The Threefold Undefiled Learning of Precepts, Meditation, and Wisdom

When the World-Honored One dwelled in the Saha World, He frequently taught His disciples to cultivate the threefold training of precepts, meditation, and wisdom, repeatedly emphasizing: "From precepts arises meditation; from meditation arises wisdom." The cultivation of precepts, meditation, and wisdom can lead to the mind becoming non-outflow: upholding precepts enables the mind to become non-outflow, cultivating meditation enables the mind to become non-outflow, and the growth of wisdom enables the mind to become non-outflow. When the mind is non-outflow, the mind attains liberation, wisdom attains liberation, and the fruit levels progressively increase. After the three non-outflow trainings of precepts, meditation, and wisdom are ultimately perfected, one is certain to attain Buddhahood.

Before enlightenment, when the threefold training of precepts, meditation, and wisdom is cultivated to a certain degree and correspondingly fulfilled to a certain extent, it can eradicate the view of self or lead to realization of the mind. Further cultivation and enhancement of the threefold training of precepts, meditation, and wisdom enables entry into the First Ground, attaining a non-outflow mind. Further cultivation of non-outflow precepts, meditation, and wisdom enables progressive advancement through the grounds up to the Eighth Ground. Further cultivation leads to the Tenth Ground of Equal Enlightenment. After further cultivation perfects and fully possesses precepts, meditation, and wisdom, one can attain Buddhahood.

Therefore, the threefold training of precepts, meditation, and wisdom, as well as the three non-outflow trainings, are extremely important and are key factors in accomplishing the Buddha Way. The Six Paramitas of the Bodhisattva also include the three paramitas of upholding precepts, cultivating meditation, and prajna wisdom. Using upholding precepts and cultivating meditation as foundational practices, the ultimate result is the attainment of perfect prajna wisdom. Within the Six Paramitas, the training in meditation precedes the training in wisdom. The Buddha taught that wisdom arises from meditation. Genuine great wisdom is necessarily elicited through profound, subtle contemplation and observation within meditative concentration. This is wisdom realized through direct experience, not the dry wisdom derived from intellectual understanding or emotional thinking. This is true throughout the entire process from attaining the first fruition (Sotāpanna) up to Buddhahood. Every intermediate stage relies on the support of meditative concentration, and every type of wisdom is the result of meditative concentration.