Bin Liu

This article is an attempt to address the gap in contemporary scholarship related toa unique form of śamatha and vipaśyanā, which focuses on the combined teach-ings, contributing to the research on the relationship between religious practiceand religious philosophy, particularly regarding Mahāyāna Buddhism. Based ontextual study and philosophical analysis of ancient Buddhist literatures, this articlestates that within the text of the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra, “śamatha and vipaśyanāfocused on the combined teachings” is effective and feasible in realizing the ulti-mate reality. This article concludes that the essential practice involves combiningall the teachings and meditating on their collective contribution to the realization ofsuchness. The relationship between it and the theory of suchness is delineated intothree aspects. First, meditating on the reasons that all the teachings contribute to therealization is itself a practice of suchness. Second, the entirety of all the teachingscorresponds to the universality of suchness. Third, it is also a method to practicethe suchness of the teachings themselves. Lastly, through the initial application ofattention, sustained attention, and resolution, it is feasible for ordinary persons toengage in this practice and eventually realize suchness.