Only with Right Listening and Reflection Comes Right Practice and Realization

In the scorching summer, a thirsty traveler saw a well by the roadside. The water was clear and deep, but he could find neither a rope nor a bucket. Helpless, he could only endure his thirst, unable to obtain the clear water to quench it. Though the well water was present, it had nothing to do with him. Practitioners of Buddhism are like this: they often speak of emptiness yet lack the methods to verify it, merely shouting slogans while still dwelling in existence. They constantly shout about letting go, yet not knowing what to let go of or how to let go, they can only remain attached, simply because they lack expedient methods and means. Understanding the ways and means of liberation is crucial; otherwise, it is like standing parched at the edge of a well.

For sentient beings to attain liberation, they must practice and verify according to the Buddha's teachings: eradicate the view of self, realize the emptiness of the five aggregates and eighteen elements, and eliminate the notions of self and others as well as the four marks. Then, relinquish the five hindrances, arouse the first dhyāna, sever afflictions, and abandon self-attachment. Only upon the end of life can they transcend the three realms and attain liberation. Not knowing what the self is or what constitutes the self, stubbornly clinging to the seventh consciousness and the five aggregates, and vainly shouting about breaking attachments and letting go—all this is merely futile.

The liberation and letting go taught in the Hinayana path require contemplating the illusory nature of the five aggregates and eighteen elements, contemplating aggregate by aggregate and element by element. One must attain the first fruition of Arhatship, sever the three fetters, and gradually realize the four fruitions to achieve liberation—there is no other way. Non-Buddhists, unaware of this principle, practice for years and attain the highest meditative states, reborn in the highest heavens. They stubbornly cling to the meditative state as Nirvāṇa, not realizing that the meditative state is merely dharma dust. Where there is knowing, there is perception; where there is perception, there is self—still within the five aggregates, not transcending life and death. When will liberation come? It remains distant and uncertain.

The practice of the Buddha Dharma involves hearing, contemplating, practicing, and verifying. First, hear extensively: listen to the true Dharma, as taught by the Buddha, in accordance with the Buddha's principles. If it does not accord with the Buddha's teachings, the more one hears, the more one increases the cycle of birth and death. Second, contemplate: contemplate correctly, in accordance with the Dharma. Wrong contemplation and erroneous understanding only increase the cycle of birth and death. Third, practice: practice according to the Buddha's principles. If what is heard is incorrect and what is contemplated is mistaken, the practice will deviate, failing to follow the right path. Finally, verify: only when what is heard is correct, what is contemplated is thorough, and what is practiced is precise, and when the time, conditions, and causes are complete, can one verify the truth. Only upon verifying the truth can one attain genuine benefit. Vainly shouting about letting go is like firing blindly without knowing the target. Accumulate abundant merit, uphold precepts strictly, cultivate concentration constantly, and cultivate wisdom skillfully—the great path to liberation is right before you.