A Cultivator's Habits: Countering Worldly Tendencies

There is a saying: "What the Path treasures, the mundane world disparages; what the mundane world prizes, the Path avoids." Cultivating the Path is precisely an act that runs counter to the mundane world. Only by going against the mundane can one break through its shackles and attain liberation. If one simply complies with everything, this is not cultivating the Path—it is no different from the mundane world, and one cannot transcend the mundane and leave the world behind.

Because cultivators have practiced diligently over many kalpas, they develop habits distinct from the habitual tendencies of worldly people—for example, frugality, diligent effort, not cherishing the body, not craving food, drink, sleep, or pleasure. Most of their behavior may be contrary to that of worldly people. Many worldly people find this strange, cannot get used to it, think they are right and the cultivators are wrong, and thus want to correct them.

If one becomes accustomed to the life of a cultivator, then the habits of cultivators no longer seem strange, while the worldly greedy habits of ordinary people will seem strange instead. Going against the mundane is what is normal; conforming to the mundane is what is abnormal. Looking at it now, who is actually normal and who is abnormal? What, after all, is normal?

Anyone accustomed to worldly life will consciously or unconsciously comply with worldly dharmas in everything. In fact, this is because they have not yet cultivated the power of introspection (pratyavekṣā-bala). When worldly people are greedy, they become greedy along with them without knowing it is greed; when worldly people are attached, they become attached along with them without knowing it is attachment; when worldly people enjoy pleasures, they enjoy them too and think it is perfectly normal—that is precisely what is abnormal. If one is too accustomed to worldly dharmas, without the slightest thought of resistance, feeling everything is natural, then such a person is still very, very far from practice. When in contact with practitioners, if one feels that they do not conform to worldly norms, lack human warmth, or even constantly wishes that practitioners would comply with one's own worldly habits, then such a person is still very, very far from cultivating the Path. When a person has made some progress on the path of practice, they will begin to feel that worldly dharmas are not quite right and feel uncomfortable with them—only then has some awakening begun.

"The belt loosens as the person grows haggard"—this is an ancient phrase describing practitioners engaged in cultivating the Path and investigating Chan. When one truly applies effort to practice, the body will inevitably be affected: eating less, drinking less, resting less, even staying awake all night, diligently pursuing the Path. Only in this way can the effort of Chan investigation become continuous and progress be rapid, so that one day one may see the mind and attain enlightenment. People nowadays all cherish their bodies and are unwilling to let the body suffer, so there is no choice but to let the mind suffer—and that means suffering life after life, in suffering beyond words.