Compilation of Daily Discourses
Chapter 6: On Practice (Part 2)
11. Miscellaneous Learning is Not Right Diligence
Our study and practice of Buddhism aim to solve the fundamental problem of life and death; it is not for the sake of learning theory. Mastering some theoretical knowledge sufficient for practical cultivation is enough; there is no need to delve deeper into it. Focus your mind on the crucial points. Once the wisdom of the mental faculty (manas) is developed, previously incomprehensible Dharma principles will become clear, and previously unknown knowledge will become evident. Then, your own wisdom will be summarized and transmitted, becoming the theoretical knowledge others need, bringing immeasurable benefit to both self and others.
After Suddhipanthaka attained the fourth fruition of Arhatship, he still couldn’t expound the Dharma eloquently; he was inarticulate. However, he had accomplished the essential tasks; he possessed the wisdom of liberation and the wisdom of non-arising, but he just couldn’t express it, and his breadth of knowledge was insufficient. Even so, this did not hinder him from being a sage, possessing the wisdom to liberate himself from the birth and death of the three realms. The apple was eaten and digested – this is substantial reality. How much more powerful is this compared to those eloquent ordinary people, replete with greed, hatred, and delusion, who can write a hundred books?
Many people do not understand how to study and practice Buddhism. They delight daily in collecting knowledge everywhere, diligently gathering everything, useful or not, picking up mere sesame seeds and then forgetting some of what they collected. They fail to develop the inexhaustible treasure within; they don’t know to grasp the golden key in their hands. They seem to be diligently exerting themselves, but it is actually wrong diligence (mithyā-vyāyāma). The more diligent they are, the farther they stray from the Path.
Some people are fond of studying the patterns in a kaleidoscope. Before they have figured out the first pattern, they switch to the second. With ten thousand pattern changes, they chase after each design, only to end up dazzling their eyes without understanding anything. The unwise do not realize they should study how to make the kaleidoscope itself. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the kaleidoscope and then master all patterns and designs at will? The world’s knowledge is immeasurable, developing explosively. What can you gain by chasing it daily? Generate the great Bodhicitta, strive to become a repository of knowledge, so that all knowledge flows ceaselessly from your own mind. Sentient beings can all rely on your knowledge repository to absorb nourishment – how wonderful would that be?
Why is it that some people, after not practicing for long, attain deep meditative concentration (dhyāna), possess good contemplative wisdom (vipaśyanā-prajñā), and do not lose their samādhi, while others practice for decades without meditative concentration arising and possess weak wisdom? Like a foolish dog chasing stones, they pay attention to everything external, are interested in everything, spend their days browsing various platforms, learning all sorts of knowledge, and yet achieve nothing to this day. Often, the less accomplished they are, the more confident they feel. On what basis is this confidence?
If you could open the back of some people’s heads, you would find a tangle of messy threads, chaotic and disorganized, their thoughts lacking logic. One sentence doesn’t connect to the next, yet they go out and haphazardly study illogical things, their minds accumulating more and more tangled threads. Human thought patterns and methods are impressionable; learning from someone means adopting that person’s thought characteristics. Without discernment, random learning only worsens matters. One’s wisdom is already weak; being influenced by chaotic thinking patterns makes one’s thoughts even less linear. Speech becomes circuitous, failing to address the root and key points. With an incorrect thought process, can one realize the fruition (phala) or understand the mind (citta)?
Those who practice well abide deeply in meditative concentration and contemplation. Not only do they refrain from learning or looking at external distractions, they don’t even have the mind to listen when I, the teacher, speak. While I am speaking, their minds are engaged in contemplation – after all, doing the work is crucial; the great matter of life and death is paramount. In contrast, those who have cultivated nothing for decades are busy every day chaotically absorbing all sorts of miscellaneous knowledge, delighting in their busyness. What exactly is there to delight in? Their brains are utterly clogged, without a single clear line.
