The Pain Points of Buddhist Practitioners

The Buddha said to Ānanda: 汝虽忆持十方如来十二部经清净妙理，如恒河沙，只益戏论，积劫闻熏，不能免离摩登伽难。历劫忆持如来秘密妙严，不如一日修无漏业。

This passage from the Śūraṅgama Sūtra precisely points out the pain point of practitioners' cultivation: merely remaining at the level of studying and learning much through the mind consciousness, without truly cultivating in accordance with the Dharma. If the manas is not cultivated, no matter how much the mind consciousness cultivates, one cannot attain liberation. The phenomena of the Dharma-ending age are far more serious than this; the most prominent special case is treating the mind consciousness's hearing and studying as realization—a great misunderstanding—and yet not knowing to reflect on it. When death arrives, regret will come too late.