A Map of the Path of Practice for the Greater and Lesser Vehicles

The true starting point of practice—the Small Vehicle's Sutra on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is the practical entry point, and so is the Sutra on the Samādhi of Sitting Chan. As for the Mahāyāna, the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) is where the World-Honored One had His father engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on all dharmas as being like a dream; it only expounds theory, because it is an entry method for guiding beginner students—only a similar, approximate understanding of "like a dream," which cannot lead to realization.

As for the practice maps of the Great and Small Vehicles, of course one first engages in contemplative practice to eliminate self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) and realize the fruit, and only then investigates Chan (canchan). The method of investigating Chan, the method of eliminating self-view, and the method of cultivating meditation (samādhi) have all been explained already. Without eliminating self-view, investigating Chan will yield no result; if investigating Chan is not accomplished, then do not even think about the illusion-like contemplation, do not think about the third gate of the Chan school or the mirage contemplation and dream-like contemplation, and even less think about the dharmas cultivated by bodhisattvas on the bhūmis thereafter. You may seek materials to immerse yourself in through study, but no matter how you cultivate, it is all merely immersion in study—absolute realization is impossible. The sequence and route of practice are very clear: cultivate meditation and study theory, then engage in contemplative practice to eliminate self-view, and after realizing the fruit, investigate Chan to see one's true mind (mingxin). If these cannot be achieved, talking about anything else is useless. Those without great or exceptionally great spiritual faculties (indriya) cannot skip stages in practice. Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats who have come again can do so; everyone else cannot leap over them no matter how they try.

Bodhisattvas from the first bhūmi upward can completely penetrate the Small Vehicle Dharma, penetrate only a part of the Mahāyāna, while the Buddha penetrates it all. Without realization, there is only understanding, and what is merely understood can never be called penetration. Because there is no realization, not a single dharma can be penetrated, and no realm of wisdom can be reached. As for the transformation of the basis (āśraya-parāvṛtti), without realization, the transformation of the basis cannot occur either. Only after realizing the eighth consciousness can one gradually transform the basis; when the transformation of the basis has been accomplished in part, the mind-ground has changed, and consciousness has been transformed into wisdom—that is already a bodhisattva of the first bhūmi or above. Ordinary people cannot speak of the transformation of the basis: their mind-grounds are full of greed, hatred, and delusion, they have not even eliminated the initial self-view, and they carry around a grandiose self with such severe obscuration—what could they possibly transform the basis into?

Without meditative concentration (samādhi), one cannot even attain concentration in recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti), nor in reciting mantras; one cannot sustain contemplation of the breath. If even basic meditative concentration cannot be cultivated, how could one have the ability to engage in contemplative practice on the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) as being without self, and how could one eliminate self-view? How could one investigate Chan to see the true mind? Without seeing the true mind, talking about anything else is simply far too remote.