Section 1 — Preparation: Ethical Alignment & Intention 

(调身立愿)

Purpose

To establish the correct foundation before meditation begins.
In this sutra, ethical alignment precedes meditative technique.

Practice

• Quietly reflect on your conduct of body, speech, and mind (身口意).

• Acknowledge faults honestly, without justification or self-punishment.

• Generate the intention:

“I practice not for personal attainment, but to realign with the Dharma and benefit beings.”

Key Points

• This is not moral inventory for guilt, but for clarity.

• If the mind is defensive or agitated, do not proceed yet.

• Calm sincerity is the entry condition.

Common Error to Avoid

• Beginning meditation while suppressing unresolved agitation or denial.

Section 2 — Repentance Practice 

(忏悔行)

Purpose

To remove obstructions (障碍) that distort perception and practice.

Practice

• Clearly acknowledge specific misdeeds:

  • Harmful speech

  • Wrong views

  • Neglect of practice

  • Disrespect toward the Dharma

• Repent without excuses and without despair.

• Resolve:

“I do not cling to past error, nor repeat it knowingly.”

Key Points

• Repentance restores correct view (正见).

• The sutra emphasizes immediate repentance, not delayed correction.

• Repentance is an active cleansing, not self-condemnation.

Common Error to Avoid

• Treating repentance as emotional release rather than ethical realignment.

Section 3 — Contemplation of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva 

(观普贤菩萨)

Purpose

To align practice with active wisdom and embodied conduct.

Practice

• Gently contemplate Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (普贤菩萨):

  • Symbol of vows (愿)

  • Symbol of practice (行)

• Visualization may be clear or vague—clarity is not required.

• Maintain awareness of uprightness, steadiness, and resolve.

Key Points

• Visualization is a support, not a goal.

• Samantabhadra represents corrective practice, not mystical display.

• If visualization fails, remain calmly attentive—this is sufficient.

Common Error to Avoid

• Forcing imagery or seeking visions.

Section 4 — Stabilization of Body, Speech, and Mind 

(三业清净)

Purpose

To integrate meditation into whole-person alignment, not mental isolation.

Practice

• Sit or stand upright; do not collapse posture.

• Let breathing settle naturally.

• Observe thoughts without chasing or suppressing them.

• Maintain gentle awareness of:

  • Body presence

  • Speech restraint

  • Mental clarity

Key Points

• Meditation here is ethical stability, not absorption trance.

• Calmness arises naturally when conduct aligns.

• This stage may be brief or extended depending on conditions.

Common Error to Avoid

• Treating calmness as achievement or possession.

Section 5 — Signs, Obstacles, and Corrections 

(瑞相与障碍)

Purpose

To prevent deviation due to attachment or fear.

Possible Experiences

• Mental clarity

• Emotional release

• Peace

• Symbolic dreams or images
  These are confirmations, not milestones.

Correct Response

• Acknowledge without grasping.

• Continue repentance and ethical clarity.

• If disturbances arise, return to Section 2.

Key Points

• The sutra explicitly warns: do not cling to signs (不著瑞相).

• Lack of signs does not indicate failure.

• Stability of conduct matters more than experience.

Common Error to Avoid

• Measuring progress by visions or sensations.

Section 6 — Integration into Daily Life 

(行愿落实)

Purpose

To ensure meditation continues beyond the session.

Practice

• Carry awareness into:

  • Speech

  • Decisions

  • Relationships

• When error occurs:

  • Repent immediately

  • Correct calmly

  • Resume practice

• Renew vows regularly.

Key Points

• Samantabhadra represents practice in motion, not retreat.

• Daily life is the true field of meditation.

• Continuity matters more than intensity.

Common Error to Avoid

• Separating “practice time” from “real life.”