Jamyang Rinpoche
Many people think that practicing Dharma is recitation or doing good deeds such as offering lamps, offering flowers, circumambulation of mandalas etc. They consider this Dharma practice. Actually, this kind of practice is more like the external appearance of practicing Dharma. The real Dharma practice must take place in our minds. The mind must be transformed.
Recitation cannot change the mind. Doing good deeds cannot change the mind. The mind can only change through correct habituation when we observe the mind and distinguish between what is virtue and non-virtue. By nature, the mind is neutral. It cannot be manipulated or changed by using an external action, it can only be changed through a mental process.
The mind can only be changed by mind itself. It can only transform when we habituate the mind. Nothing else can change it from the fundamental level. Sitting in an excellent meditative posture, singing or reciting the mantra melodiously, releasing many lives, offering many flowers, reciting many mantras etc will not automatically reduce the mental afflictions.
The main point of Dharma practice is to weaken or remove the mental afflictions. This can only happen through habituation to the correct view. Non-virtuous thoughts have to be trained so that they become virtuous. It is the mind that has to be liberated, not your body or speech. It is your own mind that has to be liberated, not other people or the external environment.
Hence, it is vitally important to practice on the level of mind when we engage in Dharma practices. Don’t limit yourself to superficial appearances of Dharma practice. Stop emphasizing on external oriented Dharma practice.
