"When we hear a Dharma talk or study a sutra, our only job is to remain open. Usually when we hear or read something new, we just compare it to our own ideas. If it is the same, we accept it and say that it is correct. If it is not, we say it is incorrect. In either case, we learn nothing. If we read or listen with an open mind and an open heart, the rain of the Dharma will penetrate the soil of our consciousness.

'The gentle spring rain permeates the soil of my soul. A seed that has lain deeply in the earth for many years just smiles.'

"While reading or listening, don't work too hard. Be like the earth. When the rain comes, the earth only has to open herself up to the rain. Allow the rain of the Dharma to come in and penetrate the seeds that are buried deep in your consciousness. A teacher cannot give you the trruth. The truth is already in you. You only need to open yourself -- body, mind, and heart -- so that his or her teachings will penetrate your own seeds of understanding and enlightenment. If you let the words enter you, the soil and the seeds will do the rest of the work.

"A sutra or Dharma talk is not insight in and of itself. It is a means of presenting insight, using words and concepts. When you use a map to get to Paris, once you have arrived, you can put the map away and enjoy being in Paris. If you spend all your time with your map, if you get caught by words and notions, you miss the reality. The Buddha said many times, 'My teaching is like a finger pointing to the moon. Do not mistake the finger for the moon.'

"Sutras are essential guides for our practice, but we must read them carefully and use our intelligence and the help of a teacher and a Sangha. After reading a sutra or any spiritual text, we should feel lighter, not heavier. Buddhist teachings are meant to awaken our true self, not to add to our storehouse of knowledge. The Buddha did not want his disciples to be caught by words and notions, even his own."

     ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Brother ChiSing: