"Reading the sutras, you must understand their meaning; Understanding their meaning, you can practice. When you depend upon the meaning of the teachings you enter the palace of Nirvana. When you don't understand their meaning, with your myriad views you're worse than blind: Congenial writings largely occupying your mind-ground, the mind-ox won't consent to cultivate it; Fields all over are covered with grass, where then can the rice plants grow?"
-Layman Pang verse 22 (Sasaki/Iriya/Fraser)
Comments
Most people have "myriad views" and show preference to "congenial writings." They remain isolated in the confines of their own established opinions and beliefs. The function of studying the records of the teachers is to change those habitual thought patterns.
As those habitual patters change a different practice begins. The fundamental Mind-ground (Pang's "palace of Nirvana) becomes clear and can be apprehended. This is called "practice."
For most people, without diligent practice consciousness remains cluttered with discriminatory conceptual thought ("covered with grass") that obscures the innate Buddha nature (Pang's rice plants).
Submitted January 30, 2020 at 04:29AM by shaku_kojyu https://ift.tt/37Damh5
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