in total are #iven t-at name be/ause
t-ey -ave rea/-ed t-e various dhy.na sta#es and -ave ended all outlo,s in varyin# de#rees.
+ome arhats are al,ays ,eary o satisa/tion ,it- re#ard to all /onditioned d-armas; t-ey
urt-ermore do not seek merit but ,ait or t-e time ,-en t-ey enter nirvana. +ome arhats seek t-e
8our #hy.na +ta#es% t-e 8our 8ormless Samadhis% t-e 8our 4mpartial Mindstates% t-e Ei#-t 8orms
o 7iberation% t-e Ei#-t +uperior +ta#es% t-e Eleven 4nterje/tions% t-e Nine +e"uen/es% and t-e si5t-
spiritual po,er. T-eir ,is- or t-e ,isdom o aranya samadhi Nt-e C-inese reer to t-is as t-e aranya
,it-out /ontention% ,-i/- is /alled ,it-out doin#% or empty and still. T-e earlier edition says t-at +ub-uti al,ays
pra/ti/es emptiness and stillness; -en/e -e is naturally ,it-out /ontention. +omeone ,-o pra/ti/es non:/ontention s-all
prote/t sentient bein#s so t-ey do not i#-t. An e5ample o i#-tin# ,as t-e /ase o PMriputra and Ma-Mmaud#alyMyana
enterin# t-e pottery -ouse ,-ere Kau-ila slept and a battle ensuedO. T-ey -ave trans/ended t-e samadhi
derived rom bein# permeated in t-e T-ree 7iberation 1oors o #hy.na and t-e lettin# #o o t-em
N7ettin# #o o t-e T-ree 7iberation 1oors% bein# empty o vo,s and marks. Bein# empty o vo,s and marks means
be/omin# atta/-ed to t-e mindulness o t-e T,elve 1oors in reverseO. 6it- urt-er s-arpened sense a/ulties
and dili#ent vi#or% t-ey enter various dhy.na merits. T-is is /alled t-e a/"uirin# o t-e Non:
retreatin# 1-arma and t-e 4ndestru/tible 1-arma.
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4n times ,-en t-ere ,ere no Budd-as in t-e ,orld% no Budd-ad-arma% and no dis/iples o t-e
Budd-a% t-ose ,-o -ave parted ,it-out desire emer#e as Pratyekabuddhas. T-ere are t-ree types
o PratyekabuddhasD superior% avera#e and inerior. T-ose o t-e inerior type are already
srotap.nnas. T-ey ,ill be/ome sakd.g.mins in t-eir sevent- lietime as -uman bein#s. At a time
,-en t-ere is no Budd-ad-arma% t-ey ,ill not #et to be dis/iples; urt-ermore% t-ey s-ould not
under#o an ei#-t- lietime. T-ey be/ome Pratyekabuddhas t-en. 6ere sakd.g.mins to be/ome
born or a se/ond lietime ,-en t-ere is no Budd-ad-arma% t-ey ,ould not be able to be dis/iples;
urt-ermore t-ey s-ould not under#o a t-ird lietime. T-ey be/ome Pratyekabuddhas t-en. +ome
people ,is- to be/ome Pratyekabuddhas. 6-ile t-ey are plantin# roots o #oodness or be/omin#
Pratyekabuddhas% t-eir roots o #oodness ripen but t-ere is no Budd-ad-arma. At t-at time% t-ey
be/ome ,eary o t-e ,orld and leave t-e -omelie to attain t-e ,ay; t-ey are /alled
Pratyekabuddhas. T-ese are /alled avera#e Pratyekabuddhas. +ome people seek Budd-a-ood but
due to /onditions and little ,isdom and vi#or% t-ey retreat Nsu/- as PMriputraO. 4n times ,-en t-ere are
no Budd-as in t-e ,orld% no Budd-ad-arma% and no dis/iples o t-e Budd-a% t-ose ,-ose #ood
roots and /ondu/ts -ave matured be/ome Pratyekabuddhas ,it- many or e, ine eatures. 6eary
o t-e ,orld% t-ey leave t-e -omelie to attain t-e ,ay; t-ey are /alled superior Pratyekabuddhas.
Enterin# ,isdom li#-tly ,it- re#ard to all d-armas% t-ey are /alled arhats; understandin# ,isdom
to an avera#e e5tent% t-ey are /alled Pratyekabuddhas; enterin# ,isdom deeply% t-ey are /alled
Budd-as. Iust as ,e /annot tell t-e dieren/e amon# t-e bran/-es in lookin# at a tree rom a
distan/e; /loser in% ,e /an tell t-e dieren/e in t-e bran/-es. T-ou#- ,e /annot tell t-e dieren/e
bet,een lo,ers and leaves% ,e /an /ompletely tell apart t-e bran/-es% leaves% lo,ers and ruits
rom beneat- t-e tree. +ound 9earers /an kno, all /ondu/ts are impermanent% all d-armas are
,it-out a -ost and t-at only nirvana is #ood and pea/eul. +ound 9earers /an /ontemplate in t-is
,ay but /annot dierentiate or kno, in dept-. Pratyekabuddhas /an dierentiate sli#-tly% but t-ey
/annot enter and kno, in dept- eit-er. T-e Budd-as kno, all d-armas and are able to dierentiate
t-orou#-ly and eortlessly% enterin# and kno,in# in dept-. 8or instan/e% Kin# $aranasi ,as sittin#
on a bed made o seven kinds o #ems up on a to,er durin# t-e -eat o t-e summer% -e ordered a
youn# servant to rub o5 -ead /-andana in/ense on -im. T-e youn# servant ,ore a lot o bra/elets
on -er arms and t-e /onstant jin#lin# o t-e ban#les bot-ered t-e kin# ,-en -e ,as bein# rubbed.
+-e ,as ordered to take t-e bra/elets o one by one so t-e noise de/reased until t-ere ,as only one
bra/elet let% t-en it ,as /omplete silen/e. T-e kin# reali@ed and uttered% 0T-e ministers and
/iti@ens o t-is /ountry and t-e sta and maids -ere are similarly busy and re"uently bot-ered.3 At
t-at time% -e let desire and ,-ile /ontemplatin# alone% -e be/ame a Pratyekabuddha. 9air ell o
o -is -ead; robes donned -im naturally. 9e let t-e to,erin# pavilion% and ,it- -is supernatural
ability to travel% -e let t-e -ouse-olders. lie and entered t-e mountains. T-ese are t-e /auses and
/onditions or an avera#e Pratyekabuddha.
8or pra/titioners interested in Budd-a-ood% ,-en t-ey meditate% t-ey s-ould irst o/us t-eir minds
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on t-e p-ysi/al bodies o all Budd-as t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions in t-e t-ree periods o time. 1o
not o/us on eart-% ,ater% ire% ,ind% mountains% trees% #rass or plants. 1o not t-ink about any orm
in t-e universe and ot-er t-in#s in t-e universe. Iust o/us on all t-e p-ysi/al bodies o t-e Budd-as
in t-e air. 8or e5ample% in t-e middle o a /lear sea stands t-e #olden kin# o mountains% Mt.
+umeru. 7ike a -u#e ire bla@in# in t-e dark o t-e ni#-t or like a banner o seven je,els in t-e
temple o #reat /-arity% t-e Budd-as. bodies are t-e same. T-ey /onsist o *& -allmarks and A'
subsidiary /-ara/teristi/s% al,ays emittin# ininite li#-ts o purity in t-e blue sky. Al,ays mindul
o t-e eatures o Budd-as. bodies in t-is ,ay% pra/titioners ,ill rea/- t-e Samadhi o +eein#
Everyt-in# ,-ere all Budd-as t-rou#-out t-e t-ree periods o time and in t-e ten dire/tions are
beore t-eir mind.s eye. 4 t-e mind is some,-ere else% #ently pull it ba/k so t-at it is mindul o
t-e bodies o t-e Budd-as. At t-at time% t-ey ,ill t-en see *''%''' @illion kinds o Budd-as
ininitely. 4t is t-e same or t-e dire/tions sout-% ,est% and nort-% t-e our /orners% @enit- and nadir.
