Think about what you most want to do today, yesterday, or over these past couple of days. What is it that you cannot stop thinking about? Then you know why your practice is not succeeding. You know where the obstacle is—it lies in what your body and mind desire! Then you know why we have sat for several days without results.
Actually, cultivation is very simple in the end: what we crave in our hearts is not this, so the blessings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—nothing can enter at all. You will notice that what you truly crave deep down really is not enlightenment—you do not crave to attain enlightenment. What you crave may be empty fame, spiritual powers, emitting light, or whatever, whatever, whatever—extraordinary, special, different attainments.
So the Buddha did not use spiritual powers to save sentient beings, because he feared—feared that sentient beings would cling to appearances like this. Sentient beings already cling deeply to the appearance of the Buddha; if the Buddha emitted light every day as well, that is why disciples of the Lesser Vehicle did not speak of spiritual powers. When the Buddha emitted light, some disciples of the Lesser Vehicle would not even look; they paid no attention, thinking that it was because the Buddha had taught people that way…
This too is a kind of attachment. In the end, does the Buddha not also have to break this attachment? When teaching the Mahayana, he emits light and makes heaven and earth shake, and you cling to appearances—can you not see that this is Emptiness? This too is illusory. “What is wrong with my emitting light?” He is clinging to appearances!
The Buddha does not emit light because he fears you will cling to appearances; in the end, you have clung to the appearance of emitting light, so in the end you still have to break through this appearance. You cannot see that illusory thing clearly.
So sometimes, in the course of following the Bodhisattva Path, whichever perfection you cultivate—whether giving, upholding the precepts, patience, or diligence—the problem for many people is: why do these perfections stop benefiting them after they have cultivated them to a certain point? It is simply because, whenever you cultivate each perfection, sometimes deep down you are fostering your self.
“I’m giving!” “I’m upholding the precepts—look how strictly I observe them!” “Look at you, breaking the precepts every day!” This “I” is deeply rooted there. “Look at me, I’m practicing patience!” “I endure you!” “How well I practice patience; I’m like a Bodhisattva!” “I’m like a Bodhisattva”—then you are in trouble; you will never be a Bodhisattva.
Just cultivate in a plain, unadorned way; these are all Dharma doors. Whichever one you feel is lacking, do that one; whichever one you can do, do that one. Keep it plain: when you finish, let go; when you finish, let go.
Whether it is upholding the precepts, giving, or patience, because you are originally empty, you must break this “I”; you must empty it out, empty it out, empty it out. Slowly, slowly, you become no-self; slowly, you become a Bodhisattva; slowly, your wisdom manifests—it’s that simple.
Wisdom is not something learned; it is not “I know how.” It really is not just being able to say a few Buddhist phrases or recite several Sutras—that is not it. Wisdom flows forth; when you get there, when you are empty, only then can wisdom flow out. If you are not empty, how could wisdom flow out?
If you are clinging to appearances everywhere, that is what is called wisdom that clings to appearances. Wisdom that clings to appearances is not necessarily bad, but that is making distinctions; that is not truth, and you will never be able to say it. What you say will always be liked by some and disliked by others; when someone does not listen to you, you are clinging to appearances.
Note: This text was prepared from a teaching video by Yang Ning. If it differs from the video, the video takes precedence. Watch the video.