The Method of Practicing Dhyana in the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment

If bodhisattvas merely extinguish all illusions without grasping at their functions, and solely sever afflictions, then when afflictions are completely exhausted, they will realize true reality. Such bodhisattvas are called those who solely cultivate dhyana.

Dhyana is a meditative practice aimed at realizing prajna (wisdom) and awakening to true reality. How is true reality realized? It is realized when afflictions are completely exhausted. Afflictions are all forms of ignorance; when ignorance no longer obscures, prajna wisdom manifests, and true reality is inevitably realized. The Buddha said: "All sentient beings of the great earth possess the Tathagata's wisdom and virtuous characteristics, but they cannot realize it due to afflictions and deluded thoughts." The dhyana approach thus follows the Buddha's teaching, taking the path of severing afflictions to realize true reality. The method by which bodhisattvas sever afflictions differs from that of non-Buddhists and arhats or pratyekabuddhas, because bodhisattvas know that all dharmas are illusory. Therefore, during meditation, they extinguish all illusions, relinquishing and not clinging to any illusory, unreal appearances. By not grasping at illusory dharmas, afflictions are gradually severed, the mind becomes purified, and they realize the non-illusory dharma of true reality.

Certainly, afflictions cannot be completely severed all at once, nor can true reality be fully realized immediately. There must be stages, steps, and a process. As afflictions are progressively eliminated, the realization of true reality deepens, until afflictions are completely exhausted and true reality is fully realized, culminating in Buddhahood. This means that to realize true reality to a certain degree, one must sever afflictions to that same degree, removing obscurations to that extent. Severing the coarsest afflictions leads to the initial realization of prajna and true reality. Severing the root afflictions leads to the profound realization of prajna and true reality, the realization of suchness (tathata). Eliminating habitual tendencies of afflictions results in an ever-deepening realization of suchness. Therefore, without severing afflictions, one cannot realize true reality. If even the coarsest afflictions remain unsevered to the slightest degree, then the view of self cannot be abandoned, and the prajna realization of true reality cannot be attained.

Many clamor that bodhisattvas need not sever afflictions, which is tantamount to saying that bodhisattvas need not realize prajna or true reality, becoming unwise bodhisattvas. Such are not true bodhisattvas, lacking a bodhisattva's wisdom and virtue. A bodhisattva who does not wish to sever root afflictions, if still burdened by coarse afflictions, is an ordinary being bound by fetters, resembling a bodhisattva but not truly being one. Such a one lacks the demeanor and stature of a bodhisattva, cannot serve as an example for sentient beings, and cannot lead them toward liberation and the shore of nirvana.

The entire focus of solely cultivating dhyana lies in merely extinguishing all illusions without grasping at their functions. Illusory dharmas arise from causes and conditions, are subject to birth, cessation, and change, and lack substantial function. Recognizing this, bodhisattvas neither acknowledge nor cling to illusory dharmas. Throughout the entire cultivation process, they can sever the view of self, eradicate self-attachment, eliminate attachment to dharmas, realize true reality, realize suchness, and realize non-abiding nirvana (apratisthita nirvana). Not grasping at the functions of illusory dharmas means severing attachment to dharmas. When attachment to dharmas is completely exhausted, ignorance and afflictions are completely exhausted, and the non-abiding nirvana of the Buddha stage is realized. The cultivation methods of non-Buddhists do not involve extinguishing illusions because they do not know that all dharmas are illusory, nor do they recognize the five aggregates as illusory. If arhats or pratyekabuddhas have not studied prajna, they also do not know that all dharmas are illusory. Therefore, they cannot extinguish illusory dharmas, cannot relinquish them, and cannot sever attachment to dharmas. Only bodhisattvas can sever attachment to dharmas. Only bodhisattvas can attain Buddhahood. Only bodhisattvas can realize ultimate nirvana.