Commentary on the Samādhi Meditation Sūtra

Chapter Nine: Cultivating the Contemplation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness to Tend Toward Nirvāṇa

Original text: 世尊弟子。习学五法门。志求涅槃。有二种人。或好定多。以快乐故。或好智多。畏苦患故。定多者先学禅法。后学涅槃。智多者直趣涅槃。直趣涅槃者未断烦恼。亦未得深禅。专心不散。直求涅槃。越爱等诸烦恼。是名涅槃。身实无常苦。不净无我。以心颠倒故。为常乐我净。以是故事事爱着其身。是则卑下众生。

Explanation: The World-Honored One's disciples cultivate the five dharma gates, resolving to seek nirvāṇa. Those who seek nirvāṇa are of two kinds: one kind of person is fond of cultivating meditative concentration, cultivating all the way up to the concentration of neither perception nor non-perception; because meditative concentration can bring people bliss, they become infatuated with meditative concentration, having much concentration and little wisdom, and become arhats liberated by concentration; the other kind of person is fond of wisdom, and because they fear the various faults and perils of the suffering of birth and death, they are unwilling to spend time cultivating too much profound meditative concentration, being content so long as they can ensure liberation from birth and death; therefore their wisdom exceeds their concentration, and they are arhats liberated by wisdom. Those with much concentration first learn the dharma of dhyāna and afterwards learn the principle of nirvāṇa; those with much wisdom directly tend toward nirvāṇa, not cultivating the second dhyāna up to the concentration of neither perception nor non-perception.

Those with much wisdom and little concentration who directly tend toward nirvāṇa, when they have not yet eradicated afflictions and have not yet realized profound meditative concentration, are able to single-pointedly bind the mind without distraction, engaging in contemplative practice on the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) as suffering, empty, impermanent, and without self, in order to seek nirvāṇa; they thereby transcend and eradicate all afflictions such as the bondage of craving in the three realms, and thus can attain nirvāṇa. The material body is indeed impermanent and suffering, impure and without self; because the mind has inverted notions, it takes it to be permanent, blissful, self, and pure; because of these inverted notions, one clings to one's body in every matter, and thus degenerates into a lowly sentient being, begging throughout the three realms.

Original text: 行者欲破颠倒故。当习四念止观。观身种种多诸苦患。从因缘生故。无常种种恼故苦。身有三十六物故不净。以不得自在故无我。习如是观。观内身观外身。观内外身。习如是观。是谓身念止。身实相如是。何故于此。而起颠倒。爱着此身。谛思惟念。身边乐痛。以爱乐痛。故着此身。当观乐痛。实不可得。

Explanation: If practitioners wish to break through the various inversions, they should cultivate the contemplation of the four foundations of mindfulness, observing that the material body has many kinds of suffering and afflictions, all arising from causes and conditions, being impermanent, having various afflictions, and therefore being suffering. The material body has the five viscera and six bowels and other such thirty-six constituents, and is therefore impure; because the material body is not at its own command, it is without self. One should cultivate such contemplative practice: observing the internal body, observing the external body, observing the internal and external body—cultivating such contemplative practice is the foundation of mindfulness of the body. Such is the true characteristic of the material body; why, then, should one give rise to inverted notions toward the material body and cling to this body? Upon careful deliberation, it turns out to be because of craving attachment to the pleasant feelings of the material body; because of craving pleasant feelings, one clings to the material body. One should observe that pleasant feelings are indeed utterly unobtainable.

Original text: 云何不得因衣食故致乐。乐过则苦生。非实乐故。如患疮苦。以药涂治。痛止为乐。以大苦故。谓小苦为乐。非实乐也。复次以故苦为苦。新苦为乐。如担重易肩。而以新重为乐。非实常乐也。如火性热。无暂冷时。若是实乐。不应有不乐。

Explanation: Why can one not obtain happiness by means of clothing and food? Because after happiness passes, suffering and distress appear; this kind of happiness is not true happiness. For example, when the body develops sores and ulcers and suffering arises, applying medicine to the body stops the pain, and one then feels happiness. Because one has undergone great suffering, one takes minor suffering as happiness; this is not a true pleasant feeling. Furthermore, because one takes the original suffering as suffering, newly arising suffering is taken as happiness. For example, when carrying a heavy load on the shoulder, one shifts the load to the other shoulder, and takes the load on the other shoulder as happiness; this is not true, lasting happiness. Just as the nature of fire is forever hot, never being cold in nature for even an instant, so too is the suffering nature of the material body, having no time of temporary happiness. If there were true happiness, there should not be times of unhappiness.

