12. The Training According to the Samādhi

Overall Teaching

The Buddha teaches Candraprabha that bodhisattva-mahāsattvas gain immense merit by praising the Tathāgata’s immeasurable merits, reflecting the nature of all dharmas. True bodhisattvas understand this single meaning, transcend the three realms, and master the wisdom of distinguishing letters and dharmas. They see all dharmas as lacking self-existence, overcoming afflictions and benefiting beings. Transcending names and words, they expound Dharma without attachment and defeat māras with pure conduct. Realising the emptiness of the five aggregates, they protect the precepts, aiming for spontaneous wisdom and supreme Samādhi, becoming exemplary among humans and devas.

Summary

• The Buddha continues by explaining to Candraprabha:

  • Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas attain great benefits of merit, praise the true merits of the Tathāgata, and do not slander the Tathāgata's truth.

  • Regarding the Tathāgata's merits: 

    • He has attained all dharmas known in the world; his merits are immeasurable and inconceivable, and they are far removed from the mind, making them unthinkable and immeasurable.

  • The mind has no nature, form, or appearance; it is the same as the nature of the Buddha's merits, and Buddha's merits are the nature of all dharmas.

  • As for the true bodhisattva:

    • They know the single meaning of the nature of all dharmas. Tranquil in mind and understands the good roots of liberation from the three realms. They understand, know, see, and speak the truth without attachment. 

    • They transcend all grounds of affliction and the three realms. 

    • They understand the Dharma of being free from words and the wisdom of distinguishing letters. Thus, they are good at understanding letters and the wisdom of distinguishing all dharmas and dharma ranges.

    • Thus, they accord with inconceivable Buddha-Dharma.

  • Then, eighty koṭis of nayutas of devas and humans attained unobstructed patience at dharmas. The Buddhas gave them predictions of anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. They would attain awakening after four hundred and eighty koṭis of asaṃkhyeya kalpas, with various names, differences in lands, and equal lifespans.

• In verse, the Buddha reiterates:

  • Wise bodhisattvas seek the supreme and wondrous bodhi path. Skilled in the meanings of the Dharma and all expressions, they practice the nature of all dharmas. Their mouths continuously proclaim true words, describing the Buddha's true virtues. They understand all the Buddha's Dharma teachings without doubt about the honoured ones of the three realms.

  • All dharmas have the same meaning due to practising emptiness. Thus, bodhisattvas know that dharmas have no various characteristics and have cultivated their single meaning. Without discriminating thoughts of a sentient being, soul, self, or person, they cut off all these thoughts without remainder.

  • Bodhisattvas do not see the Tathāgata as having form and know that all dharmas are without self-existence. They do not follow characteristics and marks, as all inverted views are cut off. They understand the inconceivable nature of all buddhas, far removed from the mind, their bodies tranquil and ceased.

  • Bodhisattvas know the thought of the self and give rise to superior wisdom. Knowing all dharmas, they attain the pure eye. Such a person has no obstructions, and their great wisdom comprehends the path of liberation. They are fully endowed with the two kinds of causes and have no wishes at all.

  • Seeing reality as it truly is, all their words are true and in accord with all ritual and Dharma methods. The wise transcend the desire realm and surpass the afflictive states of the form and formless realms. They are free from attachment to the three realms, and their conduct benefits beings.

  • They transcend all grounds of names and words and surpass the nature of sound, which is empty. Even though they expound the Dharma for a long time, they have no reliance on those words. Far removed from all thoughts and frivolous arguments, they practice bravely like empty space, eliminating inverted and evil views.

  • Even if koṭīs of nayutas of māras attempt to disturb their minds, they outshine the māra host and are not subject to the power of māras, self-mastery complete. Abandoning all the deeds of māras, their pure conduct is free from afflictions. If they deeply delight in the bliss of dhyāna, they will know the emptiness of the world.

  • Knowing that the five aggregates are empty and quiescent, there is no extinction or birth, and all dharmas are like space, they would rather abandon their own lives than violate the Tathāgata's teachings. Protecting the precepts and reaching the other shore, they will be born in whatever realm they wish.

  • Wandering through countless buddha lands, they see many nayutas of koṭīs of buddhas. They will never desire to be born in the heavens, far removed from all desires and pleasures. Such a person will not abandon diligent effort, persevering in practicing the Dharma in a short time.

  • In the presence of buddhas in the ten directions, they will praise and extol them well. The body of the youth Candraprabha, hearing such a tranquil and still concentration, abandoned all matters of gain and benefit and practiced the Dharma praised by the buddhas. To attain spontaneous wisdom and be the highest for all worlds, one should learn this supreme Samādhi, becoming the best among humans and devas.

Commentary

Thrangu Rinpoche states:

The Buddha begins with the statement that understanding the nature of things — training in this type of samadhi - brings tremendous qualities and virtues, but these only result when we practice or apply the state of samadhi. Qualities are not engendered by just talking about emptiness. Merely paying lip service to emptiness does not bring about great virtue at all. Just claiming that everything is empty by nature and that engaging in virtue does not add to emptiness, or that committing negative actions does not detract from emptiness—that actions have no effect whatsoever—such claims will not bring forth any spiritual qualities. We must personally experience the state of emptiness through training in samadhi. This training lies beyond the pitfalls of disturbing emotions and the three realms: the Realms of Desire, the Realms of Form, and the Formless Realms. That is why this chapter is titled "Fully Training in Samadhi."
... This chapter "describes how to train in samadhi, not just by paying lip service to emptiness but by personally applying oneself to experiencing samadhi." The thirteenth chapter following this will "describe how the state of samadhi actually is."

Practically, this chapter emphasises the practice of the following, which can all be highlighted in meditation:

1. Reflect on the Buddha's immeasurable merits. We could do this through visualisation practice, reciting a verse praising the Buddha, or simply reciting a statement of homage (namo...). Afterwards, reflect on how we can express our gratitude by enabling all beings to learn the Dharma and expanding wishes for welfare to all beings.

2. Practising analytical meditation, which emphasises the emptiness and selflessness of dharmas.

3. Overcoming attachment to phenomena (the underlying meaning of transcending the three realms (desire, form, and formlessness)). This can also be done by reflecting on the five aggregates.

4. Cultivating non-attachment to words (reflecting on how words do not express reality itself).

Discussion

1. How can practitioners practically measure and cultivate the "immeasurable and inconceivable" merits of the Tathāgata in their daily lives?

2. What does understanding the "single meaning of the nature of all dharmas" mean, and how can this understanding impact a practitioner's perception of reality?

3. How can a practitioner work towards transcending the three realms, and what specific practices or mindsets are most effective in achieving this goal?

4. How can practitioners balance using words and concepts in teaching and learning the Dharma while maintaining an awareness of the Dharma's nature as "free from words"?