The Joyfulness of Spiritual Practice Is an Inner Experience

The Buddhist teachings are very profound. Firstly, we need to understand their theoretical meaning and move on from there to contemplating the teachings deeply. During this process, all kinds of doubts may arise as we find ourselves questioning what we have learned. At this time we should work hard to resolve our doubts through a rigorous process of debate and discussion. When every doubt is cleared up, we can start to meditate on the meaning of the teachings.

There is a metaphor describing meditation, “Only after drinking the water can one tell how hot or cold it is.” Similarly, only after engaging in meditation can we know the joyfulness of practice. Initially this joy is difficult to communicate to others, because it is an inner personal experience. However, as our practice becomes increasingly stable, positively influencing others will happen quite naturally because these days many people are in real need of spiritual support.