Can the Cultivation of the Four Dhyanas and Eight Samadhis Lead to the Attainment of Nirvana and Liberation?

Nirvana is the state realized by Arhats who have attained liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom. It is not only related to meditative absorption, but primarily associated with the wisdom of liberation. Even if one achieves the first, second, third, or fourth meditative absorptions, one still cannot attain liberation and remains within the cycle of birth and death. This is because the root cause of birth and death—the view of self—has not been eradicated. Consequently, the afflictions associated with the self remain unsevered, the mind remains bound by afflictions, fails to attain liberation, and has not realized Nirvana.

Liberation of mind is the state attained by a third-stage practitioner in the Hinayana path. Such a practitioner not only possesses meditative absorption at the level of the first meditative absorption or higher but has also eradicated the view of self, eliminated the afflictions of greed and hatred, and severed the three fetters. This is the realization of Nirvana with residue. Upon further eradicating conceit and the clinging to self, and completely exhausting all craving for the three realms, one obtains the wisdom of liberation and can enter Nirvana without residue.

Thus it is said that meditative absorption alone cannot eradicate afflictions; it can only suppress them. The mind does not attain liberation, nor does wisdom attain liberation. Liberation of mind is the state of liberation attained through wisdom combined with meditative absorption, by eradicating afflictions. Similarly, liberation by wisdom is the state of liberation attained through the wisdom of liberation combined with meditative absorption, by eradicating all afflictions.