Original text: 或曰。外事是乐因缘。不必是乐。或时乐因。或时苦因。若使心法与爱相应。尔时是乐。与恚相应尔时是苦。与痴相应不苦不乐。以此推之。可知有乐无乐。答曰。无也。淫欲不应是乐。何以故。若淫欲在内。不应外求女色。外求女色当知淫苦。若淫是乐不应时时弃。若弃不应是乐。于大苦中以小苦为乐也。如人应死。全命受鞭。以是为乐。欲心炽盛。以欲为乐。老时厌欲。知欲非乐。若实乐相。不应生厌。如是种种因缘。欲乐相实不可得。乐失则苦。佛言。乐痛应观苦。苦痛应观乐。如箭在体。不苦不乐应观生灭无常。是谓痛念止。当知心受苦乐受。不苦不乐。

Explanation: Some say that matters external to oneself are all conditions for producing happiness, but conditions are not necessarily happiness; conditions are sometimes causes of happiness and sometimes causes of suffering. If the mind is conjoined with joy and happiness, then at that time the mind is happy; if conjoined with anger and resentment, then at that time the mind is suffering; if conjoined with ignorance and delusion, then at that time the mind is neither suffering nor happy. Inferring in this way the causes of suffering and happiness, one knows that the mind has happiness and unhappiness.

The answer to this question is: it is not so; sexual desire should not be happiness. Why is this said? If sexual desire were within the body, one should not further seek external female forms to obtain happiness; if one greedily seeks female forms externally, one should know that sexual desire is suffering. If sexual desire were happiness, the pleasant feeling should not little by little disappear; if the pleasant feeling can disappear, it should not be happiness—this is taking minor suffering as happiness amid great suffering. For example, if a person is due to die, but can preserve his life by accepting a flogging, he would consider the flogging to be happiness.

Likewise, a person whose mind of sexual desire blazes takes sexual desire as happiness, but upon growing old begins to weary of sexual desire, knowing that sexual desire is not happiness: if sexual desire were truly a characteristic of happiness, one should not give rise to a mind of weariness toward it. Thus expounding the various conditions of happiness shows that the characteristic of happiness of sexual desire is indeed utterly unobtainable; when the pleasant feeling is lost, suffering and distress arrive. The Buddha said: when experiencing a pleasant feeling, one should observe the suffering within it; when experiencing suffering, one should observe the happiness; whether a suffering feeling or a pleasant feeling, both are like a poisoned arrow lodged in the body; when experiencing neither-suffering-nor-happiness, one should observe the impermanent nature of the arising and ceasing of feeling—this is called cultivating the foundation of mindfulness of feeling. At this time one should know that the mind is experiencing suffering and pleasant feelings, and neither-suffering-nor-happiness feelings.

Original text: 云何心。是心无常从因缘生故。生灭不住。相似生故。但颠倒故。谓是为一。本无今有。已有还无。是故无常。观知心空。

云何为空。从因缘生。有眼有色可见。忆念欲见。如是等和合眼识生。如日爱珠。有日有珠。有干草牛屎众缘和合。于是火生。一一推求。火不可得。缘合有火。眼识亦尔。不住眼中亦非色中住。不两中间住。无有住处。亦复不无。是故佛言。如幻如化。现在心观过去心。或苦或乐。或不苦不乐。心各各异各各灭。有欲心无欲心亦如是。各各异各各灭。观内心观外心。观内外心亦如是。是名心念止。

Explanation: What is mind? The so-called mind is impermanent, born from causes and conditions; its nature of arising and ceasing never stops, and thus all dharmas seem to have been produced. It is only because the mind is inverted that it is regarded as constant, unitary, and permanently unchanging. The mind originally did not exist and only now appears; after appearing it will again cease; therefore it is said to be impermanent.

Why is it empty? Because the mind is born from causes and conditions: there is the eye faculty, there is visible form to be seen, there is the mind of recollection and mindfulness, there is the desire to see forms; when these causal conditions combine, eye consciousness is born; therefore eye consciousness is empty. It is like the sun-crystal pearl fire-kindling instrument: there is the sun, there is the convex lens, there is dry grass or cow dung; when these many conditions combine, fire is produced. Investigating one condition after another, the nature of fire is utterly unobtainable; only when conditions combine is there fire. Eye consciousness is also like this: it does not abide in the eye faculty, nor does it abide in the form object, nor does it abide between the two; there is no place of abiding, yet it is not nonexistent.

