Listeners should be very cautious about this as well. Not only should they discern the views and methods of practice, but they should also understand that the same language can express different experiences and states of realization. Conversely, the same experiences and states of realization can be expressed in different languages.
This is a troublesome matter. Often, we say, ‘I can’t explain my practice to my teacher in detail, and what the teacher says doesn’t seem to apply to me.’ This actually indicates that your language to express your practice is not aligned with your teachers. How can you align yours with your teacher’s? The first step is to turn the theories you read in books into actual practice. The second step is to express your actual practice experiences. The teacher will then respond to your situation and guide your practice accordingly. This is the correct way to communicate with your teacher. Don’t expect your teacher to hand you a note with a secret technique that, once you read it, will instantly open up your energy channels. That’s something from fantasy movies.
The reason many people end up with nothing after studying for over ten years is because the language between the disciple and the teacher did not connect, and they did not receive appropriate guidance. So, you need to distinguish these things. For example, the teacher may say two sentences, but these two sentences actually describe a single state of realization; the teacher may say only one sentence, but this sentence expresses multiple states of realization. For example, the term 'dependent origination and emptiness' is a view, but it contains many states of realization.
Be wary of vague, feel-good advice often found online. Such "chicken soup for the soul" content might offer temporary comfort but lacks substantive guidance for practice. Phrases like "let go of attachments" or "open your heart" are common but unhelpful without specific instructions on how to achieve these states.
Genuine meditation instruction involves repeated explanations and ongoing dialogue. A skilled teacher can help you overcome obstacles in your practice, like "removing nails and wedges" in Chan terminology. Even if a teacher isn't fully enlightened, substantial personal practice allows them to guide others effectively in specific techniques. For example, someone who has practiced mere emptiness well can teach you about it and explain what it is.
In conclusion, teachers must be careful and have genuine practice experience to instruct others. Students must also be discerning. Mere repetition of book knowledge has limited value in real practice. If you only want to hear scriptural recitations, a recording or AI application might suffice. Real practice instruction requires experiential knowledge and personalized guidance.
Excerpted from: Cognition and Expression Part Three
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