The Terrifying Consequences of Comprehending the Dharma

Question: Why is it said that if all Buddhist study and practice remain at the level of theoretical understanding, the true Dharma will gradually vanish and perish? The vast majority of us haven't even come close to theoretical understanding. Isn't theoretical understanding of the Dharma still quite good?

Answer: Let me give an analogy. Suppose everyone buys a book to learn driving techniques, or listens to someone explain driving techniques in person. Everyone masters the technical knowledge and feels they can drive. Yet, they have never actually driven a car themselves, never touched the steering wheel. Then these people write books and teach others how to drive. In that case, what would driving techniques become when passed down later? Would such techniques still have practical value? Would anyone still drive in the future? Would there still be people who know how to drive? After this, wouldn't driving skills become lost, turning into a mere theoretical game?

The same is true for the Dharma. If everyone only engages in theoretical understanding without actual realization, passing it on one to another, eventually, even those capable of theoretical understanding will cease to exist. Even the theoretically understood Dharma will become distorted, and the true Dharma will be lost. This is a situation the Buddha cannot bear to see, and it would grieve the true disciples of the Buddha deeply.

There is an essential difference between comprehension/insight and theoretical understanding. Theoretical understanding is like guessing the general functioning of the Tathāgatagarbha; it is not observed through direct perception (pratyakṣa), not as clear as seeing an object right before one's eyes. What is guessed remains unclear to the manas (mind-root), leaving one unsettled, insecure, and easily swayed. Thus, one cannot observe the specific operations of the Tathāgatagarbha and cannot give rise to genuine great wisdom. General comprehension and insight involve relatively good learning and mastery of knowledge but have not yet entered the stage of actual contemplation, investigation, and observation (vicāra and vipaśyanā). There is still no experiential knowledge whatsoever of the functioning of the Tathāgatagarbha. This falls far short of the level of theoretical understanding, and the gap to actual realization (sākṣātkāra) is even greater.