Therefore the Buddha said that all dharmas are like illusions and transformations. Using the present mind, observe past minds—whether suffering, or happy, or neither suffering nor happy. Minds each have alteration, each have cessation; minds with desire and minds without desire are also like this, each altering, each ceasing. Observing the internal mind, observing the external mind, observing the internal and external mind—all are like this, arising, ceasing, and altering thought after thought; this is the foundation of mindfulness of mind.

Original text: 复次观心为属谁。观想思惟念欲等诸心相应法不相应法。谛观其主。主不可得。何以故。从因缘生故无常。无常故苦。苦故不自在。不自在故无主。无主故空。

前别观身痛心法不可得。今更总观四念止中。主不可得。离此处求亦不可得。若常不可得。无常亦不可得。若常应当常苦常乐。亦不应忘。若常有神者。无杀恼罪亦无涅槃。若身是神。无常身灭。神亦应灭。亦无后世。亦无罪福。如是遍观无主。

Explanation: Furthermore, observe to whom the mind belongs: the contemplating mind, the deliberating mind, the mind mindful of greed and desire, and so forth—these dharmas conjoined with mind and dharmas not conjoined with mind—carefully observe the master of these minds; the master is utterly unobtainable. Why? Because these minds are all born from causes and conditions, they are impermanent; impermanence is suffering; suffering means not being at one's own command; not being at one's own command means there is no master; no master means empty.

Previously one individually observed that body, feeling, mind, and dharmas are all unobtainable; now one further comprehensively observes that within the four foundations of mindfulness, their master is also unobtainable, and seeking a master apart from this place is also unobtainable. If a permanent dharma is unobtainable, an impermanent dharma is also unobtainable. If there were a permanent dharma, it should be permanently suffering and permanently happy; it should not be that both suffering and happiness can change and transform, nor should one forget the feelings of suffering and happiness. If there were always a spirit-consciousness existing, then there would be no offenses of killing and vexing, and there would be no nirvāṇa, because at that time the spirit-consciousness would either be altered or would have ceased. If the body were the spirit-consciousness, when the impermanent material body perishes, the spirit-consciousness should also perish; there would be no later existence, and no nature of offense and merit. Observing comprehensively in this way, indeed body, feeling, mind, and dharmas all have no master.

Original text: 诸法皆空不自在。因缘合故生。因缘坏故灭。如是思惟缘合法。是名法念止。若行者得法念止。厌世间空老病死法。都无少许常乐我净。我于此空法。复何所求。应当入涅槃。最善法中住。建精进力。得深舍摩陀故(深舍摩陀者住心一处名也此土无是名)。

Explanation: All dharmas are entirely empty and not at one's own command; they are only born when causes and conditions combine, and cease when causes and conditions disintegrate. Deliberating in this way on dharmas combined from conditions is the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas. If a practitioner cultivates the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas and attains the cessation of mental attention, no longer wishing to attach to dharmas or seek dharmas, he will weary of and abandon the empty dharmas of the world—the dharmas of birth, aging, sickness, and death—in which there is not the slightest permanence, bliss, self, or purity; then what would I still seek among these empty dharmas? I should enter nirvāṇa and abide in the most wholesome dharma. I must now cultivate with diligent vigor, hoping to realize profound śamatha.

Original text: 是时得深舍摩陀。住第四法念止中。观诸法相皆苦无乐。无乐是实。余者妄语。苦因爱等诸烦恼及业。是非天非时非尘等种种妄语中生。是烦恼及业出生此苦。是苦入涅槃时一切灭尽。非色无色界及世界始。世界始(外道谓一切有法之初色为世界始外道谓涅槃也以此有始能化作万物即名造化也)等种种妄语能灭此苦。正见等八直。是涅槃道。非余外道苦行。种种空持戒。空禅定空智慧。