12. Is Upholding Precepts Considered Practice?
A said: The ultimate purpose of practice is to break self-attachment (ātma-grāha) and then break dharma-attachment (dharma-grāha). To break self-attachment and dharma-attachment requires prajñā wisdom (prajñā). To achieve prajñā wisdom, one must have the supporting condition of meditative concentration (dhyāna). Without the support of dhyāna, the mind becomes scattered. Even if one has studied prajñā wisdom, one cannot apply it effectively. Therefore, one needs the power of concentration (samādhi-bala). The foundation of dhyāna lies in precepts (śīla). Only through upholding precepts can one restrain and refrain from performing unwholesome actions (karma), keeping the actions of body, speech, and mind pure. At this point, one gains the power to use prajñā wisdom to eradicate the internal greed, hatred, delusion, self-attachment, etc.
A’s meaning is that upholding precepts aids dhyāna, maintains a pure mind, prevents the creation of unwholesome karma, and, under the power of dhyāna, severs the defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion, breaking self-attachment and dharma-attachment. Such precept-upholding is considered practice. However, I feel that merely upholding precepts to avoid unwholesome actions is still insufficient. Although from the perspective of an initial Bodhicitta practitioner, this is already very good, it still hasn’t entered the stage of true practice; therefore, it is not yet considered practice.
"Practice" (修, xiū) means correcting one’s thoughts, views, and the actions of body, speech, and mind. "Practice" (行, xíng) means bodily exertion, concrete operation, actively creating wholesome dharmas and wholesome karma. Merely avoiding evil is not enough. The body, speech, and mind actions of sentient beings are all filled with the defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion, filled with ignorance (avidyā). This ignorance and defilement need to be counteracted with wholesome dharmas. Wholesomeness comes, unwholesomeness goes. With wholesomeness comes merit (puṇya). Merit and virtue (福, fú) firstly aid in upholding precepts, secondly aid in generating dhyāna and subduing defilements, and thirdly aid in generating wisdom, changing erroneous thoughts and views, purifying body, speech, and mind actions, enabling the transformation of body, mind, and world. Merely upholding precepts to avoid evil does not fulfill wholesome dharmas nor accumulate great merit and virtue; therefore, it is not yet considered practice.
B said: Upholding Hīnayāna precepts is not true practice of the Buddha Way; at best, it is a safeguard for practice. Upholding Bodhisattva precepts is true practice. Practicing the Buddha Way is like a boat sailing on the sea of suffering; the direction and route of the boat are of paramount importance. The practice roadmap revealed by the World-Honored Buddha is the most important; the Dharma boat is second. Why is merely upholding Hīnayāna precepts not considered practicing the Buddha Way? For example, it’s like merely protecting one’s small boat from hitting rocks or leaking, drifting alone on the sea of suffering, unable to benefit oneself or benefit others. How can this be considered practice that benefits both self and others?
B’s view is that merely practicing Hīnayāna is not yet true practice; upholding Mahāyāna precepts is true practice. However, as long as the motivation is pure, both Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna are practice; it’s just that their goals differ. Hīnayāna practitioners get off the vehicle midway, while Mahāyāna practitioners get off at the final stop. Whether upholding precepts constitutes practice depends crucially on the state of mind and intention behind upholding them, and the result towards which the precept-upholding is directed. If upholding precepts is for human or heavenly blessings (人天福报), obtaining such blessings may lead either to creating unwholesome karma or to falling again after the blessings are exhausted. Such precept-upholding can still lead to downfall; then it is not practice. Followers of non-Buddhist paths also uphold precepts; many strictly observe the Five Precepts without violation, their minds are pure, yet ultimately they remain non-Buddhists, not following the Buddha Way. Such precept-upholding is also not considered practice.
