Three Fundamental Qualities of a True Practitioner

The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves of the bodhi tree, casting a golden hue over the courtyard of Hue Minh Pagoda. The cicadas hummed loudly from the branches of the royal poinciana trees. The assembly had settled onto mats laid directly on the tiled floor. Venerable Thich Chan Quang stepped up to the teaching platform, scanned the room with his eyes, and smiled gently.

"Today, we will discuss a topic that every practitioner must care about: What constitutes a true practitioner in this modern era?"

The teacher paused for a moment, lowering his voice slightly.

"There are certain qualities that must remain exactly the same between practitioners of the past and those of the present. If these are missing, one is not a true practitioner but merely pretending to practice. However, there are also differences; one can still be a true practitioner despite these changes."

"In ancient times, wearing robes in a specific way was considered essential for being a monk. But today, if a bhikkhu rides a motorbike, wears a helmet, and speeds down the road to exchange an electric rice cooker, should we call him a fake practitioner?"

A few murmurs of laughter rose from the audience. The teacher nodded thoughtfully.

"We cannot say so. Because internally, they may still be true practitioners. Therefore, some things remain similar, while others differ. Today, we will examine three fundamental qualities that any true practitioner, regardless of the era, must possess."

The first quality is moral discipline.

The teacher emphasized each word clearly. "Whether in the past or the future, at any time, one must uphold the precepts. Precepts mean cherishing, respecting, practicing, and guarding against what is called 'doing wrong.'"

He recounted the history of how the precepts were established. When the Buddha first began teaching, there were no written rules. People came to the Buddha's teachings simply because they loved the wisdom of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. They naturally knew what was right and what was wrong.

"But about thirteen years later, the Sangha grew large and mixed. Many people could no longer discern right from wrong on their own. At that time, Elder Upali requested the Buddha to establish the precepts. From then on, the code of discipline was born."

The teacher added with deep respect, "Elder Upali was a model figure who clearly distinguished between right and wrong. He systematized the customs and standards of the Sangha into laws, from ancient times until now—when to wear robes, where to keep the alms bowl, how to guard it..."

Then his tone became serious as he issued a warning. "However, some practitioners claim to be 'free from convention,' causing many to lower their regard for the precepts. This is inappropriate."

He told the famous story of Master Nanquan.

"Back then, two groups of monks—the eastern quarters and the western quarters—were fighting over a cat. The cat belonged to neither side; whoever held it kept it, but both claimed ownership. In their struggle, they forgot their practice entirely and lost all mindfulness."

The teacher described the scene with animated storytelling.

"Master Nanquan entered and saw the monks scrambling for the cat. He realized they had completely lost their mindfulness. He grabbed the cat, and it froze stiffly. He picked up a knife and said, 'If you can speak, I will spare the cat.'"

"The eastern and western groups stammered, unable to say anything. Mindfulness had vanished, and no wise words arose. Master Nanquan slashed, and the cat’s head was severed. Blood sprayed everywhere, and the animal twitched before dying."

Silence enveloped the lecture hall. The teacher continued.

"When Master Zhaozhou, his closest disciple, heard about this incident, he took off his sandals, placed them on his head, and walked away. Master Nanquan remarked, 'If you had been there earlier, you would have saved the cat.' That was a precise Zen response that satisfied the master."

The teacher paused and looked at the assembly.

"This story has spread throughout monasteries and remains in historical records to this day. Some people see this image and become shaken regarding the precepts, thinking that once enlightened, one no longer needs to keep them. But we must understand: Precepts mean not doing wrong. A true practitioner respects the precepts, affirming within their heart a determination never to do wrong. Whether they succeed is another matter. But initially, one must be decisive."

The teacher spoke slowly and clearly. "When we kneel to receive the precepts, our heart resolves never to do wrong for the rest of our lives. We can determine what counts as wrong later. That is the first point—moral discipline."

The second quality is meditative concentration.

The teacher moved to the next topic. "The second point, whether in ancient or modern times, requires the mind to be restrained within meditative concentration. Regardless of the method used—reciting the Buddha's name, watching the breath, or contemplating Prajna wisdom—one must make the mind immovable. Do not say that practices worked differently in the past and are unnecessary now. Today, even if machines could plug into your head to induce samadhi instantly—that does not exist."

A brief laugh echoed. The teacher’s face turned stern.

"Achieving meditative concentration always comes from diligent effort, accumulated merit from past lives, and current practice. There is no pill you can take to enter samadhi."

The teacher lowered his voice mysteriously. "Actually, there is a substance that induces a state resembling meditation immediately upon ingestion. But wherever that substance appears, the police arrive to arrest the user. That substance is heroin or drugs."

