Khenpo Tsultrim Lodro
Many people are studying the Five Great Treatises, and this is very good. If you have the time, you should study them
as well. But it is important to remember that the Dharma is as vast as the
ocean—boundless and inexhaustible. One could spend an entire lifetime and still
not learn it all.
Therefore, after reaching a certain level of study, one must understand the
importance of practice. If one keeps studying without practicing, one may
eventually degenerate into a mere theorist—someone who lacks renunciation,
bodhicitta, and faith, and can only talk eloquently about Buddhism without
genuinely embodying it.
Much of the content in the Five Great Treatises is not merely theoretical; it
has practical significance and can guide us in real life. There is no need to
wait until attaining Buddhahood or being reborn in the Sukhavati (for results
from Dharma practice). Even in this very life, one can benefit from Dharma.
For example, when we encounter afflictions, old age, sickness, or other
hardships, we realize that things we usually value so much—money, fame,
philosophy, logic etc—become meaningless, whereas many of the principles taught
in Buddhism turn out to be very useful.
However, we should also be careful. Once we reach a certain stage of learning,
we may become so absorbed in study that we cannot pull ourselves away. We
continue studying endlessly, reluctant to let go, and even find it highly
enjoyable. From there, two outcomes are possible.
One possibility is positive. Because we understand many Buddhist teachings, our
faith in the Guru and the Three Jewels becomes even stronger. We become deeply
aware that the only truth of real value in this world is the Dharma, we lose
interest in everything else and wish to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to
practice.
The other possibility is negative. As our learning and reflection increase, our
actual practice naturally decreases. Instead of applying Buddhist teachings to
our own cultivation, we use them for debating, preaching, and scrutinizing
others.
Taking Buddhist principles as a measuring stick, we begin judging other
people's strengths and shortcomings. At that point, we have started going
downhill, and in the end, we may even regress from the path altogether.
If we notice such a tendency in ourselves, we should immediately make
adjustments and intensify our practice. We should put great effort into
cultivating faith, compassion, and renunciation. By doing so, we can reverse
the situation and get back on track.
