Cultivation is not for becoming an immortal or a Buddha, but to meet oneself…
True cultivation is not on the mountain, nor in the temple. True cultivation is to meet oneself; it is neither on the mountain nor in the temple. One cannot detach from society, nor can one detach from reality. One must live in cultivation and cultivate in life.
Your work environment is your dojo, your altar… But what exactly is cultivation? Do you really know…? Cultivation is to “solve” the problems in life!
Must one necessarily leave life behind and go to a temple to worship Buddha and chant scriptures? Must one be solely dedicated to meditation and reading spiritual books? When problems arise in life, we often feel that it is life’s issues disrupting our cultivation.
In fact, cultivation and life are one. The purpose of cultivation is also to solve practical problems in life. Talking about cultivation without relating it to life inevitably leads to avoiding issues. Cooking, washing dishes, doing housework—these are also forms of cultivation.
Cultivation always brings to mind hermits living secluded in the mountains, meditating under the sky, pondering deeply the meaning of existence in the universe. Cooking, washing dishes, taking care of children—all these are forms of cultivation. However, the definition of cultivation is certainly not so narrow.
Cultivating within life requires much more courage than those who “hide away” and seek personal virtue alone—balancing work with family, stress with health, desires with impermanence and emotional joys and sorrows… Seeking balance amidst complex relationships allows us to see the true nature of life more clearly. In short, as long as you focus on the present moment—cooking, washing dishes, doing housework—these are also forms of cultivation.
Therefore, as long as you live truthfully, seriously, and with awareness; try constantly to examine yourself; discard your arrogance, greed, expectations, and fears; with a pure heart see life’s different sequences,
you and I will become masters within our lives. Every problem becomes a dojo when we approach our practice from practical issues; every problem becomes a dojo. Cultivation must start from practical issues; empty discussions have no meaning.
You can talk about principles all day long,
but if you still suffer or get angry when faced with situations—what use is there in that? Cultivation must take place amidst specific worries or painful realities in life.
Do not turn cultivation into an excuse for escaping reality or troubles. Cultivation is not a way to run away; practicing Dao does not mean opening up an escape route. Furthermore, cultivation should never become a form of spiritual entertainment.
Of course, you can oppose this—all while holding onto your own beliefs—but ultimately it’s still you who suffers. When cultivating begins with practical problems,
every actual issue serves as an entry point.
Every problem becomes a dojo; every troubling matter becomes a dojo; every emotional whirlwind becomes a dojo; every arrival of fear becomes a dojo; every thought becomes a dojo.
The dojo lies at your points of difficulty;
true dojos are not temples or Zen halls or mountain forests or places where practitioners gather—the real dojos exist in every moment,
every present existence,
every thought.
If there are problems in your marriage—the problematic marriage itself is your dojo; if there are issues between you and your husband—the relationship with him becomes your dojo;
if conflicts arise with colleagues—that conflict itself serves as your dojo; if you’re caught up in life’s boredom—that boredom serves as your dojo;
if financial issues arise—money itself becomes your dojo.
If you fear birth and death—the questions surrounding birth and death become your dojo.
The dojo exists at each point where you suffer;
it exists at each point where you’re stuck or constrained—cultivation must begin from there.
Do not bypass marital issues,
husband-related issues,
colleague-related issues,
boredom-related issues,
financial issues,
or questions about birth and death
and run off to temples,
Zen halls,
mountain forests
or places filled with practitioners
to engage in abstract discussions
or meditate on Buddhas or Bodhisattvas
or chant Amitabha Buddha’s name or great compassion mantras.
That’s useless—you’ve chosen the wrong place for your practice—you’re practicing outside the path!
Cultivation should happen where there are problems!
Cultivation should occur precisely where there are problems—address those specific challenges directly!
What good does it do if everything seems fine at temples,
in Zen halls,
in great mountain forests
or among many practitioners?
Cultivation isn’t about showcasing yourself to others;
it’s about revealing yourself through your own life experiences.
Everything happening within you—
every problem—is a form of practice
to encounter your true self.
by- Master Jian Dao