Commentary on the Samādhi Meditation Sūtra
Chapter Six: The Fourth Dharma Gate for Regulating Discursive Thoughts
Original Text: If discursive thoughts are excessive, one should practice the samādhi method of ānāpānasmṛti (mindfulness of breathing). There are three types of practitioners: those newly beginning practice, those who have practiced for some time, and those who have practiced for a long time. If it is a beginner, one should instruct them: With single-mindedness, mindfully count the inhalations and exhalations, whether long or short, counting from one to ten.
Explanation: If a person has excessive internal thoughts and ruminations, they should practice the samādhi method of ānāpānasmṛti. Practitioners of this method fall into three types: the first are those just beginning to practice; the second are those who have practiced for some time; the third are those who have practiced for a long time. If it is someone just beginning to practice, they should be instructed: With single-mindedness, mindfully count the breaths, both inhalations and exhalations, counting both long and short breaths, from one to ten. Count one for an inhalation and two for an exhalation. Regardless of whether the breath is long or short, count from one to ten, then start counting again from one. Repeating this cycle continuously, the mind will gradually become calm, free from excessive thoughts, and the body will also become healthy. This is the first wonderful gate of the Six Wonderful Gates: Counting.
Original Text: If it is one who has practiced for some time, they should be instructed: Count from one to ten, following the breath in and out, with mindfulness united with the breath, fixing the mind on one point. If it is one who has practiced for a long time, they should be instructed: Counting, following, stopping, contemplating, turning contemplation towards purity.
Explanation: If it is someone who has practiced for some time, they should be instructed: While counting the breaths from one to ten, let the mental awareness follow the breath in and out, staying united with the breath without separation. Then, let the mental awareness observe the incoming and outgoing breath, knowing the exhalation upon exhaling and the inhalation upon inhaling, fixing the mind on the breath, not engaging with other objects, concentrating the mind single-pointedly, thereby attaining concentration and stillness. The mental awareness should not dwell on the counting; it should abide on the incoming and outgoing breath, following the breath freely in and out, and the mental awareness will then be stilled. This is the second wonderful gate: Following.
If it is a long-time practitioner, they should be instructed: After the counting thought follows the incoming and outgoing breath and becomes stilled upon the breath, one should then apply the function of contemplation, contemplating the actions, contemplating the self-mind. In this way, thoughts will gradually become purified following the practice of stopping and contemplating. This encompasses the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wonderful gates: Stopping, Contemplating, Returning, and Purifying.
Original Text: The samādhi of ānāpānasmṛti has six kinds of gates and sixteen divisions. What is counting? With single-mindedness, be mindful of the inhalation. When the inhalation is complete, count one. With single-mindedness, be mindful of the exhalation. When the exhalation is complete, count two. If counted before completion, it is incorrect counting. If one makes a mistake counting from two to nine, start counting again from one. For example, like a person counting: one one is two, two twos are four, three threes are nine.
Explanation: The samādhi method of ānāpānasmṛti has six wonderful gates and sixteen divisions. How does one count the breath? It is to be single-mindfully mindful of the inhalation; when the inhalation is complete, count one; to be single-mindfully mindful of the exhalation; when the exhalation is complete, count two. If one counts before the inhalation or exhalation is complete, this does not count; one should start counting again from the beginning. If one makes a mistake counting to two or counting to nine, start counting again from one. For example, like counting people: one one is two, two twos are four, three threes are nine.
Original Text: Question: Why count? Answer: Because it is easy to attain the contemplation of impermanence. Also, it severs all discursive thoughts. And it attains single-mindedness. The birth and death, the impermanence of body and mind, are difficult to perceive as they are similar and continuous. The birth and death, the impermanence of inhalation and exhalation, are easy to know and perceive.
Explanation: Someone asked: Why count the breath? Answer: The counting method makes it easy to observe impermanence; the concept of impermanence is easily realized. It also easily severs discursive thoughts and mental examinations, the mind easily becomes pure, and one can concentrate single-mindedly, cultivating meditative concentration. This is because the phenomena of birth and death, the impermanence of the body and mind in ordinary times, appear similar to reality and operate continuously; when meditative power is insufficient, it is difficult to perceive the true appearance of this impermanence of the birth and death of body and mind. Whereas the impermanent phenomena of the birth and death of inhalation and exhalation are easy to know and perceive.
Original Text: Furthermore, the mind is tied to counting, severing all thoughts and examinations. Thoughts and examinations include: thoughts and examinations of desire, thoughts and examinations of hatred, thoughts and examinations of vexation, thoughts and examinations of relatives, thoughts and examinations of homeland, thoughts and examinations of immortality. Those who seek to purify their minds and enter the true path should first eliminate the three coarse thoughts and examinations, then eliminate the three subtle thoughts and examinations. After eliminating the six examinations, they will attain all pure dharmas. For example, like a gold prospector who first removes coarse stones and sand, then removes fine stones and sand, and step by step obtains fine gold sand.
Explanation: Furthermore, by firmly tying the conscious mind to counting the breath, one can sever all thoughts, considerations, and examinations. Thoughts and examinations include thoughts and examinations of desire, thoughts and examinations of hatred, thoughts and examinations of worry and vexation, thoughts and examinations of family and relatives, thoughts and examinations of homeland and country, thoughts and examinations of wishing for eternal life.
If one wishes to purify their own mind and enter the Buddha's true path, they should first eliminate the three coarse thoughts and examinations, then eliminate the subtle thoughts and examinations. After eliminating the six kinds of thoughts and examinations, one will realize all pure dharmas. For example, like a gold prospector who first removes coarse sand and stones, then removes fine sand and stones, and in this way, step by step obtains fine gold sand.
Original Text: Question: What are coarse illnesses? What are subtle illnesses? Answer: Thoughts and examinations of desire, hatred, and vexation are the three coarse illnesses. Thoughts and examinations of relatives, homeland, and immortality are the three subtle illnesses. After eliminating these examinations, one attains all pure dharmas. Question: Those who have not attained the path, whose karmic bonds have not been severed, find the six thoughts and examinations strong, arising from the mind and causing disturbance. How can they be eliminated? Answer: When one cultivates until the mind is weary of the world, correct contemplation can suppress them but not yet uproot them. Later, upon attaining the untainted path, one can uproot the fundamental karmic bonds.
Explanation: Someone asked: What are coarse illnesses? What are subtle illnesses? Answer: Examinations of desire, hatred, and vexation are the three coarse examinations. Examinations of family and relatives, homeland and country, and wishing for immortality are the three subtle examinations. Eliminating these examinations, one attains all pure dharmas.
Another question: Those who have not attained the path, whose karmic bonds have not been severed, find the six kinds of thoughts and examinations very powerful, all arising from the mind as disturbing thoughts; how can they be eliminated? Answer: When one cultivates to the point where the mind is weary of the world, by correctly and rationally contemplating these thoughts and examinations, one can obstruct the mind from producing these examinations. However, this is not thorough; it can only subdue and suppress these examinations and thoughts. Later, upon cultivating and realizing the untainted path and fruition, one can uproot these karmic bonds fundamentally.
Original Text: What is correct contemplation?
Seeing those with many desires, seeking desire is suffering
Gaining and guarding it is also suffering
Losing it brings great sorrow and affliction
When the mind gains desire, there is no satisfaction, only suffering
Desire is impermanent, empty, the cause of sorrow and affliction
All beings share this; they should awaken and abandon it
Like a poisonous snake entering a person's house
If not urgently removed, harm will surely come
Unstable, unreal, unworthy
Seeking various inverted pleasures of desire
Like an Arhat with the six supernatural powers
Instructing a disciple with thoughts of desire
You do not break precepts, your precepts are pure
You do not share a room with women
Yet the poisonous snakes of desire-knots fill your heart
Entangled with love and attachment, inseparable
Knowing well your bodily precepts cannot be violated
Why does your mind constantly dwell with the fire of desire?
You are one who left home seeking the path
Why indulge your mind to such an extent?
Your parents gave birth and raised you
Your clan, with love and affection, nurtured you
All wept tears, clinging to and cherishing you
You were able to leave them behind without regard
Yet your mind constantly dwells in thoughts of desire
Playing with desire, heart insatiable
Always delighting to dwell with the fire of desire
Joyfully loving it, never parting for a moment
In such various ways, admonish thoughts of desire. In such various ways, use correct contemplation to eliminate thoughts of desire.
Explanation: What is correct contemplation? Seeing that those with many desires, seeking various desires, suffer greatly. Even after obtaining what is sought, guarding what is obtained is also suffering. When losing it, the arising of inner sorrow and affliction is still great suffering. The mind obtaining what is craved yet finding no satisfaction is equally suffering. Desire is the cause of impermanence and suffering, and also the condition for sorrow and affliction. Sentient beings all have these afflictions and sufferings; they should awaken to desire and then abandon it. For example, a poisonous snake enters a dwelling; if not quickly removed, harm will surely come. The various inverted pleasures of desire have no fixed appearance, are unreal, and are frivolous and unworthy.
