How to Become a Person of the Buddha-Dharma

Studying Buddhism and practicing the path requires merit and wholesome roots. Those who have never planted wholesome roots and merit in the Buddha's Dharma naturally cannot derive any benefit from it. Those who do not take refuge in the Three Jewels, nor take refuge in the Buddha, even if they possess worldly intelligence and eloquence, cannot attain liberation through wisdom. Therefore, no matter how clever and quick-witted worldly people may be, they still lack the wisdom of the Buddha's Dharma and are not people of the Dharma. The Buddha's Dharma can only deliver those who take refuge in Buddhism, place their faith and trust in Buddhism, and are willing to plant wholesome roots and merit within the Three Jewels. Those unwilling to take refuge in the Three Jewels are very difficult to transform; even if they come to study the Dharma, they are merely doing research, treating the Buddha's Dharma as a pastime, and cannot attain realization of the fruits or enlightenment so as to obtain the benefits of the Buddha's Dharma. Because they lack the root of faith, they also lack the five roots; without the five roots, there are no five powers, and thus they cannot be complete in the thirty-seven factors of the path. Consequently, they are unable to deepen their contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) to realize the fruits and awaken to the true mind, and thus cannot become people of the Buddha's Dharma.