The Importance of Meditation Practice

The nature of Tathagatagarbha encompasses profound aspects that require repeated cultivation for us to grasp even partially; deeper Dharma teachings can only be gradually comprehended and observed through contemplative practice after realizing Tathagatagarbha. However, the genuine realization of the Dharma must be attained through contemplative practice within meditative concentration (dhyāna); otherwise, at best, one can only achieve intellectual understanding, which remains ultimately unreliable. Meditative concentration and contemplative practice are of utmost importance. Without meditative concentration, many Dharma principles cannot be contemplated or practiced, deeper teachings explained later will remain incomprehensible, and one will gradually fall behind.

Everyone should practice meditative concentration whenever possible. Without meditative concentration, one cannot realize the Dharma; what is understood remains merely intellectual knowledge, incapable of transcending the cycle of birth and death. Moreover, deeper Dharma teachings cannot be understood at all without meditative concentration. On the Buddhist path, lacking meditative concentration prevents one from engaging in contemplative practice of the Dharma, thereby making it impossible to realize Tathagatagarbha. Even if one barely attains initial insight into the mind, subsequent stages of contemplative practice will remain unattainable. Consequently, one cannot fulfill the cultivation requirements for various stages of fruition (bhūmis), and the path forward becomes obstructed or progresses extremely slowly. Therefore, everyone must diligently cultivate meditative concentration.