T-ey ,ill see all Budd-as dependin# on t-e dire/tion o t-eir o/us% like someone ,-o ,at/-es t-e
/onstellations in t-e ni#-t sky% millions o stars o ininite kinds are all seen. 6-en t-e Bod-isattvas
a/"uire samadhi% t-i/k layers o oense t-rou#-out ininite eons be/ome t-in and t-in layers o
oense disappear. 9avin# rea/-ed t-is samadhi% t-ey s-all be mindul o t-e Budd-as. assortment
o ininite merit% all ,isdom% all understandin#% all vie,s% and all virtue. T-ey t-en attain #reat
kindness% #reat /ompassion and ease. 4#noran/e is on its initial ,ay out. T-e 8our 8earlessnesses%
t-e 8ive Eyes% t-e Ten Bo,ers% t-e 1A Kni"ue 1-armas /an eliminate boundless suerin#s and
res/ue bein#s ,-o are a#in#% dyin#% or in ear so t-at t-ey enjoy nirvana t-at is /onstant and
blissul. T-e Budd-as possess t-ese various types o ininite merit% so ,e t-ink to ourselves and
,is-% 06-en ,ill 4 a/"uire t-e mi#-tily meritorious body o a Budd-a23 8urt-ermore% makin# t-is
#reat vo,% 0May all my blessin#s rom t-e past and present be dire/ted to t-e pursuit o
Budd-a-ood. No ot-er retribution is ne/essary.3 8urt-ermore% to t-ink% 0All bein#s are so sad. T-e
merits and virtues o all bodies o Budd-as are a,esome% ,-y ,ould sentient bein#s seek any ot-er
karma and not Budd-a-ood2 8or e5ample% t-e blind son o an elite amily alls into a lar#e and
deep pit; -e suers rom -un#er% poverty% and -ards-ip. 9e eats e5/rement and mud. 9is at-er
pities -im and ,it- e5pedients% res/ues -im out o t-e deep pit and eed -im superior deli/a/y.3
Bra/titioners t-ink% 0T-e s,eet de,:like merits and virtues o t-e t,o types o bodies o a Budd-a
are t-e same ,ay. 6-ereas all bein#s all into t-e deep pit o birt- and deat- and eat all kinds o
impurities; ,it- #reat /ompassion 4 s-all res/ue all bein#s so t-ey reali@e Budd-a-ood and rea/-
t-e ot-er s-ore o birt- and deat-. May 4 make t-em ull ,it- t-e lavor o 1-arma based on t-e
Budd-as. various merits and virtues. May t-ey a/"uire all Budd-ad-armas. May t-ey use listenin#%
re/itin#% up-oldin#% in"uirin#% /ontemplatin# and /ondu/t as t-eir ladder in rea/-in# or ruitions.
May t-ey make key oat-s and ,ear t-ree s-ields o vo,s. May t-ey s-atter t-e demoni/ multitudes
outside and atta/k t-e t-ieves o knots inside strai#-t on ,it-out turnin# ba/k. T-ese t-ree vo,s
abide in ea/- and every one o t-e ininite vo,s. 6is-in# to reali@e Budd-a-ood to save sentient
bein#s% t-ey are mindul in t-is ,ay and make vo,s in t-is ,ay% ,-i/- is t-e Bod-isattvas.
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Samadhi o Mindulness o t-e Budd-as.
4 amon# t-e t-ree poisons% t-ose ,-o pra/ti/e t-e Bod-isattva pat- -ave more lust s-ould irst
/ontemplate t-eir bodies. T-e *6 obje/ts su/- as bones% les-% skin% marro,% veins% blood% liver%
lun#s% intestines% stoma/-% stool% urine% tears and saliva /an be /ontemplated as impure in nine
,ays. 8o/us on /ontemplatin# in,ardly and do not let t-ou#-ts run out. 6-en t-ou#-ts run out to
e5ternal /onditions% pull t-em ba/k in. Iust as someone ,-o enters t-e #ranary ,it- a /andle in
-and% -e re/o#ni@es all t-e dierent types o beans% ,-eat and #rains. 8urt-ermore% /ontemplate t-e
si5 /omponents o t-e bodyD solidity is t-e /omponent eart-% moisture is t-e /omponent ,ater% -eat
is t-e /omponent ire% movement is t-e /omponent ,ind% aperture is t-e /omponent emptiness and
a,areness is t-e /omponent /ons/iousness. Also% just as t-e a bull is slau#-tered into si5 parts% t-e
body% -ead and t-e our limbs are ea/- in a dierent pla/e% t-e body ,it- its nine apertures
/onstantly drip impurities ,-ile t-e sa/ks /ontain e5/rement. Al,ays /ontemplate in t-is ,ay and
do not let it t-ink about e5ternals% #ently pull ba/k t-ou#-ts t-at run out to t-e e5ternals. Gn/e
o/used% t-ey #ro, ,eary o t-e troubles and seek to part ,it- t-is body% ,is-in# to be/ome
e5tin#uis-ed soon and enter nirvana. At t-at time% t-ey s-ould brin# ort- #reat kindness and #reat
/ompassion% ,it- #reat merit and virtue% -elp sentient bein#s make t-e t-ree vo,s above. 0+in/e no
sentient bein# is a,are or pure% -en/e developin# various oense deilements% 4 s-all lit t-em onto
t-e #round o s,eet de,. 8urt-ermore% sentient bein#s o t-e 1esire Healm enjoy and are atta/-ed
to impurities like do#s t-at eat /rap. 4 s-all save t-em so t-ey rea/- t-e pat- o purity. 8urt-ermore%
4 s-all study and seek all 1-armas. marks o reality% ,-i/- are neit-er permanent nor impermanent%
neit-er pure nor impure. 6-y am 4 atta/-ed to su/- impurities2 Contemplate t-e kno,led#e o
impurities /ome rom /auses and /onditions.3 T-ose ,-o a//ord ,it- my 1-arma s-ould pursue
t-e marks o reality.
6-y do ,e be/ome ,eary o t-e impurities in t-e body and seek nirvana2 Iust as an elep-ant rides
on t-e ,aters to its ountain-ead% ,e be/ome e5tin/t and enter nirvana ,-en ,e a/"uire t-e marks
o true d-arma. 9o, /an ,e be like monkeys and rabbits t-at ear ridin# on ,ater and -en/e only
-ead to,ard personal salvation2 04 s-all emulate t-e Bod-isattvas and pra/ti/e t-e /ontemplation o
impurity% eliminate lust% transorm sentient bein#s on a vast s/ale% and not dro,n in my dis#ust
based on t-e /ontemplation o impurity. 8urt-ermore% -avin# /ontemplated impurities and #ro,n
,eary o t-e /y/le o birt- and deat-% 4 s-all /ontemplate -o, t-e pra/ti/e o purity is tied to t-e
t-ree spots o t-e mindD t-e tip o t-e nose% bet,een t-e eyebro,s and on t-e ore-ead. 4 s-all o/us
on one in/- o open skin ,it- blood and les- /leansed in t-at area and /on/entrate on t-e bones.
1o not let t-ou#-ts run to ot-er t-in#s% ,-en t-ey /ontra/t ot-er e5ternal t-in#s% #ently pull t-em
ba/k. Abide in t-ese t-ree /onditions and en#a#e in a /onstant battle ,it- t-e mind. Iust like t,o
,restlers% i t-e pra/titioner deeats t-e mind% t-en it is tamed and stays put% ,-i/- is /alled t-e
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sin#leness o mind. 4 4 ,ere sympat-eti/ally mindul o sentient bein#s% ,it- #reat /ompassion
based on ,eariness% t-en t-is empty set o skeleton stays ar a,ay rom nirvana and enters t-e t-ree
evil realms. 4 s-all dili#ently /reate various merits and virtues% tea/-in# sentient bein#s so t-ey
understand t-e emptiness o t-e marks o t-e body. T-e bones are merely /overed by skin and are
a/tually an a//umulation o impurities. 8or t-e sake o sentient bein#s% 4 s-all dierentiate t-e
marks o t-ese various d-armas.3 6it- e,er t-ou#-ts o purity% t-e mind develops atta/-ments;
,it- more t-ou#-ts o impurity% t-e mind #ro,s ,eary. +in/e t-e marks o 1-arma maniest% t-e
true d-arma develops. T-e true si#ns o all d-armas are neit-er pure nor impure; t-ere is neit-er
s-uttin#:in nor leavin# t-e d-armas o /ontemplation. 4ndestru/tible and immovable% t-ey are
/alled t-e true si#ns o all d-armas Nleavin# means en/ounterin# t-e d-armas o arhatsO. Bra/ti/in#
Bod-isattvas ,-o tend to be more -ateul and an#ry s-all pra/ti/e kindness. Be mindul o sentient
bein#s in t-e east. 6it- vast and boundless kindness and purity and ,it-out resentment or -atred%
see all bein#s beore your eyes; do so too or sout-% nort- and ,est% t-e our intermediary dire/tions
and above and belo,. 1is/ipline t-e mind to pra/ti/e kindness and do not let it t-ink about e5ternal
t-in#s. 6-en t-ou#-ts #o out to dierent /onditions% #ently brin# t-em ba/k. 6-ile maintainin#
t-is mindstate% /ontemplate all bein#s and see everyt-in# /learly as i all ,ere beore you. Gn/e
o/used% you s-all make t-is vo,% 06it- t-e truly pure 1-arma o nirvana% 4 s-all save sentient
bein#s so t-ey attain true bliss.3 T-ose ,-o pra/ti/e samadhi mindstates o kindness su/- as t-ese
are on t-e pat- o Bod-isattvas. T-ose ,-o abide in t-e samadhi o kindness and /ontemplate t-e
true marks o all d-armas as pure% indestru/tible and immovable% ,is- sentient bein#s to a/"uire
t-e beneits o t-is 1-arma. 6it- t-is samadhi% t-ey are kindly mindul o all bein#s in t-e east so
t-at t-ey attain t-e bliss o Budd-as. Bra/titioners do t-e same or bein#s t-rou#-out t-e ten
dire/tions ,it-out alterin# or distra/tin# t-eir mind. T-is is /alled t-e Samadhi 1oor o
Bod-isattvas. Kindness.
