English
It is so. The second dhyana is: From the approximation of the first dhyana's mind, the combination is without investigation but only with discernment. The main practice is clear and without investigation. The third is: From the approximation of the second dhyana's mind, there is no investigation or discernment, with emptiness. The main practice is the arising of superior non-investigation. The fourth is: From the approximation of the third dhyana's mind, combined with the joy and happiness obtained by samadhi, the main practice is the arising of the superior. In the Middle Mother Sutra, it says: Having investigation and having discernment is the first dhyana. Having no investigation but only discernment is the second dhyana. The mental activity that has neither investigation nor discernment is the third dhyana. The mental activity of gathering joy and happiness is the fourth dhyana. The way to attain the mind of dhyana is: The mind of dhyana, from which arises a mind as pure and clear as the sky, will attain the sphere of infinite space. From that, all phenomena are mind itself, without elaboration, will attain the sphere of infinite consciousness. From that, the appearing mind does not perceive, free from elaboration, will accomplish the sphere of nothingness. From that, the mind is free from all elaborations of existence and non-existence, will accomplish the sphere of neither existence nor non-existence. From that, the mind is free from various afflictions and elaborations, will attain the peace of self-nature cessation. Here, from the basis of attaining the mind of dhyana, a superior formless mind arises. First, the sphere of infinite space is: The mental activity of making all phenomena stable by considering them as the nature of being as pure and stainless as the sky. The sphere of infinite consciousness is: That is also mind-only, and the mind is also separated from all beginnings and ends, the mental activity of thinking as infinite. The sphere of nothingness is: That is also non-perception, the mind that cannot be seen anywhere because of non-perception. The peak of existence is: The mental activity of transcending the edge of either existence or non-existence. Cessation is: The cessation of all mental elaborations. In the commentary on the Entering [the Bodhisattva Path], it says: Here, cessation is for the sake of ceasing mental elaborations. If divided, there are two types of cessation: the cessation that is individually analyzed after measuring and examining with wisdom, and the non-individually analyzed cessation that is placed in the nature of reality without measuring. Among them, the cessation of a Bodhisattva is the compassionate holding of sentient beings, as it says in the Entering [the Bodhisattva Path]:
Chinese
虽然是属于恒常止息的禅定，但对于无依无靠的众生，会生起更大的慈悲。如是说。如果这样，难道不是没有遮止戏论吗？因为生起不分别的智慧的慈悲，所以不是有戏论。这些也是，从《中观母经》中说：应当修持九次第住的等持之义。一般来说，异生和圣者的禅定，是从获得广大果的心之间平等获得。之后趋向于止息的安乐，心想一切法如虚空一般，于此状态中意识的行境隐没，因此无色界的意识投生到有顶之间。而圣者是以胜观的智慧，修持一切法无我、无我所的特殊双运自性。因此获得广大心，从下界到色究竟天之间，获得见道、修道的上上智慧，从而从痛苦中解脱。他们的心中，具备禅定、无色界的功德，因此进入这些等持。这些界的自相心并非如此，因为大乘圣者不执着于投生到上界。修持九次第定的方式是，如前所说的方式。如是次第等持九者，次第与非次第，超越勤修力，自他前后之生业等，以及心之行境为何知，死殁与生，虽为障碍亦能见，一与多中能化现，无有烦恼如所有如实知，见诸佛刹土充满善逝子。因此修持次第住的等持，能以先前所不知的眼和神通，无有障碍地化现，并具有从高地向上跃升的功德，以及见到佛土后听法和圆满资粮等。次第住的修持方式有三种，其中狮子奋迅三摩地是，对四禅和四无色定，向上次第修持后，向下也次第修持，如同在九级阶梯上上下一般。从《中观母经》中说：何为菩萨摩诃萨的狮子奋迅定？从初禅
English
Although it is a meditation belonging to constant cessation, it generates greater compassion for beings without protectors. Thus it is said. If so, isn't it that elaboration is not prevented? Because the compassion of non-conceptual wisdom arises, it is not that there is elaboration. These are also, from the Middle Mother Sutra: One should engage in the nine successive abidings of meditative absorption. Generally, the meditation of ordinary beings and noble ones is obtained equally between minds of great fruit. After that, one inclines towards the bliss of quiescence, thinking that all phenomena are like the sky, and in that state, the engagement of the mind disappears, so the formless mind propels one to the peak of existence. Noble ones, however, cultivate the particularly unique union of the nature of all phenomena being without self and without what belongs to self, through the wisdom of higher seeing. Therefore, having obtained a great mind, they attain higher and higher wisdom of seeing and meditation from the lower realms up to Akanistha, and thus pass beyond suffering. Their minds are complete with the qualities of meditation and the formless realms, and therefore they enter into those samadhis. The minds of those realms are not self-characterized, because great vehicle noble ones do not hold to being born in higher realms. The way to combine the nine meditative absorptions is as described above. Thus, the nine successive meditative absorptions, through training in sequential and non-sequential, surpassing skill, one knows the past deeds