63- RELIGIOUS PRACTICE IS A WAY OF LIFE

Practicing the Way is to contemplate directly our own sense organs.

All sensations, intuitions, and feelings are perceived by the heart. All these discernments are directly perceived through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind-base, without passing through the mind, the reasoning of what is right or wrong, the filter of culture and tradition, or the social law.

Does practicing the Way mean to learn and to correct?

Practicing the Way is to learn that which we did not know, to which we did not listen carefully, and which we did not observe attentively. Practicing the Way means we do not only observe the surroundings or listen to others, but also actually observe and listen to ourselves. What do we perceive? What are we seeing and hearing from ourselves? From what we perceive, see, and hear, what should we do and think in the face of our surroundings?

If our thinking, talking, and acting are the results of habits that have caused trouble for our life and affected others around us, we need to correct and practice the new things accordingly, so that we can change a sad and troubled life to a better and happier life.

Does practicing the Way mean to live alone and accept loneliness?

If we want to see ourselves thoroughly, there is no other way than going back to the depth of the soul.

To know and understand ourselves we must be sincere with ourselves. If there is something to be ashamed of, let it be our own shame. If there is something to be proud of, let it be our own pride. We have to detect all of our bad and our good characters, without hesitation and concealment, because we need to learn thoroughly about ourselves.

Clear understanding of ourselves is essential, because it is the basis for all measures to solve the problems in our lives.

The lack of clear understanding of ourselves – the root of all the problems in life – can only bring a temporary solution to our problems, while other problems will arise as a chain reaction.

Therefore, are the bases and origins of all thorny problems in life concealed in the true nature of every one of us?