The goal of Hīnayāna practice is to sever the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), cultivate selflessness (anātman), and change the view that the five aggregates (skandhas) constitute a self, liberating oneself from the bondage of the five aggregates. If one can uphold precepts with a selfless, non-egoistic mind, one can sever the view of self, move towards liberation, and attain the fruition of Nirvāṇa. Then, this kind of precept-upholding belongs to practice. Conversely, upholding precepts with an egoistic mind, not performing selfless deeds, constantly calculating for the "I" in the mind – such precept-upholding is not practice. It cannot attain the fruition of selflessness; after gaining the blessing of the precepts, one will still fall. Mahāyāna practitioners act for the benefit of others with a selfless mind, generating the great Bodhicitta. Such precept-upholding is the foundation for cultivation and realization; it can change one’s nature, increase concentration and wisdom, and lead to understanding the mind (明心) and realization (证悟). Therefore, it is considered practice.
13. What is Wrong Diligence (Mithyā-vyāyāma)?
Wrong diligence is the opposite of right diligence (samyag-vyāyāma). The direction of effort is incorrect, and with an incorrect direction, the harder one tries, the farther one gets from the goal. The direction of right diligence is to realize selflessness (anātman), to realize emptiness (śūnyatā), becoming increasingly selfless and empty until complete and ultimate realization, practicing the threefold training of precepts, concentration, and wisdom (śīla, samādhi, prajñā) around this goal. Those with wrong diligence have a strong sense of self, are attached to existence and non-emptiness. Whatever they practice is for the sake of that so-called "I" and its worldly benefits, attached to worldly existence, harboring hope and pursuit for fame, gain, and offerings, running counter to the Path. Thus, although they sit in meditation, recite sutras, chant Buddha's name, study Dharma, or even propagate Dharma day and night without rest, it’s all self-centered, centered on their own benefit. As long as they or those connected to them benefit, they don’t care about others, even harming others' interests. Such practice, the more diligent it is, the farther it strays from the path of selflessness, from emptiness, from the true reality of the Dharma Realm (法界实相), and in the end, it’s easy to become a demon (māra).
Diligence without pure, great, and right vows (praṇidhāna) is not wrong diligence, but it is also not right diligence. All practice is guided by vows; without vows, nothing is accomplished; with vows, effort yields twice the result. Vows are like accelerators, like steps in a deep pit, like a pulling rope in mud. Vows can free one from the entanglement of karma and directly reach the other shore of Nirvāṇa. Small vows are for oneself; great vows are for sentient beings. Wrong vows are for illusory existence; right vows are for true emptiness, for purity. If the great and right vows cannot be generated, one’s practice is still shallow. Once the roots of goodness and merit accumulate deeply, the vows will naturally arise, and with vows, all can be accomplished.
14. Why Do Śrāvakas Dislike Extensive Learning and Pratyekabuddhas Dislike Contemplation?
Original text from the Upāsaka-śīla Sūtra, Volume 1: Śrāvakas dislike extensive learning. Pratyekabuddhas dislike contemplation. The Buddha is not weary of either. Therefore, he is called Buddha.
Explanation: Why do those with Śrāvaka disposition dislike extensive learning? In Hīnayāna sutras, the Buddha once said Śrāvakas are so called because they like extensive learning. Yet here in Mahāyāna, the Buddha says Śrāvakas dislike extensive learning. Does the Buddha always speak contradictorily? Actually, no. Every definition has a precondition; it is defined within a certain scope. Beyond that scope, the previous definition is no longer suitable, so the definition must change. The Śrāvakas' extensive learning is within the scope of the Hīnayāna path to liberation, within the scope of the Four Noble Truths (catvāri āryasatyāni) and conventional truth (saṃvṛti-satya). Beyond this scope, they do not wish to know or learn more; they are content with the status quo and also believe there is nothing beyond this scope. This limitation in cognition stems from their motivation, their mental capacity and vision, and their not-so-deep wisdom and insight.