of oneself and others, earlier and later lives, and whatever is the sphere of the mind's activity, and although obscured by death, transmigration, and birth, one sees it. One emanates and transforms into one and many. One is without afflictions and knows as it is, as much as there is. One sees the Buddha-fields filled with the sons of the Sugata. Therefore, by meditating on the samadhi of successive abiding, one transforms without obstruction with eyes and superknowledges not previously known, and one has the qualities of leaping from higher ground to higher ground, and after seeing the Buddha-fields, one listens to the Dharma and perfects the accumulations, etc. There are three ways to meditate on successive abiding, among which the lion's sport is to meditate on the four dhyanas and four formless absorptions in ascending order, and then to meditate in descending order, like climbing up and down a nine-rung ladder. From the Middle Mother Sutra: What is the samadhi of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, the lion's sport? From the first dhyana
Chinese
从“靠近而住”开始，说了从灭尽定和有顶到初禅之间。小的超越是先从无色界的九次第定向上修习，然后向下跳到初禅来修习。大的超越有两种。顺着次第将灭尽定放入中间，就是修习初禅。从修习灭尽定到灭尽定之间，都这样做，意味着在每个部分之间放入一个，然后轮流修习。将等持的心放入中间，就是从灭尽定出定后，转为不等持的心，这样向下次第修习到初禅。同样，从初禅进入到三禅，从灭尽定之间，向上向下，每一个都放弃一个来修习，以及二、三、四、五、六、七、八个都放弃，向上向下轮流修习的方式。如《现观庄严论》中所说：“灭尽及具灭九定，以二种相往还已，于欲界系之识上，执取非等持之界，超越之等持瑜伽，一二三四及以五，六七八超已，于灭定间异而行。”五眼和六神通之前已经说过了。获得三种三摩地的时候是，获得殊胜三摩地的时候。那时，由于彻底了悟显现如幻，因此，如幻三摩地本身，以及为了使心远离痛苦，烦恼彻底寂灭，无垢月亮般的三摩地，以及诸法无所缘，于平等一味之中，如虚空般无有遮蔽的三摩地等，成百上千，无数的三摩地都会圆满成就。就像一个太阳，既能驱散黑暗而显现光明，又能放射光芒而具有万道光芒，又能使莲花开放而成为莲花的朋友等等，虽然有种种不同的名称，同样，了悟显现如幻之后，从一心专注于此的角度来说，就是如幻三摩地；从寂灭烦恼的黑暗和痛苦的角度来说，就是无垢月亮般的三摩地；由于了悟一切法如虚空，所以是从如虚空般无有遮蔽等等角度安立的三摩地，实际上都是一个智慧。
English
From "abiding closely," it speaks of the progression from cessation and the peak of existence down to the first dhyana. The minor transcendence involves meditating upwards through the nine formless absorptions of cessation, and then jumping down to the first dhyana to meditate. The major transcendence has two types. The first, in accordance with the system, involves inserting cessation in between, which is to meditate on the first dhyana. It is exemplified by doing the same from meditating on cessation up to cessation, meaning inserting one in between each part and meditating in turns. Inserting the mind in equipoise in between means arising from cessation and turning to a mind that is not in equipoise, thus meditating gradually down to the first dhyana. Similarly, from entering the first dhyana to the third, from between cessation, going up and down, abandoning each one in between to meditate, and abandoning two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight in between, the method of meditating alternately going up and down is taught. As it says in the Ornament for Clear Realization: "The nine absorptions with cessation, having gone and come in two ways, on the consciousness belonging to the desire realm, holding the boundary of non-equipoise, the transcendence of meditative absorption, one, two, three, four, and five, having transgressed six, seven, and eight, go differently between cessation." The five eyes and six superknowledges have already been mentioned. The time of attaining the three samadhis is the time of attaining special samadhi. At that time, because of thoroughly realizing appearances as illusion, therefore, the samadhi like illusion itself, and for the sake of the mind being free from suffering and afflictions being completely pacified, the samadhi like the stainless moon, and all phenomena being without object, in the oneness of equality, the samadhi like space, without obscuration, etc., hundreds and thousands, countless samadhis will be perfectly accomplished. Just as one sun dispels darkness and illuminates, radiates light and possesses a thousand lights, and opens the lotus and is the friend of the lotus, etc., these are named differently. Similarly, having realized appearances as illusion, from the aspect of single-pointedness in that state, it is the samadhi like illusion; from the aspect of pacifying the darkness of afflictions and suffering, it is the samadhi like the stainless moon; because of realizing all phenomena as like space, therefore, it is the samadhi established from the aspect of being like space without obscuration, etc., but in reality, they are all one wisdom.
Chinese
因此，禅定的功德越来越增长，可以获得成千上万的功德。《经部》中说有如幻三摩地等等。获得禅定结合的方法是：以胜观彻底领悟其义，以殊胜的止观一心执持，定与持便自然成就。以个别观察的胜观，能很好地领悟佛法的词句和意义，因此，止观能一心一意地执持于相续中。胜观是持，止观是定。如《智慧广大》中所说：胜观是佛法之门的持，止观是定。持，在《善成续》中说：持是什么？有三种持，词、义和二者兼有。从善到恶，执持的缘故称之为持。以上讲述了一般的次第。第三个共同意义是，如何修习道次第，解释了需要积聚、加行、见、修、无学五道，以六个结尾。积聚道有三种，小的是：现在应该了解支分道次第的差别，就像这样，五道次第是行道解脱。在积聚道小者中，修习身、受、心、法四念住。如是说，一切佛陀也是通过五道成佛的，所以这里讲述它的次第。其中五者中的第一个是积聚道，即发起大乘菩提心，从修习第一个道开始，直到暖位没有在相续中生起之间的闻思修等证悟和禅定，以及善的积聚，其自性是走向解脱之洲的道路。此道的因是大乘发心新生的所依，即觉醒的种姓。果是后四道。定义是闻思和福德的积聚成为主要，所以是积聚道。如果分类，有三种，在小者中，以正念住四者，以俱生和后得二者修习，也就是自己和他人的身体，在正念住中像虚空一样修习，在后得中像幻化一样，以及作为贪执的对治，修习不净观。