How to Attain Liberation

To regard all phenomena as real and existent is to be bound by all phenomena, thereby giving rise to the cycle of birth and death, with no liberation attained. Therefore, one should constantly observe, in every place and at all times, the impermanence, variability, and emptiness inherent in the arising and cessation of all phenomena. The more deeply and meticulously one observes phenomena, the more one realizes that their appearance and disappearance involve no coming or going, no origin or destination, no independent controller—they are empty. Thus, liberating wisdom grows increasingly profound, and yet there is no one who attains liberation. While engaging in the creation of conditioned phenomena, both worldly and beyond, one simultaneously experiences the emptiness of conditioned phenomena and the unconditioned. The mind neither abandons existence nor clings to emptiness; it is both empty and existent, neither empty nor existent, neither existent nor non-existent, neither empty nor non-empty. It does not fall into the extremes of annihilation or permanence, nor into those of unity or multiplicity. Progressing step by step in this way, one accomplishes the Buddha Way.

Only when the mind is empty and phenomena are empty can one gradually transcend the abyss of worldly afflictions. While the mind is empty, one must also not abandon existence; only then can one gradually approach the great path of the Dharma and move towards the ultimate goal of liberation.

As long as the mind accords with emptiness, one is already on the path to liberation. The more the mind perceives phenomena as empty, the closer one is to the endpoint. The more phenomena are seen as empty, the greater the liberation; the deeper the degree of emptiness, the greater the liberation. When emptiness is ultimate, thorough, and complete, one reaches the endpoint: ultimate Nirvana. The emptiness of self and the emptiness of phenomena—both must be realized sooner or later. It is preferable to realize emptiness early and achieve accomplishment early. Do not grasp at phenomena as existent; do not indulge yourself. Afflictions must be discarded sooner or later—discard them early and attain liberation early; discard them late and suffer more.