Śrāvakas, through listening to the Buddha’s teachings, recognize the suffering of the world of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha). Their motivation is small; they only wish to liberate themselves from worldly suffering. As long as they can achieve liberation from worldly suffering, that is sufficient. As for the distant path to Buddhahood spanning three great immeasurable kalpas, they are not interested. Some also believe that liberating themselves from the bondage of the three realms is equivalent to becoming a Buddha, and there is nothing else to cultivate or realize. Due to limitations in their roots of goodness, merit, and wisdom, when they study the Four Noble Truths, they do not touch upon the principles of Mahāyāna prajñā and Tathāgatagarbha. Thus, they blindly believe the Four Noble Truths are already ultimate for liberation, with nothing beyond. Precisely because of such foolish wisdom, at the Dharma Flower Assembly (Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra), five thousand bhikṣus left the assembly. They did not believe or listen to Mahāyāna Dharma, let alone contemplate it. From this, it can be seen that Śrāvakas actually do not like to learn extensively about the Buddha Dharma.
Pratyekabuddhas (Paccekabuddhas) have deeper roots of goodness and wisdom than Śrāvakas. They do not need to follow the Buddha closely to learn the Dharma extensively. When encountering conditions, they contemplate the causes and effects alone, tracing to the source, thoroughly investigating the root of dharmas. Thus, they engage in contemplation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (pratītyasamutpāda). In repeatedly contemplating forward and backward, they touch upon the Ālayavijñāna, the source of all dharmas in the world of the five aggregates. When they contemplate up to the Ālayavijñāna, due to their disposition and habits, they do not contemplate further, nor do they wish to realize this truth of the Dharma Realm. Their wisdom stagnates at the level of being able to liberate themselves from the suffering of the threefold world. Because they have not generated the great Bodhicitta, wishing to achieve Buddhahood, they only wish to liberate themselves from the bondage of the five aggregates and have no other aspirations. Therefore, they are content with the status quo, content with eliminating the ignorance regarding liberation from the suffering of the five aggregates, without the desire or plan to eliminate deeper and subtler ignorance. Hence, the Buddha here says Pratyekabuddhas dislike contemplation.
The Buddha differs from Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas. Throughout three great immeasurable kalpas of practice, his motivation was vast, seeking the liberation of innumerable sentient beings from suffering, not for his own happiness. His roots are deep, his capacity great, thus his wisdom is vast. To investigate the true principle of the Dharma Realm, he endured the unendurable and practiced the unpracticable. Dissatisfied with the small and shallow dharmas obtained presently, he continuously contemplated deeply, continuously investigated the ultimate truth, never tiring in his pursuit of truth. Only thus could he ultimately perfect All-Knowing Wisdom (sarvajñā-jñāna) and achieve Buddhahood.
In summary, a person’s disposition is extremely important. Deep roots and great capacity lead to flourishing branches and leaves; a mind encompassing the great void leads to a measure pervading the sands of the universe. How fortunate it is for a Bodhisattva to be able to guide a sentient being with great capacity! How precious it is to encounter a sentient being with great capacity! Who would willingly expend extra effort guiding useless, selfish Śrāvakas, wasting their precious energy for guiding sentient beings? With that energy, guiding one initial Bodhicitta Bodhisattva surpasses guiding hundreds of thousands of millions of Śrāvakas. This initial Bodhisattva, upon future accomplishment, will be able to liberate innumerable sentient beings from suffering and lead innumerable sentient beings towards liberation. If one can guide a Bodhisattva whose roots of goodness are already mature, that is an even more fortunate event!
Therefore, if you see me being partial, do not be surprised or misunderstand. See why I am partial and where my partiality lies. Where it lies, there are Mahāyāna Bodhisattvas – whether initial Bodhicitta Bodhisattvas or long-practicing Bodhisattvas – they are Bodhisattvas nonetheless, who will become Buddhas in the future, from whom innumerable sentient beings will benefit and gain liberation. Perhaps even now, many sentient beings are secretly benefiting. If I were not partial, I would lack an equal mind, and unfairness would arise. That kind of mind would truly be biased. For example, if A makes one hundred contributions and B makes only one contribution, if I give them the same treatment, this is obviously unreasonable, unfair, and unequal.
