To Learn, To Comprehend, To Practice and To Attain

Couple of days ago someone asked me, isn't it the same thing when we say to meditate on and practice the Spiritual Path ( or Dharma Path in my case as I am Buddhist )? This got me thinking, I always assumed they were unsaid truths, but when confronted with the question I realized that I never gave much thought to it. Its always been an assumption, doing "dharma/spiritual" activities like candle offerings, incense etc was practicing dharma. Or when I go to some Teaching session by a Lama, Priest or Teacher, I am practicing dharma. Then it dawned upon me that Dharma Practice was about none of those... I contemplated and analyzed deeper the meaning of "Practice". I came to the following conclusion:

" To Read the Dharma Books,
To Listen to the Dharma Teachings is... to Learn the Dharma Path.

To Contemplate on what was Read,
To Meditate on what was Heard is... to Comprehend the Essence of Dharma

To Apply that which has been Understood,
To Do that which we have Comprehended
and to realize and Internalize the Insights that result from it....
THAT is the PRACTICE of Dharma. "

Neither our Daily Sadhanas ( prayers ) nor Mantras is Dharma Practice on its own. The same with Offerings of Prostrations, Silver or Gold... Heavy duty retreats are the same. These are preparatory practices to get us ready for the actual practice. Its the knowledge gathered before an Exam, Fuel for a car to move and Power for a Light to illuminate. They provide us with the Merits, the Skills and the Knowledge to Face the actual practice

Actual practice happens when we are NOT in front of our Shrines and Altars deep in meditation,or chanting prayers, or making extensive offerings nor secluded in altruistic retreats... It happens when we are OFF our prayer cushion or OUT of our retreat cave or area. Practice happens when we meet undesirable people that challenge our sense of wanting to maintain Patience. Practice is Refraining ourselves from Abrasive speech and Belittling Judgements. Practice is BEING IN Retreat in the midst of bustling, loud and overwhelming society and yet still able to maintain Equilibrium and Harmony in mind. Practice is being Mindful and Understanding that what WE do not like others to do to us, we first do not do to them. Practice is being forgiving to those that Hurt us.... Put any wonderful and beneficial virtue in front of " Practice is...." THAT is WHAT practice IS for us at that point in time.

When we say Practice is Kindness, then OUR PRACTICE for that time is being Kindly to others. When we have perfected the limitless and selfless virtues, then each virtue we internalize, then becomes an ATTAINMENT....

Om Mani Padme Hum Sarva Shantim Kuru Ye Soha.