The crucial part of Buddhist practice and realization is the threefold undefiled training of precepts, meditation, and wisdom

The crucial part of Buddhist practice and realization is what the Buddha repeatedly taught us: the three unblemished studies of precepts, samādhi, and wisdom. In the study of precepts, one must strictly uphold the precepts; only then can the mind become settled in meditation. After the mind is settled, the wisdom of contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) can arise, and when contemplative practice matures, the great wisdom of prajñā will be born. Having the great wisdom of prajñā is extremely important, for it can lead to liberation. The arising of prajñā wisdom depends on deep and subtle contemplative wisdom; the attainment of contemplative wisdom relies on meditative concentration (samādhi); and the production of meditative concentration depends on the precepts. The three studies of precepts, samādhi, and wisdom are linked ring by ring, and each is important; every link is tightly connected, and none can be lacking—none can be omitted or discarded—otherwise there will be no true realization.

After meditative concentration has been cultivated, one must learn to transform it into the wisdom of contemplative practice, being adept at shifting the mind's thoughts; otherwise meditative concentration will forever remain just meditative concentration, no different from the concentration of non-Buddhists. It will not give rise to prajñā wisdom, one will not be able to realize no-self, and one will not attain liberation and ease. Quite a few people are not interested in sitting quietly, because their minds are too scattered and distracted to sit still, and so they have no choice but to rely on concentration within movement. Yet the mind in stillness is not easy to grasp, and the mind in movement is even harder to grasp. Even if concentration within movement is well cultivated, that concentration is still shallower than concentration in stillness; the mind is coarse, thinking is not fine and meticulous, and the wisdom of contemplative practice is likewise crude and shallow, making true realization impossible. Therefore concentration in stillness is both the foundation and the final refuge; great wisdom must be born from concentration in stillness. The patriarchs of all generations and all buddhas and bodhisattvas have been so.

When concentration in stillness is well cultivated, thinking becomes keen and subtle; whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, the mind is constantly in concentration, afflictions can be subdued, the state of mind is relaxed and joyful, and the mind's thoughts naturally consist mostly of wholesome thoughts. Therefore concentration in stillness is extremely important. This is a Dharma treasure passed down by the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions and by the great patriarchs and masters; one must cherish it and cultivate it well.