The Buddha is similarly partial. The Buddha favors Mahāyāna Bodhisattvas; he favors the Buddha’s sons. Who are the Buddha’s sons? Bodhisattvas of the First Ground (Bhūmi) and above are the Buddha’s sons. Although these Bodhisattvas, in terms of wisdom liberating them from the five aggregates in the worldly sense, are inferior to Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas – even vastly different – the Buddha protects Ground-level Bodhisattvas, calling them his true sons, letting them inherit the Tathāgata’s family business. He calls Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas “scorched seeds” or “withered sprouts” (焦芽败种), never saying Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas are my sons, the Buddha’s sons. When the Buddha comes to the Sahā world to guide sentient beings, those accompanying him are all Bodhisattvas of various stages whom the Buddha guided over immeasurable kalpas. Although these Bodhisattvas reside in other worlds, they can follow the Buddha to the ten directions to guide sentient beings. The Buddha’s entourage does not include Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas. When the Buddha taught in the Sahā world, he taught Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas for only twelve years, but he taught Bodhisattvas for over thirty years. Within the Tripiṭaka and twelve divisions of scriptures, only a small portion pertains to Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha Dharma; the vast majority is Mahāyāna Bodhisattva Dharma. The Dharma not yet expounded consists even more extensively of Bodhisattva Dharma.
15. Bound by Mental Dusts, Better to Awaken and Practice the Path
Due to karmic forces, sudden, accidental death without mental preparation generally makes rebirth difficult. Unable to be reborn, one becomes a wandering ghost (孤魂游魂), especially if the body is mutilated or completely absent at death, making rebirth even harder. Such beings feel deeply unsettled, anxious, and in great pain. People who die accidentally find it hard to be reborn; they often linger at the place of their death waiting for an opportunity or try to cause new accidents to be reborn by possessing the soul of a newly deceased person – commonly called “catching a substitute” (抓替身). Suicides are the same; only by catching a substitute can they be reborn easily. Therefore, places where accidents occur often see accidents happen again after some time, even repeatedly – not only on land but also in the air and water. Many accidents are caused by the attachments of sentient beings.
To rescue these victims of untimely, accidental deaths and help them be reborn quickly, we should chant Buddha’s name and sutras for them, dedicating the merit (回向). Help them understand the principles, relinquish attachments and fixations, increase their merit and virtue, so they have the opportunity to go for rebirth if they wish, instead of clinging to the place of death, lingering endlessly. We should generate a compassionate mind, take some time to chant Buddha’s name and sutras for the victims of this air disaster, dedicating the merit. If they can be reborn within a month, subsequent accidents will not occur at the same location.
Everyone will die sooner or later, but try not to die an untimely or accidental death. It’s best to have a good death, a normal death; at the very least, have a complete corpse, which makes the afterlife easier to manage. A good death and peaceful end are also results of merit and virtue, summoned by wholesome karma. Therefore, we should try to do good and accumulate virtue in daily life according to conditions, avoid evil deeds, and certainly avoid actions that harm others – especially towards the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). If possible, protect and support them; if not, do not slander or act destructively. Ensure your words and actions are blameless to avoid receiving heavy retribution in this or future lives.
Were not many of the victims in this air disaster leading relatively complete and happy lives? With good work, careers, and families, enviable, right? But what was the outcome? Decades of so-called completeness, happiness, and joy, yet the afterlife brings millions of years or even longer of suffering, displacement, mental and physical unease, even difficulty obtaining a physical body. Therefore, wise people must have long-term vision, broad perspective, and high vantage point. With the strength of this life, strive for the eternal peace of the afterlife. Be intelligent and wise; do not be short-sighted, narrow-minded, petty, focused only on immediate, trivial gains, ignoring the immeasurable kalpas of suffering in birth and death to come.
