解脫道論 白話全本 · 冊5

Question: At This Point, What Makes Concentration Arise?

Question: At this point, how can concentration be made to arise?

Answer: If a person beginning seated meditation wishes to bring meditative concentration into being, that person should seek a superior good friend.

Why?—Without Such a Person

Why is this so? If a person beginning seated meditation wishes to bring meditative concentration into being and attain the most excellent concentration, but is apart from a good friend, that person fails to remain in the division of stability.

As it is said in a scripture: the bhikkhu 有雲 came to belong to the division of regression.

It is like someone travelling alone in a distant country, with no companion to give guidance and therefore going wherever one pleases; it is like an elephant without a hook.

With Such a Person

When a person practising seated meditation gains a good friend who teaches the Dhamma, gives instruction, and brings that person under guidance—showing how to remove faults and obtain wholesome qualities—that person can practise according to the teaching, work diligently through hardship, and attain the most excellent concentration.

Thirteen Comparisons

It is like a wealthy merchant-leader whom the people respect and esteem, like drawing near to a good person, and like drawing near to one’s parents.

As for a good friend: it is like that same elephant tethered so that it does not move; like a charioteer making the carriage go or stop accordingly; like a person holding a rudder and thereby gaining a good course; like a physician treating illness and removing distress; like rain from the heavens moistening and benefiting every seed; like a mother nurturing her child; like a father instructing his son; like kin who cause no difficulty; like a friend who brings benefit; and like a teacher who gives instruction. All wholesome qualities reach fulfilment in dependence on this.

The Blessed One’s Instruction to Nantuo

Therefore the Blessed One instructed Nantuo: the whole of the holy life is what is called a good friend.

One should therefore seek the most excellent wholesome person as a good companion.

What Constitutes a Superior Good Friend?—Two Kinds of Accomplished Person

What constitutes a superior good friend? It is a person who possesses accomplishment.

Understanding sutta, abhidhamma, and vinaya—this is termed accomplishment in what has been attained.

Understanding kinds of kamma, obtaining excellent supernormal knowledge, and seeing the four truths—these two kinds of person are accomplished in qualities and are the ones who should be sought.

If These Two Kinds Cannot Be Found—Step Down Once to the Seven Factors

If a person accomplished in either of these two ways cannot be found, a good friend accomplished in seven factors should also be sought.

What are the seven factors? Being worthy of respect and affection, worthy of esteem, worthy of honor, able to speak, patient, speaking profound discourse, and not settling one in an unsuitable place.

The Seven Factors One by One

What is being worthy of respect and affection? As for 依二種行者—literally, “depending on two kinds, practitioner”—one speaks well, is a joy to live with, and opens the mind without making things difficult. This is termed being worthy of respect and affection.

One who is worthy of esteem: one’s conduct in virtue is peaceful, one has accomplished guarded mindfulness, and one is neither greedy in desire nor talkative. This is termed being worthy of esteem.

One who is worthy of honor: one has accomplished the qualities of learning and wisdom, and knows that seated meditation is worthy of esteem. This constitutes being worthy of honor.

One who is able to speak thinks, “What I say about being worthy of affection, worthy of esteem, and worthy of honor bears fruit.” Reflecting in this way—for the other person’s benefit and out of respect for the Dhamma—one restrains and receives that person with regard to what should not be done, never abandoning the person. This is termed being able to speak.

One who is patient: one can bring about the characteristics of unobstructed ornate speech and comprehensive speech, as with a noble person. This is termed being patient.

One of profound discourse: one penetrates the field of practice. Discrimination, recollection, attention, and fixation all arise through grasping a sign; one speaks well and in accordance with the Dhamma, and can bring to complete cessation the defiled grasping of signs that is not in accordance with the Dhamma. This is what it means to speak profound discourse.

One who does not settle another in an unsuitable place: if, with respect to clan, residence, occupation-group, and attachment to recitation, a place is unfit to stay, it is avoided; if it is a place fit for undertaking affairs, conduct there brings security, and it is a residence in which one may stay. This is meant by not settling another in an unsuitable place.

Conclusion

One accomplished in these seven factors is the good friend who should be sought.

Several Points to Record

In the list of seven factors, the sixth is “speaking profound discourse.” When the factors are explained one by one, its heading is “one of profound discourse,” while its closing phrase again reads “this is what it means to speak profound discourse.” The list and the heading of this single item are not uniform. They are recorded here as they stand.

