The power of mindfulness and cultivation when reading
Q: A few days ago, I read “Annotations on the Wenshi Zhenjing” and “Luyutang Quotations”. I always feel that the state of mind when reading is the same whether I cultivate or not. Occasionally, it increases the power of cultivation, but it doesn't last long and disappears. Why is this?
Answer: Reading Daoist scriptures and books and feeling that the results are minimal or even vague is due to a lack of practice. It must be understood that the works passed down by ancient cultivation practitioners are all based on the conclusions they have actually drawn from their physical and mental verification. They are things that integrate reason and method, and it is only possible to benefit from them personally if knowledge and action go hand in hand. If you just read the books, it is no different from talking about military strategy on paper. It is like reading the so-called high moves in a boxing book. If you don't train yourself, the kung fu will never be yours, and you will crumble at the first encounter with an opponent.
The way of cultivation is to integrate knowledge and action, to advance together, to participate in cultivation, to have knowledge without action is not true knowledge, and to have action without knowledge is blind action. Even if you can suddenly attain enlightenment and transcendence, that is, directly attain the supreme dharma and become a sage in this body, if you don't have an extraordinary aptitude and truly practice diligently, you will inevitably fall into emptiness and perish.
看书心境与修持之力
问：前些日子，看《文始真经注》、《乐育堂语录》，总觉看与不看的心境皆是稀里糊涂，偶尔增加了些修持之力，但维持不久便消失了。请问这到底是为什么？
答：阅读丹经道书，而觉收效甚微，甚至稀里糊涂，这是缺乏行持的原因。须知古代修炼家留传下来的著作，都是根据他们的身心验证切实得出的结论，是理法合一的东西，必须知行并进，才有可能切身受益。倘若仅凭翻看书本，无异纸上谈兵。好比阅读拳书上面的所谓高招，自己不去训练，功夫依然到不了身上，与人对搏一触即溃。
修炼之道，贵在知行为一，知行并进，修真有份，有知无行非真知，有行无知是盲行。即便可以顿悟直超、即身证圣的上乘大法，若非超等根器，且有真实笃行，亦不免落于空亡。