To read or to practise?

written by YeShey on Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

As educated westerners, we tend to want to gather as much intellectual information as possible about something that we are interested in.  Reading can be inspiring and filled with insight, lessons and wisdom; and of course is a much better choice than watching  Survivor!

As meditators, reading can be  distraction.  Meditation requires doing something that is not what we are used to – having no distraction; sitting there with ourself, with our mind and working hard at taking control of the thoughts that have been coming and going at their leisure for so long. Once we are able to observe the mind without distraction, we are able to begin investigation about ourselves and gain clear, intuitive insight.

We are discussing two types of understanding – theoretical and experiential.

Which is more powerful: theoretical understanding or experiential understanding?

Knowledge gained from studying theories or commentaries on the theories relies on views and opinions which lead to speculation and guesswork. We can learn to list factors of the theories but does this mean that we have integrated them into our consciousness strongly enough to propel change?  Westerners are very good thinkers. Is thinking a cause for change?  Can we think our way to a peaceful mind? If we hear that the fire is hot, do we know it for sure?  Will we be tempted to put our hand near the fire or in the fire?

Genuine understanding based on wisdom (in this case we will define wisdom as experiential understanding) is ‘clear intuitive insight gained by directly probing, investigating and analyzing the various factors that arise during meditation in light of principles of reason until their cause and effect relationship become clearly apparent’.  Is experiencing something the cause for change?  If we touch the fire once and know how hot it is, will we put our hand in the flame again?

Direct personal experience is achieved only through practice and this differs greatly from theory alone.

As much as I love to read and find it so inspiring;  I find that it is my mediation practise that continues to propell me forward in and meaningful and lasting way.