Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 28: The Integration of the Śrāvaka Realm—"Integrating the Śrāvaka Dharma to Create the Bodhisattva Realm"

After in-depth reflection on the Śrāvaka-dhyāna and heated discussions in the Buddhist community, Amin returned to Lingxu Mountain with a new goal in mind: to try to integrate the beneficial elements of the Śrāvaka-dhyāna into the practice of the Bodhisattva Path, and to create a more comprehensive and profound practice method that suits him.

Ah Ming knew this was no easy task, requiring careful exploration and practice. He began with daily meditation, drawing on the Śrāvakayāna's meticulous breath awareness techniques. In the Bodhisattva Path's meditation practice, he not only focused on his inner compassion and mindfulness of sentient beings, as before, but also used every subtle change in his breath as a starting point for his practice. With each inhale, he imagined inhaling the suffering and troubles of sentient beings, strengthening his compassion. With each exhale, he shared his wisdom and blessings with sentient beings, sowing seeds of liberation. This integration brought new changes to his meditation, enabling him to gain deeper insight into his inner world and making his care for sentient beings more concrete and tangible.

In terms of moral discipline, Amin also innovated and integrated it. The Bodhisattva Path's precepts inherently emphasize flexibility in the process of benefiting sentient beings, but sometimes overly broad standards can lead to insufficient self-discipline. Drawing on the rigorous vinaya system of precepts, he developed a middle path that suited him. For example, while he doesn't adhere to the strict vegetarianism of the Śrāvakayāna, he avoids foods derived from overfishing or cruel farming, cultivating a respect and reverence for life. In his speech, he not only upholds the Bodhisattva Path's kind words of exhortation, but also draws on the Śrāvakayāna's silent introspection, setting aside specific times each day for silence, during which he reflects on whether his words and actions align with the bodhisattva's compassion and wisdom.

As time went on, Amin felt he had gained a lot from this integrated practice. He decided to go to an ancient monastery in the mountains to test the feasibility of his practice with other practitioners. The monastery, with its long history and large number of monks, was an ideal place for spiritual exchange.

Upon arriving at the temple, Ah Ming was warmly received by the abbot. Upon hearing that Ah Ming had come to share a new practice that blends the Śrāvaka and Bodhisattva paths, the abbot was filled with anticipation and curiosity. In the temple's main hall, Ah Ming shared his philosophy and practical methods with the practitioners.

He said, "Fellow practitioners, the bodhisattva path is about saving all beings, but the practice of the Śrāvakas also has its subtleties. I try to integrate the two. In meditation, I use the breath as a bridge to connect myself with all beings. In observing the precepts, I take the best of both, balancing flexibility and rigor."

After hearing this, the practitioners began to discuss the matter. Some young practitioners' eyes sparkled with excitement, eager to try this new practice, hoping to break through their current bottlenecks. However, some older practitioners expressed doubts. A highly respected elder stepped forward and said, "Amin, the Bodhisattva Path and the Śrāvakayāna have been passed down for a long time, each with its own complete system. By forcing a fusion like this, won't it disrupt the balance between the two and lead to a wrong path in practice?"

Ah Ming bowed respectfully to the elder and replied, "Elder, I deeply understand your concerns. However, in my view, Buddhism is inherently adaptable and evolves with the times and the needs of sentient beings. Today's world is turbulent and complex, and sentient beings have varying natures. We need a more comprehensive approach to practice. This fusion is not destructive, but rather an optimization based on respect for the core teachings of both."

Despite skepticism, many practitioners were willing to follow Amin's lead and give it a try. In the days that followed, a new spiritual scene emerged within the monastery. In the meditation hall, some practitioners meditated according to Amin's method, their expressions sometimes solemn, sometimes relaxed, as if they were undergoing a wondrous inner journey. In the monastery's daily lives, practitioners also observed greater self-discipline in their words and actions, becoming more cautious in their food choices, and exhibiting a greater sense of introspection and compassion in their interactions.