When the fourth item, “able to speak,” refers back to the first three, it says “what I say about being worthy of affection, worthy of esteem, and worthy of honor bears fruit.” The latter two retain their earlier wording, but “worthy of respect and affection” is shortened here to “worthy of affection.” This is recorded as written.

The seven closing phrases do not have one form. The items on being worthy of respect and affection, worthy of esteem, able to speak, and patient use “this is termed”; the item on being worthy of honor uses “this constitutes”; profound discourse uses “this is what it means to speak”; and not settling one in an unsuitable place uses “this is meant by.” Seven items have four forms. They are recorded without being made uniform.

The passage does not list what the two kinds are in 依二種行者, and the punctuation of 若於姓族住處業聚誦著非住可避 is also uncertain. Both are retained close to their literal wording here, without supplying the two kinds or imposing a definitive parsing.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Necessity of a Good Friend and the Seven Factors · Vernacular · Summer 2026

Question: How Should One Seek?

Question: How should one seek?

Answer: If one knows that a certain person’s residence is a place where someone accomplished in qualities and worthy of esteem lives, and if there is a meditation teacher there, one should go to that place.

If One Does Not Know, Ask a Fellow Student

If one does not know, but a fellow student elsewhere does, one should go and draw near to ask.

Having discerned the proper time, and before stating one’s purpose in accordance with the Dhamma, one should first offer respectful greetings and ask about the person’s welfare. Then one should inquire into what is to be known: In what country and at what residence is the person staying? Is a community living there? Are members of the Saṅgha sitting quietly there? Is there such a meditation teacher there, and what is that teacher’s conduct like? Through what qualities is that teacher esteemed by everyone? One should ask in this way.

The fellow student should answer: In such-and-such a country and such-and-such a residence, a certain community is seated in meditation, and a certain meditation teacher is loved and esteemed by the community.

Having heard this, one should consider it deeply and rejoice, then go there to draw near and receive the practice.

Reporting to the Heshang 和上

One should put one’s robes in order, go to the heshang, and state what one wishes: “Heshang, please hear me. I intend to go there and draw near to the meditation teacher.”

The heshang should grant permission and answer, “Excellent. I too rejoice; this is what a good person does.” This is called living together with good people and the conduct of good people; it is practice in accordance with the Dhamma. If merely seeing or hearing such a person brings great benefit, how much more living together? You should go there.

The Heshang’s Admonition

Once you have gone there, take care not to be heedless. If this is a good person, you may apply yourself diligently to study and practice.

Whether at one particular time or at all times, maintain equal confidence and respect; speak sincerely and well; guard body and speech; and understand the practice. You will then attain accomplishment.

Depend upon the teacher in everything and do not give rise to a dismissive attitude. Be like a young woman newly married who serves her parents-in-law: give rise to modesty and accept instruction.

From the Teacher’s Side

If the teacher sees that a disciple lacks robes or medicine, the teacher should arrange these properly when the disciple arrives, teach the Dhamma, and give instruction. Upon the disciple’s arrival, the teacher should guide the disciple in walking and sitting and teach wholesome qualities.

Conduct on the Road

The person practising seated meditation should put the robes in order, respectfully circle around, and bow at the teacher’s feet.

At a place with water along the road or outside a park, one should choose a spot and set the robes, bowl, leather sandals, bathing vessel, and meditation requisites high up together, not close to the water. One should bathe without making noise.

After bathing, one should put the robes in order and put on the upper robe. The robes, bowl, and meditation requisites should be placed on the right shoulder; the outer robe should be rolled up and may be set upon the shoulder.

Conduct on Entering a Monastery

When entering the monastery, lower the parasol and circumambulate the stūpa.

If one sees a bhikkhu, one should go and ask: Is there a person practising seated meditation here? Is there a rag-robe wearer? Is there an alms-food practitioner? Is there a vinaya master? If so, where does that person live, and by what way can one reach the place? If such a person is present, one should go there.

If none of those people is present but there is a vinaya master, one should still go. If there is no vinaya master either, one should ask who the elder is and go to that person.

If a senior elder bhikkhu offers to take one’s robes and bowl, do not hand them over. If someone junior to oneself offers, one may do so. If no one takes them, set them down in one place.

If one sees the elder, one should bow at the elder’s feet and stand to one side.

From the Resident Bhikkhu’s Side

The resident bhikkhu should properly provide a seat, water, and a place to bathe; let the guest rest; arrange the guest’s robes and bowl; point out the convenient places; and explain the rules of the Saṅgha.

Three Questions as the Day Draws to an End

As the sun is about to set, one should walk throughout the monastery.

If one sees a vinaya master, one should converse and ask about doubtful offenses and about what is not an offense.

