The Stages of Spiritual Practice

The steps of practice: Hearing, contemplating, cultivating, and realizing. Hearing is accomplished by the conscious mind with the support of the mental faculty. Contemplation begins with the conscious mind engaging in preliminary thought, gathering extensive data, which then permeates and influences the mental faculty, which also initiates contemplative wisdom. Cultivation involves the conscious mind acting as an advisor while the mental faculty takes the lead, initiating contemplative inquiry and investigation. Realization is jointly attained by both, realizing the Dharma.

Actual practice comes after realization: the conscious mind first subdues and severs afflictions, then guides the mental faculty to subdue and sever afflictions. The transformation of the conscious mind influences and drives the transformation of the mental faculty, thereby transforming the self, turning consciousness into wisdom, and attaining deeper insight.