On Shamatha and Vipassana

Original text from the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra: "World-Honored One! What is the cause of this śamatha and vipaśyanā? Good man! Pure śīla and the correct view attained through pure hearing and contemplation serve as their cause. World-Honored One! What is the fruit of this śamatha and vipaśyanā? Good man! Perfectly pure precepts, perfectly pure mind, and perfectly pure wisdom serve as their fruit. Furthermore, good man! All wholesome dharmas, whether worldly or transcendental, of all śrāvakas and Tathāgatas, should be understood as the fruits attained through this śamatha and vipaśyanā."

Explanation: Question: World-Honored One, what are the prerequisites for śamatha and vipaśyanā? The World-Honored One said: Good man, the prerequisites for śamatha and vipaśyanā are pure moral conduct and the possession of pure, correct knowledge and view in the Dharma. Only on this foundation can one attain mental stillness (śamatha), and only with mental stillness can contemplation (vipaśyanā) arise.

Question: What fruits are attained upon accomplishing śamatha and vipaśyanā? The World-Honored One said: After achieving śamatha and vipaśyanā, the mind abides in samādhi. Moral conduct naturally becomes even purer because the power of concentration grows more distinct; wisdom becomes even purer because one attains the knowledge of reality as it is. Thus, precepts, concentration, and wisdom become more vigorous and pure. The Buddha said, good man, all wholesome dharmas, whether worldly or transcendental, of the four noble ones—śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas—are all accomplished through this śamatha and vipaśyanā.

Therefore, without upholding precepts and lacking correct knowledge and view, one cannot attain śamatha. Without śamatha, there can be no vipaśyanā. Without śamatha and vipaśyanā, precepts, concentration, and wisdom cannot be accomplished. Consequently, there will be no four noble fruits of śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, and Buddha, nor any fruits and virtues of wholesome dharmas.