FuestionD 6-y are t-ey not mindul o sentient bein#s t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions
simultaneously2
Ans,erD 4t is easier to o/us on one dire/tion% and t-en /over all dire/tions in order.
FuestionD 9o, /an people ,it- enemies ,-o al,ays ,is- to -arm t-em pra/ti/e kindness so t-at
t-eir enemies be/ome -appier2
Ans,erD Kindness is a 1-arma o t-e mind and /omes rom t-e mind. 8irst dire/t it at t-ose dear to
you t-en in turn dire/t it to your enemies; ire t-at burns stron#ly /an dry moisture.
FuestionD +ometimes sentient bein#s e5perien/e various orms o suerin#; sometimes t-ey are in
t-e -uman realm and sometimes t-ey are in t-e -ells. T-ou#- t-e Bod-isattvas are kind% -o, /an
t-ese bein#s be/ome -appier2
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Ans,erD 8irst emulate t-e traits o -appiness o -appy people so t-at t-ose ,-o suer seem to -ave
attained su/- -appiness; just as deeated #enerals are ri#-tened% see all t-eir enemies as
/oura#eous kni#-ts.
FuestionD 6-at beneits are t-ere to pra/ti/in# t-e Samadhi o Kindness2
Ans,erD Bra/titioners t-ink to t-emselves% 09avin# let t-e -ouse-olders. lie and t-e se/ular
,orld% 4 s-ould pra/ti/e kindness.3 8urt-ermore% t-ey t-ink% 0Beople ,-o believe in #enerosity
s-ould pra/ti/e beneittin# ot-ers as t-e Budd-a said. Bra/ti/in# kindness is to a//ord ,it- t-e
tea/-in#s o t-e Budd-a; t-at ,ay t-ey ,ill not -ave entered t-is pat- and re/eived oerin#s in
vain. 8urt-ermore% t-ou#- t-ey are p-ysi/ally dressed in dyed robes% t-eir minds s-ould not be
dyed. T-e po,er o t-e kindness samadhi /an make t-e mind untainted. 08urt-ermore% 4 pra/ti/e
kindness in a ,orld ,it- s-attered d-armas. 4 am someone ,it- t-e 1-arma in t-e midst o
multitudes ,it-out t-e 1-arma. +omeone ,it- t-e 1-arma like me is ree o ali/tions be/ause 4
a//ord ,it- t-e 1-arma and t-e po,er o t-e samadhi o kindness.3 Bod-isattvas pra/ti/e and -ead
or t-e door o s,eet de, so t-at various -eated ali/tions be/ome /ool kindness and joy. Iust as
t-e Budd-a said% 0+omeone e5tremely -ot s-ould enter t-e /ool pool o joy.3 8urt-ermore% don t-e
s-ield o #reat kindness to s-elter a#ainst t-e arro,s o ali/tion. Kindness is t-e 1-arma medi/ine
t-at dissolves resentment and unties t-e knots o venom. 6-en ali/tions burn t-e mind% kindness
/an e5tin#uis- t-em. Kindness is t-e 1-arma ladder t-at allo,s us to /limb onto t-e platorm o
liberation. Kindness is t-e 1-arma boat t-at allo,s us to /ross t-e sea o birt- and deat-. Amon#
t-e valuables o 1-arma based on poverty and #oodness% kindness is a most superior #em. Alon#
t-e journey to nirvana% kindness is t-e sustenan/e or t-e ,ay. Kindness is t-e stallion t-at /arries
us into nirvana. Kindness is t-e bold #eneral ,-o leaps over t-e t-ree evil realms. T-ose ,-o /an
pra/ti/e kindness dissolve and tame t-e multitude o evil so t-at all #ods and #ood spirits al,ays
a//ompany and support t-em.
FuestionD 9o, /an pra/titioners ,-o -ave rea/-ed t-e Samadhi o Kindness avoid losin# it% in a/t%
-o, /an t-ey stren#t-en it2
Ans,erD +tudy t-e pre/epts so t-at t-ey are -eld purely% so t-at ait-:#oers rely on you and deli#-t
in you. +tudy t-e various dhy.na samadhis and ,isdom t-rou#- t-e sin#le:pointedness o mind.
Enjoy bein# in "uiet pla/es and never be la5. Be /ontent ,it- e, desires and pra/ti/e /omplyin#
,it- kind tea/-in#s. Hestrain t-e body and eat little and redu/e -armul sleep. 1o not abandon
/ontemplation in t-e irst part or t-e latter parts o t-e ni#-t. +ave on petty ,ords and keep "uiet.
Kno, t-e time and messa#e ,-ile sittin#% ,alkin#% standin# and re/linin#. 1o not a/t ,it-out
moderation% ,-i/- leads to ati#ue and e5treme suerin#. Adjust -eat and /old so t-at t-ey do not
be/ome bot-ersome. T-ese are kind a/ts t-at beneit. 8urt-ermore% s-are ,it- all people t-e joy o
Budd-a-ood and nirvana. T-is is /alled #reat kindness. Bra/titioners /ontemplate% 0Creat
individuals no, and in t-e uture pra/ti/e kindness to beneit all. 4 am also blessed and aided. 4
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s-all pra/ti/e kindness to repay su/- kindness.3 8urt-ermore% t-ey t-ink% 0Creatly $irtuous Gnes
/onsider it joyul to re#ard all bein#s ,it- kindness and sympat-y% 4 s-all do t-e same.3 To repay
kindness is to be mindul o sentient bein#s so t-ey reali@e t-e bliss o Budd-a-ood and nirvana.
8urt-ermore% t-e po,er o kindness /an make all be/ome joyous% t-eir bodies apart rom -eated
ali/tions and illed ,it- t-e bliss o reres-in# /oolness. Bra/ti/e kindness and blessin#s by
re#ardin# all ,it- pea/e to repay t-eir kindness. 8urt-ermore% kindness oers ,-olesome beneits%
ends -atred% opens t-e door o reputation% is t-e /ause or ine ields rom donors and rebirt- in t-e
"rahm. 9eavens% allo,s t-em to stay in pla/es apart rom desire% eliminates enemies and t-e roots
o /ontention% invites praise rom all Budd-as and respe/t rom ,ise individuals% lets t-em up-old
t-e pure pre/epts% develops t-eir ,isdom% and oers en/ounters ,it- benei/ial 1-armas. Kindness
is t-e /ream o t-e /rop ,it- re#ard to merit and de/ip-ers ,-o are #ood people. T-e mi#-ty po,er
o leavin# t-e -ouse-older.s lie eliminates all evils. A kind response /an tame /urses% -umiliations
and unkindness. Kindness /an /olle/t joy and develop dili#en/e. 4t is t-e /ause and root o ,ealt-
and nobility; it /an /onstru/t a mansion o ,isdom ,it- storerooms o sin/erity and ait- and
various doors o ,-olesome 1-armas. Kindness is ,-at leads to reputation and t-e /ore to respe/t
and ear on t-e part o ot-ers. 4t is t-e true and proper pat- o t-e Budd-as. T-ose ,-o aim to
return evil ,it- evil ,ill e5perien/e t-e -arm. T-e ive types o evil spee/-D untimely spee/-%
untrut-ul spee/-% unbenei/ial spee/-% unkind spee/-% and -ars- spee/-. <Kind individuals= /annot
be ae/ted by t-e ive types o evil spee/- and /annot be -armed by all venomous -arm. 8or
e5ample% a small pyre /annot -eat up t-e #reat o/ean Nbelo, must be reerrin# to -o, Kin# Kdan released
)'' s-otsO. Iust as Kin# Kdan stated ,it- an apadana in t-e :apilavastu SutraD 9e -ad t,o ,ives%
one named 4n/omparable% t-e ot-er named +yamavati. 4n/omparable slanders +yamavati ,-o -as
)'' subordinates. T-e Kin# ,is-ed to s-oot t-em to deat- one by one usin# )'' arro,s. +yamavati
told all -er subordinates% 0+tand be-ind me.3 At t-at time% +yamavati enters t-e Kindness Samadhi
so t-at ,-en t-e kin# s-ot -er ,it- an arro,% it ell to -er eet. T-e se/ond arro, returned to t-e
eet o t-e kin#. T-e kin# ,as e5tremely ri#-tened. 9e ,anted to s-oot a#ain. +yamavati told t-e
kin#% 0+top. 7et us talk to ea/- ot-er as t-at is ,-at /ouples are meant to do. 4 you release t-at
arro,% it ,ill -ead strai#-t or your -eart.3 T-e kin# ,as s/ared and t-re, do,n t-e bo, and #ave
up t-e s-ootin#.
