The second point of the 51st lojong slogan is that practice beats understanding. As a reminder, the slogan says, “This time, practice the main points.” The first point is to practice to benefit others more than yourself.
This second point says that our practice is more important than our intellectual understanding. Traleg Kyabgon encourages us to “concentrate on applying what we’ve learned to our daily lives.” Don’t sit around and just think about it. Trust that when you practice, whatever is most important will become clear. All the rest is secondary.
This is kind of a relief, isn’t it? We don’t have to be brilliant to practice well. Spiritual practice is truly for everyone, whether you ever “get it” intellectually or not.
The other aspect of this point is to practice what your teacher instructs more than you focus on grasping difficult analytical texts. I think one of the reasons is because our teachers know us and watch us. They instruct us in what practices will be most helpful to our growth at any given time. The texts teach us at a distance. They are beneficial, but they are disembodied in a way that the instructions of our own teacher aren’t.
Another way we can say this is: listen best to the person closest in. Of all your teachers, follow the one who knows you best and guides you most faithfully. The book by that famous author may be of help. But there’s something really critical about listening to those who see us up close.
I’m sure you’ve noticed how this dovetails nicely with the first point. Again, the focus is putting our attention on those things that will benefit the most. And embodying the teachings in our daily lives because we practice, and because we listen to the way our teacher instructs us to practice, is most beneficial of all.
In graduate school, we’d have discussions about whether it was more important to believe or act. As you know, most Western religious traditions put a pretty hefty emphasis on “right belief.” But really, the research shows that belief doesn’t matter much until it becomes embodied. That’s when you know a belief will actually stick around. Practice beats understanding, over and over again.
Where in your life right now does your belief need to move below your neck and into your body? Where does your practice most need to be embodied in you?
