Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 29: The Expansion of the Śrāvaka Grounds—"Expanding the Use of the Śrāvakas and Widely Practicing the Bodhisattva's Merits"

On the pure land of Lingxu Mountain blessed by the Buddha's light, Amin stood on the top of the mountain, looking at the rolling hills and swirling clouds below, thinking in his heart how to further expand the application of the Śrāvaka land in the Bodhisattva practice on the basis of integrating the Śrāvaka Dharma and the Bodhisattva Path.

Ah Ming understood that the practice of the Bodhisattva Path is ubiquitous, not confined to meditation halls and monasteries. Thus, he began to apply this integrated philosophy to a wider range of everyday situations. For example, in the face of the difficulties and setbacks often encountered by practitioners, he advocated for the cultivation of inner fortitude from the Sravakayana to inspire a bodhisattva's heart. When a young practitioner, discouraged by misunderstandings in his efforts to help others, Ah Ming sat with him by a mountain stream and encouraged him with stories of overcoming obstacles in the Sravakayana path. He said, "Fellow practitioner, our predecessors in the Sravakayana path also endured countless hardships and slander on their path to liberation, yet they overcame them time and again with unwavering faith and deep inner awareness. We, the practitioners of the Bodhisattva Path, should do the same, viewing these setbacks as the foundation for sharpening our compassion and wisdom." Upon hearing this, hope rekindled in the young practitioner's eyes, and his inner dejection gradually gave way to resolve.

To further explore this new path for expanding applications, Amin decided to organize a spiritual practice seminar and invited eminent monks and masters from all walks of life to participate. The news caused quite a stir in the Buddhist community. Many practitioners were eager to gain new spiritual wisdom from the seminar, and even some senior monks who had long lived in seclusion in the mountains were attracted by Amin's innovative ideas and decided to come out of seclusion to participate.

The seminar was held in a magnificent temple at the foot of Lingxu Mountain. The temple's main hall was solemn and dignified, filled with practitioners from all over the world. They wore robes of different colors, representing different schools and traditions, but at this moment, they all shared a passionate heart for spiritual exploration. Amin stood before the crowd and began to explain his thoughts: "Eminent monks, the practice of the Bodhisattva Path must keep pace with the times and adapt to various worldly situations. The many methods of the Sravakas, if skillfully utilized, can be a valuable aid in our bodhisattva practice. Just as when facing external doubts and difficulties, the Sravakas' introspection can enable us to quickly detect inner turmoil, allowing us to resolve it with a purer bodhisattva heart."

An old monk in the audience nodded slightly and said, "Amin, your idea is good, but how can we ensure that we do not deviate from the fundamental purpose of the Bodhisattva Path when expanding its application? After all, the goals of the Śrāvaka and Bodhisattva Paths are different." This question instantly triggered everyone's thinking. The hall was silent, and all eyes were focused on Amin.

Ah Ming pondered for a moment, then replied, "Venerable, what you said is absolutely correct. When we expand our application, we must always be guided by the bodhisattva's great aspiration to save all sentient beings. The methods of the Śrāvakas are merely tools, their purpose is to enable us to better practice the bodhisattva path. For example, when we utilize the Śrāvakas' meditation and concentration training, we are not seeking personal liberation, but rather to more clearly understand the root causes of sentient beings' myriad afflictions and provide precise assistance when faced with them."

As the discussion deepened, a young monk proposed a new idea: "Brother A-Ming, can we transform the Arhats' reverence for the Vinaya into the Bodhisattvas' code of conduct for social welfare? For example, when providing aid to the poor and the sick, could we adopt a more rigorous and self-disciplined attitude to ensure the rational allocation and use of resources?" Upon hearing this, A-Ming's mind lit up. He said admiringly, "Brother, this idea is brilliant. This is an excellent direction for expanding application. Through this transformation, we can embody the Bodhisattvas' compassion and altruism while incorporating the Arhats' rigorous spirit."

During this seminar, various viewpoints collided and merged, and new ideas and methods emerged. Ming recorded these valuable discussions one by one, realizing that this would be a valuable resource for bodhisattva practice.

After the seminar, Ah Ming returned to his retreat hut and began a retreat to summarize these experiences and teachings. He studied the scriptures day and night, comparing the various perspectives from the seminar with his insights from actual practice, attempting to formulate a comprehensive system of practice for the expansion and application of the Śrāvaka-dhyāna to the Bodhisattva Path. During his retreat, he experienced countless inner struggles and choices. Every concept he formulated and every practice method he devised was informed by a profound reflection and awareness of the Bodhisattva Path. He understood that everything he did was not merely a personal exploration of his own practice, but rather a means for the vast majority of Bodhisattva Path practitioners to achieve greater stability and advancement in their future spiritual journeys.

After a long retreat, Amin finally completed a detailed summary report. In it, he systematically expounded on the various application scenarios of the Śrāvaka-dhyāna in the practice of the Bodhisattva Path, from coping with personal inner difficulties to participating in social welfare activities, from daily interactions with sentient beings to persevering in practice in complex social environments. He also emphasized how to maintain the core values ​​of the Bodhisattva Path during this expansion process, and how to avoid the misunderstandings of practice caused by excessive reference to the Śrāvaka-dhyāna.

Upon its release, this report garnered widespread attention and discussion within the Buddhist community. Many monasteries used it as a practice textbook for their monks to study and research. Some lay Buddhists also obtained the report through various channels, attempting to incorporate its principles into their daily lives. As a result, Amin's name became even more recognizable within the Buddhist community. He was regarded as a practitioner with a bold spirit of innovation and a knack for integration, opening up new perspectives and directions for the practice of the Yogacarabhumi Sutra. However, Amin was not complacent. He knew that this was just a small ripple in the long journey of the Bodhisattva Path, and that endless unknowns lay ahead for him to explore and conquer. With this dedication and passion for practice, he would continue steadfastly on the Bodhisattva Path, using his wisdom and actions to spread bodhisattva virtue and bring more light and hope to the world.