9e asked% 06-at kind o ma#i/ do you -ave23
+-e ans,ered% 04 do not -ave any ma#i/. 4 am a dis/iple o t-e Budd-a ,-o entered t-e Kindness
Samadhi.3
A brie e5planation o t-e Kindness Samadhi may be applied to,ard t-ree /ate#ories o individualsD
ainities ,it- lie% ainities ,it- t-e 1-arma and no ainities. T-ose ,-o -ave not yet be/ome
enli#-tened are t-ose ,it- ainities or lie. !rhats and Pratyekabuddhas are t-ose ,it- ainities
in t-e 1-arma. All Budd-as and 6orld 9onored Gnes are t-ose /alled% ,it- 0no ainities.3 T-is is
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a brie e5planation o t-e pra/ti/e o t-e Kindness Samadhi.
Bra/ti/in# Bod-isattvas ,-o tend to be more deluded amon# t-e t-ree poisons s-all /ontemplate
t-e T,elve Means t-at s-atter t-e t,o types o delusionsD sel delusion t-at is s-attered ,it-in and
delusions about sentient bein#s t-at are s-attered ,it-out. Contemplate t-is% 0+entient bein#s and 4
bot- e5perien/e -ards-ip% /onstantly be/omin# born% /onstantly a#in#% /onstantly #ettin# si/k%
/onstantly dyin#% /onstantly be/omin# e5tin/t and /onstantly e5itin#. +entient bein#s are pat-eti/
and do not kno, t-e e5it and -o, to be/ome liberated.3 8o/us and t-ink% 0Birt-% old a#e% si/kness
and deat- result due to /onditions. 4 s-all urt-er /ontemplate rom ,-i/- /onditions are t-ey
born.3 8o/us and t-inkD birt- results rom t-e /ondition o e5isten/e; e5isten/e results rom t-e
/ondition o #raspin#; #raspin# results rom t-e /ondition o love; love results rom t-e /ondition
o eelin#s; eelin#s result rom t-e /ondition o /onta/t; /onta/t results rom t-e /ondition o t-e
si5 entran/es; t-e si5 entran/es result rom t-e /ondition o name and orm; name and orm result
rom t-e /ondition o /ons/iousness; /ons/iousness results rom t-e /ondition o a/tivity; and
a/tivity results rom t-e /ondition o i#noran/e. 8o/us and t-inkD birt- /eases to be be/ause old a#e
and deat- /ease to be; e5isten/e /eases to be be/ause birt- /eases to be; #raspin# /eases to be
be/ause e5isten/e /eases to be; love /eases to be be/ause #raspin# /eases to be; eelin#s /ease to be
be/ause love /eases to be; /onta/t /eases to be be/ause eelin#s /ease to be; t-e si5 entran/es /ease
to be be/ause /onta/t /eases to be; name and orm /ease to be be/ause t-e si5 entran/es /ease to
be; /ons/iousness /eases to be be/ause name and orm /ease to be; and delusion /eases to be
be/ause a/tivity /eases to be.
6-y are t-ere t,elve2 4#noran/e does kno, about ,-at /omes beore% ,-at /omes ater% and bot-
t-at ,-i/- /omes beore and ater. 4t does not kno, inside% outside% or inside and out. 4t does not
kno, t-e Budd-a% t-e 1-arma% and t-e +an#-a. 4t does not kno, suerin#% -abits% endin#% and t-e
,ay. 4t does not kno, karma% retribution or karmi/ retribution. 4t does not kno, /ause% /ondition%
or /auses and /onditions. 4t does not kno, oenses% blessin#s% or oenses and blessin#s. 4t does not
kno, #oodness% t-e absen/e o #oodness% or #oodness and t-e absen/e o #oodness. 4t does not
kno, oense d-armas or d-armas o no oense. 4t does not kno, d-armas to dra, near or
d-armas to stay a,ay rom. 4t does not kno, d-armas o outlo, or non:outlo,. 4t does not kno,
,orldly d-arma or trans/endental d-arma. 4t does not kno, d-armas o t-e past% present or uture.
4t does not kno, bla/k or ,-ite d-armas. 4t does not kno, to distin#uis- bet,een /auses and
/onditions. 4t does not kno, t-e d-arma o t-e si5 /onta/ts. 4t does not kno, t-e d-arma o true
/ertii/ation. T-ese various types o dark i#noran/e t-at prevent us rom kno,in#% rom ,isdom%
rom seein# are /alled i#noran/e.
4#noran/e /onditions a/tivity. 6-at does it mean by a/tivity2 T-ere are t-ree types o a/tivitiesD
a/tivities o t-e body% spee/- and mind. 6-at does it mean by a/tivities o t-e body2 4n-alin# and
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e5-alin# are a/tivities o t-e body. 6-y2 T-ese are p-ysi/al 1-arma pra/ti/es; t-ereore t-ey are
/alled a/tivities o t-e body.
6-y is t-ere a,areness and /ontemplation o t-e a/tivities o spee/-2 4t is be/ause t-ey are a,are
and /ontemplate beore speakin#. 4 t-ere is no a,areness and /ontemplation% t-ere is no talkin#.
T-is is /alled a/tivities o spee/-.
6-at does it mean by a/tivities o t-e mind Npain reers to t-e t-ree types o pain to ,-i/- people in t-e ,orld
are atta/-ed. Bain /omes rom eelin#; eelin# is elt dependin# on t-e joys and suerin# in a realm. T-ere is none in
t-e upper realms. T-ereore it is best to say t-at eelin#s and t-ou#-ts are still trouble or t-ose ,-o -ave let t-e
-ouse-older.s lieO2 T-ou#-t re#ardin# pain is a d-arma o t-e mind. 4t is /onne/ted to t-e mind;
t-ereore it is /alled a/tivities o t-e mind.
8urt-ermore% t-e 1esire Healm is tied to a/tivities% t-e 8orm Healm is tied to a/tivities% and t-e
8ormless Healm is tied to a/tivities. Moreover% t-ere are ,-olesome /ondu/t% un,-olesome
/ondu/t and unae/ted /ondu/t. 6-at is ,-olesome /ondu/t2 All ,-olesome /ondu/ts in t-e
1esire Healm are also t-e t-ird #round in t-e 8orm Healm. 6-at is un,-olesome /ondu/t2 All
un,-olesome d-armas2 6-at is unae/ted /ondu/t2 T-e 8ourt- #hy.na.s ,-olesome /ondu/t
,it- outlo, and t-e /ondu/t o ,-olesome samadhi ,it- outlo, in t-e 8ormless Healm are
/alled a/tivities. A/tivities /ondition /ons/iousness. 6-at does it mean by /ons/iousness2 T-e si5
types o realms o /ons/iousness ran#e rom t-e eye /ons/iousness to t-e mind /ons/iousness.
T-ese are /alled t-e +i5 Types o Cons/iousness. Cons/iousness /onditions name and orm. 6-at
does it mean by name2 T-e our divisions o pain% t-ou#-ts% a/tivities and /ons/iousness in t-e
8ormless Healm are /alled name. 6-at does it mean by orm2 T-e our elements and t-e
/omposition o all orm are /alled orm. 6-at are t-e our elements2 Eart-% ,ater% ire and ,ind.
6-at is eart-2 T-at ,-i/- is solid and -eavy is eart-. T-at ,-i/- is moist and ,et is ,ater. T-at
,-i/- is -ot is ire. T-at ,-i/- is li#-t and movin# is ,ind. Gt-er orms /an be seen. 1ualities and
non:dualities are /alled t-e /ompositions o orm. T-e /ombination o name and orm are /alled
name and orm. Name and orm /ondition t-e si5 entran/es. 6-at are t-e si5 entran/es2 T-e inner
si5 entran/es ran#e rom t-e inner entran/e o t-e eye to t-e inner entran/e o t-e mind. T-ese are
/alled t-e si5 entran/es. T-e si5 entran/es /ondition /onta/t. 6-at is /onta/t2 T-e si5 realms o
/onta/t ran#e rom /onta/t ,it- t-e eye to /onta/t t-rou#- t-e mind. 6-at is /onta/t ,it- t-e eye2
T-e eyes /ondition orm% ,-i/- #ives rise to eye /ons/iousness. T-e /ombination o t-ese t-ree is
,-at is /alled /onta/t ,it- t-e eyes. T-e same applies on up to /onta/t t-rou#- t-e mind. Conta/t
/onditions eelin#. 6-at is eelin#2 T-e t-ree types o eelin# are t-e eelin#s o joy% suerin# and
neutrality. 6-at is t-e eelin# o joy2 A servant o love. 6-at is t-e eelin# o suerin#2 A servant
o -atred. 6-at is t-e eelin# o neutrality2 A servant o delusion. 8urt-ermore% t-e eelin# o joy
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produ/es joy% ,-en joy abides% suerin# e5tin#uis-es. T-e eelin# o suerin# produ/es suerin#%
,-en suerin# abides% joy e5tin#uis-es. T-e eelin# o neutrality is neit-er a,are o suerin# nor
joy. 8eelin# /onditions love. 6-at is love2 Conta/t bet,een t-e eyes and orm produ/es love and
on up to /onta/t bet,een mind and d-arma% also produ/in# love. 7ove /onditions #raspin#. 6-at is
#raspin#2 Craspin# o desire% #raspin# o vie,% #raspin# o pre/epts% #raspin# o t-e sel% and
#raspin# o lan#ua#e. Craspin# /onditions e5isten/e. 6-at is e5isten/e2 T-e t-ree types o
e5isten/e are t-e e5isten/e o desire% t-e e5isten/e o orm and t-e e5isten/e o ormlessness. 8rom
do,n belo, in t-e Avi/i on up to t-e 9eaven o Gt-ers. Transormation o Ease are /alled t-e
e5isten/e o desire. 4t /an brin# ort- karma. 6-at is t-e e5isten/e o orm2 8rom t-e "rahm.
