The Method of Cultivating Śamatha in the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment

若诸菩萨唯取极静，由静力故，永断烦恼，究竟成就，不起于座，便入涅槃，此菩萨者，名单修奢摩他。The first method of solely cultivating śamatha is the method of cultivating śamatha (calm abiding), that is, the method of cultivating meditative concentration (dhyāna), relying upon meditative concentration to sequentially eradicate all afflictions; without even rising from one's seat, one can enter nirvāṇa. This is the practice of bodhisattvas. Of course, bodhisattvas practicing in this way would not take up nirvāṇa without remainder; ultimately they realize the apratiṣṭhita-nirvāṇa (nirvāṇa of non-abiding) of the buddha-bhūmi, attaining the nirvāṇa of a completely and perfectly awakened Buddha. Here there is a key question: these bodhisattvas' practice only cultivates meditative concentration, making the mind tranquil and extremely tranquil, and relying on the power of this tranquility, they forever eradicate afflictions. This means that as long as the mind is extremely, extremely still, so that all scattered thoughts and deluded notions are extinguished, afflictions are thereby eradicated, even to the point of eradicating all afflictions. Is it not said that meditative concentration alone cannot eradicate afflictions? Why is it said here that bodhisattvas who cultivate concentration and take up stillness can eradicate all afflictions?

The pure meditative concentration cultivated by non-Buddhists cannot eradicate fundamental afflictions; it can only subdue the coarse and heavy afflictions of the branches and leaves—the major and minor derivative afflictions (upakleśa). In later generations, when the meditative concentration disappears, relying upon the fundamental afflictions, the major and minor derivative afflictions will still arise, because the non-Buddhists, within meditative concentration, attain the wisdom of liberation, yet the mind is not completely empty—there remains a part that is not empty, and the emptiness is not ultimate. Therefore fundamental afflictions cannot be eradicated; only the coarse and heavy afflictions can be eradicated, which is called subduing afflictions. With the merit of having subdued afflictions, non-Buddhists, upon reflecting a little on the Buddha's teachings, can eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and the fundamental afflictions, and enter nirvāṇa without remainder. Thus the merit of meditative concentration is still extremely great; a still mind can give rise to wisdom.

Arhats and pratyekabuddhas, because they possess the wisdom of liberation, attain an emptiness within meditative concentration that is more ultimate, purer, and deeper than that of the non-Buddhists, and therefore they can eradicate the fundamental afflictions as well as the major and minor derivative afflictions; it is only that they cannot eradicate the habitual tendencies of afflictions. Bodhisattvas, however, not only possess the wisdom of liberation, but also the wisdom of prajñā and the seed-wisdom (种智) of Yogācāra; the emptiness they attain within meditative concentration is even more ultimate and thorough than that of arhats and pratyekabuddhas. By the power of this emptiness, they can eradicate all afflictions completely, including the habitual tendencies of afflictions. Afflictions are ignorance (avidyā); when afflictions are eradicated completely, ignorance is eradicated completely; when ignorance is eradicated completely, one accomplishes the ultimate fruit of buddhahood and realizes and enters the ultimate apratiṣṭhita-nirvāṇa (nirvāṇa of non-abiding).

The bodhisattva's eradication of afflictions is a permanent eradication—no affliction, no ignorance, will ever arise again, just as gold that has been refined from gold ore will never again be mixed with impurities. This is the merit of the mind reaching stillness and extreme stillness: taking up none of all dharmas, ignorance is eradicated completely; when not a single dharma is taken up, there is no ignorance. There is no need to again confront conditions and counteract afflictions, to introspect upon one's own mind amid the crowds; one directly casts aside the myriad conditions, lets go of the myriad dharmas, lets the mind directly empty to the very bottom, empty purely, empty ultimately, and thereby enters nirvāṇa. This is the method of bodhisattvas solely cultivating śamatha alone.