Common Misconceptions in Buddhist Practice

In the practice of Buddhism, practitioners may unknowingly fall into certain misunderstandings. Some fall into the misconception that since everything is empty and illusory, nothing matters. Since sensation is empty, they think, "Let sensation be sensation." Since suffering is empty, "Let suffering be suffering." Since afflictions are empty, "Let afflictions be afflictions." Since birth and death are empty, "Let birth and death be birth and death." Since samsara is empty, "Let samsara be samsara."

Others fall into another misunderstanding, thinking: Since the act of cultivating blessings is empty, why should I still cultivate blessings or practice generosity? Since meditation is empty, why should I still cultivate meditation? Since the Bodhisattva path is empty, why should I still practice the six paramitas? Since Buddhahood is empty, why should I strive for Buddhahood? Since everything is empty anyway, whether I practice or not makes no difference.

Some who study the Tathagatagarbha doctrine fall into yet another misunderstanding, reasoning: Since the Tathagatagarbha has never observed precepts, why should I observe precepts? Since the Tathagatagarbha has never cultivated meditation, why should I cultivate meditation? Since the Tathagatagarbha has never cultivated blessings, why should I cultivate blessings? Since the Tathagatagarbha has never been in samsara, why should I seek to end samsara? Since the Tathagatagarbha is inherently Buddha, why should I still strive for Buddhahood?

Yet these same people never say: Since the Tathagatagarbha has never had greed, why should I have greed? Since the Tathagatagarbha has never had afflictions, why should I have afflictions? Since the Tathagatagarbha has never engaged in killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, or alcohol consumption, why should I engage in killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, or alcohol consumption? Since the Tathagatagarbha has never had ignorance, why should I still have ignorance? If one believes everything is empty, then one should empty all phenomena. If your employer pays you half a month's salary less, just accept it without contention. Why this selective emptiness? Emptying responsibility but not emptying benefit and greed—what kind of emptiness is this?