Principle and Practice: Two Doors into Truth

In the meditation hall on an afternoon, a bell rang softly and slowly faded away. Venerable Thích Chân Quang sat on the dharma seat, his kind eyes gazing down at the assembly seated in silence. Outside, a few rays of late-day sunlight slipped through the leaves, casting shimmering streaks of light on the tiled floor. The teacher began, his voice deep, warm, and clear: "Today we will speak about the difference between Principle and Practice. You have all heard it said that this person practices according to Principle, that person practices according to Practice, but how many truly understand what this means?"

He paused for a moment, looked around, and continued: "If translated in the ordinary Confucian sense, Principle means theory, and Practice means action, that is, actual doing. But in the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), these two words are not so simple. Principle here refers to the Principle-nature, the qualities of the essence, of the Buddha-nature within each of us. That is purity, unmoving stillness, non-discrimination. Practice refers to conduct, to action, to ethical behavior: kindness, humility, courtesy, and living for others. To put it simply, one who practices according to Principle turns toward a mind/heart that is empty and silent, without discrimination; one who practices according to Practice pays careful attention to cause and effect (karmic law), to concrete actions in daily life."

The teacher told a story: "There was once someone who sat in meditation for a while, and naturally the mind/heart felt empty and serene. Walking and standing felt effortless, he felt in control of every movement, with no thoughts arising. He was overjoyed, believing he had awakened to the Buddha-nature, and declared: 'I have seen my true nature, I have become a Buddha!' But his teacher, if he were a true spiritual friend, would gently say: 'Not yet, my child. Keep practicing.' The man listened and continued with diligence. Some time later, entering deeper meditative concentration, he was startled to look back and realize: 'Ah, so the place I once took for the Buddha-nature is still full of faults, still very crude!'"

The teacher stressed: "Each time one enters more deeply, the practitioner sees the faults of the level before. The more one practices, the more faults one sees. An entire life of practice, in the end, is simply seeing one's faults. Someone once told me, 'Teacher, when I sit in meditation I see emptiness, a blankness. Is that a good thing?' I replied: 'Do not seek that blankness! Try instead to see your own faults. Practice, carried to its very end, is nothing but seeing your faults.'"

He explained further: "One who practices according to Principle sees emptiness everywhere, seeing all things as illusory, like dreams, like conjurations. Because of this, the mind/heart is not burdened, not entangled, creating a style of effortless ease. But if taken too far, one may become indifferent to the world, no longer caring to do anything at all. One who practices according to Practice, on the other hand, stays alert to order and hierarchy, knows who is more capable and who is less, sees who is suffering (dukkha) in order to help. They guard cause and effect (karmic law), do good deeds, and live with humility and courtesy. These two paths may seem opposite, but in truth both are qualities of the Buddha's way."

The teacher gave an example: "A person practicing according to Principle, upon meeting a teacher, might pat him familiarly on the shoulder and say, 'How are you, teacher? Your beard is so long, shall I shave it for you?' For such a person, monastic and lay life are the same, with no distinction. But a person practicing according to Practice, upon meeting the teacher, would press his palms together and bow his head: 'Venerable teacher, I have just arrived. How are you today?' Full of reverence, proper in etiquette. Both have their own virtues, but the one who practices according to Practice finds it easier to uphold cause and effect (karmic law)."

The teacher also referred to the scriptures: "Sutras such as the Prajna, the Diamond Sutra, the Zhao Lun, and the Madhyamaka Shastra generally speak of Principle. The Diamond Sutra says: 'If anyone sees me in form, or seeks me in sound, that person walks a wrong path and cannot see the Tathagata.' It sounds lofty, but many who read it end up confused. Sutras such as the Lotus Sutra, the Avatamsaka, and the Nirvana Sutra speak of both Principle and Practice, offering concrete methods of cultivation, stage by stage, with each fruit of the path made clear."

The teacher told a story from the Prajna teachings: "Once, Subhuti addressed the heavenly beings, saying: 'All the Buddha's teachings are illusory, like dreams, like conjurations.' The heavenly beings stared in astonishment: 'Goodness! The Buddha's own teachings, and you call them illusory?' Subhuti continued: 'Not only the teachings, but all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times are also illusory.' The heavenly beings were even more stunned. He added: 'Even the supreme nirvana of the Buddhas is illusory.' Hearing this, the heavenly beings trembled, utterly lost. They went to ask the Buddha, and the Buddha confirmed that Subhuti had spoken correctly."

The teacher paused and looked at the assembly: "You see, Principle is vast and boundless like this, but without Practice to apply it, one can easily fall into nihilism and discouragement. And if one focuses only on Practice without understanding Principle, one easily becomes attached and rigid. The wise practitioner knows to harmonize both: keeping the mind/heart pure and unmoving, while fulfilling one's duties and guarding cause and effect (karmic law). Only that is complete."

The teacher concluded: "Whatever practice each of us follows, whether according to Principle or according to Practice, it must aim at the final purpose: seeing our own faults and correcting them. Never be complacent with what you have attained, not even with lofty states of meditative concentration. Always remain alert, humble, and diligent on the path."

The Meaning of the Story

The profound lesson Venerable Thích Chân Quang wished to convey is this: In practice, we must clearly distinguish the two paths of Principle and Practice. Principle purifies the mind/heart and brings ease; Practice helps us guard cause and effect (karmic law) and ethics. Both are necessary and complement each other. Most important of all, do not be seduced by lofty goals, but always return to seeing your own faults in order to correct them. That alone is genuine practice.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang.