The Relationship Between the Dao and Techniques

Training the manas belongs to the realm of technique. If the height of the Path is not attained, technique alone can never lead to seeing the Path; one can only apply technique to worldly affairs to make a living. But once the Path reaches a certain height, technique need not be trained—it is naturally complete. Because the Path is the root and technique is the branch-tip; the Path is the mind, and technique is accomplished by the mind—it is a state of the mind. When the mind is accomplished, technique is naturally accomplished, following it like a shadow. If one deeply craves a certain dharma, with every thought centered upon it and no other thoughts, that dharma will inevitably penetrate deep into the marrow, engraved into the mind of the manas. Though stars shift and constellations turn, morning and evening it remains unmoved, and technique manifests of itself without being sought.

Everyone has personally experienced moments when the manas can concentrate its energy and attention to a high degree, and can independently deliberate and weigh certain matters and principles—it is just that people fail to realize this. For example, when the manas especially likes something, is especially interested, especially concerned, especially shocked and shaken and stirred, especially astonished, especially terrified, especially delighted and surprised, extremely excited, extremely angry or indignant—these are all times when the manas is single-minded, when the mind consciousness cannot participate. The manas does not need the mind consciousness to do anything; single-mindedly it immerses itself in the present situation, engaging in deep perception, deep experience, and deliberation (manana). At such times, without stirring the mind consciousness, the manas alone is digesting the information it has received or the sense-objects it has contacted; one is often dumbfounded, stunned, astonished, or frozen in a daze. At this time the mind consciousness has no thought, like a fool, while the manas itself deliberates rapidly and deeply. He will discover facts and truths that could not be discovered before; and once discovered, the mind consciousness will feel "so that's how it is," and also know the truth of the matter. Summarize and distill such experiences encountered in daily life into a method and approach to guide one's own cultivation and realization, and one's practice will enter a deeper level.

The experience distilled and summarized contains both the Path and technique. The Path is the mind, the state of the mind; from the perspective of Buddhist practice, it is the bodhi mind, the attitude toward the Buddha-dharma, the roots of goodness and merit. Technique is skill and craft, which can only be complete after the Path, through cultivation and training; after that, one simply waits for the results to emerge.

Regarding bringing forth the bodhi mind with respect to the Path, I have spoken very little, which has led most disciples to have insufficient understanding of bringing forth the bodhi mind; they put in considerable effort on technique, yet their progress is not fast. Bringing forth the bodhi mind belongs to the foundational content of study and practice; disciples who study and practice with me should have long since been complete in it, without my needing to teach it specially. My energy does not allow me to attend to the needs of beginner sentient beings; I do not have the energy to cover all the content required for sentient beings' study and practice.