Explanation: Thereupon, after diligent vigor, one attains profound śamatha, abiding in the fourth foundation of mindfulness, the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas, with the mind attaining cessation. Observing that the characteristics of all dharmas are suffering without happiness, no-happiness is the true characteristic, while saying it is pleasant and not suffering and so forth are all false speech. The suffering of the world exists because of craving-attachment, various afflictions, and karmic obstructions; because of false views such as "not heaven, not time, not dust" and other such false speeches, suffering feelings arise. Because there are afflictions and karmic obstructions are there these suffering feelings; these suffering feelings will all be completely extinguished upon entering nirvāṇa; there will no longer be the form realm, the formless realm, or a beginning of the world; the suffering feelings of false and untrue speeches such as "the world has a birth" also cease. Right view, right speech, right faith, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right concentration, and right wisdom—the eightfold right path—is the path tending toward nirvāṇa; it is not the austerities of the other non-Buddhist paths that can tend toward nirvāṇa, nor is it their various empty morality, empty dhyāna concentration, and empty wisdom that can tend toward nirvāṇa.

Original text: 何以故。佛法中戒定慧三法合行。能入涅槃。譬如人立平地。持好弓箭能射杀怨贼。三法合行亦如是。戒为平地。禅定为快弓。智慧为利箭。三事备足。能杀烦恼贼。以是故外道辈。不得涅槃。行者是时。作四法缘。观缘如射博。观苦四种。因缘生故无常。身心恼故苦。无一可得故空。无作无受故无我。

Explanation: Why is this said? In the Buddha's dharma, only when the three dharmas of morality, concentration, and wisdom are practiced together can one enter nirvāṇa. For example, a person standing on level ground, holding a good bow and arrows, can shoot and kill enemy bandits; the combined cultivation of the three dharmas of morality, concentration, and wisdom is also like this. Morality is the level ground, dhyāna concentration is the swift bow, wisdom is the sharp arrow; with all three complete, one can slay the bandits of afflictions. For this reason, those non-Buddhist practitioners cannot attain nirvāṇa. The practitioner at this time takes four dharmas as conditions and engages in contemplative practice, contemplating the conditions of all dharmas as if shooting an arrow. He contemplates the four kinds of suffering feelings: all dharmas arise from causes and conditions, therefore they are impermanent; body and mind are burned and vexed, therefore they are suffering; not a single dharma in the world is obtainable, therefore it is empty; there is no maker and no experiencer of suffering, and no dharma belongs to oneself, therefore all dharmas are without self.

Original text: 观习四种烦恼有漏业。和合故集。相似果生故因。是中得一切行故生。非相似果相续故缘。观尽四种一切烦恼覆故闭。除烦恼火故灭。一切法中第一故妙。世间过去故出。

观道四种。能到涅槃故道。不颠倒故正。一切圣人去处故迹。得脱世愁恼故离。如是观者得无漏相似法。名为暖法。云何名暖。常勤精进故名暖法。诸烦恼薪无漏智火。烧火欲出初相名为暖法。譬如钻火初钻烟出。是名暖。是为涅槃道初相。

Explanation: Contemplating and cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness, one knows that afflictions and defiled karma are combined together, therefore it is called "accumulation" (samudaya). Because afflictions can accumulate the worldly body of the five aggregates, and in the future a similar fruit will be born, afflictions and defiled karma are the cause of future retribution. In the process of realizing cause, condition, and retribution, there is some operation of karmic retribution, therefore fruit is born. The continuous, unbroken operation of dharmas not belonging to the retribution is the condition for the manifestation of the retribution. Contemplating these four dharmas thoroughly, one knows that all afflictions can cover one's own mind, therefore it is called "closure." Being able to remove and extinguish the fire of afflictions, therefore afflictions can be extinguished. The contemplation of the four foundations of mindfulness is the foremost dharma among all dharmas, therefore it is the wondrous dharma; it can enable sentient beings to escape from worldly dharmas, therefore it is the dharma of escape.

There are four methods of contemplative practice: because it can reach nirvāṇa, it is called the path; because it can make the mind no longer inverted, it is called right; because all noble ones pass through it, it is called the track [of the noble ones]; because it can free one from the world's sorrows and afflictions, it is called departure. A person who engages in such contemplative practice can attain a facsimile of the undefiled dharma, called the dharma of heat.

What is called heat? Because the mind can constantly and diligently cultivate the dharma of the four foundations of mindfulness, it is called the dharma of heat. Using the firewood of various afflictions to kindle the fire of undefiled wisdom, when the fire of wisdom is about to emerge, it is called the dharma of heat. For example, when kindling fire with a fire-drill, at the very beginning of drilling, the smoke that emerges is called the heat characteristic. This is the initial characteristic on the path to nirvāṇa.