Healm do,n belo, on up to t-e !kaniha 9eaven are /alled t-e e5isten/e o orm. 6-at is t-e
e5isten/e o ormlessness2 8rom spa/e and on up to t-e spa/e o neit-er t-ou#-t nor no t-ou#-t is
/alled t-e e5isten/e o ormlessness. E5isten/e /onditions birt-. 6-at is birt-2 $arious sentient
bein#s are born rom various pla/es. 6it- t-e skandha o eelin#% bein#s a/"uire up-oldin#%
enterin# and lie% ,-i/- are /alled birt-. Birt- /onditions old a#e and deat-. 6-at is deat-2 T-e
allin# o teet-% t-e #rayin# o -air% t-e ,rinklin# o skin% t-e ripenin# o t-e senses% t-e breakin# o
t-e senses% and t-e /-okin# o breat-% t-e body -un/-es so t-at bein#s ,alk ,it- a /ane. T-e
skandha body ,it-ers% ,-i/- is /alled a#in#. 6-at is deat-2 All bein#s every,-ere retreat% all%
plummet and be/ome e5tin/t. T-ey die and lose t-eir lie% ,-i/- is /alled deat-. 8irst a#e t-en
dyin#; -en/e t-e name old a#e and deat-.
6it- re#ard to t-e T,elve Causal 7inks% not-in# in t-e ,orld /an avoid tou/-in# /auses and
/onditions. T-in#s do not /ome rom t-e -eavens% -umans and ot-er deviant /onditions. T-e
Bod-isattvas /ontemplate t-e T,elve Causal 7inks ,it- an unae/ted mind t-at is tied to one
t-ou#-t and does not t-ink about t-e e5ternals. 6-en t-e mind /onditions e5ternals% it is #ently
brou#-t ba/k. Contemplate t-e T,elve Causal 7inks bein# born rom t-e t-ree periods o time%
past% present and uture. 4 Bod-isattvas abide in t-e mind% t-ey s-ould /ontemplate t-at t-e T,elve
Causal 7inks are empty and t-ere is no -ost. 1elusion does not kno, t-at t-e sel /reates t-e
a/tivities; a/tivities do not kno, t-at t-e sel /omes rom t-e e5isten/e o delusion. But or t-e
/ondition o i#noran/e% a/tivities /ome ort-. 7ike seeds t-at develop into ve#etation t-rou#- buds%
seeds do not kno, t-at t-ey /ome rom t-e buds ,-ile buds do not kno, t-at t-ey /ome rom t-e
seeds eit-er. T-is is appli/able to old a#e and deat- and ot-ers. Contemplate and kno, ea/- o t-e
T,elve Causal 7inks as ,it-out a -ost and a sel. Iust as ve#etation outside -as no -ost% t-e sel
only e5ists due to /al/ulations based on perverted vie,s.
FuestionD 4 t-ere ,ere no sel% no -ost and no a/tion% ,-y are leavin# and /omin# e5plained as
dyin# -ere and be/omin# born t-ere2
Ans,erD Alt-ou#- t-ere is no sel% t-e si5 emotions /reate t-e /auses% t-e si5 sense obje/ts /reate
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t-e /onditions and in t-eir midst /ome t-e si5 /ons/iousnesses. T-ese t-ree items /ombine so
/onta/t o//urs and t-ou#-ts are a,are o all karma. T-ereore leavin# and /omin# are e5plained as
dyin# -ere and be/omin# born t-ere. 8or instan/e% t-e /ause o t-e sun.s love or t-e pearl and t-e
sun.s dryin# t-e /o, dun# led to t-eir e5pedient union% -en/e ire o//urs. T-e 8ive Skandhas are
t-e same. T-ereore t-e 8ive Skandhas /ome into bein# and t-e 8ive Skandhas emer#e in uture
lives. 4t is not t-at t-ese ive skandhas #o to uture lives or t-at t-ese ive skandhas -ere are not let
be-ind to attain t-e ive skandhas in uture lives. T-e 8ive Skandhas /ome ort- rom t-e /ausal
links just as t-e #rains /ome ort- rom sprouts. T-e seeds are not t-e sprouts and did not /ome
ort- rom anyt-in# ot-er t-an sprouts. T-ey are neit-er dierent nor one. T-is is also -o, t-ey
a/"uire uture lives. 8or e5ample% a tree did not -ave any bran/-es% leaves% lo,ers and ruits
earlier; but ,it- t-e /auses and /onditions o seasons% it be/omes /omplete ,it- lo,ers and leaves.
T-e a/tivities and /onse"uen/es o #ood and evil are just so too. T-e seeds de#enerate t-ereore
t-ey are neit-er /onstant nor one. T-e sprouts% bran/-es% leaves and ot-ers /ome into bein#
t-ereore do not sever and are no dierent. T-e /ontinuity o deat- and birt- is just so too.
Bra/titioners say% 0T-e 1-arma is impermanent; suerin# and emptiness is ,it-out a sel; /omin#
into bein# and /easin# o//ur on t-eir o,n.3 Kno, t-at love and ot-er /auses e5ist; kno, t-at
e5tin/tion o /auses is /ompletion; and kno, t-at /ompletion is t-e pat-. Kno, t-e T,elve Causal
7inks ,it- t-e our kinds o ,isdom is t-e pat- o proper vie,. +entient bein#s are de/eived by
entan#led atta/-ments like someone ,-o o,ns a pri/eless #em but does not kno, t-at it is
aut-enti/ and is de/eived by ot-ers. At t-at time% Bod-isattvas be/ome #reatly /ompassionate% 04
s-all be/ome a Budd-a to transorm sentient bein#s ,it- t-e proper and true 1-arma so t-at t-ey
see t-e proper pat-.3
FuestionD Iust as t-e +ah.y.na PrajE.p.ramit. says% 0All d-armas do not /ome into bein# nor
/ease to be; t-ere is not-in# ,-atsoever ot-er t-an emptiness. T-at one si#n is no si#n% ,-i/- is
/alled t-e proper vie,.3 6-at does it mean to /all impermanen/e and ot-er /ontemplations t-e
proper vie,2
Ans,erD 4 t-e +ah.y.na says t-at all d-armas are empty and devoid o si#ns% ,-y does it say
impermanen/e% suerin#% emptiness and ot-ers ,ere untrue2 4 it says emptiness t-at does not
/ome into bein# nor /ease to be is a si#n o reality% t-en it s-ould not say it is o no si#n. 6-at you
say earlier and later are in/onsistent. 8urt-ermore% t-e Budd-a talks about t-e 8our Berversions.
T-ere is /onstant perversion in impermanen/e makes some sense. All /onditioned t-in#s are
impermanent. 6-y do /auses and /onditions /ome ort-2 T-ere are no permanent /auses and no
permanent /onditions% so -o, /an t-e ruits t-at /ome ort- be /onstant2 8irst t-ere ,as none% no,
is e5ists. E5istent% it is t-en #one. All bein#s see impermanen/e% ,-i/- /ontains old a#e% si/kness
and deat-. E5ternally t-ey see all t-in#s ,it-er. 9en/e ,e talk about impermanen/e bein# unreal.
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FuestionD 4 do not say t-at permanen/e is real and impermanen/e is unreal. 4 say t-at bot-
permanen/e and impermanen/e are unreal. 6-y2 T-e Budd-a said% 0Bot- permanen/e and
impermanen/e in emptiness /annot be attained. To be atta/-ed to t-ese t,o is to be /ompletely
perverted.3
Ans,erD !our ,ords do not /orrespond ,it- t-e 1-arma. 6-y2 !ou say t-ere is no d-arma% t-en
you say bot- are perverted. All are empty and none5istent% t-ereore <t-at d-arma= is real and not
perverted. 4 4 s-atter e5isten/e and are /onstantly atta/-ed to impermanen/e% my d-arma s-ould be
s-attered and t-e sel is not real. T-e perversion o e5isten/e bein# /onstant is s-attered% t-ereore
/ontemplate impermanen/e. 6-y2 T-e po,er o impermanen/e /an s-atter permanent e5isten/e.
