If Sitting Meditation Cannot Attain Buddhahood, Can One Attain Buddhahood Without Sitting Meditation?

Some people have a one-sided understanding of the notion that sitting meditation alone cannot lead to Buddhahood, thinking that since it cannot, they need not practice it at all. Thus, they swing from the extreme of relying solely on sitting meditation to cultivate concentration to the opposite extreme of abandoning sitting meditation altogether. Remaining at either extreme, they naturally cannot attain Buddhahood.

We should all recognize that attaining Buddhahood depends on numerous causes and conditions, and sitting meditation to cultivate concentration is one of them. Possessing only this single cause and condition is fundamentally insufficient for attaining wisdom or Buddhahood; an immense multitude of other causes and conditions are required. Therefore, one should not devote all time and energy exclusively to the practice of sitting meditation. It is equally essential to study and contemplate the teachings, and to cultivate practices such as the Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment, the Six Perfections of a Bodhisattva, and more. If one further discards the cause and condition of sitting meditation by ceasing to practice it, then yet another essential factor for Buddhahood is lacking, making attainment even more unattainable.

To achieve effective progress in practice, one must balance cultivation across all necessary aspects, making holistic arrangements without neglecting any part. Based on one’s individual circumstances, one should reasonably arrange the content of practice. Every Dharma method that ought to be cultivated must be brought to fruition; one cannot focus on one aspect while neglecting others or allow any essential practice to be overlooked.