Sutta 7: Cultivating Samatha and Vipassana

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0600a29] Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha (佛 [fu]) was in Jetavana Anathapindada's Park (祇樹給孤獨園 [qi shu gei gu du yuan]) in Śrāvastī (舍衛國 [she wei guo]).

[0600a29] wén rú shì:

yī shí, fú zài shě wèi guó qí shù gěi gū dú yuán.

[0600a29] wen ru shi:

yi shi, fu zai she wei guo qi shu gei gu du yuan.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0600b01] At that time, the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) told the bhikṣus (比丘 [bi qiu]), "A forest-dwelling bhikṣu (阿練比丘 [a lian bi qiu]) should practice two dharmas. What are these two dharmas? Namely, calmness (止 [zhi]) and insight (觀 [guan]). If a forest-dwelling bhikṣu (阿練比丘 [a lian bi qiu]) achieves calmness (休息止 [xiu xi zhi]), then their precepts are perfected, their deportment is not lost, they do not violate forbidden conduct, and they perform all merits. If a forest-dwelling bhikṣu (阿練比丘 [a lian bi qiu]) gains insight (觀 [guan]), they then observe suffering, knowing it as it is. They observe the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the way out of suffering, knowing them as they are. Having observed thus, their mind is liberated from the defilement of desire, their mind is liberated from the defilement of existence, and their mind is liberated from the defilement of ignorance. They then gain the knowledge of liberation: birth and death have ceased, pure conduct (梵行 [fan xing]) has been established, what needed to be done has been done, and they will no longer receive future existence, knowing this truthfully.

[0600b01] ěr shí, shì zūn gào zhū bǐ qiū: “ā liàn bǐ qiū dāng xiū xíng èr fǎ. yún hé èr fǎ? suǒ wèi zhǐ yǔ guān yě. ruò ā liàn bǐ qiū dé xiū xī zhǐ, zé jiè lǜ chéng jiù, bù shī wēi yí, bù fàn jìn xíng, zuò zhū gōng dé. ruò fù ā liàn bǐ qiū dé guān yǐ, biàn guān cǐ kǔ, rú shí zhī zhī. guān kǔ xí,, guān kǔ jǐn,, guān kǔ chū yào, rú shí zhī zhī. bǐ rú shì guān yǐ, yù lòu xīn jiě tuō, yǒu lòu xīn,, wú míng lòu xīn dé jiě tuō, biàn dé jiě tuō zhì: shēng sǐ yǐ jǐn, fàn xíng yǐ lì, suǒ zuò yǐ bàn, gèng yì bù fù shòu yǒu, rú shí zhī zhī.

[0600b01] er shi, shi zun gao zhu bi qiu: "a lian bi qiu dang xiu xing er fa. yun he er fa? suo wei zhi yu guan ye. ruo a lian bi qiu de xiu xi zhi, ze jie lu cheng jiu, bu shi wei yi, bu fan jin xing, zuo zhu gong de. ruo fu a lian bi qiu de guan yi, bian guan ci ku, ru shi zhi zhi. guan ku xi,, guan ku jin,, guan ku chu yao, ru shi zhi zhi. bi ru shi guan yi, yu lou xin jie tuo, you lou xin,, wu ming lou xin de jie tuo, bian de jie tuo zhi: sheng si yi jin, fan xing yi li, suo zuo yi ban, geng yi bu fu shou you, ru shi zhi zhi.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0600b09] "The many Tathāgatas (多薩阿竭 [duo sa a jie]), Arhats (阿羅訶 [a luo he]), and Samyaksaṃbuddhas (三耶三佛 [san ye san fu]) of the past all achieved this through these two dharmas. Why is that? Just as a Bodhisattva (菩薩 [pu sa]) sitting under the Bodhi tree (樹王 [shu wang]) first meditates on these two dharmas: calmness (止 [zhi]) and insight (觀 [guan]). If a Bodhisattva Mahāsattva (菩薩摩訶薩 [pu sa mo he sa]) attains calmness (止 [zhi]), they can then subdue the demonic enemies; if a Bodhisattva (菩薩 [pu sa]) attains insight (觀 [guan]), they immediately achieve the threefold knowledge (三達智 [san da zhi]) and attain unsurpassed Arhatship (無上至真 [wu shang zhi zhen]), perfect enlightenment (等正覺 [deng zheng jue]). Therefore, bhikṣus (比丘 [bi qiu])! A forest-dwelling bhikṣu (阿練比丘 [a lian bi qiu]) should seek expedient means to practice these two dharmas. Thus, bhikṣus (比丘 [bi qiu])! You should learn this."

[0600b09] “guò qù zhū duō sà ā jié,, ā luó hē,, sān yé sān fú, jiē yóu cǐ èr fǎ ér dé chéng jiù. suǒ yǐ rán zhě, yóu rú pú sà zuò shù wáng xià shí, xiān sī wéi cǐ fǎ zhǐ yǔ guān yě. ruò pú sà mó hē sà dé zhǐ yǐ, biàn néng jiàng fú mó yuàn； ruò fù pú sà dé guān yǐ, xún chéng sān dá zhì, chéng wú shàng zhì zhēn,, děng zhèng jué. shì gù, zhū bǐ qiū! ā liàn bǐ qiū dāng qiú fāng biàn, xíng cǐ èr fǎ. rú shì, zhū bǐ qiū! dāng zuò shì xué.”

[0600b09] "guo qu zhu duo sa a jie,, a luo he,, san ye san fu, jie you ci er fa er de cheng jiu. suo yi ran zhe, you ru pu sa zuo shu wang xia shi, xian si wei ci fa zhi yu guan ye. ruo pu sa mo he sa de zhi yi, bian neng jiang fu mo yuan; ruo fu pu sa de guan yi, xun cheng san da zhi, cheng wu shang zhi zhen,, deng zheng jue. shi gu, zhu bi qiu! a lian bi qiu dang qiu fang bian, xing ci er fa. ru shi, zhu bi qiu! dang zuo shi xue."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0600b15] At that time, the bhikṣus (比丘 [bi qiu]) rejoiced and practiced what the Buddha (佛 [fu]) had said.

[0600b15] ěr shí, zhū bǐ qiū wén fú suǒ shuō, huān xǐ fèng xíng.

[0600b15] er shi, zhu bi qiu wen fu suo shuo, huan xi feng xing.