The assembly murmured. The teacher continued.

"I have never used drugs, but I once cared for addicts during their withdrawal. Listening to their accounts, the states they experienced resembled meditation. It turns out drugs are a form of meditation induced externally, causing side effects. First, they cause addiction—meditation also creates an attachment, but attachment to meditation is beneficial. Second, drugs destroy the immune system, making users prone to illness. Conversely, those who practice meditation diligently gradually increase their resistance. Upon death, their bones crystallize into relics. Those who use drugs often suffer bone decay before death."

He concluded, "Therefore, from ancient times to the future, true practitioners must cherish meditative concentration. Just as one must initially love the precepts."

The third quality is wisdom.

The teacher explained, "Wisdom is vast, but there is one crucial foundational aspect—as defined in the introductory chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The Buddha sat on a lotus throne floating in mid-air, with light emanating from the urna between his eyebrows, shining up to the Trayastrimsa Heaven and down to Avici Hell."

He slowed his speech, emphasizing each point. "This is a metaphor: The Buddha floats freely, relying on no prejudice, faction, or doctrine. From this non-abiding state, his light penetrates Avici Hell—seeing the ultimate suffering. And it shines up to the Trayastrimsa Heaven—seeing the full extent of blessings."

The teacher summarized, "A person with wisdom clearly sees what constitutes sin and what constitutes blessing in life, bit by bit. Wisdom does not depend on high academic degrees or long years of practice. A young person without formal education who clearly understands sin and blessing possesses wisdom and can teach others."

After discussing the three fundamentals, the teacher elaborated on the qualities that arise from them.

"First is ethics—proper speech, conduct, and refined manners. One may be solemn, gentle, tolerant, or strict depending on the situation."

"Second is compassion—loving all sentient beings, but not meaning indulgence. Sometimes one must advise, teach, and forgive to help others correct their mistakes. But sometimes one must remain silent or impose penalties, because leniency does not benefit the person, and only strictness can reform them. The heart still loves."

"Third is diligence—not wasting any time. A lazy person lets time slip away. A diligent person treasures every hour and minute. But a great practitioner treasures every second—never letting go of mindfulness for even a moment. Whether speaking or working, the mind maintains control and mindfulness every second. Such a person is a remarkable master worthy of guiding the world."

"Finally, complete reverence for the Buddha. In ancient times, practitioners constantly felt the Buddha’s presence, knowing he was alive, so their reverence was frequent, leading to quick attainment of enlightenment. Today, the Buddha has entered nirvana. We see only cement statues and occasionally recall him when reading sutras. Our reverence is less frequent, making enlightenment more difficult."

Then the teacher discussed adaptations to the times.

"Some aspects must be flexible and adaptive. For example, riding a motorbike requires wearing a helmet. The image of a bhikkhu mounting a bike, putting on a helmet, covering his face, and driving away seems strange compared to walking barefoot in robes with an alms bowl in ancient times. But we dare not criticize, because that person still keeps the precepts."

"Or consider the modern phenomenon of 'practicing outside the retreat.' Monks enter the rainy season retreat but disappear, unseen until the end. This did not happen in the past because everyone stayed at the training center. But many temples have only one monk; if he leaves for three months, who guards the temple? So we accept this, provided they study during the day."

"And most importantly: today, one must have patriotism. In the past, national borders were unclear, requiring no passports or visas. The Buddha walked with his alms bowl from one country to another. But today, nations have clear boundaries, and practitioners must take responsibility for the land they inhabit. Many temples and monks participated in resistance wars, wearing military uniforms and hiding revolutionaries. Only Buddhism teaches patriotism fully because it is rooted in ethics."

Concluding the dharma talk, the teacher said, "Moral discipline, meditative concentration, and wisdom are three unchanging fundamentals. Compassion, ethics, diligence, and reverence for the Buddha are unchanging qualities. But other aspects must adapt to the era. As long as the essence is preserved, one is a true practitioner."

The Meaning of the Story

This narrative illustrates the three indispensable qualities of a true practitioner in any era: moral discipline (the resolve not to do wrong), meditative concentration (the effort to steady the mind), and wisdom (clearly seeing sin and blessing in life). From these foundations, practitioners must further develop ethics, compassion, diligence, and reverence for the Buddha. Simultaneously, a true practitioner must adapt to the times—accepting external changes like motorbikes, helmets, and patriotism—while never abandoning the core essence of moral discipline, meditative concentration, wisdom, and ethical character.

Compiled from the dharma talk of Venerable Thich Chan Quang