For example, an Arhat possessing the six supernatural powers instructs a disciple with thoughts of desire: If you do not break precepts and do not share a room with women, your precepts are pure, yet you are entangled with greed and attachment, unwilling to part; your inner heart is filled with the poisonous snakes of desire-bondage. Since you know well that the bodily precepts cannot be violated, why does your mind still constantly harbor the fire of desire unextinguished? You are one who left home seeking the Buddha's path; why indulge yourself like this? Your parents gave birth to you and raised you; your clan relatives cared for you and sent you forth to leave home and cultivate the path; all your relatives wept tears of pity for you; you were able to leave them behind without concern, yet your mind constantly harbors desires, indulging your desiring mind insatiably, constantly delighting to dwell within the fire of desire, joyfully loving it, unwilling to part even for a moment.
One should use various words like this to admonish thoughts of desire; use various correct contemplations like this to eliminate the desiring mind.
Original Text: Question: How to eliminate thoughts of hatred? Answer:
From birth in the womb, suffering is constant
Among these beings, let none harbor resentment
If mindful of resentment, compassion ceases
Compassion and resentment cannot coexist
When you cultivate compassion, resentment ceases
Just as light and darkness share no place
If upholding pure precepts yet harboring hatred
This person destroys themselves, ruining the Dharma's benefit
Like elephants entering water to bathe
Then smearing mud all over their bodies
All constantly have aging, sickness, and death
Various whips inflict hundreds and thousands of pains
How can a virtuous person, mindful of beings
Yet add affliction with resentment?
If hatred arises, wishing to harm another
Before reaching the other, one burns oneself first
Therefore, constantly cultivate compassionate deeds
Resentment and evil thoughts do not arise within
If one constantly cultivates wholesome dharmas
This mind constantly practices what the Buddha intended
Therefore, do not entertain unwholesome thoughts
Constantly mindful of wholesome dharmas, a joyful mind
In this life gain happiness, later likewise
Attaining the path, constant bliss is Nirvāṇa
If the mind accumulates unwholesome thoughts
One loses one's own benefit and harms others
This is called unwholesome, loss for self and other
His pure mind is also destroyed
Like a forest-dwelling practitioner
Raising his hand, crying, "A thief has robbed me!"
Explanation: Question: How to eliminate thoughts of hatred? Answer: Born from the womb, the mind constantly harbors suffering; therefore, it is said beings should not constantly harbor resentment. If a practitioner's mind has resentment, compassion ceases; compassion and resentment cannot coexist simultaneously; the two have no comparability. If your mind is mindful of compassion, resentment will cease. For example, light and darkness cannot coexist. If one wishes to uphold pure precepts yet harbors thoughts of hatred, this person will destroy the precepts, losing the benefits of the Dharma. For example, an elephant entering a river to bathe, then smearing mud all over its body, is truly unwise. All beings have the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death; various afflictions are like being whipped painfully. Why would a virtuous person, pitying beings, yet add afflictions to beings? If hatred arises wishing to harm the other, before harming the other, one is first burned by the fire of hatred.
Therefore, one should constantly cultivate compassionate actions; within the mind, do not let resentment and evil thoughts arise. If someone constantly has thoughts of practicing wholesome dharmas, such a mind is cultivating the Buddha-mindfulness. Therefore, one should not have unwholesome thoughts. Constantly mindful of wholesome dharmas, the mind is joyful; gaining happiness in this life and the next, realizing the fruition of constant bliss is Nirvāṇa. If the mind still accumulates unwholesome examinations, not only can one lose one's own benefit, but one can also afflict others. Therefore, it is said that having unwholesome thoughts harms both self and other; others' pure minds are also destroyed, like a person dwelling in a pure āraṇya (forest hermitage) raising their hand, crying out, "A thief has robbed me!"
Original Text: Someone asked: Who robbed you? He answered: Thieves of wealth I do not fear.
I do not hoard wealth seeking worldly gain.
Who has thieves of wealth that can harm me?
I accumulate the treasure of wholesome roots, the various Dharma jewels.
Thieves of examination come to destroy my benefit.
Thieves of wealth can be avoided, with many places to hide.
Thieves of wholesome dharmas come, with nowhere to hide.
