Diligent Pursuit of Enlightenment Prevents Misinterpretation of the Buddha's Intent in Scriptures

Anyone may misinterpret Buddhist scriptures or the Buddha's intent, but as long as one does not assert their own views with certainty, there is no major fault, nor will they necessarily mislead others. In the process of learning Buddhism, it is inevitable to make repeated mistakes—no one is exempt. The crucial point lies in the attitude one holds toward their own views and discerning to what extent one can confidently consider their perspective correct; this requires careful judgment. Only the Buddha is entirely free from error. Even when the Bodhisattva Maitreya expounds the Dharma, the Buddha does not affirm it with absolute certainty. Enlightened Bodhisattvas may still make mistakes when teaching, and errors become even more frequent when not enlightened. General mistakes are inconsequential; the vital point is to avoid error in the most critical aspects. This is because the crucial points concern the profound matter of whether sentient beings who follow and learn can attain realization—this is the turning point in a sentient being's life. At this pivotal juncture, there must be no mistake. As long as the goal and direction are correct, all other issues are minor and can be corrected or rectified. Our practice of Buddhism is precisely about striving diligently to attain realization. After realization, when following the teachings, one immediately grasps them upon learning, often achieving twice the result with half the effort.