The Importance of Meditative Concentration (Dhyāna and Samādhi)

Some people's mind consciousness can sound its high notes all the way up to the level of an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva, while the manas' cultivation still treads in place at the level of an ordinary being. Why is there such a great disparity? It is precisely because they never cultivate meditative concentration (samādhi), never carefully deliberate within samādhi upon the content that the mind consciousness has only roughly understood, and never nurture the manas within samādhi. The manas remains as ignorant as before, so all of its actions will correspond to the manas' ignorance, and what the mind consciousness proclaims can never be carried out.

It is thus evident that meditative concentration is extremely important. Samādhi is the platform for communication between the mind consciousness and the manas; samādhi is the bridge through which the mind consciousness transmits theoretical knowledge to the manas; samādhi is the channel through which the mind consciousness supplies data to the manas; samādhi is the venue where the mind consciousness submits evidence to the manas; samādhi is the indispensable nourishment for the manas to receive conditioning and to understand principles; samādhi is the calming pill for subduing the manas.

The threefold learning of precepts, samādhi, and wisdom—the three untainted teachings—taught by the Buddha has an extremely profound significance. The Buddha does not deceive us: the Buddha is one who speaks as it is, one who speaks truthfully, one who speaks without discrepancy. The Buddha is the integrator of great wisdom, immeasurable wisdom, and unsurpassed wisdom. Have faith in and accept the Buddha's words, and you will surely attain buddhahood.