The Process of Practicing and Studying the Dharma Is More Important Than the Result.

The observation and thinking of the mind consciousness, in both process and result, can influence the manas, causing the manas to become convinced and to have the same thoughts and intentions. As long as the thoughts and intentions of the manas are brought to fulfillment, all dharmas will surely be accomplished, because the tathāgatagarbha supports them. Everything the mind consciousness does is nothing more than perfuming, influencing, and changing the manas; apart from this, it has no real significance, for it does not make decisions and is not the boss. Behind the boss there is a president, and this one is the most powerful.

Therefore, when we study and practice the Buddha's teachings, we must engage in deliberation (manasikāra/manana)—the deeper and more detailed the better, the more comprehensive the better. This process is precisely the process of letting the manas understand and confirm; without a process, the manas cannot confirm, and nothing can be accomplished. Hence the process is more important than the result. Many people, in studying the Dharma, want only the result and not the process—how then can they realize the Buddha's teachings in practice, and thereby transform themselves and transform everything?