From Discipline Arises Concentration, From Concentration Emerges Wisdom

Volume Six of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra states:

"Ānanda, you have often heard me expound in the Vinaya the three definitive principles for cultivation. They are: disciplining the mind constitutes precepts (śīla); from precepts arises concentration (samādhi); and from concentration arises wisdom (prajñā). This is called the Three Undefiled Studies (trīṇi anāsrava-śikṣāṇi)."

Vinaya is one of the three divisions of the Buddhist canon (Tripiṭaka), comprising the Sutras, Vinaya, and Śāstras. It refers to the precepts spoken by the Buddha, signifying the taming of one's own mind and the subduing of body, speech, and mind, harmonizing the activities of body, speech, and mind. The result of this taming is the subduing and eradication of afflictions (kleśa), leading to a mind free from outflows (anāsrava), where body, speech, and mind are all undefiled, free from afflictions and habitual tendencies (vāsanā), free from ignorance (avidyā), and ultimately, the attainment of Buddhahood.

Why does disciplining the mind constitute precepts? Which mind must be disciplined to accomplish the precepts? When the mind is not disciplined, body, speech, and mind will recklessly stir and move. The body will do what should not be done, go where it should not go, move when it should not move. Consequently, in severe cases, it will commit the karmas of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct, making the attainment of concentration (dhyāna) impossible. Even minor bodily restlessness and reckless movement preclude concentration, because if the body cannot be still, concentration is impossible.

When the mind cannot be disciplined, speech will engage in reckless and frivolous talk, saying what should not be said, uttering what cannot be said. In severe cases, this leads to false speech, frivolous speech, divisive speech, and slander, violating the Five Precepts and Ten Wholesome Deeds. With an impure mind like this, concentration is impossible. Even without violating the Five Precepts and Ten Wholesome Deeds, because speech is reckless and excessive, the mind is certainly engaged in scattered thoughts; mental activity is excessive, the mind is not tranquil, and concentration is impossible.

When the mind is not disciplined, mental karma is certainly impure. One thinks what should not be thought, contemplates what should not be contemplated, perceives what should not be perceived, observes what should not be observed. Thus, the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion inevitably arise, the mind-water becomes turbid – how can there be concentration?

One thinks about people one shouldn't think about, worries about matters one shouldn't worry about, clings to feelings one shouldn't cling to – how can the mind be tranquil then? Who shouldn't be thought about? Some are overly sentimental, their minds constantly holding the image of another person, unable to shake it off, summoned instantly, impossible to erase. How can there be concentration like this? During meditation, these images will certainly obstruct the mind, obstructing contemplation, reflection, and stillness – how can there be concentration? If one can replace these images with those of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, receiving their blessings, the mind becomes pure, and concentration arises immediately.

Some do not discipline their minds, clinging to matters unrelated to themselves, things not beneficial to others, holding them in thought constantly, never forgetting, worrying about every little thing. The mind is filled to the brim, without any space. Thus, the mind-water surges turbulently, agitated and noisy – how can there be concentration? Without disciplining the mind, one constantly clings to wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep; the shadows of the Six Dusts pile up layer upon layer. The mind is not empty, covered by objects – how can there be concentration?

Many complain about being unable to cultivate concentration well. Then they must examine themselves to find out the real reason why concentration is not attained, to discover what exactly is obstructing their mind, dig it out, resolve it. When the mind is empty, concentration becomes naturally easy to achieve. What hinders concentration are the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion; the mind grasps at worldly dharmas, unwilling to let go, regarding everything as real, as useful, feeling compelled to grasp it, clinging to these worldly dharmas even unto death – how can there be concentration like this?

Even after this explanation, many still do not know how to examine themselves, unaware of what exactly is in their minds. Because the mind has become accustomed to scattering with objects, clinging too tightly to them, inseparable, it cannot jump outside the objects to observe its own mind. How can there be the wisdom of observation then? How can one observe the afflictions and habits of one's own mind? Only by jumping outside the circle, beyond the objects, outside the mind, to observe one's own mind, can one have the wisdom of observation, the power of contemplation, discovering phenomena previously unnoticed. Only then can one find methods to counteract and transform one's own mind, gaining the strength to subdue it.

The first thing to do now is to remove the mind from objects, to let the mind be the mind, objects be objects, people be people, things be things. Let all dharmas abide in their own dharma-positions, having nothing to do with one's own mind. When the mind is separate from objects, the power of awareness and illumination becomes strong, making it easy to realize the true nature of dharmas. Concentration will naturally increase, and wisdom will naturally arise.

The above explains the principle of how precepts give rise to concentration. Disciplining one's own mind is precepts; the mind not giving rise to what is improper is precepts; the mind not engaging in reckless thinking, reckless contemplation, reckless movement, reckless decisions, or reckless actions is precepts. This mind primarily refers to the seventh consciousness, the mind-root (manas). The contact, mental engagement, feeling, perception, and volition of the manas can trigger the mental engagement, contact, feeling, perception, and volition of the six consciousnesses, leading to the scattered activity of the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses. Disciplining the manas is like controlling the master switch for bodily, verbal, and mental actions; it is like subduing the general and commander. Then the subordinate soldiers of the six consciousnesses will obediently follow orders, docile and not reckless – why worry about not having concentration?

The most crucial point in cultivation is that concentration gives rise to wisdom. "Gives rise to" (发, fa) means to produce or generate. The Buddha instructs us that the mind, due to the power of concentration (samādhi-bala), being concentrated has power. This power can generate and produce wisdom (prajñā). It is like a force that enables a sprout to push through the soil; pushing through is called "arising" or "generating." Wisdom is what pushes through from the mind, generated and produced by the power of concentration. Without concentration, the mind has no power and cannot give rise to wisdom.

The treasure the Buddha bequeathed to us is the Three Undefiled Studies of precepts, concentration, and wisdom. If, because we cannot uphold the precepts or cultivate concentration, we discard the first two treasures, saying they are useless and only the last one is sufficient, then we must consider: Are we not prodigal sons? Ruining the Buddha's family heirloom, abandoning it without regard – are we still the Buddha's disciples? Not safeguarding the Buddha's family treasure, we are not the Buddha's filial descendants. Without the first two treasures, the last one cannot be attained. Even if the last one seems present, it is merely a counterfeit, not true wisdom.

Precepts, if elaborated upon, are inexhaustible. Concentration, if elaborated upon, is inexhaustible. Wisdom, if elaborated upon, is even more inexhaustible. Ultimately, the precepts, concentration, and wisdom of the superficial six consciousnesses must reach the fundamental precepts, concentration, and wisdom of the seventh consciousness, the manas. This is the true precepts, concentration, and wisdom. True precepts, concentration, and wisdom are the mind's precepts, the mind's concentration, the mind's wisdom. They are not merely the bodily and verbal actions of the surface six consciousnesses, nor merely the mental actions of the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna), but rather the issue of the mental actions of the seventh consciousness, the manas. When the manas-mind is disciplined, not giving rise to what is improper, not moving recklessly, wisdom will inevitably be born. The precepts, concentration, and wisdom of the manas govern all dharmas. Ultimately, it is through the precepts, concentration, and wisdom of the manas that one attains complete Buddhahood.