In such various ways, admonish hatred. In such various ways, use correct contemplation to eliminate thoughts of hatred.
Explanation: Someone asked: Who robbed you? He answered: Thieves who steal wealth I do not fear, because I do not accumulate property seeking worldly benefits; what thief of wealth can harm me? Because I am accumulating the treasure of wholesome roots, the Dharma jewels; thieves of examination come and can cause me to lose the benefits of the Dharma. Thieves who steal wealth are easy to avoid; there are many places to hide. Thieves who steal wholesome dharmas come, and there is nowhere to hide. Use various words like this to admonish hatred; use various correct contemplations like this to eliminate thoughts of hatred.
Original Text: Question: How to eliminate thoughts of vexation.
Answer: Beings with hundreds and thousands of kinds
Of illnesses constantly come to afflict them in turn
The thief of death lies in wait, ever seeking to kill
Innumerable sufferings drown them
How can a virtuous person add affliction
Slandering, plotting harm, devoid of kindness
Before harming another, calamity befalls oneself
Laypeople arising with vexation is forgivable
This is the cause of unwholesome karma in worldly ways
Nor do they claim to cultivate goodness
But renunciates seeking the pure path
Yet harbor hatred and envious minds
Releasing poisonous fire from cool clouds
Know this evil, its sin is extremely deep
Explanation: How to eliminate thoughts and examinations of vexation and harm? Answer: Sentient beings have hundreds and thousands of kinds of illnesses, constantly afflicting them in turn. The thief of death constantly pursues, seeking to kill the five aggregates (body); beings constantly drown in immeasurable suffering. Since one is virtuous, why add harm to beings? Slandering, plotting harm, lacking a kind heart—those who harm others without kindness have not yet harmed others before calamity befalls themselves. Laypeople arising with vexation can still be forgiven, because this is the cause of creating evil in worldly dharmas; laypeople never claim to cultivate goodness or be good people. But renunciates seeking mental purity, harboring envious minds and giving rise to hatred, is like releasing fiercely poisonous flames from cool, clear white clouds; know that this sin is extremely heavy and great.
Original Text:
A forest-dwelling practitioner gives rise to envy
An Arhat with mind-reading power
Admonishes and sternly rebukes: How foolish you are!
Envy destroys the root of your own merit
If seeking offerings, you should accumulate them yourself
Adorn your body with roots of all merits
If not upholding precepts, meditation, or learning
Vainly wearing dyed robes destroys the Dharma body
In truth, a beggar, a vile person
How can you seek offerings to benefit your body?
Hunger, thirst, cold, heat, hundreds and thousands of pains
Beings are constantly trapped by these afflictions
Suffering of body and mind endless
How can a virtuous person add afflictions?
Like piercing a sore with a needle
Or a prisoner under torture, verdict undecided
Suffering and calamity entangle the body, afflictions gather
How can compassion make it worse?
In such various ways, admonish thoughts of vexation. In such various ways, use correct contemplation to eliminate thoughts of vexation.
Explanation: A person dwelling in a quiet place gives rise to envy. An Arhat with mind-reading powers instructs and advises him, sternly rebuking him, saying, why are you so foolish? Envy destroys the root capital of merit you have cultivated. If you wish to receive offerings, you yourself must strive to accumulate merit and virtue, adorning yourself with much merit; if you do not cultivate precepts, do not practice meditation and broad learning, you vainly wear the robes of renunciation and destroy the Dharma-body wisdom-life. Doing this shows you are actually a begging, vile person; why still greedily seek offerings to nourish your physical body?
The hundreds and thousands of sufferings of hunger, thirst, cold, and heat; beings are constantly trapped by these afflictions and illnesses; the suffering and calamities endured by the body and mind of each being are endless; why, as a virtuous person, add numerous afflictions to beings? For example, a person with a sore, then piercing it with a needle to injure it further; or like a prisoner in jail, suffering severe torture, life and death undecided, numerous sufferings and calamities entangle the physical body, numerous afflictions also gather upon the self; how can a person with a compassionate mind further increase their affliction?
In such various ways, use words to admonish one's own thoughts of vexation and harm; use various correct contemplations like this to eliminate thoughts of vexation and harm. This is the method of mind cultivation; one must learn to observe one's own mind, learn to admonish one's own mind, learn to educate one's own mind, learn to guide one's own mind towards the right; the mind-ground will then become increasingly pure, increasingly wise, and progress on the path will be swift.
