Having the Obstruction of Words Is Due to a Lack of Meditative Concentration and Wisdom

To understand the true meaning of Chinese characters, we must think about, analyze, and study them more thoroughly. Only those who have no obstacles with written language can easily and correctly understand the Buddha's Dharma, and only then can wisdom arise continuously. Those who have obstacles with written language, when reading a passage of text, cannot truly understand its substantive meaning and often misinterpret it, so their wisdom cannot improve. In interactions among sentient beings, if there are obstacles with language and writing, causing people to be unable to understand and communicate with each other, then their interactions become distressing and helpless. People who are good at understanding others all have few obstacles with language and writing; they are skilled at seeing through other people's minds, communicate easily with others, and thus encounter fewer obstacles in their interactions with people.

Each person's level of understanding of written language varies greatly. Why do some people have a very low level of understanding of written language? A coarse mind lacking refinement, a lack of meditative concentration, no wisdom, and insufficient merit—these are the most fundamental problems. The text clearly does not contain a certain meaning, yet when some people read it, they understand it as containing that meaning. They refuse to turn back and reflect on themselves, refuse to turn the light inward and reflect back upon themselves. Many people only shine the light on others and not on themselves—that is a manifestation of a heavy self. Then they believe their own understanding is correct and, without hesitation, go on to deny others and debate with them. This kind of impulsiveness is precisely a manifestation of lacking meditative concentration; it is the result of having no wisdom, being unable to introspect on oneself, and being unable to correctly evaluate oneself and others. A wise person is one whose mind is very refined, who can both observe others as they truly are and genuinely introspect on themselves. Lacking the power of observation and the power of introspection shows that one's meditative concentration is poor and one's wisdom is insufficient.