How many people make excuses, saying, “I cannot renounce the household life yet; I cannot practice wholeheartedly yet, because I still have responsibilities and obligations in the world”? But what if your family and friends suddenly disappear? How would your responsibilities and obligations count then? If you yourself suddenly disappear, what responsibilities and obligations remain? Therefore, while alive and energetic, do more truly meaningful things, do more things beneficial for the long term. Do not focus only on the present few decades. A few decades are indeed very, very brief; future long kalpas are very, very long – long beyond calculation. Should you care about the enjoyment of these few decades of life, or should you consider the peace of the long kalpas to come? Matters of the world should long have been clear as a mirror. What can still confuse your eyes and mind? The wise should contemplate well.
16. Nothing More Than This
Moving mountains, filling seas, great projects,
Sweeping sand, transporting stones, united will builds the city.
Tall buildings, magnificent and grand,
Living in peace, enjoying work, life's glory and splendor.
Seen from the heavens, like ants building nests,
Ants joining forces, moving sand and soil.
Nests become colonies, laying and hatching eggs,
Natural disasters destroy them, they move and rebuild again.
Your greatness, I’m not inferior either,
Kalpas upon kalpas like this, cycling repeatedly.
Busy a whole lifetime, ultimately returning to extinction,
Looking back once, endless vast sky.
Sentient beings cling, utterly unaware,
Deluded, they struggle, nothing more than dust.
Bodies born, bodies perish, dust illusions, ashes vanish,
Only the unchangeable is less than a clod of earth.
17. Exhortation to Practice
When the New Year comes, the countryside kills pigs and slaughters sheep.
At the last feeding, the pig eats so heartily,
Completely unaware this is its final meal in life.
Having eaten a lifetime doing nothing,
Fattened up only to lose its life.
The more foolish the animal, the less awareness it has.
Humans are the same.
All human disasters are right before their eyes, glaring, utterly unconcealed.
Leaning on mountains, mountains collapse; leaning on water, water flows away; leaning on people, people run off.
Nothing is reliable.
Amidst disasters rising on all sides,
They still have the heart to tour mountains and waters, view snow,
Able to play, they play; able to enjoy, they enjoy,
Just like the pig enjoying its last supper.
Where is the difference between humans and pigs?
Don’t think a lifetime is long; that’s an illusion.
To celestial beings, it’s merely minutes or days.
Don’t think you are still young;
On the road to the Yellow Springs, there are no old or young.
White-haired sending off black-haired happens often.
Don’t think nothing will happen to you;
Many who encounter great disasters were very confident people,
Only lying on their deathbeds do they shed tears of regret,
But it’s too late.
Having encountered the Buddha Dharma, yet still not awakening,
Still not wanting to diligently practice, change the fate of birth-death sorrow –
What medicine can save such a person?
I speak of whom, who should know.
If still unaware, simply stupid as a pig.
Knowing yet not changing, what more is there to say?
18. How to Use One’s Contemplation Effectively?
Q: When a person dies, do all beings within the body leave? After death, are there still beings in the body, especially formless beings?
A: To resolve this issue, first understand why beings attach to others' bodies – what purpose do they seek to achieve by using another’s body? Then contemplate what happens to the body after a person dies and whether it is still useful to beings. By contemplating in this sequence and clarifying everything, you will understand whether there are still various beings in the body after death.
For all kinds of problems, one must have a clear line of thought. Contemplation must be logical; this far surpasses solving the problem itself. If contemplation lacks logic, if the line of thought is unclear, even if one problem can be solved, other problems remain unsolvable, all relying on others to solve. Yet relying on others is inferior to relying on oneself; self-reliance is fundamental. If one’s contemplation lacks logic, if the line of thought is always unclear, then analyze why this is so – what causes one’s contemplative power to be insufficient? Then find a way to resolve this cause, enabling oneself to have a very powerful mind to solve many problems – whether key issues or basic, straightforward ones.