If one sees an Abhidhamma teacher, in order to accord with the cultivation of wisdom, one should ask about aggregates, sense bases, elements, and kamma.

If one sees an ascetic-practice practitioner, in order to accord with wisdom, one should ask about the qualities of the ascetic practices.

If one remains there, one should go every day and make inquiries from place to place.

When one wishes to leave, one should perform 屏牒—put the bedding away—bow at the feet of the senior Saṅgha, and report that one is departing.

This is the practice called 為客法用—the procedure for a bhikkhu serving as a guest.

Drawing Near to the Meditation Teacher

As for the person practising seated meditation, one should stay and draw near.

When the meditation teacher arrives, even if one is junior, one should take the teacher’s robes and bowl on the teacher’s behalf.

As for the meditation teacher’s practice, what may be done and what may not be done should not immediately be done or immediately be made to go away; what was done before should be practised.

If one wishes to teach another, one must first “take 覺.”

The student of seated meditation, having already carried out the required conduct, inspects the dwelling and arranges the robes and bowl, rests briefly, discerns the proper time, draws near to the meditation teacher, bows respectfully, remains silent for a short while, and then sits.

If the meditation teacher asks what one wants, one should state what one wishes. If the teacher does not ask, one should not speak.

Requesting Dependence

After this, when such matters as the tooth-stick and bathing have been attended to, one should request dependence and cultivate the work one is to practise.

Attending upon the Ācariya 闍梨

When the time for alms-going arrives, one should ask the ācariya and act in accordance with the Dhamma.

When mealtime arrives, wash the ācariya’s feet, arrange the sitting place, and present the bowl.

With the food in one’s own bowl, one should ask how much the ācariya will take; set one’s bowl in place and reduce a portion to give to the disciple. Receiving the disciple in this way causes no difficulty.

When the meal is over, take the ācariya’s bowl, wash it, and put it away.

Having discerned the proper time, draw near, bow respectfully, remain silent for a short while, and then sit.

If the ācariya asks, state what one wishes. If the ācariya does not ask, bow and request, “Please hear what I originally wished to say.”

If permission is granted, ask as one wishes. If the ācariya listens, one may state everything.

If the ācariya does not ask, bow to the ācariya 阿闍梨, find the proper time, and state the reason for one’s coming: “May the ācariya hear what I have to say.”

If the ācariya grants a hearing, everything that is wished may be said.

The ācariya says, “Excellent,” gives instruction in accordance with the Dhamma, and should then receive the student.

Verse

Therefore the Blessed One spoke this verse.

Draw near at the proper time, and let the mind be free of pride;

The holy life can guard the Dhamma, as a tree stands where there is no wind.

Mindful of the Dhamma, practise it, and delight in the play of Dhamma;

Abide in the Dhamma and discern it; speak the Dhamma as it truly is.

Do not act in ways that damage the Dhamma; avoid ornate talk, brooding, play, and laughter;

Do not let anger remain through negligence; resentment, greed, conceit, and delusion,

Attachment, defilement, obstinacy, and the like—all are to be subdued through practice.

Guard the meaning without exalting oneself; know the wholesome and speak sincerely;

For concentration, truly know and hear. If a person is repeatedly heedless,

Wisdom born of learning does not grow; if a person knows the true Dhamma,

Devas and humans hold that person in respect. Respect gives rise to confidence;

Great learning can guard the Dhamma and enable one to hear what one delights in hearing.

With qualities such as these, one can practise in accordance with the Dhamma,

Bring forth excellent and subtle understanding, and become a person accomplished in wisdom.

If there is such a teacher, one should cultivate heedfulness.

Several Points to Record

This passage never uses the principal designation found eight times in the preceding passage. Instead, the person being sought is called “meditation teacher,” the teacher at one’s present residence is called “heshang,” and after dependence has been requested the person is called “ācariya.” The three names each occupy their own position. They are recorded without being made uniform.

The words “if not asked” occur three times, and each time the rule is that one does not speak when not asked. Yet beneath them the passage opens three ways to report one’s purpose: “please hear what I originally wished to say,” “find the proper time and state the reason for my coming,” and “may the ācariya hear what I have to say.” These are recorded as written.

In the sentence “if one wishes to teach another, one must first take 覺,” the passage does not explain what is to be taken. Four witnesses lack the character 覺. The wording is retained without supplying an object.

The verse at the end of this passage is the first verse in the treatise.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Seeking the Teacher, Drawing Near, and Requesting Dependence · Vernacular · Summer 2026