Iust as poison is antidote or ot-er poisons. Iust as medi/ine% on/e taken to eliminate si/kness% is
#one too. 6e s-ould kno, t-at t-e medi/ine is ,onderul in its ability to alleviate si/knesses. 4 t-e
medi/ine does not disappear% t-en medi/ine be/omes a si/kness later. +imilarly% i atta/-ments to
impermanent d-armas s-ould be s-attered be/ause t-ey are unreal% t-en ,-at is t-ere to s-atter
,it- re#ard to t-e sel t-at does not a//ept t-e d-arma o impermanen/e2 T-e Budd-a said%
0+uerin# is t-e t-e real suerin# e5plained in t-e 8our Noble Trut-s.3 6-o /an make you -appy2
T-e /ause o suerin# is a true /ause% ,-o /an make it so it is not a /ause2 T-e end o suerin# is
true endin#% ,-o /an make it not end2 T-e end o t-e ,ay is t-e true ,ay% ,-o /an make it not t-e
,ay2 Iust as t-e sun may /ool% t-e moon may ,arm up% or t-e ,ind may stop movin#% t-e 8our
Noble Trut-s ,ill never be altered. !ou /annot understand t-e Ma-MyMna 1-arma be/ause you are
atta/-ed to ,ords and sounds. T-e various true marks in t-e Ma-MyMna 1-arma /annot be s-attered
be/ause t-ere is no doer. 4 it /an be s-attered or /reated% t-en it is not t-e Ma-MyMna. Iust as t-e
ne, moon is very tiny ,-en it /omes ort- on t-e irst or se/ond day% people ,it- #ood vision see
and point it out to t-ose ,-o do not see. T-ose ,-o do not see stare at t-e in#er and are lost ,it-
re#ard to t-e moon. T-ose ,-o understand say% 08ool% ,-y only stare at my in#er% t-e in#er is t-e
/ondition or t-e moon; t-e in#er is not t-e moon.3 !ou are t-e same ,ay. 6ords and sounds are
not t-e marks o reality% but are borro,ed to e5press true prin/iples. !ou urt-er be/ome atta/-ed
to ,ords and sounds and are o//luded as ar as true marks. 4 you pra/ti/e and a/"uire su/- proper
kno,led#e and vie,s% /ontemplate t-e /ombination o t-e T,elve Causal 7inks and t-e T,o
1ivisions o Cause and Ee/tD t-e T,elve Causal 7inks o Ee/t is t-e trut- o suerin#% t-e
T,elve Causal 7inks o Cause is t-e trut- o pra/ti/e% t-e /easin# o /ause is t-e trut- o /easin#%
and seein# t-at /ause and ee/t /ease is t-e trut- o t-e ,ay. T-ere are our types o /ontemplation
on ee/tD impermanen/e% suerin#% emptiness and no sel. T-e our types o /ontemplation on
/ause areD /olle/tion% /ause% /ondition% and produ/tion.
FuestionD T-ere are our types o ee/t% but only t-e trut- o suerin# is named% t-e rest o t-e
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CBETA No.614
trut-s are not named.
Ans,erD 4 ,e talk about t-e trut- o impermanen/e and you doubt it% you ,ill doubt t-e trut- o
suerin# and t-e trut- o no sel. T-e same dii/ulty applies. 8urt-ermore% i you say t-e trut- o
impermanen/e is aultless% you ,ill say t-at t-e trut-s o emptiness and no sel are also aultless. 4
t-e trut-s about impermanen/e% suerin#% emptiness and no sel ,ere e5plained% t-ey ,ould be
repeated. T-ereore t-e our are e5plained ,it- one.
FuestionD 9o, is suerin# dierent so t-at it is t-e only one amon# t-e t-ree t-at ,as named2
Ans,erD +uerin# is somet-in# t-at all sentient bein#s detest and are ,eary o. +entient bein#s are
araid o it. 4mpermanen/e is dierent. T-ere may be people ,-o% oppressed by suerin#% t-ink o
impermanen/e and suers ,it-out desire.
FuestionD 4s it not suerin# i someone ,is-es to /ommit sui/ide ,it- a knie but treat a t-ie ,it-
bitter medi/ine and a/upun/ture2
Ans,erD 4t is not about ,is-in# to a/"uire suerin# and ,is-in# to preserve bliss. Bein#s ear
deat- be/ause deat- is #rasped. +uerin# is t-e oremost problem and joy is t-e oremost beneit.
T-ereore by leavin# true suerin# is to a/"uire -appiness. 9en/e t-e Budd-a only named t-e trut-
o suerin# amon# t-e divisions o ee/t; it is not t-at t-e trut-s o impermanen/e% emptiness and
no sel are none5istent. Gn/e bein#s understand t-e 8our Noble Trut-s and its true ,isdom% t-ere is
no doubt or re#ret% ,-i/- is /alled proper vie,. Contemplate t-ese and t-ere are various beneits.
T-is is /alled proper a,areness. Eliminate deviant liveli-ood and #at-er:in t-e our kinds o
deviant ,ords. Bart ,it- t-e our ot-er types o deviant ,ords and #at-er:in t-e our kinds o
proper ,ords. Eliminate deviant liveli-ood and #at-er:in t-e t-ree karmas o t-e body; eliminate
t-e t-ree ot-er types o deviant karmas is /alled proper karma. Bart ,it- t-e ot-er orms o deviant
liveli-ood is /alled proper liveli-ood. To dili#ently /ontemplate in t-is ,ay is proper e5pedien/e.
To o/us ,it-out bein# s/attered is /alled proper mindulness. To /ontemplate ,it-out bein#
ae/ted is /alled proper /on/entration. Broper a,areness is like t-e kin# ollo,ed by seven
servants% ,-i/- are /alled t-e trut- o t-e ,ay. 8o/us on t-is and truly believe it ,it-out bein#
ae/ted is /alled t-e root o ait-. To o/us on dili#ently pursuin# t-e ,ay is /alled t-e root o
vi#or. To not or#et to /on/entrate on bein# mindul is /alled t-e root o mindulness. To
/on/entrate t-e mind on one obje/t and not let it be/ome s/attered is /alled t-e root o samadhi.
Contemplatin# and dierentiatin# bet,een impermanen/e and ot-er a,arenesses are /alled roots o
,isdom. T-is is /alled development leadin# to po,er. T-ese are /alled t-e 8ive Bo,ers.
FuestionD T-e Ei#-told Broper Bat- talks about ,isdom% mindulness% /on/entration and ot-ers%
,-y are t-e roots and t-e po,ers repeated2
Ans,erD Kpon enterin# t-e pra/ti/e% pra/titioners initially attain some minor beneit% ,-i/- are
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CBETA No.614
/alled t-e roots at t-at time. 8ive items stren#t-en t-em% ,-i/- are /alled t-e po,ers. 4nitial entry
into non:outlo, and t-e seein# o t-e trut- o t-e ,ay are merit and virtue% ,-i/- are /alled t-e
Ei#-told Broper Bat-. Entry onto t-e pat- o /ontemplation is /alled t-e +even T-ou#-ts on
A,akenin#. Kpon initial entry onto t-e pat-% /ontemplate ,it- a o/used mind t-e pain o t-e body%
,-i/- is /alled Abidin# in t-e 8our Mindulnesses. 4n t-is ,ay% t-ey a/"uire t-e lavor o
,-olesome d-armas rom t-e our types o dili#en/e% ,-i/- are /alled t-e 8our Broper 1ili#en/es.
T-is ,is- to be more dili#ent and enter t-e irst door o /on/entration and ,isdom is /alled t-e
8our +piritual 8ulillments. Alt-ou#- /alled t-e 8our Mindulnesses% 8our Broper 1ili#en/es% 8our
+piritual 8ulillments% t-e 8ive Hoots et/.% ea/- a/"uired its name a//ordin# to t-e a/tivity o
#at-erin#:in t-e mind% ,-et-er it /omes earlier or later% less or more% its /ondu/t% level and
/onditions. Iust as ea/- o t-e 8our Elements /ontains t-e our elements% t-e term is based on t-e
majority o t-e /omposition. 4 t-ere ,ere more elements o eart- and less o ,ater% ire and ,ind%
t-en t-e element is /alled t-e eart- element. T-is applies to t-e elements o ,ater% ire% and ,ind
too.
