On Calm and Insight

Original text of the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra: “世尊！此奢摩他、毘钵舍那以何为因？善男子！清净尸罗，清净闻思所成正见，以为其因。世尊！此奢摩他、毘钵舍那以何为果？善男子！善清净戒、清净心、善清净慧，以为其果。复次，善男子！一切声闻及如来等，所有世间及出世间一切善法，当知皆是此奢摩他、毘钵舍那所得之果。”

Explanation: Question: World-Honored One, what are the prerequisites for śamatha and vipaśyanā? The World-Honored One said: Good son, the prerequisites for śamatha and vipaśyanā are pure moral conduct (śīla) and the possession of pure and correct views of the Buddha's Dharma formed through study and reflection. Only on this foundation can one speak of the mind coming to rest; only when the mind has come to rest can contemplation arise.

Question: What fruit is obtained by cultivating and accomplishing śamatha and vipaśyanā? The World-Honored One said: After śamatha and vipaśyanā have been accomplished, the mind abides in meditative absorption (samādhi), and moral conduct naturally becomes even purer, because the power of meditative concentration grows more distinctly; wisdom becomes even purer, because one attains wisdom in accordance with reality. Thus morality, concentration, and wisdom become ever more diligent and pure. The Buddha said: Good son, for all four kinds of noble and sagely beings — the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Tathāgatas — all wholesome dharmas, whether worldly or supramundane, are accomplished by this śamatha and vipaśyanā.

Therefore, without upholding the precepts and without correct views, one cannot attain śamatha; without śamatha, there is no vipaśyanā; without śamatha and vipaśyanā, morality, concentration, and wisdom cannot be accomplished, and there will be no four noble fruits of the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas, nor any fruits and virtues of wholesome dharmas.