Can One Follow the Dharma Without Comprehending the Sutras?

Sentient beings who have not cultivated to a certain stage and have not yet given rise to wisdom cannot comprehend the sutras. Many people believe they understand the Buddhist scriptures, but in reality, they are merely interpreting the text literally, which is far removed from the true meaning the World-Honored One intended to convey. When one places too much trust in oneself, it often leads to self-deception. In the Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters, the Buddha said: "Your mind cannot be trusted; only when you attain the fruition of Arhatship can your mind be trusted." This was spoken to the Śrāvaka disciples. For Mahāyāna Bodhisattva disciples, the Buddha might say: "Your mind cannot be trusted; only when you realize the Tathāgatagarbha can your mind be trusted," or "Only when you possess the Wisdom of Consciousness-Only and enter the Tathāgata's family can your mind be trusted." At that stage, one has realized the true nature of all dharmas, and wisdom has been developed and deepened profoundly. Before this, sentient beings must at least cultivate to the stage where they possess the eye of discernment (dharma-pravicaya) before they can distinguish the right and wrong of certain dharmas. Only with the eye of discernment can one possess the eye to discern teachers, as these two are interdependent. Currently, most sentient beings have not cultivated to the stage of possessing the eye of discernment; thus, they err in judging both dharmas and teachers. Their judgment of teachers is based on reputation and external appearances, not on the teacher's wisdom. Because they themselves lack wisdom, they cannot perceive the depth of a teacher's wisdom. Sentient beings who are overly self-confident or overly trusting of teachers will both mislead themselves. One should contemplate the Dharma skillfully and discern teachers wisely, correctly assessing one's own level of wisdom. Most importantly, one should cultivate abundant merit and virtue. When merit and virtue are sufficient, errors decrease, and wisdom arises.

A short sutra like the Heart Sutra, with only 260 characters, is understood in ten different ways by ten people and interpreted in a hundred ways by a hundred people. Everyone says to rely on the Dharma, not on the person. Thus, to study the Mahāyāna, one must first rely on the Heart Sutra, which is the essence of Mahāyāna teachings. Only by understanding the Heart Sutra can one realize Bodhi. Given the current situation, where each person has a different interpretation, how can one rely on the Heart Sutra? Everyone believes they are relying on the Dharma, yet their understanding of the Dharma is mistaken—how can this be true reliance? Each believes their understanding is correct, yet the correct Dharma has only one meaning. If a hundred people have a hundred interpretations, then ninety-nine are likely wrong. How can this be called relying on the Dharma? The Buddha consistently taught the perfect emptiness and wondrous existence. Yet some deny perfect emptiness, while others deny wondrous existence. These two groups hold contradictory views, yet they can coexist, affirming each other. Is it not strange? Why does this happen? The reason is that sentient beings do not understand the nature of their own views and lack discernment regarding the Dharma. Hence, erroneous views now run rampant, and false dharmas spread widely, while sentient beings remain unaware. In the Dharma-ending age, sentient beings have meager merit and willingly accept misleading teachings. If sentient beings do not cultivate merit and virtue, the future of the true Dharma is precarious; it may rapidly decline. Then, sentient beings will be trapped in even greater distress, unable to free themselves.

Perfect emptiness refers to the Tathāgatagarbha—real yet empty in nature. Within the essence of the mind, not a single dharma exists, yet it can manifest all dharmas. Wondrous existence means that although the phenomena of the five aggregates and eighteen realms appear to exist, they are ultimately unreal, being illusory dharmas manifested by the Tathāgatagarbha. These illusory dharmas cannot be said not to exist, because sentient beings use them every moment: they use the five aggregates to eat, dress, walk, and live. Sentient beings dwell within the illusory eighteen realms, seeing illusory forms, hearing illusory sounds, smelling illusory scents, tasting illusory flavors, feeling illusory touches, and cognizing illusory dharmas. Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and cognizing are all functions of the five aggregates. Thus, one cannot deny the apparent existence of the five aggregates. Although the five aggregates do not truly exist, they still exist in an illusory manner. Everyone uses the five aggregates daily, yet they claim the five aggregates do not exist. If one can truly recognize in their heart that the five aggregates are indeed illusory, that would be excellent—it would mean severing the view of self and attaining the fruition of Arhatship. May all sentient beings reach this stage. However, denying even the illusory appearance of the five aggregates does not lead to severing the view of self, because without observing and contemplating the illusory nature of the five aggregates and eighteen realms, one cannot attain the fruition.