Let's discuss some common mistakes that people make while studying and practicing Buddhadharma. The first mistake is studying the theory without putting it into practice. These individuals may not enjoy or know how to practice Buddhadharma. As a result, their understanding of concepts like Bodhicitta and Emptiness may remain solely at the theoretical level. They may simply recite these terms without truly understanding their meaning or significance. In essence, they are merely playing with words without any practical application.
Many people study Buddhadharma and gain a vast understanding of its concepts, but fail to put them into practice. Some of them even hold advanced degrees, yet they become armchair scholars or talkers who doubt or slack. This happens because concepts alone cannot direct the mind. To avoid falling into this trap, we need to contemplate the texts thoroughly and then sit on a meditation cushion to carry out meditative practice.
After meditation, we need to continue practicing in our daily life.To practice in daily life, we should remind ourselves to benefit others and not harm them anytime and anywhere. If we happen to hurt someone, we should immediately recognize that it goes against the principle of Bodhicitta and remind ourselves that it is wrong. By repeating this practice, we can eventually generate true Bodhicitta and avoid having it remain just a concept.
Without taming our minds to be gentle and open, we cannot experience the true taste of a tamed mind or eventually become a Bodhisattva. We will have no chance to reach the path of accumulation, one of the five paths of practicing Buddhadharma: the path of accumulation, the path of joining, the path of seeing, the path of meditation, and the path of no-more-learning. When a practitioner reaches the path of accumulation, they become a true Bodhisattva, whose mind often rests peacefully in the state of Bodhicitta, immersed in its wonderful experience. If we fail to train our minds this way, we cannot realize this experience.
After years of studying Buddhadharma, many people end up disbelieving in it because they fail to integrate what they have learned into their meditative practice and daily life. They approach Buddhadharma with the same mindset as other types of knowledge, mistakenly assuming that what they learn is good enough.
However, there is a fundamental difference between Buddhist study and other types of knowledge, and to acquire true knowledge, Buddhist study requires a complete set of learning methods that goes beyond theoretical study to include thorough and all-around practice with contemplation and meditative practice. Unfortunately, many so-called elites, such as those who hold Ph.D, do not realize this, and their Buddhist studies remain stuck in a place where they should not be, which is a pity.
Excerpted from: The Relationship Between Buddhist Theory and Practice
