【Refuting Misconceptions About Meditation】- The importance of prerequisite foundation

【Therefore, it is improper to say, “Now is the time for meditation,” and then solely do a little meditation, for the saying “a time for study and reflection and a time for practice” expresses the misconception that extensive explanation of the teaching is not compatible with the context of practice. 】

Therefore, as mentioned before, don’t wait until we are about to meditate and then be encouraged. Instead, what should we do? Based on your previous foundation, sturdily strive at solidifying it; once it is solidified then your application in sitting meditation won’t take you too long to have an achievement. So, for now, do not claim, “I want to meditate. Dharma Master, please tell me, how do I recite Buddha’s names with a one-pointed mind? Please tell me how to apply meditative stabilization?” No, not like that. The aforementioned specifically tells you the foundation of how to help you recite Buddha’s names with one-pointed attention. It tells you the exact prerequisites to attain meditative concentration. Not only do we have to understand the teaching now, once we understood, we also need to strive at applying it. It’s not about knowing it and just thinking about it lightly while meditating on it; this kind of understanding is of no use!

SOURCE 来源 :

29B 21’02” Vol 4 of Master Jih-Chang’s Discourse P175 L7
English Lamrim Vol 1 P115

日常师父法语📡29B 21’02”手抄稿第4册P175 L7

破除此中邪妄分别: 前行基础的重要性

【故不应谓此是修时方略策励，以此所说[闻思之时，修行时者]，即是计执说众多法与正修持，二时相违，之邪分别故。】

所以像前面所说的，不要等到说我们修的时候再去策励一下，那应该怎么办呢？就是你前面那个基础，要扎实地努力把它做稳固；做稳固了然后你去修的话，一坐下来要不了多久的话就马上成就。所以现在不要说：[我要修，法师啊，请你告诉我，我怎么念佛念到一心不乱啊？请你告诉我，我怎么修学定啊？]不是，前面这个东西正是告诉你，怎么样帮忙你念佛得到一心不乱的必须要的基础，这个就是告诉你怎么样得定的必须要的这个东西。不但我们现在要了解，了解了还要努力去做。不是说了解了以后，让我们去做的时候稍微想一想，懂了—没有用！