What Is Wrong with Understanding-Based Awakening?

Question: Why is it said that if everyone studying and practicing Buddhism only has intellectual understanding, the true Buddhadharma will gradually disappear and perish? The vast majority of us cannot even come close to intellectual understanding—wouldn't intellectual understanding of the Buddhadharma still be quite good?

Answer: Let me give an example. Suppose everyone bought a book to learn driving skills, or listened in person to someone explaining driving techniques. Everyone would feel they understood, believing they could drive. Yet they had never actually driven a car, never once touched a steering wheel.

Then these people go on to write books and teach others how to drive. In that case, what would driving skills become after being passed down like this? Would such skills still have any practical, hands-on value? Would anyone still drive in the future? Would there still be anyone who knows how to drive? After this, wouldn't the skill of driving be lost and turn into a mere armchair game of paper talk?

The Buddhadharma is just like this. If everyone only has intellectual understanding without actual realization, and it is passed from one person to another, eventually even those with intellectual understanding will no longer exist, and even the intellectually understood Buddhadharma will become distorted—the true Buddhadharma will be lost. This is a situation the Buddha cannot bear to see, and as the Buddha's true disciples, we would also feel deep pain over it.