"The second meditation is the meditation of pity, in which thou thinkest of all beings in distress, vividly representing in thine imagination their sorrows and anxieties so as to arouse a deep compassion for them, in thy soul.22
"The third meditation is the meditation of joy in which thou thinkest of the prosperity of others and rejoicest with their rejoicings.23
"The fourth meditation is the meditation on impurity, in which thou considerest the evil consequences of corruption, the effects of wrongs and evils. How trivial is often the pleasure of the moment and how fatal are its consequences!24
"The fifth meditation is the meditation on serenity, in which thou risest above love and hate, tyranny and thraldom, wealth and want, and regardest thine own fate with impartial calmness and perfect tranquillity.25
"A true follower of the Tathāgata founds not his trust upon austerities or rituals but giving up the idea of self relies with his whole heart upon Amitābha, which is the unbounded light of truth."26
The Blessed One after having explained his doctrine of Amitābha, the immeasurable light which makes, him who receives it a Buddha, looked into the heart of his disciple and saw still some doubts and anxieties. And the Blessed One said: "Ask me, my son, the questions which weigh upon thy soul."27
And the disciple said: "Can a humble monk, by sanctifying himself, acquire the talents of supernatural wisdom called Abhiññās and the supernatural powers called Iddhi? Show me the Iddhi-pāda, the path to the highest wisdom? Open to me the Jhānas which are the means of acquiring samādhi, the fixity of mind which enraptures the soul."28
And the Blessed One said: "Which are the Abhiññās?"29
The disciple replied: "There are six Abhiññās: (1) The celestial eye; (2) the celestial ear; (3) the body at will or
175
