九種大禪

The nine kinds of Mahāyāna dhyāna for bodhisattvas, given in the 菩薩地持經 6 and in other works; they are associated with the patience 忍 pāramitā and with the dhyāna of the super-realms. The nine are meditations:

(1) 自性禪 on the original nature of things, or mind as the real nature, from which all things derive;

(2) 一切禪 on achieving the development of self and all others to the utmost;

(3) 難禪 on the difficulties of certain dhyāna conditions;

(4) 一切禪 on the entrance to all the (superior) dhyāna conditions;

(5) 善人禪 on the good;

(6) 一切行禪 on all Mahāyāna practices and actions;

(7) 除煩惱禪 on ridding all sufferers from the miseries of passion and delusion;

(8) 此世他世樂禪 on the way to bring joy to all people both in this life and hereafter;

(9) 淸淨淨禪 on perfect purity in the termination of all delusion and distress and the obtaining of perfect enlightenment.