Lecture on the Sūtra on the Samādhi of Sitting Meditation (162)

Original text: 是时心中思惟观念。我了了观知此道不应取证。有二事力故未入涅槃。一者大悲不舍众生。二者深知诸法实相。诸心心数法从因缘生。我今云何随此不实。当自思惟欲入深观十二因缘。知因缘是何法。

Explanation: At this time, he contemplated and observed his own mental states in his mind. "I can now very clearly observe that practicing the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, I should not attain the fourth fruit and nirvāṇa. Due to the power of two things, I cannot enter nirvāṇa: first, the great compassionate mind that pities sentient beings—I cannot abandon sentient beings and disregard them; second, I deeply know the true reality of all dharmas—all mental dharmas and the mental factors of the conscious mind arise from causes and conditions. How can I now follow these unreal dharmas? I should deliberate carefully and enter deep meditative concentration to contemplate the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent arising, so as to thoroughly understand what the twelve links of dependent arising actually are."