实修必须以见地为基础

After generating renunciation and bodhicitta, next comes the practice of emptiness. In The Three Principal Aspects of the Path by Je Tsongkhapa, the first two aspects are renunciation and bodhicitta, and the third is none other than the right view of emptiness. For us to arouse genuine renunciation and bodhicitta is not a problem，just a matter of time. From that point on, one must succeed in realization of emptiness in order to attain ultimate liberation. Otherwise, one cannot but fail to achieve this final goal, no matter how skillful one is in the practice of renunciation and bodhicitta.

当出离心和菩提心修起来后，下一步就要修空性。宗喀巴大师的《三主要道》所讲的三个主要内容，前两个便是出离心和菩提心，第三个不是别的，就是空性。出离心和菩提心，我们总有一天会修好，这是肯定的，只是时间早晚的问题。此后，凡是想解脱的人，必须证悟空性，否则，即使出离心、菩提心发得再好，也无法解脱。

Mahayana practitioners need to pass three checkpoints on the path to liberation, namely, renunciation, bodhicitta and realization of emptiness. The importance of gaining the wisdom of emptiness is thus apparent. Although it may still be too early for most of us to practice emptiness now, to learn something about it in advance definitely helps what we want to accomplish in due course.

作为一个大乘修行人必须过三关：出离心、菩提心和最后一关——怔悟空性。所以，怔悟空性非常重要。虽然目前对我们很多人而言，修习空性还为时尚早，但是能提前了解也有好处。

Nowadays, some people suggest that one only needs to undertake the actual practice and not care about the theory behind it. But how should one practice without knowing why to practice first? People like Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Zen lineage, and Jetsun Milarepa did not go through the traditional academic training, only relied on a long period of ascetic practice and the supreme blessing of their masters, to attain ultimate realization. But, then again, they were of incomparable faculty. How likely is it that we have the same quality? Not very likely for most of us, I would think.

目前有人讲，只要实修，不要理论。实修当然很好，但是，如果没有理论，又如何实修呢？虽然六祖慧能大师和米拉日巴尊者没有经过太多的闻思，仅仅通过一段时间的苦行，在得到上师的殊胜加持之后，便证悟了无上的境界。但他们是上等根机者，难道我们每个人都是上等根机？实际上，绝大多数人不可能是这样的。