True practice is individual independent cultivation.

When the World-Honored One was alive and teaching the Dharma to his disciples, he would simply expound the Dharma that should be cultivated and studied at the time, and after that he would leave it alone; the remaining work was to be completed independently by the disciples. In those days, after listening to the World-Honored One's teaching of the Dharma, the disciples would each find a quiet place free from disturbance and engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) and reflection within meditative concentration (samādhi) on their own. The World-Honored One never personally led the practice in detail; he never led his disciples in a Buddha recollection retreat, nor in a Chan retreat—no retreat of any kind was ever held. The disciples always contemplated and practiced the Dharma on their own, cultivating in solitude; there was never any group practice.

In cultivating and studying the Buddha-Dharma, if you wish to gain the greatest benefit, you must do much reflection and much contemplative practice yourself; try not to have others explain the Dharma in too much detail. If you do little contemplative practice yourself, the benefit you receive will be small. The greater the effort each person invests, the greater the benefit they will obtain. Practice contemplation more, reflect more, and do not fear making mistakes. If you go wrong, turn back and strive in another direction; when you have contemplated from every angle, wisdom will arise. Contemplative practice gives rise to wisdom, and contemplative practice is one's own affair—it is best not to let others do it in your place. You must have great aspiration and not rely on ready-made things; you must expend more energy and effort, reflect more. What you cultivate yourself, you attain yourself; what others cultivate, they attain; without cultivation, there is no attainment. Only after cultivating and realizing it in actual practice can you obtain great wisdom and attain the true merit and benefit of liberation.