Original text: 佛弟子中有二种人。一者多好一心求禅定。是人有漏道。二者多除爱着。好实智慧。是人直趣涅槃。入暖法中。有暖相者。深得一心实法镜。到无漏界边(镜中像似面界边非中故以为喻)。行者是时大得安隐。自念我定当得涅槃。见此道故。

Explanation: The Buddha's disciples are of two kinds of people: one kind delights in dhyāna concentration, cultivating much dhyāna concentration, single-mindedly seeking the comfort and ease of concentration, yet not diligently seeking to grow wisdom and subdue afflictions—such a person cultivates the defiled path. The other kind diligently seeks wisdom, attending to introspecting their own afflictions in order to eliminate their own craving-attachment—such people can directly tend toward nirvāṇa. When cultivation first enters the dharma of heat, a person who attains the heat characteristic can realize the single-minded meditative state of the first dhyāna, cultivating to the very edge of eradicating afflictions. Only then can the practitioner obtain great peace and security, because he is about to completely eradicate afflictions and tend into nirvāṇa, knowing for himself that he will certainly be able to realize nirvāṇa. He attains the heat characteristic.

Original text: 如人穿井。得至湿泥。知当得水不久。如人击贼贼已退散。自知得胜。意中安隐。如人怖死。人欲知活不。当先试之。以杖打身。若隐胗脉起者。知是有暖必可得活。亦如听法人。思惟喜悦心着。是时心热。行者如是有暖法故名为有暖。亦名能得涅槃分善根。

Explanation: It is like a person digging a well who, having dug out damp mud, knows in his heart that water will soon emerge. It is like a person striking bandits who, the bandits having already retreated and scattered, knows he has won and his mind is at ease. It is like a person fearing death: to know whether a person is still alive, one should first test him by striking his body with a wooden staff; if the pulse faintly rises, one knows the body still has warmth and he will certainly come back to life. It is also like a person listening to the dharma: as he deliberates on the Buddha's dharma, joy arises, and at this time the mind feels as if a stream of heat flows through it. A practitioner having such a heat characteristic is called "having heat," also called the wholesome root capable of obtaining a share of nirvāṇa, partially realizing the liberation of nirvāṇa.

Original text: 是善根法有十六行四谛缘。六地中一智慧。一切无漏法基。野人能行安隐(于无漏疏故名为野人案梵本尔先言凡夫人非)。是名有暖法。增进转上更名顶法。如乳变为酪。是人观法实相。我当得苦脱。心爱是法。是为真法。能除种种苦患及老病死。

Explanation: This method of cultivating the wholesome root takes as its object the four noble truths with their sixteen characteristics; in the six grounds of the desire realm and the form realm, the wisdom of nirvāṇa can all arise; it is the foundation of all undefiled dharmas; even a person with heavy afflictions who cultivates it can obtain peace and security—this is called the dharma of heat. When this wisdom is further advanced and increased, it is called the dharma of the summit. Just as cow's milk turns into butter and curds, this person, through contemplative practice, discerns that the true characteristic of the Buddha's dharma is empty, suffering, and impermanent, and immediately makes the vow "I shall escape this suffering," delighting in his mind in the dharma of the four noble truths, regarding it as the true dharma that can remove the various sufferings and afflictions as well as aging, sickness, and death.

Original text: 是时思惟。此法谁说。是佛世尊。从是得佛宝中信心清净。大欢喜悦。若无此法。一切烦恼谁当能遮。我当云何。得实智慧少许明。从是得法宝中信心清净。大欢喜悦。若我不得佛弟子辈好伴。云何当得实智慧少许明。从是得僧宝中信心清净。大欢喜悦。是三宝中得一心清净。合实智慧。是顶善根。亦名顶法。亦名能得涅槃分善根。

Explanation: At this time one deliberates: who taught the dharma of the four noble truths and the dharma of the four foundations of mindfulness? It was taught by the World-Honored One Buddha; therefore one obtains pure faith toward the Buddha Jewel, and the mind greatly rejoices. Again the mind deliberates: if there were no such Buddha-dharma, who could block and subdue all my afflictions? How should I realize such wisdom and obtain even a little light of wisdom? Thereupon one obtains pure faith toward the Dharma Jewel, and the mind greatly rejoices. Again one deliberates: if I did not have the good companions and good friends among the Buddha's disciples, how could I obtain true wisdom with even a little light of wisdom? Thereupon one obtains pure faith toward the Saṅgha Jewel, and the mind greatly rejoices. Obtaining single-minded pure faith and delight in the Three Jewels, together with true wisdom, this is the summit wholesome root, also called the dharma of the summit, also called the liberation-portion wholesome root that can attain nirvāṇa.

