Quote from Only a Great Rain

Only a Great Rain: A Guide to Chinese Buddhist Meditation

 by Master Hsing Yun

Wisdom Publications, Somerville, Massachusetts, 1999        146 pp. 

Meditation should not be viewed as an isolated practice that can stand on its own. To be effective, meditation must be practiced along with morality and wisdom. Without a firm moral foundation, meditation will never produce the wonderful results it should. Without wisdom, even if one’s meditation produces good results, one will not be able to use them or understand them as one should.

Meditation properly is one part of a complete Buddhist practice. It is very important for Buddhists to meditate, but if one does not also uphold the precepts of Buddhism while working to increase one’s wisdom, it will be unlikely that one’s meditation will produce good results.

In Buddhism, morality, meditation and wisdom are called the three trainings (trini siksani). They are grouped together because it is essential that all three be practiced at once. (p. 17)

-- quote submitted by Oriana K. H.

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