Only with Right Listening and Reflection Comes Right Practice and Realization

On a scorching summer day, a thirsty traveler came upon a well. The water was clear and deep, yet he could find neither rope nor bucket. Helpless, he could only endure his thirst, unable to obtain the clear water to quench it. Though the well water was present, it bore no relation to himself. Similarly, it is with those who study Buddhism. They often speak of emptiness, yet lack the methods to verify it. They merely shout slogans, remaining trapped in existence. They frequently call for "letting go," but do not know what to let go of or how to let go. Consequently, they remain constantly attached, simply because they lack expedient methods and means. Understanding the methods and means of liberation is crucial. Otherwise, it is like standing parched at the edge of a well.

For sentient beings to attain liberation, they must practice and realize according to the Buddha's teachings: sever the view of self, realize the emptiness of the Five Aggregates and the Eighteen Realms, and understand the absence of self, others, and the Four Marks. Furthermore, they must relinquish the Five Hindrances, arouse the first dhyāna, sever afflictions, eliminate self-attachment, and only upon the end of life can they transcend the Three Realms and attain liberation. Not knowing what the self is or what constitutes the self, stubbornly clinging to the seventh consciousness and the Five Aggregates, while vainly shouting about breaking attachments and letting go, is merely futile labor.

The liberation and letting go of the Śrāvaka Vehicle (Hīnayāna) necessarily involve contemplating the illusory nature of the Five Aggregates and the Eighteen Realms, contemplating one aggregate after another, one realm after another. One attains the fruit of Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna), severs the Three Fetters, gradually realizes the Four Fruits, and thereby achieves liberation. There is no other path. Non-Buddhists, unaware of this principle, practice for years, attain the highest meditative absorptions, and are reborn in the highest heavens. They stubbornly cling to the state within their concentration as Nirvāṇa, not realizing that the state of concentration is but a mental object (dharmadhātu). Where there is knowing, there is thought; where there is thought, there is self. They remain within the Five Aggregates, not transcending birth and death. When will liberation come? It remains distant and uncertain.

The practice of the Buddha Dharma involves Hearing, Reflecting, Cultivating, and Realizing. First is extensive Hearing: listen to the true Dharma, that which was spoken by the Buddha and accords with the Buddha's principles. If it does not accord with the Buddha's words, the more one hears, the more one increases the bonds of birth and death. Next is Reflecting: one must reflect correctly, properly, and in accordance with the Dharma. Wrong reflection and wrong understanding only increase the bonds of birth and death. Then comes Cultivation: practice according to the Buddha's principles. If what was heard is incorrect and what was reflected upon is erroneous, the moment one practices, one deviates and does not enter the right path. Finally, Realization: if what was heard is correct, what was reflected upon is thorough, and what is cultivated is precise, then when the time, causes, and conditions are ripe, one can realize the truth. Only upon realizing the truth is there genuine benefit. Vainly shouting "let go" is like shooting blindly without knowing the target. Accumulate much merit, uphold the precepts strictly, constantly cultivate concentration, skillfully cultivate wisdom—then the great path to liberation lies right before you.