Editing Pāramitā (section)

==== Dhyānapāramitā ====
[[Dhyāna in Buddhism|Dhyāna]]-pāramitā (C. 禪定波羅蜜,  jinglü boluomiduo; T. bsam gtan gyi pha rol tu phyin pa) is the perfection of [[Buddhist meditation|meditation]] or contemplative absorption and is closely associated with the bodhisattva's mastery of numerous [[Samadhi|samādhis]].<ref>Buswell, Robert E; Lopez, Donald S. The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 257. Princeton University Press, Nov 24, 2013.</ref> The perfection of dhyana in Mahayana Buddhism includes the classic early Buddhist meditative states called the four [[Dhyāna in Buddhism|dhyānas]], which gradually take a meditator to a place beyond all thought.<ref name=":5">Williams, Paul. ''Buddhism: The origins and nature of Mahāyāna Buddhism''; ''Some Mahāyāna religious topics'', Volume 3, pp. 32-33. Williams Taylor & Francis, 2004.</ref>

However, according to the ''[[Dà zhìdù lùn|Dazhidulun]]'', a bodhisattva's meditations are also significantly different than the non-Mahayana dhyānas. While in [[Theravada]], the dhyānas are meant to go beyond all thought into a perfectly peaceful unmoving state of mind, the ''Dazhidulun'' mentions that regarding the practice of the four meditations or dhyānas "the bodhisattva practicing dhyānapāramitā enters the successive dhyāna stages ''with thoughts of the realm of desire''."<ref name=":5" /> This is because a bodhisattva, while having no coarse thinking (vitarka) or subtle examination (vicara), they are still focused on all sentient beings in all realms and seek to guide them to nirvana.<ref name=":5" /> This is due to the Mahayana emphasis on [[compassion]] for all beings, which rejects the idea that we must retreat to state of mind which is completely detached from all beings.<ref name=":5" />

As such, Mahayana texts are careful to warn bodhisattvas not to practice dhyāna in the same manner as [[Hinayana|Hinayanists]], that is to say, to practice them in a self-centered manner that seeks only an individual escape from [[Saṃsāra|samsara]].<ref name=":5" /> As such, the ''Aṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā'' states that a bodhisattva must master the eight [[Dhyāna in Buddhism|dhyānas]] without seeking their karmic fruit (i.e. rebirth outside the realm of desire). This is done through developing [[bodhicitta]], as the ''Aṣṭādaśasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā'' states, the bodhisattva meditates by "not clinging to the level of [[Śrāvaka|sravakas]] and [[Pratyekabuddhayāna|pratyekabuddhas]], and [practices meditation thinking], 'Having stood in the perfection of dhyāna, I must now liberate all beings from the cycle of rebirths.'"<ref name=":5" />