+imilarly% ea/- o t-e *? Means /ontains all means. Iust as Abidin# in t-e 8our Mindulnesses
/ontains t-e 8our Broper 1ili#en/es% t-e 8our +piritual 8ulillments% t-e 8ive Hoots% t-e 8ive
Bo,ers% t-e +even A,akenin#s% t-e Ei#-told Broper Bat- and ot-ers. Contemplatin# t-e T,elve
Causal 7inks% t-e 8our Noble Trut-s% Abidin# in t-e 8our Mindulnesses% 8our Broper 1ili#en/es%
8our +piritual 8ulillments% t-e 8ive Hoots% t-e 8ive Bo,ers% t-e +even A,akenin#s% and t-e
Ei#-told Broper Bat- in t-is ,ay% t-ey are at pea/e. 8urt-ermore% save sentient bein#s ,it- t-ese
1-armas so t-at t-ey /on/entrate on t-e vo, o dili#ently pursuin# Budd-a-ood. At t-at time%
/ontemplate and t-ink% 04 understand t-at in /ontemplatin# and kno,in# t-is ,ay% 4 s-ould not
#rasp it or /ertiy to it. 4 -ave not entered nirvana due to t-e po,er o t,o t-in#s. Gne is #reat
/ompassion% not ,is-in# to abandon sentient bein#s. T,o% t-e proound kno,led#e o t-e true
marks o all d-armas. All met-ods o t-e mind /ome ort- rom /auses and /onditions. 6-y do 4
ollo, t-at ,-i/- is not true2 4 s-all ponder t-is sin/e 4 ,is- to enter t-e proound /ontemplation o
t-e T,elve Causal 7inks and kno, ,-at t-e 1-arma o /ausal links is all about.3 8urt-ermore%
ponder t-ese our /onditionsD /ausal /onditions% se"uential /onditions% /onditioned /onditions and
en-an/ed /onditions.
T-e 8ive Causes are /auses and /onditions. Eliminate t-e inal mindstate o past and present
arhats. T-e remainder o past and present mindstates /onsists o t-e met-ods o t-e mind. T-ese
are se"uential /onditions. Conditional /onditions and en-an/ed /onditions /ondition all d-armas.
Bonder urt-er% 04 t-e e5planation is t-at d-armas irst /ome rom /auses and /onditions t-en ,e
s-ould not say t-at d-armas /ome rom /auses and /onditions. 4 not% t-en ,e s-ould not say t-ey
/ome ort- in t-e midst o /auses and /onditions eit-er. Brodu/tion /ontains -al a void s-ould not
/ome rom /auses and /onditions eit-er. 6-y are t-ere /auses and /onditions2 4 d-armas ,ere not
produ/ed and t-e met-ods o t-e mind rom t-e past ,ere lost% -o, /an se"uential /onditions be
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done2 4 ,e -ad no /onditions ,it- t-e ,onderul d-armas amon# t-e Budd-ad-arma% ,-y is
nirvana a /onditional /ondition2 4 all d-armas ,ere indeed ,it-out any in-erent nature% t-en t-e
d-arma o e5isten/e /annot be a/"uired. 4 t-e ee/t o /auses and /onditions /ome ort- be/ause
o anot-er% t-is e5planation is not so. 4 /auses and /onditions ,ere distin/t% ,-en /ombined in one
pla/e% t-eir ee/t is indeed unobtainable. 6-y does ee/t /ome rom t-e perip-eries o /auses and
/onditions2 T-ere is no ee/t in /auses and /onditions. 4 t-ere ,ere no ee/t in t-e midst o
/auses and /onditions at irst but it maniests% t-en ,-y do ee/t not maniest rom t-e perip-eris
o non:/auses and non:/onditions2 4t is be/ause bot- are none5istent. Ee/t belon#s to /auses and
/onditions and maniests rom t-e perip-eries o /auses and /onditions. T-e /auses and /onditions
do not stand alone but belon# to ot-er /auses and /onditions. 6-y does t-is ee/t t-at belon#s to
ot-er /auses and /onditions stand on its o,n2 Causes and /onditions /an produ/e ee/t; t-ereore
ee/t does not /ome ort- rom /auses and /onditions or t-e e5isten/e o non:/auses and non:
/onditions. T-is is t-ereore not an ee/t. +in/e t-ere is no ee/t% t-ere is neit-er /ondition nor t-e
absen/e o /ondition.
FuestionD T-e Budd-a e5plained t-e T,elve Causal 7inks and t-at i#noran/e /onditions a/tivities.
6-y do you say t-ere is no /ause and ee/t2
Ans,erD 8irst% 4 must provide an ans,er. 4t is more dii/ult to provide no response. 4 it is dii/ult%
t-en all t-e more s-ould 4 respond. T-e Budd-a said t-e eyes #ive rise to deviant t-ou#-ts% be/ause
orm /onditions t-e ed#e o delusion. 1elusion is i#noran/e. 6-at is t-ere or i#noran/e to rely
upon and abide in2 4 it relies on t-e devian/es o t-e eyes% orm% or devian/es in /ons/iousness% it
s-ould not abide in t-e eyes. T-ey s-ould not ,ait or orm but s-ould al,ays be deluded. 4 t-ey
depend on orm% t-ey s-ould not ,ait or t-e eyes be/ause t-ey are outer delusions% ,-at do t-ey
-ave to do ,it- me2 4 t-ey ,ere to depend on /ons/iousness% /ons/iousness is devoid o orm%
duality% /onta/t% division or lo/ation. T-e same is so ,it- i#noran/e% so ,-ere is t-ere to abide2
T-ereore i#noran/e is not inside% outside or in:bet,een. 4t does not /ome orm past lives and does
not abide in uture lives. 4t is neit-er in t-e east% ,est% nort-% sout-% t-e our intermediary dire/tions%
@enit- or nadir. T-ere is no true d-arma. T-e nature o i#noran/e is just about no nature o
understandin#% ,-i/- turns into understandin# ,-en /-an#ed. 1edu/e one step at a time and kno,
t-at delusion is unattainable. 6-y does i#noran/e /ondition a/tivities2 Iust as spa/e neit-er /omes
into bein# nor /eases to be% neit-er e5ists nor ends% and its in-erent nature is undamentally pure.
4#noran/e is too. 4t neit-er /omes into bein# nor /eases to be% neit-er e5ists nor ends% and its
in-erent nature is undamentally pure. T-is is so too or ea/- link on up to birt- /onditions old a#e
and deat-. Bod-isattvas /ontemplate t-e T,elve Causal 7inks in t-is ,ay and kno, t-at sentient
bein#s are de/eived and tied to suerin# and problems but easy to save. 4 t-ere ,ere true marks to
all d-armas% bein#s ,ould be dii/ult to save. Bonderin# in t-is ,ay ,ill s-atter delusion. 4
Bod-isattvas tend to t-ink more% be mindul o .n.p.na /onstantly% /ount t-e in-alations and
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e5-alations rom one to ten ,it-out lettin# t-e mind roam or s/atter. T-rou#- t-is pra/ti/e
Bod-isattvas rea/- sin#leness o mind and eliminate t-e 8ive Coverin#s and a/tivities o desire.
Bod-isattvas ,-o see t-e ,ay s-ould pra/ti/e t-ree types o patien/eD patien/e ,it- t-e produ/tion
o 1-arma% patien/e ,it- tender and /ompliant 1-arma% and patien/e ,it- non:produ/tion. 6-at is
t-e patien/e o produ/tion2 6it- re#ard to various evil t-in#s su/- as bein# s/olded% beaten or
killed by all bein#s% Bod-isattvas are not ae/ted% an#ry or -ateul. Not only are t-ey patient% but
t-ey are urt-ermore /ompassionate. All t-ese bein#s ,is- or #ood t-in#s% so may t-ey attain all
t-ey ,is-. 6it-out releasin# su/- t-ou#-ts in t-e mind% t-ey ,ill #radually attain and understand
t-e true marks o all d-armas% as i bein# perumed. 8or instan/e% a kind mot-er loves -er /-ild.
+-e eeds and raises t-e /-ild. +-e does not /onsider t-e various impurities as evil; but is doubly
empat-eti/ and ,is-es or t-e /-ild.s -appiness. Bra/titioners are t-e same ,ay; all bein#s do all
kinds o evil but pra/titioners do not detest% retreat or turn a,ay rom pure and impure /ondu/ts.
8urt-ermore% 4 s-all personally /ause ininite bein#s t-rou#-out t-e ten dire/tions to be saved and
rea/- Budd-a-ood. Be patient and not retreat% re#ret or be ri#-tened. 1o not be la5% ,eary% earul%
or obstru/ted. 8o/us ,it- a sin#leness o mind ,-ile bein# patient ,it- su/- produ/tion usin# t-ree
types o /ontemplation. 1o not t-ink about ot-er t-in#s; ,-en t-ou#-ts /ondition e5ternals% brin#
t-em ba/k. T-is is /alled t-e Batien/e ,it- Brodu/tion.
