Only with an Empty Mind Can One Become a Sage

Buddhist practitioners should diminish their sense of presence in both social settings and solitude, avoiding excessive self-concern, self-importance, competitiveness, and the compulsion to be first in all matters. Neither oneself, others, nor groups truly exist inherently. There is no first or second, no best or worst—all are merely provisional designations. If one constantly harbors thoughts like "I must surpass everyone," "I must be better and stronger than all others," always seeking to stand out from the crowd and seek the limelight, craving all attention to be focused on oneself—such thinking reflects profound egoism. This mindset contradicts the principle of non-action (wuwei) and diverges from the mind of a sage, making it exceedingly difficult to eradicate self-view and attain sagehood.

The sage's mind is empty and abides in non-action, devoid of such tendencies. The more one strives to assert oneself, the more one falls behind in spiritual cultivation. Sages embody the opposite: lacking any sense of self-existence, they engage in purposeful actions with a mind of non-action. Only those who wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to the welfare of all beings are worthy of becoming sages.