[Skull]

Since everything is impermanent, we should quickly find a refuge All of you can count yourselves lucky,
for you have searched around and finally come to believe in the Buddha. Faith in the Buddha enables us to
attain the ultimate happiness of permanence, joy. true self, and purity Therefore we should believe in the
Buddha. But it’s not enough to say that we believe We also have to cultivate according to the Dharma. If
you believe but dont cultivate, its like talking about food without eating it. or counting the wealth of others
—it doesn’t benefit you in the least So the ancients said

The Way must he practiced. If it is not
practiced, what use is the Way?
Virtue must he cultivated. If it is not cultivated.
from where does virtue come?

We should personally practice, always hanging the words “birth ” and “death” on our brows, and putting
the words “Way” and “virtue” beneath our feet. Maybe that’s hard to understand—why should we put the
words “Way” and “virtue” under our feet? Because the Way and virtue are a person’s foundation. They
are to us what roots are to a tree. Once we have the Way and virtue, we can stand on our own feet. But
with no base under our feet, we have no place to stand. We are in a fix, unable to advance or retreat, and
we cannot accomplish anything. If we can actually practice these two things, then we can establish a good
character and naturally be successful in whatever we do. So it’s said, “The Way and virtue are the
foundation of being a person.” The Analects of Confucius also say, “The superior person attends to the
root. When the root is established, the Way comes forth.” Only when the fundamentals are tended to can
the Way come forth. This is wise advice from the ancients.

Master Hsuan Hua. Talks on Dharma, vol one