True Meditative Concentration Is the Equal Cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā

True samādhi is the equal cultivation of samādhi and prajñā, possessing both meditative concentration and wisdom; it is a state realized after actual attainment. Because the methods of practice differ, the levels differ, the depths of meditative concentration differ, and the wisdom of contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) differs, the samādhi attained also differs. Any meditative concentration that requires the wisdom of contemplative practice must be grounded in preparatory concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) or the concentration of the first dhyāna. Contemplative practice works best within first-dhyāna concentration; without first dhyāna, the more complete the preparatory concentration, the better—the closer to first dhyāna, the better. Without preparatory concentration, contemplative practice is impossible, because the mind is extremely coarse and shallow and cannot discern any dharma; if preparatory concentration is insufficient, contemplative practice will also lack power.

In concentrations of the second dhyāna and above, the mind consciousness has no thoughts and cannot engage in contemplative deliberation; one must emerge from meditative concentration before one can rely on the mind consciousness for contemplative deliberation. The higher the meditative concentration, the stronger the power of concentration after emerging from it, and the more refined, profound, and penetrating the contemplative deliberation. Unless the mind consciousness has already transmitted the dharma of contemplative practice to the manas, and the manas wants to clarify it, then in concentrations of the second dhyāna and above, the manas can deliberate and investigate on its own, free of interference. All the Buddhas awakened within fourth-dhyāna concentration; perhaps this was the manas awakening independently, with the mind consciousness playing little role.

With complete meditative concentration and having learned contemplative practice, many practitioners can find their own point of entry and can realize any given dharma. This is an extremely important method and path of practice, and also the bottleneck that modern Buddhist students find difficult to break through. After the mind consciousness understands the Buddha-dharma, it can deeply contemplate and seek verification. When the meaning of the dharma is lodged in the manas, it ensures that the manas deliberates on the dharma's meaning and its points of doubt; only after deliberating through to clarity can one be fully certain and no longer doubt the dharma. That state of mind is one of great ease and joy—liberation is exactly like that.