In this Saha world, people have different propensity, which propels everyone to live one’s life accordingly. Some have purer penchants; others have murkier ones. The most turbid are greed for money, greed for lust, and greed for intoxicants. The less turbid ones are fondness in collecting antiques, in playing musical instruments or chess, as well as fondness in traveling, or in writing poetry. Among all, the relatively pure one is fondness in reading books. Reading good books is indeed beneficial. Among all the personal inclinations, reading is the winner. However, thus far we’re only speaking of worldly dharma.
What is purer than reading worldly books is reading Buddhist scriptures. And what is purer than reading scriptures is the fondness in purifying one’s own mind – this is the ultimate winner, with regard to either worldly dharma or otherworldly Dharma.
The progress along the Path is like eating sugar canes – gradually, it will become more and more enjoyable and blissful.
by Grand Master Lian Chi (蓮池大師), the Eighth Patriarch of Pure Land Buddhism
好樂 – 錄自明末蓮池大師《竹窗隨筆》(初筆)
人處世各有所好，亦各隨所好以度日而終老，但清濁不同耳。至濁者好財，其次好色，其次好飲。稍清，則或好古玩，或好琴棋，或好山水，或好吟詠。又進之，則好讀書。開卷有益，諸好之中，讀書為勝矣! 然此猶世間法。又進之，則好讀內典。又進之，則好淨其心。好至於淨其心，而世出世間之好最勝矣! 漸入佳境如食蔗喻。
Buddha Mind 