The Causes and Conditions for Seeing the Path Must Be Complete in Order to Awaken to the Path

Wishing to attain enlightenment is a kind of aspiration, and a wholesome aspiration at that; without such a wish, there would be no practical action. The wish is the prerequisite, and action is the supporting condition. Through various practical actions, one fulfills the causes and conditions for enlightenment, completes the conditions required for awakening, and finally brings the causes and conditions to ripeness at the proper time, so that one naturally awakens to the Way. As long as the wish arises naturally, without harboring a mentality of relying on luck or entertaining thoughts of opportunism, then when the thought of attaining enlightenment emerges after one has cultivated to a considerable degree, it is proper and worthy of encouragement.