However, the path to integrated practice is not always smooth. Some practitioners encounter difficulties during their practice. Some, in meditation, become overly focused on balancing breathing and compassion, leading to a flood of distracting thoughts and an inability to enter deep concentration. Others struggle with the new rules of observing the precepts, leading to inner struggles and conflicts.

Seeing this, Ah Ming interacted with each practitioner one by one. He patiently listened to their concerns and answered them based on his own experience. For practitioners experiencing difficulties in meditation, Ah Ming guided them to first relax their minds and bodies, return to their original aspirations on the bodhisattva path, and then gradually adjust their breathing and mindfulness. For practitioners struggling with the precepts, he shared his inner thoughts and insights when formulating these rules, helping them understand the bodhisattva spirit and arhat wisdom behind each rule.

Just as the monastery's practice experiment was gaining momentum, Amin's philosophy sparked a conceptual challenge from the outside world. Some traditional Śrāvakayāna practitioners considered Amin's fusion a distortion of Śrāvaka teachings, and they spread their opposition throughout Buddhist academies and monasteries. Some extreme Bodhisattva practitioners also felt that Amin's fusion was too skewed towards the Śrāvaka path, violating the purity of the Bodhisattva path.

Upon hearing this news, Amin remained unperturbed. He knew that any innovation and change would face resistance, and his only responsibility was to remain steadfast in his convictions and demonstrate the value of this integrated practice through practical results. He decided to leave the monastery and travel to those areas where his ideas were questioned, engaging in face-to-face discussions and debates with those who opposed his ideas.

At a Buddhist college, Ah Ming stood on the podium, facing numerous Shravakayana scholars and practitioners. A senior Shravakayana teacher took the lead and challenged him: "Ah Ming, your so-called fusion is nothing more than grafting the superficial aspects of Shravakayana onto the Bodhisattva path, undermining the sacredness of the Shravakayana realm."

Ah Ming calmly replied, "Teacher, I have great respect for the Śrāvakayāna. What I have incorporated are the methods from the Śrāvakayāna that help practitioners enhance their self-awareness and concentration. These methods can play a greater role in the Bodhisattva's practice of saving sentient beings. For example, the Śrāvakayāna's insight into the subtle changes in greed, hatred, and delusion within the mind can enable Bodhisattvas to more keenly perceive the root causes of sentient beings' afflictions when saving sentient beings, allowing them to provide assistance more precisely."

Then, at another important Bodhisattva monastery, a senior monk also raised a question: "Your changes in the precepts have caused the Bodhisattva Path to lose its inclusiveness and flexibility. Isn't this a step backward?"

Ah Ming clasped his hands together and said, "Venerable Monk, I understand your adherence to the Bodhisattva Path tradition. However, my integration of precepts is intended to empower practitioners with greater self-discipline in the process of saving sentient beings. The Bodhisattva Path's tolerance is not without principles. Appropriately drawing on the rigor of the Śrāvakayāna can make us more resolute in the face of worldly temptations, thereby better fulfilling the Bodhisattva's mission."

Throughout these clashes of ideas, Amin remained calm and wise. He responded to the challenges from all sides, drawing on his own insights from practice, the fruits of his monastic life, and his profound understanding of Buddhism. Gradually, some of the initial opposition began to fade, and some practitioners began to reconsider Amin's concept of integration.

At a large Buddhist exchange conference, Amin again expounded on his integrated practice. He detailed how to organically integrate the Śrāvaka and Bodhisattva paths in terms of meditation, precepts, and wisdom growth, enabling practitioners to rapidly elevate their own spiritual attainments while better devoting themselves to the cause of saving sentient beings. Following this presentation, the audience erupted in applause. Many practitioners approached Amin, asking him questions about the details of their practice and expressing their desire to try this integrated approach.

Looking at these eager and enthusiastic faces, Amin felt a surge of joy. He knew his efforts and perseverance were beginning to be recognized. The integrated path of practice he had pioneered would offer a new option for more practitioners, opening up a new world on the path of practice and verification of the Yogacarabhumi Sutra, allowing the light of the bodhisattva path to shine even brighter in the world, leading more sentient beings to liberation and enlightenment.