A Buddhist Practitioner Learns the Buddha's Heart and Conduct

The eighth consciousness does not cognize specific phenomena and the realms of the six dusts; this is the domain known by the seventh consciousness, and it is also what the six consciousnesses cognize. The nature of the true mind and the deluded mind, along with what they correspond to and perceive, must be strictly distinguished. Only then can there be correct cognition and wisdom. What use is it if the eighth consciousness knows but the mental consciousness does not? Only when the mental faculty knows and the mental consciousness knows does it become meaningful and functional.

Though one may read ten thousand volumes without understanding their meaning, it is not true diligence. The fundamental purpose of studying the Dharma is to attain wisdom, not to amass countless pieces of knowledge and learning, nor to study for the sake of studying, much less to study for others to see. Therefore, to attain wisdom, we must carefully consider what we should do and how we should do it. Buddhists learn the Buddha’s mind and conduct; they do not seek to collect all the Buddha’s words. Rather, through the Buddha’s words, they come to understand the Buddha’s mind, then learn the Buddha’s mind, and emulate the Buddha’s conduct. Only then can they ultimately become equal to the Buddha and show compassion to others.