..续本文上一页n is strong but weak in wisdom, in the process of practising the Bodhisattva”s way one may be defeated and become a "Defeated Bodhisattva".
This is because the practice of the Bodhisattva cannot be successful without the skilful means of the wisdom of emptiness (wisdom of non-grasping). Thus, one may enter Buddhism through any one of the gates, however, if one is thinking of progressing and advancing further into the teaching and learning of the practice of the Bodhisattva, one must develop balanced strength in all these three areas, loving kindness and compassion and wisdom. These three areas of development will supplement each other and gradually lead the practitioner to a higher stage.
When one gains the profound wisdom of the Buddha, one is perfect in the practice of all three themes. This is the attainment of the great Bodhi or great Nirvana, in other words, Buddhahood. Some people think that it should be sufficient to just become expert in one theme, it is not necessary for one to learn all three together.
In fact, if one really becomes expert in one theme, one will naturally understand the interrelationship of the three and how they complement each other in order to lead one to completion. One theme may be used as the starting point of practice and its main focus. Looking deeply in this way one sees how each theme enfolds all the others at the same time It does not imply that one is giving up the practice of the other merits.
We, who are practising the Bodhisattva”s perfections and aiming for the fruit of Buddhahood, should ask ourselves, are the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas incomplete in their practice of the three themes
Do they have faith without wisdom, or have wisdom without faith
Buddha means the perfection of all merits. Thus, those who are determined to learn from the Buddha, should look upon the perfect merits of the Buddha as their goal and strive forward diligently.
4. The role of the Three Essentials in mental development, practice and attainment
Those who sincerely develop the mind of Bodhi and make the effort to practise the perfection of the Bodhisattva, must equip themselves with the essentials of Mahayana practice, even though they may have inclinations towards certain aspects. The essentials are: faith and determination, loving kindness and compassion, and wisdom. Without the foundation of Bodhisattva teachings, one”s faith and determination will be similar to benevolence and knowledge in Confucianism; one”s loving kindness and compassion will resemble the faith and wisdom of the Sravakas; and one”s wisdom will be equivalent to faith and love in Christianity. The only practice that can fully convey the Truth of Buddha”s teaching, and can become the supreme way of practice for human beings, in the practice of the Bodhisattva-the unification of faith and determination, loving kindness and compassion and wisdom. These three themes supplement each other and lead one to the attainment of perfection.
The three themes are the essentials and cannot be ignored or neglected. In the process of learning, there is a certain order of progress. One progresses from emphasis on one aspect to another according to their order until the completion of the course. To begin practice from the mind of a worldly person, we must know the order of practice. If we boast about perfection and completion, all these will be just empty words of mouth and reality will prove that our success is illusion.
a) The Order of practice
The sutras and abhidharma have given many explanations about the practices paving the Path of the Bodhisattva. Generally speaking, it can be pided into two smaller parallel paths — the Path of Prajna and the Path of Skilful Means. The stages of the Paths are as follow:
i) To begin the practice of the Bodhisat…
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