9o, /an ,e be #entle and /ompliant in bein# patient ,it- t-e 1-arma2 T-ou#- Bod-isattvas -ave
a/"uired t-e Batien/e ,it- Brodu/tion and embody ininite merit and virtue% t-ey kno, t-at merit
and blessin#s are impermanent; at t-e same time% be ,eary o impermanen/e and /onstantly seek
blessin#s% in/ludin# seekin# /onstant abidin# in t-e 1-arma or sentient bein#s. +eek t-e true
marks in all d-armasD t-e d-armas o orm and ormlessness% d-armas t-at /an be seen and /annot
be seen% d-armas t-at are dual and nondual% d-armas o outlo, and non:outlo,% /onditioned and
un/onditioned% superior% avera#e% and inerior. 6-y are t-e si#ns o reality neit-er /onstant nor
impermanent% neit-er joyous nor un-appy% neit-er empty nor not empty% and neit-er spiritual nor
not spiritual2 6-y is t-ere no /onstant e5isten/e2 4t /omes rom /auses and /onditions. 8irst t-ere
is none no, t-ere is e5isten/e. T-ereore e5isten/e returns to not-in#% -en/e t-ere is no permanent
e5isten/e. 6-at does it mean by no impermanen/e2 Karmi/ retribution is not lost% e5ternal sense
obje/ts are elt% and /auses and /onditions #ro,; t-ereore t-ere is no impermanen/e. 6-at does it
mean by no joy2 T-ou#-ts o joy /ome rom ne, orms o suerin# due to t-e nature o
impermanen/e and /onditions ,is-in# to /ome into bein#. T-ereore t-ere is no joy. 6-at does it
mean by no un-appiness2 9appiness o//urs due to eelin#s; it is #enerated by tainted desire.
9appiness is sou#-t ,it-out a /are or t-eir lives% t-at is not un-appiness. 6-at does it mean by no
emptiness2 4t means t-at t-in#s enter rom t-e outside and inside and ea/- bein# eels and
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understands uni"uely. 4t is be/ause o t-e retribution o oenses and blessin#s. 4t is be/ause all
bein#s believe it so% t-ere is no emptiness. 6-at does it mean by no non:emptiness2 4t means t-at
union and ot-ers are true. 1ue to dis/rimination% it is unobtainable ,-en sou#-t. 4t is turned by t-e
po,er o t-e mind% t-ereore it is about no non:emptiness. 6-at doe it mean by t-e none5isten/e o
#ods2 4t means t-ere is no ease. 4t is be/ause t-e realm o t-e sevent- /ons/iousness is
unobtainable; t-ereore t-ere is t-e none5isten/e o #ods. 6-at does it mean by no absen/e o
#ods2 T-ere are uture lives% t-e attainment o liberation% and ea/- individual.s not /al/ulatin#
ot-er t-in#s in t-e mind; t-ereore t-e none5isten/e o t-e absen/e o #ods. 4n t-is ,ay% it does not
/ome into bein# or /ease to be; it is not t-e absen/e o /omin# into bein# or /easin# to be; it is
neit-er e5isten/e nor void; and it is neit-er eelin# nor atta/-ment. 6ords /ompletely /ease and t-e
a/tivities o t-e mind stop. Iust as t-e nature o nirvana is t-e true mark o t-e 1-arma% ,it- t-is
1-arma% ait- is pure and reed o sta#nation and obstru/tion. Centle kno,led#e% #entle ait- and
#entle dili#en/e make it t-e Tender and Compliant Batien/e ,it- t-e 1-arma. 6-at does it mean
by Batien/e ,it- t-e Non:produ/tion o 1-arma2 Iust as in t-e above 1-arma o t-e marks o
reality% ,isdom% ait- and vi#or stren#t-en t-e beneits to sense a/ulties% t-is is /alled Batien/e
,it- t-e Non:produ/tion o 1-arma. 8or instan/e% amon# t-e +ound 9earer d-armas% patien/e ,it-
t-e 1-arma is attained by developin# ,isdom% ait- and vi#or in t-e d-armas o -eat and summit.
Batient individuals are patient ,it- nirvana and non:outlo, d-armas; t-is is ,-y it is /alled
patien/e. 1ue to ne, attainments and ne, vie,s% t-is is /alled patien/e. Batien/e ,it- t-e 1-arma
is just so too. At t-at time% t-e liberated arhat does not a/"uire t-e ,isdom o non:produ/tion. T-ey
a/"uire t-e ,isdom o non:produ/tion by in/reasin# vast beneits and turn t-em into liberation not
i5ed to one time. Batien/e ,it- t-e Non:produ/tion o 1-arma is just so too. T-ose ,-o -ave not
rea/-ed t-e ruition o Bod-isattvas attain Batien/e ,it- t-e Non:produ/tion o 1-arma. To a/"uire
t-e ruition o Bod-isattvas. true /ondu/t is /alled t-e ruition o t-e Bod-isattvas. ,ay. At t-at
time% t-ey attain t-e Pratyutpanna Samadhi% #reat /ompassion amon# sentient bein#s and entry into
t-e prajnaparamita door. At t-at time% all Budd-as besto, t-em ,it- an epit-et. T-ey all and
be/ome reborn in t-e realm o Budd-as. All Budd-as are mindul o t-em. All o t-eir -eavy
oenses t-in and t-in ones e5tin#uis-. T-e t-ree evil realms are /ut o or t-em so t-at t-ey are
al,ays reborn in t-e -eavens or amon# -umans. T-is is /alled non:retreat to an unae/ted spa/e.
7ater t-eir les- body enters t-e 1-arma body and /an /reate various transormations% save all
bein#s% be replete ,it- t-e +i5 Baramitas and make oerin#s to all Budd-as. Tea/-in# sentient
bein#s in t-e pure Budd-alands% reali@in# and ulillin# merits in t-e ten #rounds% t-ey se"uentially
attain annutarasamyaksambod-i. T-is is an initial pra/ti/e o t-e dhy.na 1-arma or Bod-isattvas.
When practitioners focus in their search for the way,
%hey shall contemplate whenever convenient.
f they have no time and are inconvenienced,
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t would be a loss and not a gain.
*ike an unborn calf fed with milk
0annot receive the milk since it is untimely.
f the calf were born and fed bull horn,
t cannot receive any milk since it is unwise.
*ike drilling wet logs in the hopes of fire
%he fire is unfeasible since it is untimely.
"reak off dry twigs in the hopes of fire
%he fire is unfeasible since it is unwise.
!t the juncture of attaining, know the time and measure of your deeds;
0ontemplate how much the strength of e$pedients in the mind
%here are times to be diligent and times improper
!ccord with the way in times proper but not others.
f the mind is restless, do not be bold.
"eing too bold will not win samadhi.
6ust as too many logs fuel a large pyre
Which refuses to 5uell when strong winds blow.
f you can regulate the mind with samadhi
+ovements of breath just so let you reach samad-i.
6ust as a great fire is blown by strong winds
Will e$tinguish when doused by floods.
f softhearted men were la$ too,
%hey should not practice drowning like so.
6ust as a few logs with no flame
Will e$tinguish without the blowing wind.
f they were vigorous and courageous
%hey would soon attain the way with swift health like so.
6ust as a small pyre helped by much fuel,
%he wind blows the bla)e but it never 5uells.
f they practice renunciation and stop passivity
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Planning to restore the renounced, they lose dharma protection
6ust as patients must take care of their health
Were they to let go of renunciation, they live no more.
f they maintain the proper and impartial mind of renouncing thought
Practice diligently in proper times and reali)ing the way fast,
6ust as someone who rides a tamed elephant
Which obeys and does not stomp or block.
f they had much lust and love a scattered mind
%hey should not practice kindness and others at that time.
*icentious individuals who practice kindness benefit the deluded.
6ust as patients take cold&natured medicine for cold&natured diseases.
*icentious individuals with a scattered mind may contemplate impurity;
0ontemplate the truth of impurity and the mind reaches samad-i.
%he dharma of practices works well in this way,
6ust as patients take warm&natured medicine for cold&natured diseases.
f they had much hatred and full of rage
%hey should not practice impurity at that time.
!ngry people add to their hatred contemplating evil,
6ust as patients take warm&natured medicine for warm&natured diseases.
f angry men practiced kindness
=ever forsaking the practice of kindness, hatred dissolves.
%he dharma of practices works well in this way,
6ust as patients take warm&natured medicine for cold&natured diseases.
f they had much delusion with dark and shallow minds,
"oth the dharmas of impurity and compassion
4nly add to their delusion and offer no help,
6ust as patients take fried medicine for wind&based diseases.
People with confused and dark minds contemplate causes and conditions
"y contemplating the individual truths, delusions end.
%he dharma of practices works well in this way,
6ust as patients take pasty medicine for wind&based diseases.
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6ust as a goldsmith uses a fan on the coal
9ntimely work makes him lose the dharma;
3ushing to blow without knowing the time
4r to drench it with water or to let it go.
%he gold melts in high heat and dissolves
Stopping before it melts, it cannot dissolve.
9ntimely e$pedients cost benefits in the dharma;
f there is no benefit in the dharma, it is of no benefit.
6ust as a pharmacist faces three disease types
0an eliminate those based on cold, heat and wind.
Providing appropriate medicine as the "uddha does.
%he diseases of lust, anger, and delusion end with medicine.
%he Sutra of Sitting #hy.na Samadhi 8as/i/le 44
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