Original text: 如波罗延经中说。

佛宝法僧宝    谁有少信净

是名顶善根    汝曹一心持

云何为少信。于佛菩萨辟支佛阿罗汉边为少。于野人边为多。复次此可破可失是故名少。如法句说。

芭蕉生实死    竹生实亦然

骡有子则死    小人得养死

破失非利故    小人得名誉

白净分失尽    乃至顶法堕

Explanation: The Pārāyana Sūtra says: Buddha Jewel, Dharma Jewel, Saṅgha Jewel—whoever has even a little pure faith in these Three Jewels possesses the highest summit wholesome root. You, the assembly, should single-mindedly uphold and reverently honor the Three Jewels. What is called having a little faith? Having little faith toward the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats counts as "little"; having a little faith toward those with heavy afflictions who are far from the undefiled wholesome roots counts as "much." Furthermore, this little faith easily regresses and is destroyed, therefore it is said to be little.

As said in the Dhammapada: once a plantain tree grows a solid core, it dies; once bamboo grows a solid core, it likewise dies; a mule dies upon bearing offspring; a petty person, upon receiving nurture and honor, becomes complacent and loses his composure; nurture is of no benefit to a petty person. Once a petty person gains fame and reputation, his wholesome roots will be exhausted to the utmost, and the summit dharma he has cultivated will also regress and fall.

Original text: 复次未断诸结使。未得无漏无量慧心。以是故名少。复次勤精进一心。入涅槃道中。更了了观五阴四谛十六行。是时心不缩不悔不退。爱乐入忍。是名忍善根。忍何等。随四谛行。是名为忍。是善根三种。上中下三时。云何名忍。观五阴无常苦空无我。心忍不退是名忍。

Explanation: Furthermore, not having eradicated the various affliction-bonds, not having obtained the undefiled immeasurable mind of wisdom, therefore it is called little faith. Diligently and vigorously cultivating until attaining single-minded meditative concentration (samādhi), entering the path to nirvāṇa, then again very carefully and minutely contemplating the sixteen characteristics of the five aggregates and the four noble truths—at this time the mind does not shrink back, does not regret, does not regress; the mind delights in cultivating the dharma of the four noble truths and enters the stage of patience—this is called the wholesome root of patience. Patience of what dharma? Following along with the practice of the four noble truths is patience. The wholesome root of patience is divided into three kinds: superior, middle, and inferior. What is patience? Observing the impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self of the five aggregates, with the mind patiently accepting without regressing—this is called patience.

Original text: 复次。观诸世间尽。苦空无有乐。是苦因习爱。等诸烦恼。是习智缘尽。是名上法。更无有上。八直道能令行人得至涅槃。更无有上。如是信心。不悔不疑。忍是名忍。是中更有忍。种种结使。种种烦恼疑悔。来入心中。不能令破。譬如石山。种种风水不能漂动。是故名忍。是事得名真好野人。

如佛说法句中。

世界正见上    谁有得多者

乃至千万岁    终不堕恶道

Explanation: Furthermore, observing that all the world is suffering and empty without happiness; that the habituation of craving-attachment and other afflictions is the cause of suffering; that when the conditions of craving habituation are exhausted, liberating wisdom is obtained—this is the supreme dharma of patience, with nothing above it. The eightfold right path can enable practitioners to obtain the bliss of nirvāṇa, therefore it is the dharma with nothing above it. Giving rise to such faith in the dharma of the four noble truths, without regret and without doubt, such patient endurance is called patience. Various affliction-bonds and various doubts and regrets all come invading the mind, yet cannot destroy the pure faith of one's own mind. It is like a rocky mountain: various winds and waters cannot drift or shake the rocky mountain, therefore it is called patience. Only when cultivated to this degree is one a true practitioner.

As the Buddha said in the Dhammapada: right view in the world is the most supreme; whoever obtains much of it gains much thereby; even throughout thousands and millions of years, he will never fall into the evil destinies.