Saṃyukta Āgama (369)

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in Śrāvastī, at the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus: "In the past, when the Buddha Vipassī had not yet attained perfect enlightenment, he dwelled at the place of Bodhi. Before long, he attained Buddhahood. He approached the Bodhi tree, spread grass as his seat, sat cross-legged, sat upright with right mindfulness, and remained seated for seven days. He observed the twelve links of dependent origination in forward and reverse order. That is to say: 'Because this exists, that exists; because this arises, that arises.' Conditioned by ignorance are formations, and so on, up to conditioned by birth is the aggregation of aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair—the aggregation of pure great suffering; the cessation of the aggregation of pure great suffering. After the Buddha Vipassī had sat upright for seven days, he arose from samādhi and spoke this verse."

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: In times past, when the Buddha Vipassī had not yet become a Buddha, he dwelled at the Bodhimanda (the site of enlightenment). Before long, he attained Buddhahood. He went to the Bodhi tree, spread grass as his meditation seat, sat cross-legged in stillness, sat upright with right mindfulness, and remained seated continuously for seven days. Regarding the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination, he first observed them in forward order, then in reverse order. He observed the twelve links where 'because this exists, that exists; because this arises, that arises'—conditioned by ignorance are formations, and so on, up to conditioned by birth are aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair, the aggregation of pure great suffering; the cessation of the aggregation of pure great suffering. After the Buddha Vipassī sat upright for seven days, he arose from within samādhi and spoke the following verses. Whether it be the Buddhas of the ten directions, the great Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, or the Pratyekabuddhas (Solitary Realizers), when observing the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination, they all initiate contemplation within profound samādhi; they all possess the state of samādhi concentration. Only then can their contemplative practice be accomplished, thereby realizing it experientially and attaining the liberated state of samādhi, with concentration and wisdom equally held. The experiential realization of any Dharma gate occurs within profound samādhi through contemplative cultivation; it does not depart from precepts and concentration to realize the wisdom of samādhi. Without samādhi, one cannot truly engage in contemplative practice and thus cannot realize it experientially. Therefore, do not mistakenly think that the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats attained realization of the twelve links of dependent origination, or the Four Noble Truths, or the seeing of one's true nature, through mere reasoning. The sages and worthies who realized the Buddha Dharma—not one did so without being in samādhi, not one lacked samādhi, not one relied on reasoning and intellectual understanding to merely comprehend the Buddha Dharma intellectually.

Original Text: When such dharmas arise, the Brahmin diligently contemplates in meditation.

                  Forever free from all doubts, knowing conditioned arising dharmas.

                  If one knows that conditions produce suffering, knows that all feelings cease,

                  Knows the exhaustion of conditioned dharmas, then one knows the exhaustion of the outflows.

                  When such dharmas arise, the Brahmin diligently contemplates in meditation.

                  Forever free from all doubts, knowing that conditions produce suffering.

                  When such dharmas arise, the Brahmin diligently contemplates in meditation.

                  Forever free from all doubts, knowing that all feelings cease.

                  When such dharmas arise, the Brahmin diligently contemplates in meditation.

                  Forever free from all doubts, knowing the exhaustion of conditioned dharmas.

                  When such dharmas arise, the Brahmin diligently contemplates in meditation.

                  Forever free from all doubts, knowing the exhaustion of all outflows.

                  When such dharmas arise, the Brahmin diligently contemplates in meditation.

                  Universally illuminating all worlds, like the sun abiding in the sky,

                  Destroying all armies of Māra, awakening to the liberation from all fetters.

When the Buddha had spoken this sūtra, the bhikṣus, hearing what the Buddha had said, rejoiced and respectfully carried it out.

Explanation: How all these dharmas arise—the Brahmin diligently contemplates within samādhi. Finally, through contemplation, he thoroughly comprehends, forever abandons all doubts, his mind opens and understanding arises, experientially realizing that all is dharmas arisen from conditions. If one realizes that due to various conditions the production of birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, and distress occurs, realizes that all feelings have ceased, and also realizes that all conditionally arisen dharmas have ceased, then at this time one realizes the exhaustion of the outflows (āsravakṣaya), and all afflictive outflows are severed. These conditionally arisen dharmas—the Brahmin diligently contemplates them within samādhi. With his wisdom, he universally illuminates all worlds, like the sun abiding in the sky, destroying all armies of Māra, awakening to all dharmas, severing the fetters of afflictions, attaining eternal liberation.