Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

Not only do they mix together Hinayana and Mahayana,
but, as is the tendency in the Tian Tai School, many
factors are repeated needlessly in different lists. I may
talk separately of these on some future occasion.
The Hinayana teaching of dhyana ends at this point, and
most of these categories will be explained in the
chapters on meditation in the Lesser Vehicle. The above
meditations all concern the practicing process and are
therefore called "dhyanas."
So far, the power has been developed whereby it is easy
to enter equanimity but not to leave it. Following upon
these attainments come two Mahayana samadhi states,
the first of which, the lion-like, gives one the power to
freely enter and leave Just as one pleases, hence the
name. The second is known as the excellent Samadhi,
which is a state beyond all entrance and exit. As these
two states are very close to final attainment (Full
Enlightenment) and are in the position of consequence,
they are known as samadhis, rather than dhyanas.
Of these various meditation states, the first three
Hinayana groups are dhyanas of visualization with an
outer object, while the Nine Degrees are gross practice
but inwardly turned with subjective concentration. The
lion-like samadhi is said to be a subtle practice, while
the excellent samadhi is transcendentally beyond
practice. All those included here are only meditations on
the partial truth. They are transcendental from the
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